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DSD player is software that designed to playback Direct Stream Digital audio files (.dsf, .dff, sacd iso, DoP). Look at DSD player software (Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS for iPhone, iPad) comparison list at this page.

DSD player list > Sound quality > DSD converters > Bit-perfect mode > Gapless playback > Offline conversion mode > Inline conversion mode > DAC interfaces > The best DSD player > What is DSD > DSD files [Audio Formats, Sound Quality, Infographic] > DSD vs DSF vs DFF > How to open DSF > Where download Hi-Res music > DSD download sites >

Watch and share: What is DSD audio? Video explanation

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WARNING:
• DSF, DFF, ISO (1-bit audio) is supported in maximal PROduce-RD and configurable Modula-R
• For ISO tracks, DSF, DFF with length more 3 minutes FREE demo mute 2 second silence in the output middle
• DVD ISO is NOT supported

Sound quality

Watch and share: DSD vs FLAC [Format Comparison]

Bit-perfect mode

DSD files may be played back in bit-perfect modes:

DSD file (DSF, DFF, SACD ISO);
DoP (DSD over PCM) file (FLAC, WAV, AIFF, other lossless PCM files).

Bit-perfect mean transmitting of audio file content to DAC without altering.

Gapless playback

When uninterrupted albums (operas, concerts) are listened, non-gapless playback can cause clicks at track borders.

Gapless playback mean playback album as solid stream without re-initialization of DAC.

If album converted from one audio format to other with resampling, it can cause artefacts at track borders. To avoid the artefacts, True Gapless conversion may be used.

Offline conversion mode

With bit-perfect mode you can playback offline pre-converted audio files (including PCM to DSD). This mode don't consume additional computing resources for altering of audio file. Also it save electrical energy that is spent to the processing.

Many of digital audio players (DAP) capable to playback at stereo headphones. But some your records may be multichannel.

When DAP play multichannel record it downmix it to 2.0. Downmixing is lossy operation and it sound quality depend on implementation.

Also extra channels consume free space on hard disk of the DAP. Offline pre-downmixed to stereo files allow to put more songs at hard disk.

If file played back on mobile device in bit-perfect mode or with minimal processings, it allow:

to save battery charge;
to get longer time of autonomous work;
to get more computing resources for other (not audio player) applications.

Inline conversion mode

DSD and PCM files may be played back with inline (real-time, "on-fly") altering of audio content:

with DSD resampling;
with room correction;
with conversion DSD to PCM on PCM DAC.

This mode allow to save time for pre-converting of various audio files to the best sounding mode of DAC. But each playback can consume big computing resources to resolution conversion and other processings.

Real-time playback conversion DSD to PCM on a mobile devices consume additional battery charge and part of the device CPU performance. It can cause lesser time of autonomous work and reduce response of other (non-player) applications.

Inline (real-time) vs offline conversion
of audio files on mobile devices

Offline conversion of audio files give longer battery life time because a mobile device perform lesser calculation number.

Also pre-downmix, pre-conversion DSD to PCM, pre-downsampling save free space at hard disk of the mobile device.

DAC interfaces

To DSD playback (including bit-perfect) under Windows, DAC may be connected to audio player via ASIO driver or DoP protocol.

Also WASAPI (with DoP) interface may be used to playback (including bit-perfect).

DoP is special open protocol to coding DSD into PCM audio stream. The stream can not be played back as PCM.

To DSD playback under Mac, DAC may be connected to audio player via DoP protocol.

What is the best DSD player

In audiophile application the players are compared by sound quality.

If the player have bit perfect mode and used DAC support played file resolution, sound quality is the same for such players.

But, if audio resolution is altered or EQ is used, then applied processing quality is matter.

In general, the best DSD player with processing should cause minimal distortions.

Also kind of distortions may be matter.

DSD player list 2018

WARNING: This table can contains errors. It is not offer or advertizing. We are not affiliated with listed products. We guarantee nothing. If you found wrong information, contact us, please. To get exact information, contact with the software developers and/or vendors.

DSD player audio software list 2018

Audio player	Operation system	License	Supported file types	Sample rate	DAC interface	Description
DSD players Windows, Mac, Linux
Amarra Luxe	Windows, Mac	Commercial	DSF
Audiogate	Windows, Mac		DSF, DFF	up to DSD128		DAC limitation for the software activation
Audirvana	Mac	Commercial	DSF, DFF (including DST), SACD ISO		DoP, DSD to PCM
Daphile	Run as firmware (Linux based) from flash stick memory	Free	DSF			Music server. Stereo only
Foobar2000 (with sacd input plugin)	Windows	Free	DSF, DFF (including DST), SACD ISO	up to DSD512	ASIO, DSD to PCM
Fostex Audio Player	Windows, Mac	Free	DSF, DFF	up to DSD128	ASIO, DoP
JRiver	Windows, Mac, Linux	Commercial	DSF, DFF (including DST), SACD ISO		ASIO, DoP, DSD over DLNA, DSD to PCM, PCM to DSD
HQ Player	Windows, Mac, Linux	Commercial	DSF, DFF (non-compressed DSDIFF)	up to DSD1024	DSD to PCM, PCM to DSD, ASIO, DoP
Hysolid	Windows	Free	DSF	up to DSD256	ASIO, DoP WASAPI	To work on music server PC with smartphone app control
Logitech Media Server	Windows, Mac, Linux		DoP PCM files		Bit-perfect PCM output of DoP	Need additional hardware and pre-conversion DSD files to PCM DoP files. How to adjust and use the software.
Media Player Classic	Windows	Free	DSF, DFF
moOde audio player	To run on Raspberry Pi	Free				Here information about DSD settings
Resonic Player	Windows	Free, Commercial	DSF, DFF	up to DSD512
Roon	Windows, Mac; server on Windows, Mac, Linux	Commercial			Bit-perfect, DSD to PCM	Sevrer may be installed on network area storage (NAS)
TEAC HR Audio Player	Windows, Mac	Free	DSF, DFF	up to DSD256	ASIO, DoP
Technics Audio Player	Windows, Mac		DSF, DFF	up to DSD128	USB driver	Read the software license agreement about using limitations
Volumio	Run as firmware from flash stick memory on PC, Raspberry Pi, other				UPNP\DLNA, Airplay, DoP	Music server
Wtfplay	Linux	Free	DSF	up to DSD128; DSD256, DSD512 are experimental	DoP
DSD players Android and iOS (mobile applications)
HibyMusic	Android, iOS	Free	DSF, DFF (including DST), ISO	up to DSD256	net driver (Dropbox/DLNA/LAN) native DSD, DoP, DSD to PCM
Hi-Res music player-NePLAYER	iOS	Commercial	DSF, DFF	up to DSD256	DSD to PCM, DoP	Check DSD replay issues at online store page
HYSOLID	Android, iOS	Free				Music server control application
Neutron Music Player	Android, iOS	Commercial			UPnP/DLNA, USB DAC, DoP, DSD to PCM	There is evaluation version "Neutron Music Player (Eval)" on Android
Onkyo HF Player	Android, iOS	Free, Commercial	DSF, DFF	up to DSD256	AOA 2.0, DoP, DSD to PCM	Some limitations of free version
TEAC HR Audio Player	Android, iOS		DSF, DFF	up to DSD256	DoP, DSD to PCM	There are DSD limitations of free version
USB Audio Player PRO	Android	Commercial			DoP, DSD to PCM, native DSD playback

Read about other audio players >

Download DSD converters >

Check DSD music site download list (also FREE downloads there) >

Read about DSD DACs >

Read more about mobile device connections to DSD playback here.

Read articles about audio issues

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