I agree that this is fun stuff to discuss in the abstract. I personally enjoy Julf's technical banter on this forum. But it's important to apply these things to real system playback scenarios.
PCM playback can utilize its advantages to surpass the best analog volume controls available, IME.
If done right, PCM playback can also can significantly and exclusively contribute to much improved in-room bass response in almost every small to medium size room.
Now, there are Jussi's claims concerning something he calls multi-bit SDM. He says that he can basically do the above in the 1 bit DSD domain, sort of. Even if that's really true, there's no widely accepted standard there and his HQplayer is no Jriver, in terms of usability. I recognize the "purist" advantages to DSD. But having heard the format for myself in it's natural habitat, I would still easily trade that advantage for the above PCM advantages.
PCM playback can utilize its advantages to surpass the best analog volume controls available, IME.
If done right, PCM playback can also can significantly and exclusively contribute to much improved in-room bass response in almost every small to medium size room.
Now, there are Jussi's claims concerning something he calls multi-bit SDM. He says that he can basically do the above in the 1 bit DSD domain, sort of. Even if that's really true, there's no widely accepted standard there and his HQplayer is no Jriver, in terms of usability. I recognize the "purist" advantages to DSD. But having heard the format for myself in it's natural habitat, I would still easily trade that advantage for the above PCM advantages.
The fundamental problem for PCM is there are no good native PCM A/D converters available today, outside of the few remaining Pacific Microsonics PM1 and PM2, and virtually no labels using those that are available. The available ADC's today are all multi or single bit PDM, that must be decimate filtered from their sampling rate to whatever PCM rate is used for the recording. That filtering process is quite discernible. IMO, that effect is far greater than the perceived problems often associated with DSD.