How To Pug In An Hdmi To A Dac

Expert’s answer:

To connect an HDMI device, such as a computer or TV, to a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), you will need an HDMI to analog audio converter. This converter will take the digital audio signal from the HDMI source and convert it into an analog signal that can be connected to the DAC.

Here are the steps to connect an HDMI device to a DAC:

  1. Check the DAC compatibility: Ensure that your DAC has an analog audio input. Some DACs only have digital inputs, such as USB or optical, and may not be compatible with HDMI.
  2. Get an HDMI to analog audio converter: Purchase an HDMI to analog audio converter. This device will have an HDMI input and analog audio outputs, such as RCA or 3.5mm. You can find these converters online or at electronics stores.
  3. Connect the HDMI source to the converter: Plug one end of the HDMI cable into the HDMI output port of your device, such as a computer or TV. Then, connect the other end of the HDMI cable to the HDMI input port of the converter.
  4. Connect the converter to the DAC: Use the appropriate cables to connect the analog audio outputs of the converter to the analog audio inputs of your DAC. This could be RCA cables, 3.5mm cables, or any other compatible audio cables.
  5. Power on the devices: Make sure all devices are powered off before making the connections. Once everything is connected, power on your HDMI source device, the converter, and the DAC.
  6. Configure audio settings: Depending on your HDMI source device, you may need to adjust the audio settings to output audio through the HDMI port. Consult the user manual or settings menu of your device to configure the audio output.
  7. Test the audio: Play some audio on your HDMI source device and check if the audio is being properly converted and outputted through the DAC. Adjust the volume levels on both the HDMI source device and the DAC to achieve the desired sound level.

By following these steps, you should be able to connect an HDMI device to a DAC using an HDMI to analog audio converter. This setup allows you to use the DAC to improve the audio quality of the HDMI source device.

Hdmi dac converter
Hdmi dac converter – (Image Source: Pixabay.com)

How do I set up a non-Apple monitor on my Mac?

Connect a VGA display or projector: Attach the display or projector to a Thunderbolt / USB 4 port on your MacBook Air using a USB-C VGA Multiport Adapter. An HDMI display or HDTV can be connected by using a USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter to a Thunderbolt / USB 4 port on your MacBook Air.

Your MacBookAir is compatible with external displays like the Apple Studio Display, projectors, and HDTVs. Video output is supported by the MacBookAir’s USB-C ports.

To ensure you have the proper cable to connect your display, check the documentation that came with it.

A display’s resolution and refresh rate (Hz) can be chosen when it is connected. For best performance, choose a lower resolution if you increase your display’s refresh rate. To change the refresh rate and resolution of your display, go to System Settings and select Displays.

Dsd dac with hdmi input
Dsd dac with hdmi input – (Image Source: Pixabay.com)

Why doesn’t my display recognize HDMI?

A faulty cable could be the cause of your HDMI not working. To see if switching to a different cable will fix your issue, try unplugging the one you’re currently using. You must replace the cable if you notice any damage to it, such as a broken or frayed end.

Visit one of our stores to quickly repair it. Simply drop by or schedule an appointment, and we’ll take care of the rest.

If your laptop’s HDMI port is still not functioning with Windows 10 or 11, check your computer’s display settings to see if anything needs to be changed.

Hdmi dac preamp
Hdmi dac preamp – (Image Source: Pixabay.com)

Is an external display supported by Mac?

Depending on the Mac model, one or more external displays can be used with a Mac computer. To connect an external display, follow these steps.

Find out what to do if your display has a dark screen (no video) or low resolution if it can’t be detected or used at the highest resolutions or refresh rates.

Essence hdacc ii-4k hdmi dac
Essence hdacc ii-4k hdmi dac – (Image Source: Pixabay.com)

How can I use a Mac as a monitor?

If each iMac connects directly to a Thunderbolt port on the other Mac (not the other iMac) using a Thunderbolt cable, then you can use more than one iMac as a display. the iMac’s keyboard, and then press Command-F2. The desktop of the other Mac should now be visible. Press Command-F2 once more to come out of target display mode.

  • Certain older Mac models have a feature called target display mode.
  • When connected to an additional vintage Mac model, the aforementioned older iMac models can be used as an external display.
  • Any of these iMac models can be used as an extra display by using.
Hdmi cec dac
Hdmi cec dac – (Image Source: Pixabay.com)

Why am I unable to use my Mac as a display?

Any iMac being used as a display must be running macOS High Sierra or an earlier version. You must have macOS Catalina or earlier installed on the other Mac that you are connecting it to, and it must have been released in 2019 or earlier. Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2 cables must be used to connect the two Mac computers.

Despite the fact that Apple’s target display mode is only compatible with iMacs manufactured from 2009 to 2014, there are a number of other ways to use your iMac as a monitor.

Apple has a method for using an iMac as a monitor with another Mac in a wired setup called target display mode. For years, it was a very popular feature, but support was discontinued when Apple began selling Retina iMacs in the latter part of 2014.

The good news is that even if your iMac is older than 8 years old and does not support target display mode, there are still a number of ways you can use it as a monitor. Let’s examine your 5 choices.

Hdmi dac reddit
Hdmi dac reddit – (Image Source: Pixabay.com)

On a Mac, how do you access input?

The Input menu can be found on the menu bar’s right side. It has enabled input sources, easy access to the Character Viewer and the Keyboard Viewer, and a quick way to switch betwe
en them.

  • When you include additional input sources, this option is automatically enabled.
  • To switch between capital letters and (last used Latin input source), press the Caps Lock key.
  • Choose to enable quick switching between Latin and non-Latin input sources, such as Chinese, Korean, or English.
Hdmi arc dac volume control
Hdmi arc dac volume control – (Image Source: Pixabay.com)

How do I get my monitor to display on HDMI?

