Sonir.

Choose how Bench feeds your DAC: higher rates or DSD

Decide it in the Output Settings card on the Engine screen. To stay in PCM at a higher rate, choose a rate under Exit rate, such as 1/4 of internal. To send DSD, set Output format to DSD (DoP) and choose a DSD rate. Choose only what your DAC accepts, then stop and start the engine again: output settings take effect at the next start.

Checked with Sonir Bench 0.1.62 on 2026-10-12

Before you start

  • Bench playing through your DAC. If it is not yet, follow the setup guide first.
  • What your DAC accepts: its rates, and whether it takes DSD over DoP. The rates are in the DAC’s specification, or in Audio MIDI Setup on the Mac.

Steps

  1. 01Find out what your DAC accepts

    Open Audio MIDI Setup, select your DAC and look at the formats it lists, or read its specification. For DSD, check that the DAC accepts DSD over DoP. Choosing a rate the DAC cannot take makes the engine fail to start.

  2. 02Stop the engine before changing the output

    Exit rate, Output format, DSD rate and the conversion switches are saved as soon as you change them, but they take effect the next time the engine starts. Press Stop engine first, change them, then start again.

  3. 03For PCM, choose the exit rate

    In Output Settings, leave Output format on PCM and choose a rate under Exit rate. Each choice shows the rate in Hz with its place relative to the internal rate: Same as the entry (the default), 1/4 of internal, 1/2 of internal, Internal itself or 2x internal. A rate below the source is raised to the source rate.

    REFERENCEPlayback settings

  4. 04Decide whether 44.1 kHz material goes out in the 48 kHz family

    Convert to 48 sits next to Exit rate and is on by default. While it is on, material in the 44.1 kHz family also goes out at a 48 kHz family rate, even with Same as the entry. Turn it off to keep 44.1 kHz material in its own family. It has no effect on 48 kHz material.

  5. 05For DSD, choose the DSD rate

    Set Output format to DSD (DoP) and choose a DSD rate; the engine will not start until one is chosen. The exit rate follows from it, always one sixteenth of the DSD rate. Convert to 44.1 is on by default and converts 48 kHz family material before modulating; turn it off only if your DAC accepts 48 kHz family DSD. Order can be left at its default. The modulator lowers the level by a fixed amount set by its design, and Bench shows how much.

    REFERENCEOutput stage

  6. 06Start the engine and check

    Press Start engine. The session shows the input and output rates actually opened. When the exit is above the entry, the monitor watches out-of-band at the exit: green is as declared, yellow is past the prediction but within the acceptable amount, red is past acceptable. In DSD the exit meters and this watch show a dash.

    REFERENCEMonitor

Change the filter used for the conversion

How the rate is raised to the internal rate, and where the band limit sits, is the resample design chosen in the Resample Design card. Bench always applies the standard one if you choose nothing. To change it, see the resample design reference.

REFERENCEResample designHow a design is solved

If it does not work

  • The engine does not start after I raised the rate.

    The DAC does not accept that rate. Choose a lower one, or Same as the entry.

  • I changed the exit rate but nothing changed.

    Output settings take effect at the next start. Stop the engine and start it again.

  • Start engine is greyed out in DSD.

    Choose a DSD rate. Until then the exit is undecided.

  • Noise stays on top of the music.

    Press Reopen output. Bench switches the DAC to another rate and back, so sound stops for about a second.

  • Out-of-band at the exit turns red.

    More ultrasonic content than acceptable is reaching the DAC. Some equipment distorts on it; lower the exit rate, or return to Same as the entry.