I am having the DirectStream Memory Player and DirectStream DAC made for me at PSAudio as I write and hope to have the two before Christmas. I already have a couple of high quality SACD players but I truly believe this pair is going to bring a number of orders of resolution higher than I have ever experienced before. Many thanks for a great review. I also use home-made class A amplifiers and Acoustat SPECTRA 6600 electrostatic speakers.
You can contact PS Audio; I think that you'd need a HDMI ~ Type out put from your SACD Player; I say, "like," because to my experience, there are different ~ sized HDMI Connectors, AND, the PS Audio, I2S arrangement is set up so that the different signals ARE NOT: combined, comingled! Suggest that IF your SACD player has the appropriate HDMI Player Output, contact the manufacturer as to how their output signals are configured! In my experience, the PS Audio approach of NOT combining the output signals {Digital Information AND Clock, for example}, MAY lead to less distortion, and better sound, because the signals are not combined, and therefore don't have to be separated in the DAC! {in fact, if your played DOES combine the signals, contact PS Audio to see if their DAC, CAN separate combined signals!} Good luck! {I have the PS Audio Player and DAC, and so don't have to worry about this!}@@dap777754
Great thoughtful review. I’ve owned this dac for 3 years and it’s an amazing dac and to my ears the best after owning many others including the mytek Brooklyn. I loved SACDs when they came out so a technology built on dsd makes sense to my ears and I love the philosophy behind it. I won’t be owning anything else.
November 2018 - This DAC is $4,000 on their website until Christmas. An additional $800 for the network bridge. Its pretty insane as its the same price as the junior so I don't know whats going on, maybe they are flogging them before a product refresh? They have beat all the used prices as well. I was on the fence about DAC's over $2k but this special has made me think the PS Audio + Network Bridge + Roon Server would be a killer and keep me going for the next decade.
Well I got a used one, sounded not as good as I hoped plus it had 42 issues the art work never worked and switching between imputs worked sometimes,it’s a used item that I’ll be returning. Very strongly considering the Stella strata integrated now. One thing I really liked is the volume control I was surprised how much better the scoundrel when I cranked up my amp and ps audios volume control wow thx Nick
Thank you! I've used physical, rotary potentiometers, variable resistors, rheostats, quality ones {and, cheap ones!} for many years, volume level & balance. Paul McGowan says that internal, electronic, digital volume controls are, "lossless," do not diminish the signal or create distortion. {Also: Electronic, internal switching between inputs, and outputs!} Did you buy a used piece of equipment from a private party? PS Audio now sells some, `previously owned,' equipment, and as a reputable manufacturer, can check out "recycled" gear for proper operation before re ~ selling. Plus, even on, "previously owned gear," I think that there is a return policy. PS Audio for a long time helps customers, "Trade Up," by accepting good condition used equipment and giving a discount on new gear upgrades. PS Audio's defective equipment percentage is very low, & anything can happen! Perhaps a box, shipping container was thrown, banged around too much in shipping ~ this can happen! {Even if the box doesn't, "look too bad!"} Warranties should still apply. We should try out used gear when buying from a private party ~ perhaps it's being, "unloaded," due to poor operation! But, this isn't divulged ~ Good luck! I've, occasionally, purchased things at Garage Sales, where I was assured that everything was, "fine," worked properly! Then, guess what! I take it home, & there are problems! Shocking!
going to have to purchase one of these.thanks for the deep review .im looking to upgrade from my Yamaha 3034 and was going to get their preamp but it looks like im getting one of these first. cheers
Thank you for taking the time in describing your thoughts on the DAC. I am very interested in this and the Chord M scaler. I have heard the M Scaler in person and loved it. I could heard the difference right away. With the M Scaler I need to add a DAC. The price performance of the PS directstream seems a better choice. I would think a A/B would be the only way to compare these devices. Are there other devices besides the M Scaler and directstream on the market?
with the m scaler you probably want to use it with a Chord Dac. I have reviewed lots of them and my favourite is the Hugo TT2 which matches the visual styling of the M Scaler
Hi Terry, what did you use it with in your test. Did you use the xlr outputs into monoblock power amps. What’s speakers too out of interest. Have been reading up on this one and it’s a beast. I’d liked the bit with your roses. Keep it going - Great channel. Cheers Simon
Hi sir, Nice to read that you used it with the MF NuV 800 as this is high on my list of integrated amps to choose from as I'm about to upgrade my current (student-time ... and budget ...) system. Have you tried it with other amps? (also on my list are T+A 3000 HV, McIntosch MA7200 and AVM Ovation A6.2). Finally, what speakers have you used when listening to the PS DAC attached to the MF NuV 800? Looking forward to your reply. Thanks, Marcel (living in NL).
