Article: Playback Designs MPS-8 CD/SACD player, DAC and Streamer Full Review

[matthias]

The german hifi magazine hifistatement reviewed the MPD-8 and found the EXTERNAL streamer STREAM-IF the best sounding streamer for the Dream Series.

Even the USB input of the STREAM-IF is superior to the direct USB Input of the MPD-8.

The external STREAM-IF supports DSD up to DSD256.

AFAIK the STREAM-IF can be used with the MPS-8 as well.

 

Matt

[matthias]

13 minutes ago, firedog said:

http://www.playbackdesigns.com/docs/manuals/PlaybackDesigns_Stream-IF_Manual1v0.pdf

Again, acc'd to the manual, ethernet input allows only 192 PCM and single rate DSD. And if you use the USB as an input for high rates,  you don't have an output other than the proprietary PLINK for 8X PCM or more than single rate DSD.  Of course if you connect it to an MPD-8, you can use the PLINK)....Clearly an inferior product😄.

 

This device is optimised for PD products via PLINK. The german review compared it to Aries Femto and vastly prefered the STREAM-IF.

Would be interesting to compare to something like opticalRendu.

 

Matt

[matthias]

20 minutes ago, vortecjr said:

Based on internal images of the Playback Design MPS-8 on the internet it appears to use a Converse Digital model CDMCM-210 network card. This card supports 24/192 and DSD64 via DoP according the Converse Digital website. With the Converse Digital system the connectivity services are each selectable at some additional cost. 

 

Yes,

there is another review where the streaming board can be seen:

 

http://www.bm.rs/Playback/Playback Designs MPS-8 FIDELITY International No12.pdf

 

Matt

[matthias]

10 minutes ago, vortecjr said:

iThe Playback Design Stream-IF also appears to use a Converse Digital network card so it will have similar limitations and features as the MPS-8 on that input. This unit also down samples input rates that are not supported on its coax output. The output of the device is PCM via coax and PCM/DSD via PLINK. Rather than compare a USB source into the DAC I would have used a USB source in combination with the Stream-IF in order to maximize the features and benefits of the PLINK output into the DAC.

 

Certainly the best input of the Dream Series is the USB input of the STREAM-IF with output via the PLINK.This signal does not pass through the ConverseDigital board and supports DSD256.

 

Matt

[matthias]

9 minutes ago, vortecjr said:

I saw reference to Converse Digital in one of the manuals. Unless you go with a computer solution I’m not aware of another board that would get you those services and the rates you can achieve with USB. Andreas is going to put a full computer inside that unit and that board is a nice addition to the PLINK and USB input. Connecting Ethernet and USB or PLINK into the unit at the same time makes for a great combinations of features.

 

Another one:

 

http://www.streamunlimited.com/support/downloads/product-leaflets/stream810-v32-scaled.pdf

 

dCS and Lindemann use it.

 

Matt

[matthias]

38 minutes ago, vortecjr said:

It’s a fair solution utilized by several high end audio companies. 

 

What about a Sonore OEM streaming board for other manufacturers?

 

Matt

[matthias]

Interesting that in the Dream Series all files with the exception of DSD256 are first converted to DSD128, then with PDs own algorithms upsampled to DSD2048 before the conversion to analog.

 

Matt

[matthias]

On 7/14/2019 at 9:04 PM, Danny Kaey said:

PS: since the review was published, I heard from Andreas who merely uttered, "the 8 series isn't nearly end-game digital..." which leads me to believe that we may yet one day hear more from PD...

 

Please share with us when you get some more info from Andreas.

Thanks

 

Matt

[matthias]

45 minutes ago, barrows said:

Indeed.  This very high final rate of 90.32 MHz (1 bit) makes the "work" of the final D/A conversion stage easier.  It is reassuring to me to see that PD is now running the conversion stage at this high a rate.  I wonder what, exactly, the conversion stage is comprised of though-likely some implementation of a low pass filter, but i wonder if it just a simple filter (R-C) or something like @Miska's DSC approach.  The Mola Mola DACs run their final A/D conversion at a similar rate (100 MHz, 1 bit) and use what appears to be a similar FIR filter implementation (shift registers and resistors) as Jussi's design.  In any case, having been very impressed by the sound of Mola Mola DACs, I am very interested in hearing the Dream Series DACs. 

 

Agree,

the question is why they do not upsample or convert all files in a first step to DSD256 and then to DSD2048. IMO, converting of 32/384 for example to DSD128 seems not to be a perfect solution.

 

Matt

[matthias]

On 7/14/2019 at 9:04 PM, Danny Kaey said:

PS: since the review was published, I heard from Andreas who merely uttered, "the 8 series isn't nearly end-game digital..." which leads me to believe that we may yet one day hear more from PD...

Danny,

now more than four years later will there something more end-game digital be released by Andreas?

Thanks

 

Matt