PS Direct Stream Vs. Wyred 4 Sound Dac.

Ok, I’ll ask it another way.
Does anyone have experience with the Wyred 4 sound DAC-2v2SE 10th anniversary Dac?

ozzy

No but I have experience with the DAC2DSDSE and I found it very forward sounding, just like the DAC1 which I sold to get the newer one.  They use one of the ESS Pro chips which I think results in its forward ness. The PS Audio use  a field programmable gate array setup which is much more neutral sounding and which I like much better   The PS Audio is much more smoother sounding to me. 

Chip DAC vs. FPGA.  I prefer FPGA.  

With PS Audio it depends on the OS you are running but in general the PS Audio unit sounds better.  I had the DSD with Bridge II until I became a Chord Dealer.  Admittedly pricier, I would take a TT2 with an M-Scaler over the DSD any day as you know what it is going to sound like.  THe OS with PS Audio changes the sound so much.  Ultimately the DAVE kills them all and a Dave with M-, but not in the same price range unless you are considering used one vs new PS Audio.   

The Wyred is great.  Not sure it is in any way better than Benchmark or Mytek but it is a great unit and well priced.  

stereo5,

Thank you for your information. I have been trying to get a demo unit (Wyred 4 Sound) with no luck. A dealer says the Wryed is much better than the PS unit. Of course that is what dealers should say I guess.

ozzy

verdantaudio,

Thank you for your post. The Dave has interested me a bit though. Will it play 24/192 files through the AES? The PS does not and I have to go the usb route which is troubling sometimes.

ozzy

FPGA.
Darko reviewed the PS Audio DS and the Chord Dave as dead even in SQ. Get the one you prefer. The Chord's gonna blow out your budget however.

fuzztone,
I'll see if I can find that review.
Thanks,

ozzy

Nope, the Dave only goes to 96khz through the AES and Toslink connections.  The S/PDIF BNC Coax goes to 768 while the USB goes to 768.  You connect an MScaler through the S/PDIF BNC Coax

I have access to a couple used Daves in great condition if you are interested.  $7299 in Black.  

FWIW, I replaced an older W4S DAC II with a PS Audio PWDII several years ago, and never looked back. No contest between those two units.

Then I upgraded to the Directstream 3 years ago and have been a happy camper ever since.

I had the older W4S Dac 2. I was not very impressed with it. I ended up using it on a secondary system and using a 20 year old Mark Levinson No 39 CD player as a DAC which I thought sounded a lot better. I eventually replaced this with an Yggradsil A2 which easily beat both the ML and the W4S. I've recently replaced the Yggy with a Denafrips Terminator which I like even more.

I have only heard the PS audio DAC briefly, but from this limited exposure and what I've read about it, I think I'd prefer it over the W4S dac if the latest W4S sounds anything like the older one. 

I tested the PS Direct Steam running Torrey and a W4S DAC-2v2SE. They were very close - casually listening it may be hard to tell the difference. I did keep the W4S because I thought the decay of the instruments sounded more natural. I wouldn't think you'd be disappoineted with either one

verdantaudio,
Bummer that the Dave only goes to 96hz with the AES input.

cymbop,
Yes, the Direct Stream with the latest Windom firmware is pretty impressive, thanks for your help.

jaytor,
Thanks for your info. I remember the Levinston 39. As I recall it received some mighty high praise at the time.

elrod,
The latest Windom firmware is way better than Torrey.
____________________________________________________________________________________

My main reason for looking at another Dac is because the PS will only do 24/192 via usb instead of my preferred AES connection.

And, PS audio promised a fix about 2 years ago (on their PS Forum) so that the AES could be used with 24/192hz files. Paul and Ted claimed it was a future upgrade and could easily be done. It was just lip service by Paul and Ted to show on their forum that they were concerned and able to make changes easily with their system.

But PS never attempted it. I get it if it can’t be done but publicly they made it seem as if it was doable.
In the end they banned me from their forum.

ozzy

ozzy

If you generally like the sound profile of the DS Sr. then take a look at the Aqua La Voce S3 as it will do 24/192 over AES/EBU.  I own both and prefer the Aqua. 

https://www.aquahifi.com/la_voce.html#:~:text=Designed%20to%20provide%20absolute%20modularity,based%20DAC%20without%20digital%20filter.&text=The%20absence%20of%20digital%20filtering,shape%20and%20avoiding%20any%20ringing.

jackd,

Thanks. Looks pretty interesting.  How much does the unit retail for?

ozzy

Just found the price. Looks like it retails for $4700.

ozzy

ozzy

There's one on US Audiomart for $2800 and now that they are self distributed in the US the dealers have more wiggle room.  Try Ellington Audio

jackd,
Ok, thanks!

ozzy

Ok, I have given up on the Wyred unit.

Since I own the Ayre KX-5 Twenty preamp now I am wondering about the potential synergy with  using the Ayre QX-5 Twenty Dac.

Can anyone offer info as to how the Ayre compares to the PS Audio Direct Stream Dac?

Thanks,
ozzy

I have the wyred for sound 10th anniversary dac, I put it up against the $15,000 Sim audio DAC and the wyre 4 sound totally beat it in every area. If you read the darko review he said it was better than the PS audio direct stream chord and a few others.One of the other reviewers said this was the most analog dac that he's ever had in his system and I totally agree I would love to see how the 10th anniversary dac would do against DCS. This dac is definitely a world beater, I don't think there's anything at any higher price that would beat this thing significantly. I can't believe audio note is selling a dac for $115,000 what a rip off.

Also depends on your partnering equipment. This is my setup. Sim audio w8 amp, Sim audio p8 preamp, esoteric P10 transport, wyred for sound 10th anniversary dac, monarchy audio up sampler. Speaker wire is harmonic technology pro nine SE generation 3 biwire. Interconnects are all magic generation 3. the speakers are monitor audio Platinum 200 G2. All told the system is worth $60,000 and I've heard systems two and three times more expensive and mine blows them away. I put the system together with my ears not just my pocketbook, and it's the closest to live that I can get it, the air and space and three dimensionality is absolutely beautiful.

For what its worth I ended up buying a Lumin X1.

It has sonic qualities 2.5 times that of the Direct Stream Dac. Probably costs that much more too!
It seems like I have had it longer than a year though. I traded the PS DS, my Ayre Preamp, sold the extra power cords and interconnects to be able to purchase it, but boy was it worth it. I am now going straight from the Lumin into my mono blocks. (no preamp needed)

ozzy