@pursuitperfectsystem Thanks for the review, I absolutely enjoyed listening to you describe the way this DAC sounds along with all of the features and build quality. I have the Roland Octa Capture And I've been dying to know how it compares to a much more expensive product like this. Absolutely love my octa capture as it changed my perception of how music should sound. Do you have any input? Thanks! - Joe
I own and love one of these and am completely content - not even tempted to upgrade to MkII. If I had to name a "con" it would be that they seem to have made one remote for most or all of their products. I understand the advantages for owners of PS Audio systems but the "One Ring to Rule Them All" design results in a lot of buttons I never use. Seriously - that's the best I can do 😛
Thinking of buying one used. Many say it is too smooth. I like detail but i don`t like a forward energetic *upper* midrange mainly because of our very sensitive horn speakers. Saturated/textured lower mid is ok. But i like extended airy delicate highs that shimmer and sparkle in a refined way - not hard. And good detailed energetic bass. Do you think i might like this DAC with my energetic revealing horns ?
Really need your opinion on the comparison of this ps audio dac vs the chord qteest and chord Dave. They both have the same philosophy of using an FPGA chip
PS Audio and Chord go about using the FPGA and their DAC design in a very different way - they are not the same even though they use a chip where they can code it them selves. In saying that both sound really great - so its not a case one being bad and the other good - they are both very good. Its a good idea to listen to both and see for your self it at all possible, I dont want to give a misleading statement.
Hi DB - this is one up on the clarity from the Hugo 2 because it does it in a much smoother easier listen - less forced sounding in its resolution. I would need to A/B the two to be any more specific and 100% on this. Hope it helps a bit though
Interesting.. Does the DS have more 'gut' to the sound as well? I found it interesting because enabling crossfeed with Hugo 2 in a stereo setting actually brought back some body and depth and made it quite immersive.
Hi Jaspal - I found the Huron more insightful and technically more correct however it was just way too lean for me, way too lean. Now I was planning to try a few things out to try and get a fuller sound and try the Huron again. My system is very tight in sound as my rooms acoustic is very low on reverb. I also use Dirac Live so its an ultra tight sound. If you dont have that tight sound to start with maybe the Huron will help tighten it up more, but for me I just wasnt getting the bass I wanted. I was only just getting the bass I wanted from Torres, slightly more Bass from Yale but at the expense of resolution and clarity - hence Torres was the best middle ground. Huron was needed for MQA and that sounded good from it - but with no Dirac Live so too much bass in my MLP
Thanks for the reply PPS. In my current room I feel the 'Huron' firmware would suit me better. Just wondered is the low reverb in your room only due to DIRAC or have you done some room treatments?
jaspal kallar Hi.Jaspal. i have about 21 ish acoustic panels in the room. A lot of them are absorption. Thats a great thing about this dac you can try them all I think that is great
The price, £6000, does that include the Bridge II ? So the PS Directstream Dac was much better in your opinion than the Chord Hugo 2 and TT dacs? Btw, reading on various forums the DirectStream Junior DAC "supposedly" gets to about 85% of it sibling (PS Directstream Dac) and the price (which is closer to my budget) is with the bridge included (though no touch screen and a volume knob -- which I would actually prefer in a preamp) Great video btw, appreciate it !
Hi Jaspal - the DS Junior seems very interesting and at £4k ish inc the bridge II seems a good option. I know its FPGA and I think its also Ted Smith work so its likely still excellent. The DirectStream Dac is roughly £6200 with the Bridge II, I assume you can get it without it for a saving but not 100%
I live in Sweden and a new PS DS Dac with a bridge is around £7200 (a Chord Dave in comparison is £11000). I wish your review had come 2 months ago. I could have bought a used DS Junior Dac (6 months old) for £2700.
