PS Audio Direct Stream

Try this
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews2/psaudio/1.html

Sabai,

My Preamp is a Pass Labs XP-10. Every day the Direct Stream seems to be getting better and better.

Thanks, The PS Audio claims seem too good to be true.

I believe there is a Chicago show starting today and the Direct steam will be on display. Hopefully, some reviews will come out of that. It is odd though that with all of the PS audio claims, there are no actual user reviews.

Thanks for the additional comments.Still waiting for some owners opinions.I did not see in print that the usb was a better connection. Where did you get that info?

PS Audio has been claiming that the first units have been shipped since mid April. Even the PS Audio Newsletter states all of the first 100 have been shipped.
I know it is still early, but surely someone has opened the box and tried it by now...

Pmotz, Thanks for your reply.
I thought they were shipping out in April.

Bill k, thank for clearing that up.
Mattnshilp, The Meitner and Emm are pretty pricey units. I hope the Direct Stream can compete.
When do you expect delivery of your unit?

The Direct Stream has both RCA and Balanced outs. In fact the claim is it can be used direct to an Amp.
It better, I ordered one..

Still know one has received a unit yet?

Hifial, Srwooten, Thanks for the information.

Hopefully soon we will see some user reviews.

Thanks, I'll check it out.

Thanks Mitch4t, First real user opinion. I really appreciate it. Mine is due in June, I ordered it by blind faith. (Usually not a good thing.)

Sarcher30. Any update from the Meeting?
I have now heard opinions good and bad on this unit.
What I am hoping for is that this unit can replace my preamp.

Sarcher30, Thank you for your comments.
I see others have also commented that it was a bit laid back in the treble. PS Audio claims that you need to retune your system to account for the different equipment.
Perhaps toeing the speakers in a little more.
I sure wish I could try before I buy, but right now if you want one you've got to pay in advance just to get on the waiting list.
Perhaps PS Audio has a 30 day refund policy, that would be nice.

Sarcher30, This is what PS Audio posted on their forum from Ted on your posting.

"Yeh the club's speakers weren't up for the bass. They didn't want to run the integrated amp more than 3/4 of the way up and they used an unbalanced connection. The DS volume was being controlled by a fellow in the first row. I don't know how often it was at 100 or not. For some I was turning the volume down on the laptop when people indicated to or seemed to be in distress.

On a few tracks there was a difference in opinion with the people who were sitting nearer the front that those standing in the rear. Some members tried lots of places in the room, some didn't. The biggest difference to my mind was that in the room the front could be too loud at the same time that the rear was, perhaps, too quiet.

The designer of the speakers didn't like the setup and moved them at the break, unfortunately I don't have any idea what he didn't like or how the change affected the sound.

As to soft, after most had left the head bangers thought Alice in Chains and Porcupine Tree sounded great :)"

Larrybou, Interesting comments, thank you.
I believe that everything is converted to 10 times DSD. Whatever that means...

Goose, Thank you, for your thoughts and opinion.
The original hype from PS Audio was that, "it is a game changer"! I was under the impression that as soon as it was turned on the improved sound quality would be unmistakable.

Erikminer, Yes thanks for the link.

Hifial, Thank you for your information.
You said you sold your PWMKII because there was better sounding Dac's but I have seen others posting that the PW MK11 sounds better than the new Direct stream.

I look forward to your continuing comments.

Hifial,
After reading the many PS Audio claims and accolades on this product, I don't recall they ever stated that it would take many hours of burn in to sound better than their previous product. The impression I got was that, as soon as the unit was plugged in you could tell instantly the superior sound improvement.

So, with blind faith I have one on order and hope to get it in a couple of weeks.

Now, I truly believe that all components sound better after they have been used (burned in) for awhile. Heck, I even own an Audiodharma cable cooker.

Now, you and others are stating that it needs many hours of burn in to sound better than the previous model, the PW II.

It is a little unnerving to have prepaid for an item with this rocky ("hope and change") kind of performance. Not to mention that it costs a little more than chump change.

So, I thank you for your posting and I guess I'll just have to try it for myself. Yet, I still have to wonder how you can design a product without knowing the final result?

Six Moons just posted a review on the PS Audio Direct Stream. I don't like the writing style,(way too many words as useless chatter) but I think they liked it.

Thanks, Charles1dad, French fries, Hgeifman, and Bsme85,for your comments.
I am not shy of returning things that don't impress. After all, I have been banned from Audio Advisor.

It is good to know that PS Audio stands behind there products. I guess the 2 things that I am concerned with is, the possible loss of high frequency extension. (I love hearing the smash of a cymbal). And the reduction of dynamics. Both of these items have been commented about on different forums.

Mattnshilp, Your review with those Dacs would be great!

Drubin. Check out PS Audio Website. A new owner of the DS has compared the DS to Meitner, and the Auralic Vega. He sold them and kept the DS!

There is also to be an upcoming review of the PS Audio DirectStream in 6 Moons.

I should have my DS unit in the next couple of weeks. I can compare it to a Bryston BDA-2 Dac and the Dac inside of my Cary SACD 306 SACD.

Any updates on reviews or comparisons?

Mattnshilp, Thank you for your posting. I look forward to your comparisons of those Dacs with the Direct Stream. Is the Lampizator more expensive than the PS Direct Stream?

