DSDenabled

DSDenabled is a term used in audio software and device firmware to indicate support for Direct Stream Digital (DSD) processing. In practice, DSDenabled can refer to a boolean flag in configuration, a capability in a device descriptor, or a user-facing setting that activates DSD playback or processing. DSD is a one-bit sigma-delta encoding used by SACD; in consumer ecosystems, DSD support is commonly implemented either as native DSD playback or DoP (DSD over PCM), where DSD data is transmitted inside a PCM frame.

Different platforms interpret DSDenabled differently. In media players, enabling DSDenabled may switch the core playback engine to accept DSD streams and may bypass PCM-based decoding, preserving the DSD signal. In drivers and firmware, DSDenabled can reflect the presence of hardware support in DACs or audio interfaces; enabling it may require compatible drivers and firmware versions. Some systems expose DSDenabled as part of a device's Capabilities/Features list via APIs.

Notes: enabling DSD often has implications for system resources and compatibility; not all DACs support native DSD, some only DoP; some software can natively convert DSD to PCM for playback with certain quality or performance tradeoffs.

See also: Direct Stream Digital, DoP, SACD, DAC, PCM.