I have a very old 25 year dac -- Audiolab 8000 Dac. So far, I've tried a home demo of the Moon Audio 230HAD (used a dac & pre) and also a Lyngdorf 2170 (used as dac/pre/amp/room correction). When the local dealer in Sweden gets one I may try also the Hugo 2. My budget would be around the £4000. Incidentally I did go to a dealer in another town and listen to the Hegel HD 30. I then listened to the Chord Dave (just for fun, out of my price range at £11000). I couldn't though tell a lot of difference between the Hegel HD30 and the Dave and at 3 times the price. I'd need to go again to do the comparison. i may go for the Lyngdorf, dead neutral and has RoomPerfect room correction. Of course it has a Dac also.
I am surprised you say that about the Dave - I found its presentation to stand out. What do you use a source currently? I have spent a fair bit of time listening to the Lyngdorf you mention - see if you can hear a DirectStream Junior with a decent amp - ideally with Dirac before it but that's a harder one I will admit. I like the fact dirac is completely user friendly and configurable - I know you can set a few listening modes in the lyngdorf but its not the same as complete control. room perfect normally does a good job with bass but I have never heard one have a smoothness to it I would want. But its all personal
Wanna clarify something. If one gets the Network Bridge II option, does that mean it will stream Tidal with MQA via its app? Some streamers only allow it via the USB B input. I also read this at The Absolute Sound: “The latest Bridge II card “unfolds” MQA-encoded files. Unfolding is the first decoding step in MQA, converting the file from 48kHz to the file’s original sampling frequency. It is not, however, the full MQA decoding.” Does that mean there is no second unfold to get the true potential of MQA? I’m using the Cambridge Audio CXN and just realized that sound quality is no anywhere near my Cary Audio CD 500. Hence, am on the look out for a streamer with higher sound quality. Might this be a much better sounding streamer? 😬 Thanks!
Hi Daniel Sorry I dont have access to compare to the Oppo 205 - but from my experience FPGA separates itself from SABRE and other techs used. Its my preferred DAC tech right now
When I bought the Directstream DAC, I sold an Oppo BDP 95. True, not the 205 but I will say that the Directstream far, far outperforms the BDP 95. Just in terms of shear musicality, the Directstream tramples the Oppo. I agree with almost everything that the reviewer said. The one area in which I have had a different experience is in the reproduction of bass notes. For fullness of explanation, I also had an ARC DAC8. I was never satisfied with the bass, from either the Oppo or the DAC8. I use Revel Ultima Salon 2 speakers and for the longest time, I thought that I’d been sold a bill of goods on their low end abilities. It wasn’t until I hooked up the Directstream that - BOOM - the bass as there, tight, clean and much lower than before. Where this DAC comes into its own is when paired with the P.S. Audio Memory Player. SACD and good Red Book (Harmonia Mundi, ECM etc.) just knock me out. I’ve never heard CDs sounding like this before. The results are, without doubt, because of the synergies between the two boxes (and you need both to play SACD) but P.S. Audio knocked it out of the park.
Overpriced. Fpga chord hugo 2 can do it 3x less and sound better. Hell get yourself r2r dacs with the money leftover. Why restrict yourself to one flavor of dacs.
@@PursuitPerfectSystem Vinyl and Tube amps also sound very appealing to many people, but when measured, they score drastically worse than digital sources and solid state amps. It appears that dynamic compression (~65dD of vinyl), and the exitance of even harmonics content (Tube sound) result in a psychological effect that changes our perception of sound quality. But, to get such colored sound, you should not pay so much for a 73dB SINAD DAC, you could get a cheap Topping DAC with 120dB of SINAD, and play your music using Foobar2000 with available analog emulations add in (Tube, Tape, and Vinyl emulations are available), or use a DSP to adjust you target curve to your liking. No reason to pay so much for a badly engineered product. BT, P.S Audio engineers are not stupid. The are aware of this phenomenon of low SINAD sources that may sound more warms and appealing to many, and they deliver. The low SINAD results of the Directstream DAC is due to the unnecessary ALL to DSD conversion of this DAC. DSD adds a lot of noise (You can search for DSD vs PCM test video by Amir from ASR, who showed that PCM is superior to DSD at any data rate. I'm quite happy with my NAD M33, which is based on a conventional DAC chip by ESS. It scored 108dB of SINAD of the same tests at ASR (you should check it out).