Ensure that the HDMI cable is properly connected and that all connections are working properly. Make sure your HDMI device is set as the default device. Right-click on the volume icon on the taskbar. dot. Examine the display output preferences. Make a right-click on your desktop and select Personalize.

@KC Hello, a faulty HDMI cable, an HDMI cable that isn’t supported, or a cable that transmits data at a speed that isn’t fast enough for the screen to display it properly are the usual causes of HDMI no signal errors. Before diving into complex troubleshooting steps, first check your hardware. Ensure that the HDMI cable is properly connected and that all connections are working properly.

If your TV isn’t visible on the screen, take the following actions: Press the Windows logo key and P simultaneously on your keyboard. To duplicate, click. Try switching to Extend if Duplicate is ineffective. Check to see if Windows can now detect your TV after that.

Please accept the answer and give it a high rating by clicking “Accept Answer”. If you want to receive the associated email notification for this thread, please follow the instructions in our documentation to enable email notifications.

Hdmi to i2s converter
Hdmi to i2s converter – (Image Source: Pixabay.com)

How do I make my Mac appear on a second monitor?

Use the power cable that came with your display to connect a display to your Mac. To connect your display to your Mac, for instance via a Thunderbolt or HDMI port, use the display’s video cable. dot. Using an adapter along with the video cable may be possible if the video cable needs a port that your Mac doesn’t have.

I need to use HDMI to display my Mac.

Any of the following ports on Mac computers can be used to connect to HDMI devices:HDMI port: Use an HDMI cable to connect directly to an HDMI device. dot. Connect to HDMI using an adapter, such as the Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter, from a Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, or USB-C port. CachedSimilar.

  • To connect to a TV, display, or other HDMI-compatible device, Mac computers can make use of an HDMI cable or adapter.
  • These video and audio specifications can be used with Mac computers that come with an HDMI port.
  • Check the adapter’s specifications if you’re using one to find out what resolutions it supports and other information.
How do I get my screen to display on HDMI?
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

How do I get my screen to display on HDMI?

How to use HDMI to display your computer screenConnect your laptop to the TV’s HDMI port using an HDMI cable. In this illustration, we’ll use the HDMI 1 slot. The input/source button should be easy to find on your remote. dot. Choose the HDMI port that your laptop is plugged into.

You can switch between input channels by pressing the input/source button. In other words, you can decide which source (device) your TV will show at a particular time.

In essence, each HDMI port enables you to use an HDMI cable to connect a single audio/video device to your TV. This device is known as the source or input device because it serves as the origin of the audio that will be played (i.e. e. on your TV (via the input).

In order to view the laptop screen on the TV, be sure to switch to the proper input when connecting a laptop to it with an HDMI cable.

Why doesn't my Mac recognize an HDMI display?
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

Why doesn’t my Mac recognize an HDMI display?

  • If your Mac still isn’t recognizing the connected display, try one of the following.
  • Reconnect your Mac’s display by unplugging it first.
  • Make sure the cable is firmly connected to the appropriate port.

Make sure you are connecting your display with the appropriate cable.

System Settings, then select Help from the menu. Select (your Mac’s name) Specifications, then (depending on your Mac) scroll down to Display Support or Video Support.

Make sure you are using the correct adapter, if needed. For more information, see the Apple Support article on adapters for your Mac’s Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, or USB-C port.

Is HDMI an input option for Mac?
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

Is HDMI an input option for Mac?

There are no HDMI-compatible input ports on your Mac other than the built-in thunderbolt ports. You’ll need an HDMI capture device to input HDMI data through these ports.

You might also need a USB-C to USB-A adapter depending on the type of USB ports the capture device has.

Software for recording video on the computer is included with the capture device. On the other hand, if you’d rather, you can use any other video capture program.

Each video capturing software is unique because each manufacturer of capture devices uses a different set of criteria when creating their software. Certain are simple to use. Others not so much.

Video:


How to plug in a DAC! Easy for Beginners!

These are my genuine recommendations in various categories. They are affiliated links that help pay for this YouTube channel at …



How to send high-res audio from a Bluray/SACD/DVD player to a DAC via HDMI

In this video we explore three solutions to send the high-resolution PCM and DSD digital signal coming from your CD, DVD, …


How to Pug in an HDMI to a DAC.
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

Chelsea Vaughn

Chelsea is a former marine biologist who switched gears in her twenties to build a small house and start a business. She enjoys traveling and going on hiking adventures with her husband, their two Australian Shepherds and their African Grey Parrot.

View all posts

70 comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Thank you, Josh. I decided to jump into the audio world a little deeper after perusal some of your articles. I found myself getting lost with all the equipment – there’s so many reviews and so few how tos. I appreciate this article, it’s explains a lot in really simple terms. Thanks again. I’m looking forward to the next one already.

  • Great article 👍🥳 these are great tutorials when starting out as I too only recently got into the audio scene and when I asked around about generic questions like these the typical response was “it’s easy! you’ll pick it up” …… not the kind of answers when your fist starting out into an unknown hobby / industry and google doesn’t always have the answers. Great work Josh and thank you for the many future newcomers to this area of enjoyment.

  • Some DACs don’t have power on-off switches like the examples here. Personally, I’d advise to do the power cables last and hook up the interconnections between the DAC and the sources and amplifier first. Rather not risk the touching of ends that are not supposed to touch, and any weird sounds or pops when plugging in these things. And routing them becomes easier as the first thing I’d do is powering off and unplugging the power cord first for changing things that connect to the DAC.

  • A Very useful article! I am new to the world of audiophilia and have been trying to understand what the heck DACs are and whether or not I should buy a combined DAC + headphone amplifier (e.g., Topping DX3 Pro). You present and explain things Very clearly, making this arcane area less of a mystery. Thank you too for your review of that Topping unit.

