PS Audio Stellar Gain Cell DAC vs DirectStream Dac vs DirectStream Dac Jr.


I just acquired the PS Audio Stellar Gain Cell DAC with two PS Audio M700 mono amps and loving them!  I bought them to compare to my Anthem STR integrated amp with ARC which I also love.  Because of apartment living conditions and a new baby, A/B testing is very difficult..
But my initial impressions of the Gain Cell DAC are WOW!  I love it.  I've heard great things about the Directstream DAC and the Junior. 

Can anyone comment on the benefits of them?
Is it that hard to leave the comforts of BluOS from my Bluesound to whatever other software I'll have to use? 


dtximages

Showing 1 response by cissado

 Are you saying the PS Audio Stellar Gain Cell DAC  is better/much better than the Anthem str integrated dac? I'm looking at the Anthem or other options of higher priced dacs, but was wondering if the dac inside the anthem or pre would be my bottle neck. If a $1700 dac would "wow" you compared to the Anthem str, then I should really be looking elsewhere. I don't want to put words in your mouth, can you please clarify? I'm sure the amps had something to do with it as well.

Just trying to get a handle of the different levels of sound quality of the different pieces.  I've also been looking at the Lumin T2, Cary DMS 600, PS Audio DS Senior...  and trying to see how the Anthem measures up to them. While surely the Anthem will not be up to par, I wonder if it is 90% of the way there to save me some boxes count and cables, etc... 

Good luck.