How can you INVEST in something that’s not an asset? Something that is an entertainment EXPENSE. And a LIABILITY that reduces it’s value with time. People use the word invest to help you justify dropping $6000 that you will never see again
I made this video a long time ago and I use the word investment meant in different ways - it's an investment amount of money is one way which is another way of saying it's a serious amount so it needs to be considered and justified. Another way I use the word is as it's an investment for your system to make it better ultimately giving you years and years of enjoyment. Lots of investments lose money they dont all go up in value the difference with this type of investment is the value might go down over the years but that doesnt make it a bad investment
I've spent thousands of dollars on recordings, reel to reel tapes {including prerecorded}, and not CD's, including SACD / DSD, where available. Quality, `full frequency response systems.' A number of turntables, including several, `radial tracking.' Music is very important to me. Some equipment, whose manufacturer has been in existence for a long time, holds it's value well, in some cases may even appreciate in dollar value, though take into consideration, inflation.
Damn, if I were to write an essay similar to your review my editor would say (rather shout): "You could have said all that in 2 sentences." Sorry to say this man, but after the first two minutes it was all a rabid succession of the same dribble for nearly 30 minutes. Not to worry though, all audio reviewers seem to be under their own pressure, perhaps others pressures, to 'fill' up dead space, with information as useful as knowing that termites hold hands; all in an attempt for more pages of content to be read by readers who drown in that oil (yes, sometimes it's snake oil). Don't get me started on how UA-cam players commence with entirely useless drivel in an attempt to give the illusion they are creative and 'creating' content. Need not reply. Never coming back here. Good day, and good luck!
I have created over 500 videos since this one watched about 2.5 million times - this is one of the first review videos I made, it is a learning curve and you have to start somewhere
@@PursuitPerfectSystem I agree. But just to make myself clear, I was being sarcastic to the "Audio World" not to you in most of what I said. The other part, when I am referring to you, I was simply saying that some editing would do a world of difference, and give you time to put in more content. As for the creative bit, well, I've been through art and writing school, and you simply can't enter into a creative field with some very hard comments and tests. Not at a personal attack mind you, but as a means to keep pushing and growing -which is what I suggest when I say "'all audio reviewers see to be under their own pressure, perhaps others pressures"... And I mean I'm not coming back not because of your video, but rather that I'm not a music lover, gear fan that looks for the latest. I stay away from all that, and only speak with the horses and the manufactures. I don't have time for second hand information. For example, I'm going to be buying a 2a3 amplifier, and I sent the designer a battery of questions to get him to describe the sound of his amp. He kind of failed, as I know he didn't want to paint himself into a corner...it was all typical stuff you hear from a dealer. But you see what I'm getting at. Anyway, no hard feelings and keep going man, ride the lightning!
I hope to - I have had the Dave in but I didnt have it for enough time to do a full Review - from the time I had the 2 seem very different but I wouldnt want to say 100% atm because I didnt have enough tinkering time with the Dave
I am having the DirectStream Memory Player and DirectStream DAC made for me at PSAudio as I write and hope to have the two before Christmas. I already have a couple of high quality SACD players but I truly believe this pair is going to bring a number of orders of resolution higher than I have ever experienced before. Many thanks for a great review. I also use home-made class A amplifiers and Acoustat SPECTRA 6600 electrostatic speakers.
How did you hook upyour 2 (non PS Audio) SACD players to the DirectStream DAC? Wouldn't you need I2S in order to do this?
How do you like your set ~ up? Looks like I have what you have!
You can contact PS Audio; I think that you'd need a HDMI ~ Type out put from your SACD Player; I say, "like," because to my experience, there are different ~ sized HDMI Connectors, AND, the PS Audio, I2S arrangement is set up so that the different signals ARE NOT: combined, comingled! Suggest that IF your SACD player has the appropriate HDMI Player Output, contact the manufacturer as to how their output signals are configured! In my experience, the PS Audio approach of NOT combining the output signals {Digital Information AND Clock, for example}, MAY lead to less distortion, and better sound, because the signals are not combined, and therefore don't have to be separated in the DAC! {in fact, if your played DOES combine the signals, contact PS Audio to see if their DAC, CAN separate combined signals!} Good luck! {I have the PS Audio Player and DAC, and so don't have to worry about this!}@@dap777754
Great thoughtful review. I’ve owned this dac for 3 years and it’s an amazing dac and to my ears the best after owning many others including the mytek Brooklyn. I loved SACDs when they came out so a technology built on dsd makes sense to my ears and I love the philosophy behind it. I won’t be owning anything else.
