Tascam DS-D98 Owner's Manual page 4

DS-D98 recorder
The DS-D98 recorder provides the facility to record
using the Direct Stream Digital (DSD) digital audio
representation, as employed by the Super Audio CD
format, using the convenient industry standard DTRS
digital multitrack medium.
Based around the DA-98HR recorder, the DS-D98
has many features in common with its "parent" unit.
PCM recordings made on this unit can be replayed
on other DTRS units (subject to the sampling fre-
quency and word length restrictions of the other
units) and PCM recordings made on other DTRS
units can be replayed on the DS-D98.
Please read the relevant portions of the DA-98HR
manual, as supplied, in order to gain a full under-
standing of the basic operations of this unit.
The main differences between the DS-D98 recorder
in DSD mode and the PCM digital audio mode (in
which it acts in the same way as a DA-98HR
recorder) are:
• The recording format and input sources. In DSD
mode, the DS-D98 uses digital audio I/O in SDIF-3
or DSD raw audio format or the analog connectors
fitted to the DSD slot board (compared with the
TDIF and AES/EBU interfaces of the standard DA-
98HR). In DSD mode, these standard TDIF and
AES/EBU interfaces are not used.
• The number of tracks. In PCM mode, the DS-D98
is capable of recording eight, four or two tracks of
4
- TASCAM DS-D98
PCM digital data, depending on the sampling fre-
quency selected. IN DSD mode, the DS-D98
recorder is capable of recording two tracks (per
unit).
• Chaining units. For most DTRS units, up to 16
units may be chained together using the built-in
synchronization facilities. With the DS-D98, up to
256 DTRS units may be branched together, provid-
ing up to 512 tracks of audio (see "SYNC
BRANCH functions" on page 10).
NOTE
Note that the DSD board must be fitted and the appro-
priate version of firmware fitted in the unit for these
DSD operations to work. If these conditions are not
present, error messages will be displayed.
Key features of the unit include:
• Direct conversion between DSD and analog sig-
nals, using the onboard ∆Σ AD and DA convertors.
• A newly-developed VCXO PLL reduces the jitter
rate and improves the sonic performance.
• An OS-CON condensor improves sonic perfor-
mance, decoupling the power supply circuitry from
the audio circuitry.
• Filtering: two types are available on the DS-D98:
the Standard (GIC) filter, recommended when
working with SACD, and the Custom filter for
more general work.