DSD on Kef LS-50 Wireless II

[EricLeRouge]

Can Kef LS50 Wireless 2 play DSD over HDMI ?

Hello - the Kef LS50 Wireless II (or 2) are reported to support DSD64, and have an HDMI input. Can anyone confirm if they have been able to use the DSD input over HDMI on those speakers (I cannot get any response from Kef on this topic) and whether the conversion is native DSD or converted to PCM.

If there is any qualitative feedback on the sound quality of DSD played over those speakers,that would be great as well.

(I currently use Audirvana which converts DSD to PCM to feed LS50W 1st Gen, and wonder if there would be a substantial (musical) improvement in upgrading to the LS50W2 gen)

Thanks in advance for any feedback on this topic.

 

[manicm]

The KEF will stream DSD over a NAS, as it has no local storage facility. Its HDMI port is meant to be connected to a TV, so I can’t see how DSD will be utilised there.

 

[twinkletoes]

The hdmi port is for the tv, it’s not a I2S port.

 

[EricLeRouge]

The hdmi port is for the tv, it’s not a I2S port.

Thanks - is that comment from experience or just a deduction? — If the LS-50W 2 is DSD compatible, since there is no USB input on that new version, what input is used to the DSD compatible DAC?

 

[EricLeRouge]

The KEF will stream DSD over a NAS, as it has no local storage facility. Its HDMI port is meant to be connected to a TV, so I can’t see how DSD will be utilised there.

Thanks - Where is the DSD input then?

 

[manicm]

Thanks - Where is the DSD input then?

There is no dedicated DSD input. But it will play DSD files on a NAS drive or Roon. It also has an analogue input which you can connect a SACD player to, with an adaptor, I would imagine.

A NAS drive is connected storage which you connect to your router, where you can store all your ripped music. The KEF will then see the NAS as a music server and play all your files there, including DSD.

NAS drives seem increasingly a faff nowadays though.

 

[twinkletoes]

Thanks - is that comment from experience or just a deduction? — If the LS-50W 2 is DSD compatible, since there is no USB input on that new version, what input is used to the DSD compatible DAC?

A simple google and a look at that the pdf instruction manual.

What @manicm says in regards to how to get dsd.

 

[Vincent Kars]

It can read DSD over the network only.
However, it will be converted to PCM.

Interspeaker connection
Wireless: all sources resampled to 96 kHz/ 24 bit PCM
Wired: all sources resampled to 192 kHz/ 24 bit PCM
https://us.kef.com/pub/media/wysiwyg/ls50/Product-Manual-EN.pdf p92