  • Mentioning windows settings would have been nice. You want to up the bitrate and sample rate in your audio settings (as high as they go. If its not high enough for what your dac is advertised as, you will have to downlaod software from the manufacturer website as audio drivers, and install those as the dac device audio drivers). Also disable windows sound enhancements. Its kind of important. Otherwise you have an expensive dac not really taken advantage of to the fullest.

  • TRS or 6.35mm Jack is technically compatible and IS technically XLR just in another form. TRS’es come in Balanced, Unbalanced and Mono variants, so just make sure that if you have a DAC with TRS and AMP with XLR, that you get proper cables, f.e. DAC -> AMP = Balanced TRS (3 contacts) -> MALE XLR. I’m currently running this “mixed” setup, because I have TRS Dac, TRS Monitors, but an XLR subwoofer. So I had to cash out a bit and get 4 cables. TRS -> XLR(M) 2x and XLR(F) -> TRS 2x (both balanced, 3 pins per cable)

  • There were some laptops that had optical, but didn’t have a dedicated output for it. IIRC some MacBook Pro laptops had a dual purpose 3.5mm Audio jack that also included optical. With this, you could either plug in a normal 3.5mm audio cable like on your headphones, or use a 3.5mm optical adaptor on your optical cable and plug that in. No clue if they still use this or not, though.

  • For any of the older people here that might be familiar with audio equipment but DAC’s are new to them just think of the DAC as a pre amp. That is basically what it is. Or maybe kind of like a phono pre amp. They just added functionality to convert digital signals to analog. A fancy dac with multiple inputs/switcher and volume control would be like using a normal pre amp for a power amp. Then one of the more simple dacs that might only have one or two inputs and no volume control is a bit more like a phono pre amp. You just plug it in between your source and amp and let it do its thing. Instead of amplifying signal from the phono cartridge its converting digital to analog and giving you a line level signal for your amplifier.

  • Something that was overlooked during the article is that a DAC isn’t absolutely necessary for your headphone setup. All digital devices (phones, laptops, etc) have DACS built into them. They’re just not as high quality as an external DAC. I think another thing that would help new users is: do you even need a DAC? Why do audiophiles invest in DACS?

  • The objective answer to the question of do any of the inputs sound better is no. The input to a dac is ones and zeroes. The stability and strength of the signal doesn’t change how the ones are interpreted. Output on the other hand does actually matter. An analog signal is minutely sensitive to any signal degradation. Maintaining signal strength and integrity, particularly shielding it from interference are all valid reasons to pay for more expensive cables. I’m happy with my $20 cables but there is a real potential for benefit when buying more expensive ones.

  • Josh could you do a follow up for intermediate and advanced audiophiles on PC? Covering things like equalizer apo and profiles per headphone. Asio audio driver setup to bypass windows drivers. Setting an ideal bit rate on audio interfaces how high and why. Setup of say music bee or foobar2000 with optimal plugins and integration with your streaming platform of choice … Lots there if you go down that rabbit hole. Haven’t seen an all in one comprehensive guide from any website on getting the most out of a PC setup as yet.

  • Very nice stuff, thank you. One question though: do we also need to max out volume on the source (PC for example) – same as you suggested for the DAC? And then only adjust volume on the AMP? What if my headphones (PC38X) have additional analog volume dial on them, how to set it up properly when you have 4 volume controls (PC (source) – DAC – AMP – Headphones)? Thanks!

  • Interesting. I would have liked to see an amplifier that a beginner would recognize. Something where you show the speakers or at least speaker posts and/or the headphone jack. I don’t even know what you’d do with that amp shown other than plug it into another amp. And the only beginners using XLR are going to be rich beginners. I was hoping for more info on how to go from PC source to DAC to normal person amp.

  • A very informative session presented more question than are answered. You left out the speaker setup. If your (un)balanced connections are used for your speakers, where do you put the connection for your DAC? In others words, you have a TV (streaming source) connected by e-ARC to your receiver, which connects to an external amp using (un)balanced inputs. Now, where do you place your DAC to get the more efficiency out of the streaming source (TV) and how do you know that your internal DACs are disabled and you are using your new state of the art external DAC. Again, very informative article.

  • You many not see this question but here goes: I use a Wave XLR. Ive been advised to use a DAC for better music experience with my new higher-end headphones but I dont want to overcomplicate my livestreaming set-up either. Can I plug my headphones into my DAC – DAC into headphone jack on the Wave XLR and then Wave XLR to PC? ( and DAC to a power supply) ? Would this work or is it overcomplicated and unnecessary? Thank you in advance if you happen to see this question.

  • Hi Joshua I really liked the explanation I was actually using my bookshelf speakers with a 6.35mm connector. I switched it up to RCA cable on the back. The issue is I have a Zen dac v2 and my headphones are connected to the 6.35mm port and now I am getting sound in both my headphone DT1990 Pros and the bookself speakers. Do I have to disconnect the wires in the back and front each time I need to use one? Will it over load the device?.

  • I’m a total noob with this as I’m starting to dive deeper into things but I’m curious that when the sound get’s converted from digital to analog and you’re hearing it that way once you set it up right…. I’m curious how you would go about getting that analog signal back into your DAW so when you bounce your song it’s all analog?

  • I have been wondering if I need a dedicated DAC. This article answered some of my questions about how to hook one up – that’s great. However I am still unsure about the need. I use Spotify or MP3s from my PC. I am sure all motherboards have analog sound out. Mine is a ROG Strix Z490-E, from which I use the analog out to a NAD D 3020 amp. (which has a Cirrus Logic 8-channel IC (don’t know what that means in terms of quality)) The motherboard has a CODEC S1220A and a SABRE9023P or SABRE9018Q2C DAC – not sure which, it is hard to get info. Should I expect a great improvement if I use the digital out instead of the onboard DAC? Okay, now for the hard part: I also have a Pioneer SC-99 hooked up to my PC via the HDMI from my 3090 graphics card. Is the Spotify file/stream converted from their digital format to an HDMI format, then the Pioneer DAC converts that? The SC-99 has a SABRE32 Ultra DAC ES9016S. Does it matter if the signal comes from USB or HDMI? Related: do all DACs convert all digital file formats? What happens when a new file format comes out? Will a software update handle it or do you need a new chip? Last question – if I go digital out, will I lose volume control on the PC? If digital is just the file being transferred, how could volume information be passed to the external DAC? Thanks for your answers.

