I am using a Vivaldi transport with the balance of a Paganini stack. Everything is working fine but I am unsure that I have the system optimized for the best results. Has anyone else done this and are there best ways utilize the technology to the best efficiency.
There isn’t much operationally different to the Paganini transport.
You need to use dual AES connection for SACD but if you play a redbook CD then using this connection will upsample it to DSD or DXD. To play redbook in native format you need to connect either the third AES output or use S/Pdif. You would also use this connection to the Paganini upsampler for PCM upsampling.
The transport only requires a single 44.1 group wordclock input ( unlike the rest of the Vivaldi range) so there is no obstacle to using the Paganini system clock.
Pretty straightforward really.
Thanks Pete
I seem to remember having to backdoor something to get the resolution on the DAC. My recollection was when I went straight from the transport to the DAC everything was fine (2 AES inputs) but I think the upsampler has only one AES input so I couldn’t take both outputs to the upsampler. Then if I put AES dual from transport to DAC, I can’t take dual AES from the upsampler to the DAC.
I’m trying to think it through but I think AES 1&2 from transport to DAC. AES 3 to upsampler. Then S/Pdif back to DAC. Does this make sense?
I play SACDs quite a bit but my collection of redbook cds is quite large. I’ll revisit my connections when I get home.
Yes, AES 1&2 to DAC - it will always be DSD or DXD so you can’t upsample further from those resolutions with the Paganini upsampler.
Whether you use AES3 or S/Pdif into the upsampler is up to you and depends if you want to upsample the 16/44.1 available from those outputs. If you never want to upsample then use S/Pdif directly into the DAC. If you do then connect either AES3 or S/Pdif to the upsampler. You can, of course, connect AES 3 to the upsampler and S/Pdif to the DAC simultaneously which means that you can swap from upsampled PCM to native 16/44.1 PCM just by switching inputs on the DAC.
Perfectly clear
thank you