How important is DSD?

I have an opportunity to buy a balanced DAC with a PCM1796 dac. I was wondering how popular is DSD as a format and will it become the norm?
The 1796 has * DSD Format Interface Available? The DSD1796 looks to be almost identical in specs.

So I’m torn between this older DAC with XLR out or a newer Topping D10 or D30. I was trying to keep it around $100. My Amp does have a balanced line in and out.

So SACD didn’t really take off and most of the public doesn’t even think about formats like FLAC.

If DSD is something you’d like to get into, then sure; else, I don’t think it will become mainstream as most music is not produced for this format.

2 Likes

I might just go with this PCM dac it was a $700 device and DSD isn’t important to me. I did pick up a D30 too so I’ll see how that is.

Just remember that dacs seem to advance fairly quickly, and generally older dacs are not as technically good as newer ones for the same price, unless you are buying older totl dacs for a good price

1 Like

Then again I should also say that the dac implementation inside the unit makes a big difference in quality, and could potentially cause a lesser dac that was implemented well sound better than a higher end dac that was poorly implemented.