  • Pluggong in a DAC also involves using a “source”: it can be a computer, a cellphone with the necessary apps or a streamer. Explaing streamers from cheap and cheerful to more sophisticated ones is not as frecuently found in a noob accesible format. And not all streamers support all streaming services. (I personally use a repurposed phone or tablet). Some people spend many $ on a streamer. Explaining why or why not to invest in this is a missing piece of input for a noobie.

  • man im looking for the best amp /dac combo for soundstage / i bought the RME 2 fs .and its so narrow even with hd800s/akgk812 2 headphones with huge soundstage that are reduced so much to the RME 2, but when i go back to my LCX+SDAC the sounstage is back, i use it for gaming mostly, my end game is a class amp and solid state dac with awsome wide sounstage to get the most out of my headphones ……….suggestions ?

  • I’m new to this game and Im considering a DAC to connect to my computer, I have a paid of Edifier computer speakers that come with a SUB and also allows be to play different outputs such as Bluetooth on the speakers. Do I really need an amp or will connecting the computer to the DAC then to the speakers be enough for sound improvement?

  • How would I go about plugging in a DAC to a Rodecaster Pro 2? I know the RCP2 already has a built in DAC, but I have the Topping DX7 Pro Plus coming in and really do not want to be switching outputs all the time since I want to be able to use the DX7 and RCP2 at the same time. Currently I have THX AAA 789 plugged to the headphone output of the RCP2 but it’s simpler than a DAC/AMP combo

  • Joshua and chat, really need your help. I just bought the klipsch promedia 2.1 pc speaker system. I want to hook it up to either the c1 or a90k oled 48 inch as a monitor and use the klipsch for ps5, pc audio and internal tv apps. I’m seeing that most dacs use xlr for the output and don’t have aux as an input option. Like the majority of pc speakers, the klipsch only can hook up with an aux cable. Is the klipsch system even highend enough that I would notice an upgrade if I could hook it up to a dac? Much thanks in advance for your help on this subject. I need pro advice.

  • I’m new to all this trying to learn. I have a pair of Razer Nommo Pro speakers. They are like the Rolls Royce of the Razer brand as far as speakers go. I also want to purchase a pair of Bluetooth Focal Bathys. I know the headphones already have a DAC inside them. Do I need a DAC/amp for the speakers sake? Can I connect the BT headphones to a BT compatible DAC/amp so everything is connected into one place. If so, any suggestions? I currently have a GSX 1000 and used to have pair of Focal Celestees, but discovered I’m just not a wired guy. Now I’m a bit confused on what to do. I wanna replace the GSX 1000 as well because I purchased it used and there is a weird problem with it where it randomly makes a loud ‘thump’ sound out of nowhere. The same sound you get when saving settings on it, but in this case it just randomly goes off out of nowhere and scares the shit out of me. I do like have the volume wheel right in front of me though from the GSX 1000. So what equipment would you get if you were in my shoes? Thanks.

  • Hey, I’m still lost…..bought a lot of misc. electronic gear/garage sale, that included a DAC. I assumed w/ the cabling provided (complete) that I could use this with my PC and headphones to improve audio. But….confused as to HOOKUPs. My unit has RCA L/R out the back, w/ a typical 1/8th. single jack….that goes where? The headphone jack on my PC tower? Or, at the rear of the PC tower, the AUDIO jack Output? (as when using external; speakers)

  • Soo..i´ve been using an asus essence stx II, i want to switch to external devices and replace my soundcard. My DT 1990 Pro need 250 ohm, i also use a condensator mic (Rode NT-1A) . What devices do i actually need? Dac = external soundcard for better soundquality? Amp for powering my devices? Or is it exactly the way around?

  • Is it me or does it feel like there’s been an influx of new people getting into audio? Seems like I’ve been seeing a ton of people on different forums and reddit asking for recommendations, asking questions, and posting about how disappointed they are that they weren’t blown away by their expensive headphone upgrade. I mean, it costed hundreds of dollars more than the old ones, it MUST be “better”… right??

  • My soundbar’s center tweeter and left side died of stroke, so while waiting for my warranty replacement I need to hook up ANYTHING to these factory hell speakers. I think I’m way out of my depth on this website… but I’m a fast learner. Does anyone know what I should buy to hook up my aux PC speakers to my Vizio 4K TV? No 3.5mm aux port on 2021 TV’s apparently so I’d like to use something that allows me volume control but if not not a deal breaker. I have HDMI e-Arc, HDMI, optical, USB ports to utilize. Anyone have any cheap recommendations that will work? Amazon is a crapshoot because a lot of the time they embellish their electronic capabilities. I’ve seen a few optical for $12 and an HDMI for like $40 but I want something that has amp control or even better would be TV remote control if that’s possible through maybe CEC? I know absolutely nothing about this subject… don’t kill me Lol

  • 1- There’s no such thing as a DAC with a volume control!! Those are DAC/AMP combos and because of the existence of the AMP, there is a volume control of course. You could even use a DAC/AMP combo as a Pre-AMP for other AMPs or as a standalone DAC feeding another AMP of choice. 2- This guy is very cool but most of the time promotes Chinese Made products, especially DACs and AMPs that in my opinion after years of being an Audiophile, are not good choices most of the time. There are very high-quality standalone or combo DACs, AMPs brands like Chord, Rupert Neve, RME, etc. That I didn’t even hear their names in this website. 3- I recommend choosing your Audiophile-grade headphone or IEM first and based on that range pick your DAC and AMP accordingly. Peace ✌️

