T+A Dac 200 HDMI issues

I’ve made the T+A North America team aware of this thread and they confirmed they will be looking into this. If you purchased the DAC new, I suggest asking your dealer first in the future as these types of issues may be so specific to the pairing of your equipment that it is not an easily replicable one by others. But who knows? Perhaps someone else on the forums can help!

I did purchase the DAC new and have contacted T+A support with my equipment details and also have posted on Audiophile style site about the issue. I appreciate you contacting T+A North America. I posted here in hopes that others owners may have used their DAC 200 as I mentioned and might have some insight. It could simply be that my Sony UDB-X700 isn’t working as it should as far as presenting a two channel down mix to the DAC 200 or maybe I am trying to do something that just isn’t possible.

Sony does not output DSD no matter how hard you try.

But they do,  I can play my SACDs over HDMI from my Sony UDB-X700 to my DAC 200 and I get a DSD signal into the DAC and great sound, except for a lot of background static.  Maybe the background static is because it isn't supposed to work.   That's what I am trying to find out. 

See if your able to play DSD from a different DSD transport. Your dealer should be able to do this for you. It doesn't sound to me like the problem is with the DAC but rather the Sony.

@fuzztone +1

Why would the creator of SACDs allow you to jailbreak them?

I'm surprised however that the T+A 200 doesn't have a USB drive input, you could then play .dsf files through that.

Looks like you'll going to need a server/streamer to feed .dsf files via one of the T+A's USB inputs.

To rule out the the player I purchased a Sony UBP-X7800M2 that I will get later today.

While I cannot comment on the multi-channel issues you are having, the two-channel DSD issues you are experiencing are not surprising. As others have mentioned, the only way to output DSD from a SACD source to a DAC is 1) if you use the same brand source and DAC (e.g. Sony for both) or 2) if you use the GeerFab D.BoB. Otherwise it is a violation of infringement as the DSD stream should not be able to be extracted.

What’s weird is that playing SACDs via DSD to the DAC 200 does work except for the static. Maybe that is an implementation error on T+A part and it simply should not have worked at all - which would have saved me some frustration.

I did install a new Sony UDB-X800M2 to replace the X700 and have identical issues for both SACD and playing movies in two channel.

Makes me wonder what the point is of having the HDMI inputs? Maybe T+A has some devices that work with it.

@jrsub : did you hear back from T+A North America? I would also recommend contacting T+A directly. They come back pretty quick, and in English. Email address is e-service@ta-hifi.de

I would also pay attention to what @blisshifi is saying. It is possible there is compatibility issue between your Sony SACD player and T+A DAC 200, when playing back two-channel super audio CD via HDMI connection.

I looked at the T+A DAC 200 user manual, they only mention "connecting a blu-ray player" when talking about HDMI input. Also, there is this on page 59:

Since the DAC 200 is designed for pure stereo playback, only 2-channel PCM or DSD64/DSD128 encoded material can be played back via the HDMI inputs of the DAC 200. For playback via the DAC 200, the configuration of the HDMI output at the source device may need to be changed. Set the HDMI output to PCM output and activate DSD playback via HDMI if available. Always select the stereo track in the menu of the inserted disc.

I sent T+A support at e-service@ta-hifi.com 

Maybe that is the US support instead of the German team.  

The T+A R&D head often posts on Audiophile style site and has indicated that playback of SACD over HDMI does work on the DAC 200.   And yes, I agree there still could be compatibility issues between Sony and T+A. 

I am concerned about the manual statement regarding "Always select the stereo track in the menu of the inserted disk".  The issue here is that most of the new Blu Ray movies I have encountered don't have a 2 channel track,  only a 2 channel descriptive audio track which is very annoying. 

I defer to the specialists on this. I had the impression you were trying to playback 2-channel SACDs (DSD) via HDMI input in your T+A 200, which is a 2-channel DAC / device. Sorry I could not help.

All my previous successful communications with T+A have been to the .de email address, not any .com address. Never tried .com email address.

T+A is going to acquire a Sony UDB-X700 player to test.  That is outstanding support from them.

Initial tests from T+A with their Sony player could not replicate the issue.  Further testing on my part points to an incompatibility issue between my Aurender N200 and the T+A DAC 200.   In a nutshell, if the Aurender is powered up and connected via USB to the DAC 200 when playing an SACD over HDMI from the Sony player I will get static.  However,  while playing the SACD and hearing static if I use the Conductor app on the Aurender and start playing any track, the noise while playing the SACD disappears.    Weird.

Regarding the issue  playing Blu Ray movies,  unless the movie has a two channel audio option or you have some player that can actually present a two channel feed (my Sony players don't) it can't be done.   I get that.

I am not sure, if this will work or is something you can test. If you have a laptop that has a HDMI out, try connecting to the DAC 200, play some audio file or Youtube and see if you have the same issue. Just a thought.

Timely question,  in fact early this morning I removed the Aurender from my system and replaced it with a Mac Mini running Jriver over USB.  No issues with static when playing an SACD over HDMI.  

This morning I also tried using the Aurender with and without using an Intona USB isolator and also trying different USB cables.  Same issue with static.

The bottom line is that if the Aurender is powered up and connected via USB on the DAC 200 I get static when playing a SACD over HDMI as DSD64.   The static will  disappear if I then play any track on the Aurender while still playing the SACD with HDMI input selected on DAC 200   I will have no further static issues regardless of if I am playing a track or not playing a track from the Aurender.    I will not get the static again until the DAC 200 is shut down and turned back on. 

You never mentioned you have an Aurender. The best solution is to rip your SACDs and store them on the Aurender’s hard drive.

I use an Oppo 103 with great results, although there are Sony players that can do this.

Once you figure it out it’s simple, 15-20mins to rip each SACD using the SONORE program.

lordmelton

The best solution is to rip your SACDs and store them on the Aurender’s hard drive.

He probably won't be able to rip at full resolution, so that really isn't the "best" solution unless you define best as "most convenient."

@cleeds ,

I am not sure I got this:

He probably won't be able to rip at full resolution

I was able to use a Sony bluray player to rip all my SACDs to DSF files. I believe Oppo 103 can also be used to rip SACDs to DSF files.

Guys, some people still enjoy spinning discs. CDs and SACDs. And I respect that. Me too, once in a while, not that often anymore 

Could be a software issue between the Aurender and the Sony.