November 2018 - This DAC is $4,000 on their website until Christmas. An additional $800 for the network bridge. Its pretty insane as its the same price as the junior so I don't know whats going on, maybe they are flogging them before a product refresh? They have beat all the used prices as well. I was on the fence about DAC's over $2k but this special has made me think the PS Audio + Network Bridge + Roon Server would be a killer and keep me going for the next decade.
it's a very good DAC and that is an interesting offer.
Props to ps audio... they take care of the customers... will buy again for sure....
Well I got a used one, sounded not as good as I hoped plus it had 42 issues the art work never worked and switching between imputs worked sometimes,it’s a used item that I’ll be returning. Very strongly considering the Stella strata integrated now. One thing I really liked is the volume control I was surprised how much better the scoundrel when I cranked up my amp and ps audios volume control wow thx Nick
😊2 issues not 42
Thank you! I've used physical, rotary potentiometers, variable resistors, rheostats, quality ones {and, cheap ones!} for many years, volume level & balance. Paul McGowan says that internal, electronic, digital volume controls are, "lossless," do not diminish the signal or create distortion. {Also: Electronic, internal switching between inputs, and outputs!} Did you buy a used piece of equipment from a private party? PS Audio now sells some, `previously owned,' equipment, and as a reputable manufacturer, can check out "recycled" gear for proper operation before re ~ selling. Plus, even on, "previously owned gear," I think that there is a return policy. PS Audio for a long time helps customers, "Trade Up," by accepting good condition used equipment and giving a discount on new gear upgrades. PS Audio's defective equipment percentage is very low, & anything can happen! Perhaps a box, shipping container was thrown, banged around too much in shipping ~ this can happen! {Even if the box doesn't, "look too bad!"} Warranties should still apply. We should try out used gear when buying from a private party ~ perhaps it's being, "unloaded," due to poor operation! But, this isn't divulged ~ Good luck! I've, occasionally, purchased things at Garage Sales, where I was assured that everything was, "fine," worked properly! Then, guess what! I take it home, & there are problems! Shocking!
This unit and the Luxman C700u would be a great combination.
going to have to purchase one of these.thanks for the deep review .im looking to upgrade from my Yamaha 3034 and was going to get their preamp but it looks like im getting one of these first. cheers
Thank you for taking the time in describing your thoughts on the DAC. I am very interested in this and the Chord M scaler. I have heard the M Scaler in person and loved it. I could heard the difference right away. With the M Scaler I need to add a DAC. The price performance of the PS directstream seems a better choice. I would think a A/B would be the only way to compare these devices. Are there other devices besides the M Scaler and directstream on the market?
with the m scaler you probably want to use it with a Chord Dac. I have reviewed lots of them and my favourite is the Hugo TT2 which matches the visual styling of the M Scaler
i never did like chord dacs
Comparison to Audio GD R8 or R7 or Denafrips Pontus 2?
Ahh bless, I get all emotional over over my Ps audio M700 monos!
Which free software is good to play music from a NAS?
Hi Terry, what did you use it with in your test. Did you use the xlr outputs into monoblock power amps. What’s speakers too out of interest. Have been reading up on this one and it’s a beast. I’d liked the bit with your roses. Keep it going - Great channel. Cheers Simon
I was using it with the Musical Fidelity NuVista 800 Integrated Amplifier
Hi sir, Nice to read that you used it with the MF NuV 800 as this is high on my list of integrated amps to choose from as I'm about to upgrade my current (student-time ... and budget ...) system. Have you tried it with other amps? (also on my list are T+A 3000 HV, McIntosch MA7200 and AVM Ovation A6.2). Finally, what speakers have you used when listening to the PS DAC attached to the MF NuV 800? Looking forward to your reply. Thanks, Marcel (living in NL).
Stellar review! Wish I could get my hands on it for 2000. No way I could afford it ☹️
Hello, between this PS Audio Streamer and Bluesound Node 2i streamer, will I hear anything different? Thanks.
is this better than the hugo tt2? im still looking into getting a high end dac.just waiting to make sure i get one of the best?
Installing one for a customer right now. Not a easy device to connect to streaming services. Been installing streaming devices for 10+ years.......
how did things turn out?
how does it compare to a denifrips pontus ll or Gustard A26...let alone a Aqua La Scalla from Italy❓
Paul Mcgowan ! Will you accept this rose.?