  • hi i hope you can answer a question i just got a Schiit Modi 3E i hooked it to my mac mini and i still can control the volume on my computer even with the computer switched to the Schiit Modi 3E out put so on youtube and itunes i have the volume at 50% otherwise i have distortion isn’t the stereo’s volume supposed to be the only way to adjust the volume thanks

  • Very useful as this is what I am looking to do to give SACD a try at low cost. My DAC has DSD capability (over I2S), so it looks like your converter is the solution. However, taking a step back, I am not clear at the moment how the manufacturers of the Bluray players anticipate the DSD over HDMI output to be used, if it is not compatible with I2S?

  • I have used the same box as shown and this solution between my Oppo 105D and Pontus 2 dac .. it works and sounds better than the SPDIF connections direct from the Oppo 105 to the Pontus dac. There are a couple of points to note .. I2S does not have a standard for the pin allocations .. so dacs like the Pontus 2 which has the ability to alter the pins via selection on the front panel is a must. The Oppo 105D & the Pontus 2 connection over I2S was easy as the default pins allocation worked .. but other players/dacs my be different. Use the shortest hdmi cables that you can .. I used 30cm cables and use a reasonable quality cable. Also note that on my box and as mentioned on other sites on the web this box reverses the website balance for SACD discs .. I tested this by listening to a hybrid cd/sacd and noted that this in fact happened. So my solution was to get a cable made with balanced ends from the pontus 2 to two RCA input ends into my intergrated amp .. one being made reversed .. Snake Oil cable USA .. this cable is mentioned on the Denafrips web site. So now it all works fine .. I just have to change the input selection on my amp when I play a SACD to get the correct stereo balance. Hope this information helps

  • Thank you very very much for your explanations and advices to fix this issues. I’ll think to go for HDMI/I2S converter. It seems the most practical solution to link my old primare bd32 to my topping d90 (I2S dac). To my knowledge, the only high quality dac with HDMI inputs is the Bryston BDA-3, but it is still very expensive. Best regards and, again, Grazie! Alessandro

  • My sincere congratulations on your site which is very useful to me. You convinced me to purchase SKW OCC copper cables. I have made the latest upgrade to my system which includes an OPPO 103 player, a Denafrips Ares 2 DAC, a Hegel H190 amplifier and Focal Aria 926 speakers. I often listen in 24 bits / 96kHz, but my preference is the DSD format which I read from files purchased on HDtracks, NativeDSD and formerly Acoustics sound. I also listen to SACDs. Here are some questions: 1. My DSD files are read by my Asus computer and the JRiver Media Center 28 software via a 1.5m usb-A / usb-B SKW cable connected to the Denafrips. This carries the decoded signal by xlr wires to my Hegel. Is this the right material to take advantage of my files? 2. By connecting the coaxial output of the Oppo 103 to the coaxial input of my Denafrips dac, the Oppo will directly send the digital signal of the 16-bit CDs to my dac which will decode them and bypass the dac of the Oppo. This is it? 3. If I play a SACD disc through my Oppo 103, will it route the digital signal through the coaxial socket in DSD or PCM? 4. How do I get the most out of SACDs and my Denafrips dac without compromising playback of regular 16-bit discs? Thank you very much for your precious help. My audiophile listening will be greatly improved.

  • First things first. Oppo is still making high quality transport mechanisms for digital discs and my understanding is that it will continue to do so into the future. I have recently decided to buy a PS Audio Memory Player and DirectStream DAC and if you buy the two you can enjoy native I²S connectivity between them, so that all the clock, power supply and data lines are kept separate throughout rather than being multiplexed as with SPDIF. I’m hoping to have the units by Christmas.

  • This works like a charm. I got a $57 I2S Audio Extractor off eBay, connected it from my Oppo BDP-105D to the I2S input on my Audio-GD R7HE DAC, and got glorious sound. I have not been able to listen to the SACD layer of dual-layer SACDs through my DAC due to copyright issues. I am able to listen through the balanced outs from the Oppo to my preamp, but that is at CD quality only. What a huge difference!

  • Thanks for the tips..!!! The audio extractor & IIS are really good… The extractor u said that didnt work for is may because of the websites that the HDMI is actually carrying and the extractor is giving out to the DAC..!!! I think most of the DACs we use for hifi are stereo support only (2 websites) unlike the separate decoders that are available in AV receivers… For instance i always wanted to use my chord hifi dac for surround movies( i prefer to watch in headphones) but it wont do it.. which in other words to get the desired 3D effect that particular encoding is to supported by the DACs too… Anyway do u know any such devices which can really simulate that surround effect into stereo components like Headphones unlike just throwing the surround websites to the left and right of the headphones..!! (thats what yamaha AV reciever silent cinema does)

  • Hi, great article that explained a lot of confusion for me! I have the Chinese box that you are showing after 7 minutes which will provides DSD on the I2S/HDMI output but does it also output I2S over the SPDIF Coax output? If so the new Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M should work as it has SPDIF over coax! Thanks for your support!

  • Great information, thank you! Question- I’m playing DVD-A and Blu Ray audio discs that should be hi-res (24/96), but my RME ADI-2 DAC sees it as 24/48 or sometimes 16/48. The blu ray player (Panasonic) is hooked up with optical or coax to the DAC and I get the same results. Will this I2S converter solve my problem?

  • There is no i2s interconnect standard. So your HDMI to i2S converter may not work with your DAC’s i2S input. As far as I know all the DACs with i2S input do use an HDMI cable but the order of the signal on the pins and perhaps voltage levels are different. Make sure the converter is compatible with your DAC.

