Network Bridge Discussion Thread

[PaleRider (Greg)]

@Anupc

Ironically, it was dCS themselves who championed Async USB (along with Wavelength Audio) that made USB popular as an audio transport interface in the first place!

Maybe people new to dCS don’t realise how far back dCS goes in utilising compute interfaces for digital audio transport; using FireWire on the Elgar Plus from almost 20 years ago for example! I dare say they know what they’re doing

I agree with the irony, and I actually am reasonably familiar with the history despite not owning any dCS until this year. And I completely agree with the assessment that they know what they’re doing. Also, count me a FireWire fan in years past. I think the irony is even more so because of that previous USB advocacy. Doesn’t change my own opinion that USB, for all its utility elsewhere, is a bad audio pipe.

[Anupc (Anup)]

@PaleRider

Doesn’t change my own opinion that USB, for all its utility elsewhere, is a bad audio pipe.

I totally agree! Should be seen as an interface of last resort, like TOSlink

[PaleRider (Greg)]

@Anupc

I totally agree! Should be seen as an interface of last resort, like TOSlink

Yes indeed!

[Vule]

Considering dCS line of products only NB does NOT feature a full MQA decoder.
Is implementation plan on roadmap any time soon or is it planned at all?

[Henners1957 (Nick Boot)]

Mine’s coming tomorrow with a Vivaldi DAC.

Thanks HIFILounge and DCS stay safe

…I have ethernet…

Whats USB…

[Andrew (Andrew Papanikolas)]

@Vule

Considering dCS line of products only NB does NOT feature a full MQA decoder.
Is implementation plan on roadmap any time soon or is it planned at all?

The MQA rendering stage is 100% DAC-dependent so there is no way for a product like the Network Bridge (which can connect to any DAC) to implement the decoding and rendering stages.

[Vule]

@Andrew

The MQA rendering stage is 100% DAC-dependent so there is no way for a product like the Network Bridge (which can connect to any DAC) to implement the decoding and rendering stages.

Thanks for prompt answer and clarification.

[Beolab (Fredrik)]

What i do not understand is if the NWB unfold MQA to 24/192 Khz PCM , it can only send out 24/96 Khz through Coax or single AES independent on what dac you feeding it to and no down sampling in the settings.

Why can it not send out 24/192 PCM when it can read it ? Is it because of copying protection or?

2:
Then i have seen that some albums is corrupted when played in the Mosaic app vs the Tidal app?

For instance if you play Brian Bromberg My Bass in the Tidal App or in Roon it is 16/44.1 CD quality HiFI , but in the Mosaic App the same track is displayed as 319,5 kbit/sand pops and cracks during the whole track.
The rest of the tracks in the same album is even verse with 96kbit/s in bitrate in Mosaic but in Tidal App is listed as HiFi 16/44.1 and is sounding great with sparks and pops.

[Anupc (Anup)]

@Beolab

What i do not understand is if the NWB unfold MQA to 24/192 Khz PCM

MQA’s core decode is only to 88.2 or 96 (see https://www.mqa.co.uk/how-it-works) . Which is what the dCS NB supports.

Full decode to 192K requires a MQA renderer which should reside on the DAC.

[Lazbisme (joe lazenby)]

The PS Audio Direct Stream DAC is compatible!

[Lazbisme (joe lazenby)]

Since dCS is no longer producing the Network Bridge I suppose it would be acceptable for me to post on the forum that I am downsizing and selling my flawless and perfectly functioning Bridge. I am in Hope, Arkansas and can have it at UPS or USPS in less than 24 hours time. I am asking $3800 and will take Paypal, check, postal money order. I can send pictures if you like. Contact at [email protected] if interested.