Upsampling / DSD Output
Whether the product explicitly provides conversion to a higher PCM sample rate or an upconverted DSD format.
Upsampling changes the signal’s digital representation. It does not create information absent from the recording, and ordinary internal converter oversampling does not alone establish a separately specified upsampling feature.
Upsampling / DSD Output — SACD Transport
On an SACD Transport, upsampling may apply to CD playback or another supported signal path, including conversion to a different PCM or DSD representation. It should not be assumed to affect every disc format.
Read the stated source, processing mode and output path. A transport may perform conversion internally while particular digital connectors retain their own format limits. Native SACD playback and upconversion of a CD are different operations.
Compare selectable modes with the receiving converter’s supported formats. The upsampling feature alone does not establish which rate leaves each socket or that DSD data is available externally. Higher output rates do not restore information absent from the recording.
Upsampling / DSD Output — Streamer
On a Streamer, upsampling can convert supported playback to a higher PCM rate or DSD before the signal reaches an output or integrated converter. Its usefulness depends on the available modes and downstream compatibility.
Check which sources and outputs participate. A maximum file-playback rate is not evidence that lower-rate material is upsampled, and an internal DAC’s processing may not appear on a digital output.
Compare the selected output format and rate with the receiving DAC. Upsampling can change processing requirements, but does not add original recording detail. Its presence does not establish a universal sound improvement or bypass the streamer’s output limits.
Upsampling / DSD Output — CD Transport
On a CD Transport, upsampling can convert the original CD signal before a digital output or within the product’s conversion path. The manufacturer’s description determines where that processing applies.
Read whether the feature is selectable and which path uses it. A claim about processing inside a built-in DAC does not establish that the external digital outputs carry the converted rate. Unchanged output should not be inferred when details are missing.
Compare the actual transmitted rate and format with the receiving DAC’s support. Upsampling is not a substitute for a higher-resolution source recording, and its presence alone does not guarantee better sound than the original-rate output.