  • Ah, I THINK I’ve got it! (sorry to post on multiple articles of yours, but I’m sure you’ll get it) I found a program that extracts dsf files from SACD ISO’s, which is what I primarily have, lots of them. I checked my MusicBee player that plays losslessly over USB directly to the DAC bypassing the Windows OS and all volume controls to see if it can play dsf files, and it can! So, I run over to the DAC and look at the screen and it is showing Hi Res 88.2 Does that sound right…? (*PLEASE* say ‘yes’! 😁)

  • If you have an Oppo 95/105/205, save your money the DACs inside are pretty much state of the art. If you have an older player or one without a truly high quality DAC (anything that can play the format) and just send the bits to an external DAC. The real exception might be if you want to stay digital to do some Room Correction or other signal alternation, like advanced bass management. Outputting from the great DAC’s of the likes of the Oppo’s to high quality analogue, to then go through a ADC to do the minipulaiton which will almost always need to be done digitally, and then back through that devices DAC back to analogue, out to your pre/power amps. Each conversion form DAC -> ADC -> DAC may introduce noticeable artifacts or reduce dynamic range, raise the noise floor etc. There are a few stereo receivers/preamps/integrated amps that take HDMI or Stereo HDMI DACs that take HDMI, but not all support SACD, generally only PCM. In those cases the quality of converting from DSD to PCM inside your player and then sending them to the DAC is maybe an area for debate, and may happen automatically/transparently when using HDMI. The same with playing multichannel tracks, DD/DTS encoded or otherwise to a stereo HDMI DAC (that are without the required codecs), down conversion or just playing an available stereo track may be happening automatically from the player.

  • Very useful article. It is straight forward the connection from the blue ray HDMI out to the HDMI in of the box. However, the connection from the boxe’s I2S port to the DAC’s I2S port needs an special HDMI-I2S cable. it is not an standard HDMI. Which one do you recommend? I got a Gustard HDMI-I2S, would it work with the box?

  • Personalmente no me gusta mucho usar dispositivos intermedios como extractores o conmutadores pues en la mayoría de casos generan jitter y las fluctuaciones añadidas degradan mucho la señal, dependiendo de la implementación del dispositivo emisor si esta es de buena calidad puede que no entre dentro del rango audible pero en la mayoría de casos las implementaciones SPDIF de los dispositivos como consolas o TVs no son lo suficientemente buenas y se termina degradando mucho la señal, en el caso de los conmutadores hay buenas y malas implementaciones, una buena implementación en un conmutador puede ser con la utilización de un transceptor como el WM8805 y el uso de un resonador de cristal para generar un reloj limpio que mejore la señal, en este caso incluso se puede mejorar la señal original, por desgracia muy pocos dispositivos tienen una implementación así

  • My understanding: the HDMI which has been used extensively in the A/V world will only provide at max, CD quality “digital” audio. It will never provide the DSD layer from a multi-format player where the HDMI out is a digital composite of audio and article signal. The only players that have a dedicated i2S output (which can be either HDMI cable based or CAT wire based) that can output the full DSD layer from a Super Audio CD must incorporate both an encryption that matches the decription on the DAC side. This was achieved early on by PS Audio with their CD player/transport. If you look at their current $6K SACD player, you will noticed that their i2S output only works with their own DAC,-thats because the encryption has to be maintained from the transport to the DAC, this is the agreement that was made with Sony in order to allow for the DSD layer to even leave a transport. All of the various converters that you’ve mentioned are only different ways of converting and moving the same low res audio format that you’d get from Toslink or SPDIF outputs of CD players.

  • Hi Mike, I am new here! Wanted to ask you a couple of questions! First have you heard of a Synchro Mesh Relocker by Empirical Audio! Reduces Jitter etc. Also I am using a Ayon CD player as a Transport now with a Berkeley DAC I just got! With the Ayon I can run as just Transport which I am doing now! Also I can run the Ayon with the Analog Outs also running through the Recloker Unit! Both sound great but I am not sure the CD player by itself with the Synchro Mesh Relocker has the dynamics that the DAC does!My Ayon is wonderful but now with the Berkeley running to the CD Transport only I am testing to see which I like!

  • Always bitstream SACD/DSD 5.1 hdmi to hdmi AV Receiver. SACD/DSD 2.0 dmi to hdmi AV Receiver to Stereo 2.2. Normal CD over hdmi to 2.2 in AV Receiver is better than use RC analog or fiber/coax. But the AV Receiver must have good DAC/internal setup 🙂 Hdmi has great bandwidth and is noiseless – true digital from source to DAC. I use Pioneer LX800 UHD player for the CD’s.

  • Hello, based on your explanation you said that we must connect the HDMI cable to the output of my blurry to the input of my HMDI/I2S Converter, and then another HDMI cable from the output of the converter to the DAC input. However, as you also mentioned not all the DAC has HMDI input connection, so I will have to connect from the output of the converter either a SPDIF or Coaxial cable to the DAC input, if this is the case, are we going to lose quality in the sound? I have the MOON 280D DAC. Thanks for your response.

