DirectStream DAC/DMP Burn-In
 

I just picked up a DMP and DirectStream DAC about eight days ago with the intention of replacing my beloved Wadia S7i with something newer.

They've been running 24x7 since then, which means they've got about 200 hours of burn-in on both.

The issue is this: On DSD, they're incredible. I bought an Oppo UDP-205 for its audio and video capabilities, and when comparing the two the Oppo has less accurate placement of instruments, less soundstage and all in all sounds ever so slightly veiled or smeared when compared to the PS Audio combo. It's not even subtle, it stands out immediately.

However, my problem is with good old Redbook CD.

When comparing the PS Audio to the Wadia, the PS Audio is good, but sounds a bit harsh and "digital" by comparison.

My two gold standards have always been the sound of piano and the sound of guitar, as I get to hear both original instruments somewhat regularly.

When I first chose Wadia gear back in 1992 or so, Wadia was the only manufacturer that had a DAC that made a piano sound like a piano - not like metal hammers striking strings, but felt hammers. Wadias have also always had this immense bass presentation, not muddy or unclear, but when there was bass it hits, and hard and lower than most other gear. This latter bit is why, up until my current preamp, I always ran the Wadis to my amp using a preamp's processor pass-through mode or directly to the amp. Of the preamps I've auditioned, only the Ayre KX-R and KX-R Twenty have actually improved the sound of the Wadia as compared to a direct connection to the amp.

Over the past 26 years or so, digital has come a long way, yet somehow most DACs still don't quite get that piano sound right, and to me, that includes the PS Audio DirectStream (and for that matter, the Ayre QX-5 Twenty.)

Overall, things sound a bit bright and harsh through the PS Audio; while piano keys don't sound like metal on metal, they don't sound quite like a felt piano hammer either. The attack is just a little too edgy, just slightly too bright, almost painfully so on some tracks.

On guitar, it's a different case. The PS Audio sounds beautiful and wonderful, placed properly in a wide and deep soundstage. Yet, when swapping back to the Wadia, the difference is that through the Wadia, the guitar strings have a bloom that puts them in a space - the PS Audio presents a guitar string, the Wadia a guitar string being recorded in a studio with air and acoustic properties.

Now in digital, the number one thing that burn-in brings is a loss of that harshness; an Audio Research Ref CD9 I borrowed was virtually unlistenable for the first 100 hours or so.

But with some 200 hours on the clock, the PS Audio doesn't seem to be improving in this respect, and while even on Redbook it sounds much better than the Oppo UDP-205, it still pales compared to the Wadia, and I own about 350 Redbook CDs and don't stream (though I do have about thirty SACDs.) I don't do Tidal (I didn't like it), I don't Roon, and anything digital I play is PCM from one source or another, even 24/96 and 24/192 tracks from HD Tracks.

My question is, have any of you noticed that it takes more than 200 hours for the sound of the DirectStream DAC to settle in, or is the brightness I'm hearing about as good as I'm going to hear from it?

I had planned to trade in the S7i on the PS Audio combo, but to be honest right now I'm leaning towards keeping the S7i and returning the PS Audio pair because most of my digital audio library sounds better through it.

Anyone else have thoughts?

I have the same combo and love it. I don't listen to as many red books as I stream or do SACDs, so I may not be a good reference point. Particularly with hi Rez and SACDs, I just love it. Some break in time, but it would seem you've got a few hours on the rig. As in all things, YMMV.

I think the latest firmware does seem a tad bright but I found it has to do with system matching. Try the older Yale if you can. I thought one of the betas was was one of my favorites for a stint in taking the digitalness out of Digital Playback.

Ps are you using the HDMI I2S cable?

Yes I am, but just for grins I tried connecting the DMP to the DAC via coaxial and didn't notice an appreciable difference in the sound on Redbook CDs.

Wadia S7i is a great player !

The Chord Dave is one of the DAC's that can do Piano very well, I have no experience with the latest PS audio gear, have you tried different cables to see what it can bring ?

Same cables I use with the Wadia.

What is downstream from Direct Stream?

Ayre KX-R Twenty preamp -> Ayre MX-R Twenty amps.

For all it's worth mate, I did feel a bit like that with my PS Audio DSJ dac and was tempted to change however after 6 weeks or two I think something "clicked" and that tiny bit of edginess / brittle diminished noticeably in my system.

I would imagine the dac being the culprit not the player. DMP is known exactly for that -enhancing the SQ of mere redbook CD's to real heights.

My 2 cents anyway.

I've always heard good things about the reproduction of Redbook on this combo.Perhaps you just need more time to let it all click in the context of your system and your expectations. Maybe 200hrs is insuficient break-in..
I'm in the middle of a major breakin , myself...sound is changing almost on the hour!...so many variables to keep track of.