The Rose wasn't for Paul haha :)
I thought he was going to break out in song! 🤣🤣🤣
@pursuitperfectsystem Thanks for the review, I absolutely enjoyed listening to you describe the way this DAC sounds along with all of the features and build quality. I have the Roland Octa Capture And I've been dying to know how it compares to a much more expensive product like this. Absolutely love my octa capture as it changed my perception of how music should sound. Do you have any input? Thanks! - Joe
I own and love one of these and am completely content - not even tempted to upgrade to MkII. If I had to name a "con" it would be that they seem to have made one remote for most or all of their products. I understand the advantages for owners of PS Audio systems but the "One Ring to Rule Them All" design results in a lot of buttons I never use. Seriously - that's the best I can do 😛
Thinking of buying one used. Many say it is too smooth. I like detail but i don`t like a forward energetic *upper* midrange mainly because of our very sensitive horn speakers. Saturated/textured lower mid is ok. But i like extended airy delicate highs that shimmer and sparkle in a refined way - not hard. And good detailed energetic bass. Do you think i might like this DAC with my energetic revealing horns ?
Really need your opinion on the comparison of this ps audio dac vs the chord qteest and chord Dave. They both have the same philosophy of using an FPGA chip
PS Audio and Chord go about using the FPGA and their DAC design in a very different way - they are not the same even though they use a chip where they can code it them selves.
In saying that both sound really great - so its not a case one being bad and the other good - they are both very good.
Its a good idea to listen to both and see for your self it at all possible, I dont want to give a misleading statement.
Had jr is nice but had to purchase the ds in black jr is whoa cant wait to hear ds 🤩
I tried this DAC bypassing in the internal DAC in my McIntosh C52 preamp, in my opinion its a very good DAC but certainly no better than the McIntosh
How does it compare to Hugo 2's clarity which you also enjoyed? What about the TT?
Hi DB - this is one up on the clarity from the Hugo 2 because it does it in a much smoother easier listen - less forced sounding in its resolution. I would need to A/B the two to be any more specific and 100% on this. Hope it helps a bit though
Interesting.. Does the DS have more 'gut' to the sound as well? I found it interesting because enabling crossfeed with Hugo 2 in a stereo setting actually brought back some body and depth and made it quite immersive.
Check currawong's review
He says hugo 2 has more resolution
What did you not like the Huron firmware (the lastest release at the time of your video) compared to the firmware you used?
Hi Jaspal - I found the Huron more insightful and technically more correct however it was just way too lean for me, way too lean. Now I was planning to try a few things out to try and get a fuller sound and try the Huron again.
My system is very tight in sound as my rooms acoustic is very low on reverb. I also use Dirac Live so its an ultra tight sound.
If you dont have that tight sound to start with maybe the Huron will help tighten it up more, but for me I just wasnt getting the bass I wanted. I was only just getting the bass I wanted from Torres, slightly more Bass from Yale but at the expense of resolution and clarity - hence Torres was the best middle ground. Huron was needed for MQA and that sounded good from it - but with no Dirac Live so too much bass in my MLP
Thanks for the reply PPS. In my current room I feel the 'Huron' firmware would suit me better.
Just wondered is the low reverb in your room only due to DIRAC or have you done some room treatments?
jaspal kallar Hi.Jaspal. i have about 21 ish acoustic panels in the room. A lot of them are absorption. Thats a great thing about this dac you can try them all I think that is great
The price, £6000, does that include the Bridge II ?
So the PS Directstream Dac was much better in your opinion than the Chord Hugo 2 and TT dacs?
Btw, reading on various forums the DirectStream Junior DAC "supposedly" gets to about 85% of it sibling (PS Directstream Dac) and the price (which is closer to my budget) is with the bridge included (though no touch screen and a volume knob -- which I would actually prefer in a preamp)
Great video btw, appreciate it !
Hi Jaspal - the DS Junior seems very interesting and at £4k ish inc the bridge II seems a good option. I know its FPGA and I think its also Ted Smith work so its likely still excellent. The DirectStream Dac is roughly £6200 with the Bridge II, I assume you can get it without it for a saving but not 100%
I live in Sweden and a new PS DS Dac with a bridge is around £7200 (a Chord Dave in comparison is £11000). I wish your review had come 2 months ago. I could have bought a used DS Junior Dac (6 months old) for £2700.
jaspal kallar jaspal what dac have you got now?
I have a very old 25 year dac -- Audiolab 8000 Dac. So far, I've tried a home demo of the Moon Audio 230HAD (used a dac & pre) and also a Lyngdorf 2170 (used as dac/pre/amp/room correction). When the local dealer in Sweden gets one I may try also the Hugo 2. My budget would be around the £4000.