  • Thanks for the article! I have some Edifier r2000db speakers (with built in amp) and I want to take out the signal from a Bluray with Coaxial output (my speakers only have RCA and Optical inputs). How can I do this without losing sound quality? Lastly, do you think it’s worth the hassle for listening hi-res audio on those speakers? I feel those speakers won’t be up to the hi-res overall setting…

  • There are two additional ways to do this. To extract the DSD audio from an SACD, using certain models of the Oppo players (some other brands also use the same Mediatek chip as the Oppos). The Oppo models which can use this method are the 103/103D and 105/105D. There is a small program (free) which can connect from your computer over your network to an open port on the Mediatek chip. This can extract either the stereo DSD tracks or the multi-channel DSD tracks if the SACD has them. This sends the ripped tracks to the program folder on your computer. There is also a newer version of this program which will directly rip the tracks to a USB thumb drive inserted into the Oppo, so no computer is necessary. To get the links for these programs, go to audiophilestyle.com and then Forums for the forum on Oppo/Pioneer SACD Extraction. Additionally, there is now a new box called “B.O.B” available from several online audio sales sites such as Music Direct which can extract audio from not only SACD’s, but also from DVD-A and Blu-ray discs. The only drawback to this device is its price: $1,000. There was a review of this device in Stereophile magazine by Kalman Rubinson a few months ago. I have personally used the free program I mentioned to rip my entire SACD collection using both my Oppo 103D as well as my Oppo 105 and it works flawlessly if you follow the instructions exactly. I used the old program, not the newer “all in one” program. Good luck!

  • Thanks for the info on I2S and your great review of the Holo May DAC. I just placed an order from Tim for the DAC but it won’t be here for another month. But reading up on it, I have a couple of question that you may be able to answer. I also own one of the last Oppo UDP 205. The 205 has an HDMI audio only output. Is this I2S ready? Will this work direct connect into the Holo May DAC? Or do I need to get the converter too? I also see from the May’s instruction manual that it has 4 selectable standards for it’s I2S input. Which one did you use with your converter? Do you know which one is based on PS Audio’s standard? Thanks for all the help with your great articles.

  • Buy an HDMI pre-pro or receiver and enjoy stereo and multi/channel SACD. The only issue is digitally recording SACD to get the music into computer library; but, what’s the point of that? To play that file from whatever music player is on your computer requires about 16 actions no matter how you are getting the files out of the computer to DAC: usb, S/PDIF, or HDMI. It’s much more convenient to play SACDs via a Sony Universal Player’s HDMI output to an HDMI Pre-Pro or A/V Receiver, especially multichannel, which needs bass management.

  • Hello Anadialog, can your “hdmi to i2s coverter” extract for example the signal dsd from a dsf or dff file read on an oppo 203 unmoddable by the hdmi output audio “only” and then, can it transform the dsd signal to a Dop64 dsd in order to inject into a external dac who can accept a dop signal dsd 64 by using the optical or coaxial output from this “converter”? Excuse me for my bad english.

  • I am hoping you can help with this question. I am using a Gustard U18 to run into my Gustard R26 via I2S (going with your recommendation of the Ricable). do you have any suggestions on a cable (USB A to USB B ) running my Bluesound node into the U18, Also any suggestions on XLR cables to run from the R26 into my Yamaha A-S2100

  • Can you explain me something? If I have headphones with a frequency response over 40 kHz and I am playing a native dsd 256 file from a DAP which has only a frequency response up 20 kHz than what is the sense behind these dsd files if the player can’t reproduce the sound above 20 kHz? Maybe I missunderstanding something because I am new to that topic. Would be glad if you could clarify. Thx.

  • Great article. I have an OPPO 203 and I just purchased the Cayin IDAC 6 MKII with an I2s input. I bought one of those hdmi I2s DSD extractors from overseas and it works, but there is static background noise. Any ideas on another route i can go? The MFR of my DAC does provide the I2s pin definition, but I’m not sure if this is needed?\r Thanks!

  • Hmmm…I have a Marantz SACD 30n. This unit is also an audio streamer via HEOS. The unit has two digital output connections on the back allowing you to bypass the internal Burr/Brown DAC. They are the usual optical and s/PDIF. I learned here why (THANKS) that my 30n sends only 16/44 to my external DAC from the CD player (SACD can only be processed by the internal Burr/Brown DAC), but it will send high resolution data via streaming over the same s/PDIF cable that I have coming from the back of the 30n which is then connected to my external DAC. Has anyone used the HDMI converter with a Marantz SACD 30n? I need help and guidance. Thanks.

  • Surprised you didn’t mention this: geerfab.com/audio I have to say, the whole situation with SA-CD/DSD after all these years is a bit silly. Contrary to what I keep hearing people say, it’s not bandwidth limitation that prevents sending DSD from SA-CD (DSD64 is roughly equivalent to 88.2kHz) but purely hardware/licensing. If Sony/Philips would let it go, you could easily have SA-CD players that output DSD via DoP on SPDIF.

  • Hi! I have SACDs downloaded from web in laptop and would like to pass 5.1 audio to my 5.1 Yamaha htr 3065 receiver. Using an External dac amp such as Fiio k5pro I can play stereo tracks as native dsd but no 5.1. how can I play original 5.1 tracks without filtering by my receiver? I don’t care about dsd to PCM. Just want to listen to 5.1 SACDs. Thanks

  • It bothers me that SONY “invented” DSD and allows SACD playing on most of their Blu-Ray players. Yet they (SONY) do NOT make or market their own DSD/DAC that can be used directly with the Sony BR player. They COULD market a consumer & pro-sumer DAC optimized for their own transports and even have different models and price points. It’s almost as if SONY itself now wants the DSD/SACD format to die on the vine after pushing it out in the early days (2005-2007). I have a small collection of SACD’s, but my 1st gen SONY player (circa 2005) is due for an upgrade. I stopped purchasing SACD’s a few years ago for this reason.

  • Dear, thanks for your time. In my case I would like to send sound from a DVD or Blueray ( i have to buy it), using it as a CD player, because: I have a bose solo 15 soundbar with 1 RCA input that I use for the vinyl tray and 1 optical input + 1 coaxial input free. And I wanted to add a dvd o br as a cd player. Will the sound be reproduced smoothly via the optical output?

