PS Audio DirectStream DAC

Mine has about 250 hours on it now. USB and a little spidif. The volume for me is bypassed as it is feeding and a hdvd800 with hd800 headphones for now . I am building a server 2012 and installed the PPA USB PCI express card with a linear PSU. Wow what an improvement in sound , I did thus after about 100 hours of burn in. I also have a krell connect music server with a spidif output . I must say switching between the two inputs same song hinrez PCM I could not tell between them it was that good both ways .
al
 
Jerry, what were your other DACs and which ones did you compare to the DS. Also was it a wide margin or what that you found the DS to your liking.

Thanks, Al
 
JDLaudio said:
I do not remember if it is analog or digital based. They talk about all those type specs on their website forums. The volume control is VERY good, but my Classe pre adds a bit more quality overall. So I would agree with keeping a preamp in the system. Most would be happy going direct, if they did not A/B their system with a pre. I could easily live with the quality of the volume control it has to offer, if I were scaling my system back.

Jerry-
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Not to change the subject, but when I had my Mytek DSD dac, W4S DACSE and my ExaSound MKIII that had pre-amp capabilities I found my pre-amps, either my old Rogue Athena, Cary SLP-98P or my W4S STPSE just provided a better sound to me.

Anyway, thank you Jerry and Mike for the comparison between the Lumin and the PS Audio DS. I'm really looking at the Lumin and to get away from a separate dac, but the PS AUDIO DS sounds very interesting.


Chris........
 
hifial said:
Jerry, what were your other DACs and which ones did you compare to the DS. Also was it a wide margin or what that you found the DS to your liking.

Thanks, Al
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Hi Al,

The other DACs were the Auralic Vega, Meitner MA-1, and the ExaSound e-28. All are very good DAC's, especially the Auralic for the money. If you play mostly DSD, the Auralic is as good as I have heard.....regardless of price. The Direct Stream is another 10% better across the board than the others. It is very smooth, detailed, and true to the tone of instruments. The Meitner is a tad more detailed in the high frequency range, but came across as kind of gritty in comparison.

Jerry-
 
Redbook is where this Direct Stream seperates it self from the pack. It does a tremendous job on playback of CDs.....almost SACD quality.


Jerry-
 
Thanks and I agree. To add most dacs do dsd very well. It's pcm that becomes the real issue in digital audio. I found that out when I got the MSB stack home. I did not know how good pcm could be. The mytek does dsd pretty good , I think the DS is above it but not by much. I use the mytek in bypass always it's better that way. How do you feed the DAC,s ?
meaning spidif , usb converter or usb from the cpu ?
al
 
My music server has a special BNC connector that the designer says works best. So I use a BNC-to-RCA cable to connect to the Direct Stream. I have used the AES connection as well with my Bryston BDP-2 player. I bought the J-Cat USB cable that Paul suggested, and it did a fine job too. So take your pick....they are all great.
 
Alrainbow - looking forward to reading you comparison to Lampizator Level 7.
 
UPDATE !!! The DS CAN be used direct to amp with fantastic results. I found a combination last night that formed the best sounding system I have ever had assembled. Baetis Server to DirectStream (via J-Cat USB cable) to VAC Phi-200 amp (via Still Note Audio Reference XLR ic's) to NTT Audiolabs 105 speakers (via Nordost Frey speaker cables. Stealth A/C cables throughout. NO PREAMP !!!
The DirectStream just gets better and better with time. This dac is a must audition for those searching the 5-10k price range. I have an incoming set of MBL 101e's that I maybe could have held off buying, as this new combo is great. Hopefully the MBL's will also integrate well into this conglomeration ?? The DS has @ 500 hours break-in now, and is delivering sublime results !! Really happy with this purchase.
 