Incidentally I did go to a dealer in another town and listen to the Hegel HD 30. I then listened to the Chord Dave (just for fun, out of my price range at £11000). I couldn't though tell a lot of difference between the Hegel HD30 and the Dave and at 3 times the price. I'd need to go again to do the comparison.
i may go for the Lyngdorf, dead neutral and has RoomPerfect room correction. Of course it has a Dac also.
I am surprised you say that about the Dave - I found its presentation to stand out.
What do you use a source currently?
I have spent a fair bit of time listening to the Lyngdorf you mention - see if you can hear a DirectStream Junior with a decent amp - ideally with Dirac before it but that's a harder one I will admit.
I like the fact dirac is completely user friendly and configurable - I know you can set a few listening modes in the lyngdorf but its not the same as complete control.
room perfect normally does a good job with bass but I have never heard one have a smoothness to it I would want. But its all personal
Did you post any videos other than the cd versions say a DSD recording or Hi Res off Tidel ?
My dilemma,
Chord dave with moon streamer or one of these?
Please advise me
2 years later with no advice, what did you end up with?
Wanna clarify something. If one gets the Network Bridge II option, does that mean it will stream Tidal with MQA via its app?
Some streamers only allow it via the USB B input.
I also read this at The Absolute Sound:
“The latest Bridge II card “unfolds” MQA-encoded files. Unfolding is the first decoding step in MQA, converting the file from 48kHz to the file’s original sampling frequency. It is not, however, the full MQA decoding.”
Does that mean there is no second unfold to get the true potential of MQA?
I’m using the Cambridge Audio CXN and just realized that sound quality is no anywhere near my Cary Audio CD 500. Hence, am on the look out for a streamer with higher sound quality.
Might this be a much better sounding streamer? 😬
Thanks!
would it be a great match with YBA?
cdimi13 i think it would definitely be worth trying out for sure
Cdmi13, I am now using this dac with YBA passion 1000 pre and YBA signature 4 châssis. I confirm it IS a perfect match
Will you be reviewing the junior?
martin vegas Hi Martin. Yes I would very much like to and will ask to in the near future.
This or the chord Dave?
adam gorberg they are different Adam ideally you need to hear both and decide. Especially at the money
I'm asking your personal opinion
adam gorberg really hard one that as they are different :)
How would you compare it to the DAC in the Oppo UDP-205? Cause that sounds amazing to me!
Hi Daniel
Sorry I dont have access to compare to the Oppo 205 - but from my experience FPGA separates itself from SABRE and other techs used. Its my preferred DAC tech right now
When I bought the Directstream DAC, I sold an Oppo BDP 95. True, not the 205 but I will say that the Directstream far, far outperforms the BDP 95. Just in terms of shear musicality, the Directstream tramples the Oppo. I agree with almost everything that the reviewer said. The one area in which I have had a different experience is in the reproduction of bass notes. For fullness of explanation, I also had an ARC DAC8. I was never satisfied with the bass, from either the Oppo or the DAC8. I use Revel Ultima Salon 2 speakers and for the longest time, I thought that I’d been sold a bill of goods on their low end abilities. It wasn’t until I hooked up the Directstream that - BOOM - the bass as there, tight, clean and much lower than before.
Where this DAC comes into its own is when paired with the P.S. Audio Memory Player. SACD and good Red Book (Harmonia Mundi, ECM etc.) just knock me out. I’ve never heard CDs sounding like this before. The results are, without doubt, because of the synergies between the two boxes (and you need both to play SACD) but P.S. Audio knocked it out of the park.
Nice review, though a teleprompter would have helped.
this is one of the first videos I ever made have come a long way since this video :)
Overpriced. Fpga chord hugo 2 can do it 3x less and sound better. Hell get yourself r2r dacs with the money leftover. Why restrict yourself to one flavor of dacs.
Has anybody seen the ASR review with extensive measurements for the DirectSh*t DAC? It has 73dB of SINAD! That's 23dB far short if CD quality!
I know of it yes, however I have also heard this dac in numerous systems sounding really very good whats a man to do
@@PursuitPerfectSystem
Vinyl and Tube amps also sound very appealing to many people, but when measured, they score drastically worse than digital sources and solid state amps.
