Article: PS Audio DirectStream DAC Review

[Hanuman22]

ajay, have you looked through the PP thread at PS Audio's forums (at least the first half or so)? Your comments would be helpful there. As I read your lastest post here, I was thinking the same thing as Hanuman about my use of "weakness," as opposed to weakest links or mix of individual component characteristics. Of the list he gives, I would think from experience that neither Lightspeed nor Mapleshade, with it's "leading edge" design philosophy, would be good matches for the DS (I ditched a Lightspeed for the TotalDac USB).

 

Actually I am having excellent SQ and synergy with the Lightspeed which brings a better sense of timing, inner resolution and musicality. System dependent as always.

There are so many ways to skin the cat, as Ted mentions above..

[highstream]

So I had reported earlier that I evolved into not preferring Pikes Peak. I find that it has a hole in the lower midrange area, which affects vocal depth and overall vocal tonality..and makes transition to upper bass less seamless. It's clarity is astounding, though. So I found that some tube rolling in my COncert Fidelity CF-080 pre could compensate well enough for me that I often live with it. For the majority of my music, that worked (esp through SSR and I2S).

...

 

Ted, speaking more specifically, what do you hear (and not) that you attribute to that hole? I've been auditioning some of the best of the Snake River's cabling on my 2.0 TV system (Oppo 103, DS, Quad 12 actives) and find one of Jonny's two best IC's relatively thin, slightly edgy and fatiguing with PP, next to unlistenable, especially for an extended session (the other is very listenable but tonally elevated enough to lose most sense of presence). Switched back to 1.2.1 and while much of the clarity, transparency and delicacy is lost, the overall tonal balance came down, and voices and instruments gained some body and lost that edge; i.e., it's listenable. A real dilemma.

[ajay556]

Agree w/ Highstream. My DS's USB is always coupled to the Totaldac D1 cable. A nice synergy, especially given the comments above. I have the incredibly detailed JCAT cable too, and that one is amazing with my Hugo and a few others.

Ted i thought you were using the Sonore? Then you should be using HDMI cable?

[ted_b]

Ted i thought you were using the Sonore? Then you should be using HDMI cable?[/quote

 

Yes, I was just referring to the TotalDAC D1 USB cable. When using the Sonore Sig Rendu (Which is still my DS go-to) I use the Nordost Silver Screen HDMI.

[TarnishedEars]

So I had reported earlier that I evolved into not preferring Pikes Peak. I find that it has a hole in the lower midrange area, which affects vocal depth and overall vocal tonality..and makes transition to upper bass less seamless. It's clarity is astounding, though. So I found that some tube rolling in my COncert Fidelity CF-080 pre could compensate well enough for me that I often live with it. For the majority of my music, that worked (esp through SSR and I2S).

 

I have been reviewing other DACS so I went back to my normal tubes in the pre. I forgot about Pikes Peak and the DS. Then two weeks ago Jared Sacks (Channel Classics, NativeDSD) and I were in my music room doing an informal review of all my DACs, in stereo (after a couple very musical days of listening to his stuff in multichannel). When I got to the DS he noticed it immediately!! Wow, I had forgotten, said nothing in advance, yet it was obvious to him (and what a great opportunity to use well-awarded ears to hear his own music in my system). He pegged it at lower midrange. There ya go! We then switched to 2.1 and he noticed it being more balanced frequency-wise. My $.02

I agree. I switched back from Piked peak within a week. However I just downloaded the Yale Beta, and my initial impressions are extremely favorable. Ted appears to have successfully managed to combine most of the best aspects of 2.1 with the best aspects of PP, and the result is stunning.

[ted_b]

I agree about Yale being better than PP, and need to spend more time with it to fully assess. I'm dac'd out. I have to get my 2Qute review done, then have the Mytek Manhattan and the Fore Audio DAISy1 to listen to and evaluate. Ah yes, ain't America beautiful (said slightly in humor on 4th of July as I get ready to write a review about a British DAC and then evaluate a Polish DAC and Korean DAC ).

 

Anyway, I am certainly blessed with these embarrassment of riches, and when the stress of the day is not getting to enough new listening...you know things can't be too bad. I even hit a nice bucket of balls at the range (72 and sunny in NE Ohio), so all is well. And a dear friend (and audio buddy) and his family entertain us tonight at their annual cookout while we watch the city's fireworks from their cul-de-sac. Happy 4th to the US CA readers, and Happy Saturday (and early Sunday) to everyone else!

[No-Moving_Parts]

Does the DirectStream accept FLAC files?

[highstream]

I don't know your system, but speaking generally the dac doesn't care; it's the media player that plays or doesn't any particular file format. Haven't come across many that don't play flac files.

[maniac]

DS DAC accepts PCM or DSD (DoP) on its digital inputs. If you are using Ethernet bridge then it accepts most formats like wav, aiff, MP3, flac etc

[No-Moving_Parts]

Howdy Ted

 

It was surprising to me that no mention was made about which versions of the DirectStream firmware were used for various listening sessions. I suspect that the final listening with the Signature Rendu was done with release 1.2.1 of the DS firmware and the earlier, less fulfilling sessions were done with earlier versions of the firmware. If so, ...

 

-(another) Ted

 

Hi Ted Smith: Please don't leave us hanging on Yale (mountain) much longer. While I'm just breaking in my new DirectStream, I have the impression that the latest operating system still leaves much to be desired/accomplished.