DSD vs PCM: Which Audio Encoding Should You Choose?

DSD and PCM are two ways of storing digital audio. If you record voice, edit sound for video or build a music library, the choice affects which devices can play your files, which apps can edit them and how much storage they take. This guide explains the differences and helps you pick the right encoding for a specific task, without claiming that one format always sounds better.

What you are actually comparing

PCM (pulse-code modulation) stores audio as a series of multi-bit samples taken at a fixed sample rate. Common examples are 44.1 kHz at 16 bits (the CD standard), 48 kHz (common for video) and higher settings such as 96 kHz or 192 kHz at 24 bits. WAV, AIFF, FLAC and ALAC files all carry PCM audio.

DSD (Direct Stream Digital) stores audio as a 1-bit stream at a very high rate. DSD64 runs at 2.8224 MHz, which is 64 times 44.1 kHz; DSD128 and DSD256 double and quadruple that rate. DSD was introduced with the Super Audio CD and is usually found in DSF or DFF files.

This comparison covers uncompressed or losslessly stored audio for recording, editing and playback. Lossy codecs such as MP3, AAC or the codecs used inside video call apps are a separate topic.

Key differences between DSD and PCM

Compatibility with input and output devices

PCM is the default almost everywhere. Operating systems, USB microphones, audio interfaces, webcams, video editors, digital audio workstations and conferencing apps work with PCM. When you select an input device in a call app, the app receives PCM from it and then applies its own processing and compression. DSD support is narrower: it depends on the specific DAC or output device, its driver and the player software. Check the published specifications of your hardware and app version rather than assuming support.

How DSD reaches your output device

• Native DSD: the player sends the 1-bit stream directly to a DAC that accepts it, which usually requires a compatible driver.
• DSD over PCM (DoP): the DSD data is packed into PCM frames with marker bits so it can travel over a standard PCM connection; the DAC must recognise DoP and unpack it.
• Conversion to PCM: the player or operating system converts DSD to PCM before output. This works with any output device, but you are then listening to PCM.

Recording and editing workflow

Most microphones and interfaces record PCM, and most editors can only cut, mix, add effects or adjust levels on PCM audio. A 1-bit stream cannot be edited directly in the same way, so DSD production workflows often convert to high-rate PCM (for example DXD at 352.8 kHz) for editing and convert back afterwards. If your project involves trimming, noise reduction or syncing audio to video, plan for a PCM workflow.

File size

• PCM 16-bit, 44.1 kHz, stereo: 1.4112 Mbit/s uncompressed (44,100 × 16 × 2).
• PCM 24-bit, 96 kHz, stereo: 4.608 Mbit/s uncompressed (96,000 × 24 × 2).
• DSD64 stereo: 5.6448 Mbit/s (2,822,400 × 1 × 2).
• DSD128 stereo: 11.2896 Mbit/s, double the DSD64 rate.

These figures are calculated from the format definitions, not measured. PCM can also be stored losslessly compressed in FLAC or ALAC, which reduces file size by an amount that depends on the content. DSF files are stored uncompressed, while the DFF format allows optional lossless DST compression if the software supports it.

Noise and filtering

Both formats rely on filtering. PCM needs anti-aliasing filters when recording and reconstruction filters on playback. DSD uses noise shaping to push quantisation noise above the audible range, which leaves high ultrasonic noise that the playback chain must filter out. How each design performs in a given DAC is a matter of that device's specifications and testing, not of the format name alone.

File handling and privacy

Converting between DSD and PCM often means using a desktop app or an online converter. Before uploading recordings, check whether processing happens locally or on a remote server, how long files are retained and who can access them. Treat these as details to verify in the tool's own documentation.

Practical trade-offs

Published specifications tell you what a format can represent and what a device accepts. They do not tell you whether you will hear a difference on your equipment. Any audible comparison requires a fair test: the same master recording, matched playback levels and, ideally, a blind comparison. Different releases of the same album are often mastered differently, which can make a format comparison misleading.

• Video calls and live streaming: the app works with PCM from your input device and compresses it for transmission, so DSD offers no path here. Focus on input level and background noise instead.
• Podcasts and voice recording: interfaces and editors expect PCM, and 48 kHz is a common sample rate when audio will be paired with video.
• Editing music or sound for video: PCM keeps the whole chain native to your editor and avoids repeated conversions.
• Listening to an existing DSD library: keep the original files if your DAC supports native DSD or DoP; otherwise your player will convert to PCM for playback.
• Archiving: keep original files in the format they were delivered in, and note that DSD needs more storage than common PCM settings.

Choosing for your use case

• Choose PCM if you record, edit, stream or join calls, or if you need files that open in almost any app and device.
• Choose DSD only if you already have DSD recordings or releases and a playback chain whose specifications confirm DSD support.
• Keep DSD originals and create PCM copies if you need both a faithful archive and files you can edit or share.
• If your output device does not list DSD or DoP support, playback will rely on conversion to PCM, so storing new material as DSD brings no direct benefit.

Whichever format you choose, the quality of the source recording still matters: a suitable input level, a sensible sample rate for the project and a quiet recording environment shape the result before encoding is even a factor.