PS Audio DirectStream DAC

[Mercury3]

Thanks, Well I'm picking one up at noon today from TMRAUDIO here in Broomfield. He's giving me a new one factory sealed for 4500. Says if I don't like it I can bring it back. I'm gonna find out soon as I'll be comparing in to an Audio Areo Prestige which sounds damn good.

[audio bill]

That sounds like a very fair deal with the right to return, and I look forward to your thoughts on how it compares to your Audio Aero Prestige which is a very fine player.

[Mercury3]

Originally Posted by audio bill

That sounds like a very fair deal with the right to return, and I look forward to your thoughts on how it compares to your Audio Aero Prestige which is a very fine player.

Yeah actually it's kind of a long story but I traded in my Audio Research Reference 110 and few other things towards the Audio Aero Prestige. (also from TMR (the music room)

The Audio Aero Prestige sounds DAMN good but it has an intermittent problem. On some CD's it would stop playing all on it's own. Disk still spinning but timer/clock stopped. Then any where between 5 seconds to 45 seconds it would resume play all on it's own without intervention.

I don't know what's wrong with it and the company is no longer around. I'm worried I wouldn't be able to get it serviced.

Hence the PS Audio DirectSteam. I just got it home but work 12 hour shifts so I won't be able to give it a good evaluation until this weekend. I need to quick order a cable to hook it up as well. I have the Perfectwave transport and I think the HDMI cable is best.

[audio bill]

You are correct, with the PWT the best way to connect the DS is with an HDMI cable which uses I2S communication. Harmonic Technology's 'Audio Only HDMI' cable was specifically designed for that application which does not use the HDMI cable in the typical way. Any HDMI cable will work, but of course some will sound better than others. TMR may be able to recommend an HDMI cable that they've found to work well. Enjoy your weekend of listening!

[Mercury3]

Originally Posted by audio bill

You are correct, with the PWT the best way to connect the DS is with an HDMI cable which uses I2S communication. Harmonic Technology's 'Audio Only HDMI' cable was specifically designed for that application which does not use the HDMI cable in the typical way. Any HDMI cable will work, but of course some will sound better than others. TMR may be able to recommend an HDMI cable that they've found to work well. Enjoy your weekend of listening!

Thanks, I ordered a cheap one from parts express but suppose I could find a better one later. I'm really hoping this thing sounds as good as the reviews.

[4N6]

Originally Posted by Mercury3

Thanks, Well I'm picking one up at noon today from TMRAUDIO here in Broomfield. He's giving me a new one factory sealed for 4500. Says if I don't like it I can bring it back. I'm gonna find out soon as I'll be comparing in to an Audio Areo Prestige which sounds damn good.

Congratulations. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy mine. Make sure to get the latest firmware installed (Yale). I thought it sounded better than the previous versions. To get it and see instructions on how to update, go to:

http://www.psaudio.com/support/downloads/

[Vhiner]

Originally Posted by Mercury3

Thanks, I ordered a cheap one from parts express but suppose I could find a better one later. I'm really hoping this thing sounds as good as the reviews.

I've been using the DS for a number of years now and I agree with what fans have posted. Please believe everyone that several hundred hours of break in makes a difference with this DAC.

I'll add my additional two cents about digital wire: I've found the DS to be fairly agnostic with respect to digital inputs, unlike its predecessor, the PerfectWave DAC. I have done a direct comparison between a Shunyata HDMI, Shunyata Anaconda XLR and a Shunyata Anaconda SPDIF and found them to be indistinguishable when running them from my PSAudio PWD to the DS with Yale. There's not even a "pop" when I switch from one input to the other.

Designer Ted Smith agrees that, once you reach a reasonable level of digital interconnect quality, the differences between the DS's input SQ when fed from the same source, should be negligible. I pride myself in being able to ear a fly break wind from 60 feet and I can't hear the difference between these very good interconnects when hooked up to the DS. ;-) This, I believe, is one of the DS's major advantages. BTW, the Shunyata HDMI can be had for around $150. I used to have the Harmonic Tech audiobill references and it is also very good. I sold it a while back and have not a/b'd it on the DS. I assume it would sound about like the Shunyata in this application. I might be mistaken, but I believe the HDMI has some advantages when delivering native DSD and the like, but for Redbook and standard high res, I find all of the inputs to sound the same.

[Joe Appierto]

Originally Posted by Vhiner

<SNIP>
Designer Ted Smith agrees that, once you reach a reasonable level of digital interconnect quality, the differences between the DS's input SQ when fed from the same source, should be negligible.<SNIP

That's what I've found myself at least when feeding the DS DAC from my 105D. No matter how I torture myself trying to hear differences between a coax Cabledyne Silver Reference and a Silfatek glass Toslink, nada.

[Mercury3]

Stupid question but will leaving it on for a month or so help shorten break in time or does it actually have to be "playing"? Mines new right out of the box.

[audio bill]

To achieve break-in the DAC should be locked to a digital signal so that it's generating output and the analog stage is passing current. You can leave the power amp off when not listening.