Very cool Jerry. MBL's....oh my.....can't wait to hear them.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
JDLaudio said:
UPDATE !!! The DS CAN be used direct to amp with fantastic results. I found a combination last night that formed the best sounding system I have ever had assembled. Baetis Server to DirectStream (via J-Cat USB cable) to VAC Phi-200 amp (via Still Note Audio Reference XLR ic's) to NTT Audiolabs 105 speakers (via Nordost Frey speaker cables. Stealth A/C cables throughout. NO PREAMP !!!
The DirectStream just gets better and better with time. This dac is a must audition for those searching the 5-10k price range. I have an incoming set of MBL 101e's that I maybe could have held off buying, as this new combo is great. Hopefully the MBL's will also integrate well into this conglomeration ?? The DS has @ 500 hours break-in now, and is delivering sublime results !! Really happy with this purchase.
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WE will be using a Baetis Server at the THE SHOW in Newport next week. We are still in a learning curve so far, however our initial listening tells us this (the BAETIS Media Server ) is one very special unit. From your post I gather you like the USB (with a J CAT USB cable ) better than the proprietary BNC output that Baetis prefers. Can you tell me what improvements you heard when you decided to use the USB with the J CAT cable instead of the BNC that Baetis prefers ?
CHEERS...........T
 
As I am still burning the dac in at about 300 hours now I did a comparison of the USB input compared to the spdif coax. The USB from a win7 intel I7 CPU SS drives with the PPA USB and linear PSU with the PPA red cable . On the coax side I used my KRELL connect and the empirical audio true 75 coax cable . Honestly same PCM hi Rez tracks and I could not tell one from the other . The test was done with hd800 headphones at home , no speakers have been used as yet .
al
 
MRJAZZ said:
WE will be using a Baetis Server at the THE SHOW in Newport next week. We are still in a learning curve so far, however our initial listening tells us this (the BAETIS Media Server ) is one very special unit. From your post I gather you like the USB (with a J CAT USB cable ) better than the proprietary BNC output that Baetis prefers. Can you tell me what improvements you heard when you decided to use the USB with the J CAT cable instead of the BNC that Baetis prefers ?
CHEERS...........T
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I have not decided if the USB output is better than the BNC. I was just trying different cables....different outputs.......different players. Then I hit upon this combo that really produced magic. The BNC output may work even better. Right now, I am switching out speaker cables trying to find any other brands that might also work well. I am loaning my Nordost Frey speaker cables to Mike for a few days, so I need to find one of my other pairs that will fill the void. If I get that settled, I will go back and try the BNC output with the (3) cables I have available. I will update you when I do.


Jerry-
 
MRJAZZ said:
WE will be using a Baetis Server at the THE SHOW in Newport next week. We are still in a learning curve so far, however our initial listening tells us this (the BAETIS Media Server ) is one very special unit. From your post I gather you like the USB (with a J CAT USB cable ) better than the proprietary BNC output that Baetis prefers. Can you tell me what improvements you heard when you decided to use the USB with the J CAT cable instead of the BNC that Baetis prefers ?
CHEERS...........T
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Yes, this Baetis a special unit. I went through a lot of sources before settling on this server. Servers are also nice because I can use DSP software (Audio Lense) through the convolver built into J River. This is the limitation that transports, and players like the Lumin present to me. So I definitely prefer servers. And the Baetis is at the top of the heap, IMO.

Jerry-
 
I did a quick SQ test using the BNC output on the Baetis Server, using a Stealth Audio BNC/RCA digital cord. No loss in sound quality at all. To be honest, I did not hear much difference between any of the imputs on the Direct Stream unit. Although I did not try the toslink, which can eliminate possible ground noises according to PS Audio. From my tests so far, the Baetis/PS Audio units play very nicely together with most imput/output combinations. Interconnects may vary SQ a bit.

Happy listening......Jerry-
 
Hey guys, just got through reading the whole thread. Very good information, I think I will give PS a call and put one of these on order. anyone interested in a gently used Chord Hugo, with the new case work??????
 
playntheblues said:
Hey guys, just got through reading the whole thread. Very good information, I think I will give PS a call and put one of these on order. anyone interested in a gently used Chord Hugo, with the new case work??????
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Looking to buy USA shipped
How much ??
 
I cannot begin to express how happy I am with the Direct Stream Dac. It just keeps getting better.
 
joeinid said:
Paging Bruce. :)

That's awesome! So glad you are happy.
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Thanks Joe. It makes the whole system so responsive. Every system change is easily heard. But I am most impressed with the red-book playback. Good ole CD's really have more quality than I ever thought. And I am running direct to my VAC Phi 200. I didn't like running direct at first. But after a break-in at @ 400 hours, direct was better. And they will buy it back if it doesn't agree with your system !! How can ya lose ??

Jerry-
 
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