  • I have the old Oppo BDP-83 player, I am using it as a transport for my SACDs and of course, could not get the native DSD signal to my Denafrips Ares II DAC, which was a bummer, as I don’t care much for the Oppo internal DAC… So, what to do? I bought the GeerFab D.BOB (Digital Break Out Box). Pricey at $1000 US, but it works. I tried one of the Chinese models with no luck, so I pulled the trigger on this ridiculously priced GeerFab unit. Was it worth it? Hell yes! I now get that native DSD signal out to my Ares II DAC, and what a game changer. Everything sounds better in a good clean and clear natural way. Even the normal CD recordings sound more detailed, tightened up with deeper bass and clear midrange, the female voice sounds incredible, even on ripped recordings of a questionable source. I noticed the difference in sound quality immediately upon adding it into my system. The bass was really brought to a new level, as were the instruments, there was noticeable separation in a good way, I believe the way the engineer intended it to sound. Everything was just better, and it is all done in an unadulterated way. If you have an above average system I would recommend this pricey alternative. That is, if you are a plug and play and then forget about it kind of guy or gal. If your goal is to simply get a clean DSD recording directly to your DAC and had no luck with cheaper alternatives, get this box if you can afford it. If you enjoy ripping files and playing around with computer gear, and have the time to do all of that, I would pass and stick to what you are doing.

  • I just bought a Sony X700 bluray player and on the back it has to HDMI, one is labeled HDMI audio only. I am running to RCA cables to my stareo from Musou 4K HDMI Audio Extractor,HDMI to HDMI + Optical Toslink(SPDIF) + RCA(L/R) Stereo Analog Outputs article Audio Splitter Converter Support 4k 1080P,Black . My Sony player said it is DSD 2.8 MHZ and also has the disc display that says SACD. It does not tell me it is converting this to PCM. Any ideas?

  • I bought a sony DVD/cd/sacd player to get into sacd for cheap. I have a topping e30 dac. The player has hdmi output, the dac does not have i2s. Is my best option for connection to just use the analog outputs on the Sony? Or would I be able to use an audio extractor to coax or optical? Does coax and optical not transmit dsd? Any help and suggestion is appreciated. Thanks.

  • Simple solution: buy used Sony bdp s 790, I buy one for 50 euros and on the back you have separate HDMI for digital audio only, coaxial and optical digital out and analog out, all off this audio extraction from high res audio source is made by internal factory fited DAC. I use this Sony bl.ray.palyer mostly for AudioCD playback, internal DAC of this Sony is state of the art. High res audio? How high audio can go in any case, just enjoy good music.

  • I’m not sure i understand exactly. Say you have a Modwright Tube Modded Oppo 105, by going HDMI out to i2s IN on the device, and HDMI out from device to I2s DAC, you’re bypassing the tube outputs that were costly mods and using the other DAC? This solution is only if you don’t want to use the built in Oppo dac? Another question. I mainly listen to PC audio via foobar-usb to Denafrips Ares II. I use USB and am also considering adding the Denafrips Iris which has I2S out. How would i use the device in this scenario? My PC GPU(graphics card has HDMI out). I also have a Essence Evolve II 4k HDMI DAC w/8ch analog out. -McIntosh MX150 with HDMI preamp or Pathos Cinema X analog tube pre What uses would i have for this device if i wanted a full i2s set up. Thank you.

  • Here’s my easy solution: First I download hi-res ALAC files and place them in iTunes Library. Then I play via laptop to usb DAC (OPPO-205) to Pre-Pro. That’s it. Now, multi-channel pleasure can be an ordeal to get from FLAC downloads to Pre-Pro, since my Pre-Pro is pre HDMI. So far, I have found only two solutions which deliver gaplessly. One is to put the multi-channel music on a thumb drive and play it via OPPO, or burn a DATA DVD and play it via the OPPO. The thumb drive delivers the best results yet requires about 16 laptop, TV remote, and OPPO remote actions to download and play a music purchase. Now, of course I can play multi-channel FLAC files from foobar 2000 via HDMI to OPPO but it is not glitch or dropout free.

  • I bought the HDMI to I2S converter from eBay I had planed to use it with Arylic\r Up2stream Pro V3 streamer to extract the I2S from thhat streamer but that has not happen yet due to different I2S connectors on those two. What I did, I hooked the HDMI to I2S converter tom my LG Blu Ray player hooked it up to my dac I played some cd´s connected spdif coax two cables of the same brand one out of the player to the dac and the other cable from HDMI to I2S converter from the LG player to my dac and switch between the two to try to hear if there was any difference between them there was no difference to my ears. What I did next was I hooked it up to a laptop that I have connected the HDMI from the laptop to the HDMI to I2S converter and spdif coax to my dac I played some flack files16bit 44.1khz The Beatles/1967-1970 from 1993 and some Jimmy Hendrix among other stuff, that was something totally else I could not believe my own ears it sounded amazing there was much bigger soundstage depth and resolution it sounded more like it was recorded last year much better than using usb cable from that same dac I do have audio grade usb cable the HDMI cable I used was just something of the shelf. So I can wholeheartedly recommend this HDMI to I2S converter from eBay. On the topic of being able to play SACD from dac the Aune X8 Magic dac can do that from an spdif due to Aune´s X8 adopted the self-developed FPGA as processing core of digital signals, which makes DSD128 via coaxial possible.

  • Sorry, but you don’t understand the topic at all! The DACs perform the digital-analog-convertion only. So if you want to stream music, you need a streamer with the DAC for analog convertion for your analog amplifyer. The digital amplifyers do not need any DACs. The signal quality per HDMI, Coax or Toslink optical is the same.

  • I downloaded a 840MB dsd file ….put it on flash drive and stick it in the Panasonic DP-UB420 player in played it through my Yamaha TSR-700 reciever….connected via HDMI cable…. and the reciever was displaying 88.2 Khz Sampling Rate! Does this mean that I was actually listening to DSD using my 4k uhd player and Yamaha receiver?