It appears that dynamic compression (~65dD of vinyl), and the exitance of even harmonics content (Tube sound) result in a psychological effect that changes our perception of sound quality.
But, to get such colored sound, you should not pay so much for a 73dB SINAD DAC, you could get a cheap Topping DAC with 120dB of SINAD, and play your music using Foobar2000 with available analog emulations add in (Tube, Tape, and Vinyl emulations are available), or use a DSP to adjust you target curve to your liking. No reason to pay so much for a badly engineered product.
BT, P.S Audio engineers are not stupid. The are aware of this phenomenon of low SINAD sources that may sound more warms and appealing to many, and they deliver.
The low SINAD results of the Directstream DAC is due to the unnecessary ALL to DSD conversion of this DAC. DSD adds a lot of noise (You can search for DSD vs PCM test video by Amir from ASR, who showed that PCM is superior to DSD at any data rate.
I'm quite happy with my NAD M33, which is based on a conventional DAC chip by ESS. It scored 108dB of SINAD of the same tests at ASR (you should check it out).
How can you INVEST in something that’s not an asset? Something that is an entertainment EXPENSE. And a LIABILITY that reduces it’s value with time. People use the word invest to help you justify dropping $6000 that you will never see again
I made this video a long time ago and I use the word investment meant in different ways - it's an investment amount of money is one way which is another way of saying it's a serious amount so it needs to be considered and justified.
Another way I use the word is as it's an investment for your system to make it better ultimately giving you years and years of enjoyment. Lots of investments lose money they dont all go up in value the difference with this type of investment is the value might go down over the years but that doesnt make it a bad investment
I've spent thousands of dollars on recordings, reel to reel tapes {including prerecorded}, and not CD's, including SACD / DSD, where available. Quality, `full frequency response systems.' A number of turntables, including several, `radial tracking.' Music is very important to me. Some equipment, whose manufacturer has been in existence for a long time, holds it's value well, in some cases may even appreciate in dollar value, though take into consideration, inflation.
Damn, if I were to write an essay similar to your review my editor would say (rather shout): "You could have said all that in 2 sentences." Sorry to say this man, but after the first two minutes it was all a rabid succession of the same dribble for nearly 30 minutes. Not to worry though, all audio reviewers seem to be under their own pressure, perhaps others pressures, to 'fill' up dead space, with information as useful as knowing that termites hold hands; all in an attempt for more pages of content to be read by readers who drown in that oil (yes, sometimes it's snake oil). Don't get me started on how UA-cam players commence with entirely useless drivel in an attempt to give the illusion they are creative and 'creating' content.
Need not reply. Never coming back here. Good day, and good luck!
I have created over 500 videos since this one watched about 2.5 million times - this is one of the first review videos I made, it is a learning curve and you have to start somewhere
How are you feeling now after seeing the whole team of psychiatists?
@@PursuitPerfectSystem I agree. But just to make myself clear, I was being sarcastic to the "Audio World" not to you in most of what I said. The other part, when I am referring to you, I was simply saying that some editing would do a world of difference, and give you time to put in more content. As for the creative bit, well, I've been through art and writing school, and you simply can't enter into a creative field with some very hard comments and tests. Not at a personal attack mind you, but as a means to keep pushing and growing -which is what I suggest when I say "'all audio reviewers see to be under their own pressure, perhaps others pressures"...
And I mean I'm not coming back not because of your video, but rather that I'm not a music lover, gear fan that looks for the latest. I stay away from all that, and only speak with the horses and the manufactures. I don't have time for second hand information. For example, I'm going to be buying a 2a3 amplifier, and I sent the designer a battery of questions to get him to describe the sound of his amp. He kind of failed, as I know he didn't want to paint himself into a corner...it was all typical stuff you hear from a dealer. But you see what I'm getting at.
Anyway, no hard feelings and keep going man, ride the lightning!
@@carlosoliveira-rc2xt they're not working. Can you send me some of your team :D
Good review! But better audio capture is needed, there is a lot of reflected sound. Some foam on the walls wold help
this is the old days check out my new videos they are much better
can someone compare it to Chord DAVE? Just SQ.
I hope to - I have had the Dave in but I didnt have it for enough time to do a full Review - from the time I had the 2 seem very different but I wouldnt want to say 100% atm because I didnt have enough tinkering time with the Dave
Pursuit Perfect System, I'm looking forward for your review of Chord Dave and also to see your opinion against this PS Direct Stream DAC