DS2 File

What are DS2 files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a DS2 file or are you simply curious about its contents? We're here to explain the properties of these files and provide you with software that can open or handle your DS2 files.

What is a DS2 file?

DS2 files have multiple uses, and Digital Speech Standard Pro Audio is one of them. Read more about the other uses further down the page.

Digital Speech Standard Pro Audio

Digital Speech Standard Pro Audio (file extension .DS2) is a proprietary speech-audio format designed for dictation and voice recording devices. It's the enhanced version of the earlier DSS (Digital Speech Standard) format used by Olympus, Philips, and Grundig, developed through the International Voice Association. It compresses speech heavily so recordings take up little space, while providing features important in professional dictation: encryption, higher audio quality, and support for modes tailored to different recording needs.

Olympus and its affiliated devices and software produce .DS2 files - recorders generate them, and dictation/transcription systems (such as Olympus's ODMS R7 and DSS Player) are used to read or decrypt them. The format supports two performance modes: SP ("Standard Play") at about 12 kHz sample rate, and QP ("Quality Play") at about 16 kHz. Data may be encrypted using AES-128 or AES-256, which protects confidential speech content and is released via Olympus workflow management tools.

In technical detail, .DS2 files begin with the ASCII signature ".ds2" at offset zero in the file header. The codec is a variant of CELP (code-excited linear prediction); frame structure and codebooks differ from those in DSS. The two SP and QP modes differ in the number of reflection coefficients used: SP mode uses 14 coefficients (12 kHz mode), QP uses 16 coefficients (16 kHz mode).

How to open DS2 files

We have identified one DS2 opener that is compatible with this specific type of DS2 file.

Programs that open Digital Speech Standard Pro Audio files

Last updated: August 6, 2026

All known file formats using extension .DS2

While Digital Speech Standard Pro Audio is a popular type of DS2-file, we know of 2 different uses of the .DS2 file extension. Different software may use files with the same extension for different types of data.

Dream Station 2.0 Module

We know that one DS2 format is Dream Station 2.0 Module. We have not yet analyzed in detail what these files contain and what they are used for. We're working on it.

While we have not verified the apps ourselves yet, our users have suggested ten different DS2 openers which you will find listed below.

Various apps that use files with this extension

These apps are known to open certain types of DS2 files. Remember, different programs may use DS2 files for different purposes, so you may need to try out a few of them to be able to open your specific file.

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