My Direct Stream has been shipped! Should get it sometime next week.

Erikminer,Tonyptony,Kernelbob Thank you for your comments.

Sabai, You've got to order one.

Fsmithjack, Thank you for your impressions. My DS unit is on the Fed Ex truck for todays delivery. Have you by chance tried it direct to an Amp? I think that's where I will start.

Well, I just plugged in the PS Audio Direct Stream direct for the first time direct into my Pass Labs X350.5 Amp.

First impression... Not much, very closed in soundstage, and limited upper frequencies.

I don't see how anyone could think this unit is great straight out of the box.

I sure hope this "ugly duckling" gets better. I have a Purist burn in disc that I will play for the next few days, and I will check it every so often.

Yes, there are other units that can use the I2S via a HDMI cable.
But, its too bad that one of the 2 HDMI inputs couldn't be just used as a regular HDMI input.
So, I could use that input with my Oppo.

I now have over 200 hours on the Direct Stream.
Right now I am going straight into my Qol and then into the Amp. Thus, bypassing my Preamp.
I'm really likening it this way..

Tonyptony, Your break in method sounds like a good idea, I will follow that.
My interconnects are the HiDiamond XLR3's. I do have others but at this time (low hours) I will keep everything as is until I have more hours on it.

Fsmithjack, Thank you for your response. I had an APL Dac a few years back that lots of posters swore by using it direct to an Amp. With that Dac, I tried it direct but eventually I went back to a preamp. So, the DS may also prove to need a Preamp, so I'll see.

My biggest question at this time though is; with running the DS direct to the Amp my volume setting on the DS is about 60-65. Could I be truncated bits?
I know PS says it shouldn't, but, I don't know...

Anyway, I only listened to it for about an hour yesterday. I then started to play continuously a Purist Audio break in disc.
I'll listen to it more this weekend.

P.S. I should add that I firmly believe in burn in, run in etc. I even own an Audiodharma cable cooker. But, if PS Audio didn't make claims about it needing no burn in time, I wouldn't be concerned.

Well I have to admit that some of my initial negative comments on the Direct stream were self inflected.

You see in my concern to get the best out of the Direct Stream, along with installing Synergistic Research fuses I also installed an Audio Magic "Pulse Gen ZX".
This product always seemed to bring the best out of digital equipment. But once I removed it from the PS Direct Stream the soundstage did open up quite a bit. I really don't know why, but it was evident.

Thanks guys for the comments.
With each passing day the DS seems to be getting better.
By the end of this week it will have over 200 hours.
So, at that time I will reconnect my Pass XP-10 Preamp to compare.

Yyzsantabarbara, I thought that the HDMI inputs could be used that way too. But, they can only connect other PS Units with I2S outputs. If you don't have any of those, those inputs are useless.

Joecasey. I'm using XLR (AES) digital. I would like to try USB but I'm not sure about its compatibility with each other.
I read on the PS Instructions about downloading USB drivers. Not sure how to do this with the Bryston BDP-2 in place of a computer.

Neal, I also have a BSG QOL unit. That unit has 4 rca or xlr inputs along with 2 sets of outputs.

So, when I say I am running the Direct Stream direct to my amp that's not exactly true. The Direct Stream first goes to the QOL and then to the Pass Labs Amp.
Yes, I have tried the Direct Stream bypassing the QOL, but I prefer the QOL in the chain.

Anyway, with my home theater set up I am using the front output channels from my Denon unit (preamp outs) to the QOL home theater bypass input. The Denon thus controls the volume for movies.

I just downloaded the new firmware update. Wow, quite an improvement in "air". I now have 360 hours on the DS.

One thing I have discovered is that the Direct Stream is very sensitive to power cords.
Between my HiDiamond P4 and the "Neo" power cord, the Neo is the best on it. It provides a deeper image with more emotion.

I think it really depends on the Amp your using with the Direct Stream as to if a Preamp is necessary. And, if you need additional analog inputs.

I just checked the specs for the Direct Stream.
The balanced out is 5.3Vrms 200 ohms.
Then I checked the balanced output of the BSG QOL and its output is 10Vrms 50 ohms.
So, perhaps that is why I don't need the preamp.

Kana813, That seems to be on the low side and is different than the specs posted on the PS Audio website.
I wonder which is correct?

Sabai, No, in fact between XLR or RCA digital inputs no difference.

Sabai, I compared a HiDiamond Reference XLR digital cable to a High Fidelity CT-1 Ultimate RCA.
Between these 2 cables, there was almost no change when toggling from XLR to the RCA input.
I say almost because there may have been a slight(very slight)edge to the XLR.

Anyone try the new firmware?

Well, I updated to the new firmware.

My description is..., "its alive".

Awesome upgrade!
To be hones,t I thought the previous firmware was slightly restricted in the upper end. With this new firmware there is so much more air in the upper frequencies and the soundstage increased greatly.
Truly a very big update in my opinion.

Kana813, there is still some hiss if I place my ear to the speaker, but nothing harmful in actual listening. I never had a mute problem.

Audioezra, Have you tried the new firmware?

Bhobba, Do you know if the retailer installed the latest firmware?
If not, you did not hear it at its finest.