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Bricasti M1 DAC vs PS Audio Direct Stream DAC

I own a PS Audio Direct Stream DAC that I like a lot but heard my friends system with the Bricasti M1 and I am strongly thinking of changing my DAC and would love your feedback from other members that have heard either or both. I know they are both great but really thinking of changing my Dac from PS Audio Direct Stream to the Bricasti M1 DAC. I use a HP Desk top computer as source with Jplay and JRiver Media 19 and the outstanding Tellurium Q BLACK DIAMOND Reference USB Cable. The rest of my system is below. I listen to Classic Rock, jazz, vocal, some modern music and the usual audiophile stuff.

Thanks

My system for reference.

Ascendo C-8 Renaissance Speakers (Germany) Monitor
Purist Audio Design Corvus Praesto Revision 2.5m Bi-Wire Speaker cable
Cardas Clear Interconnect 1 Meter RCA Interconnect
Darwin TRUTH Pure Silver Reference 1 Meter RCA Interconnect
Darwin TRUTH Pure Silver Reference 1 Meter RCA Interconnect
Audio Research REFERENCE 1 w/Rhodium IEC/NOS Tubes Tube preamp
Decware ZSTAGE External Triode Output StageTelefunken ECC801S
PS Audio Direct Stream DSD DAC w/ Bridge DA converter
Tellurium Q BLACK DIAMOND Reference USB Cable
PS Audio PerfectWave PowerBase Vibration Cancelation/AC Condtioner
Conrad Johnson Premier 12 Mono's 140 Watts Tung-Sol KT120's amps
PS Audio PowerPlant Premier AC Regenerator
BMI Shark Pure Jeweler Grade Platinum AC Power Cable
Sablon Audio Petite Corona 2.0M AC Power Cable
Mad Scientist PC-NEO with Power Purifier AC Power Cable
JPS Labs The Power AC+ 2M AC Power Cable
Synergistic Research Labs Tesla Series SE T1 AC Power Cable
Synergistic Research Labs Tesla Series T1 AC Power Cable
PS Audio Noise Harvester (5) Converts noise to light
OYAIDE RI Beryllium Power Outlets (2)
Hubbell Outlet 5362/5262 Deep Cryo Process
Blue Circle Audio The Yalu Balula Industrial Surge/Spike Protection
JPLAY v5.2 hi-end audio player turns PC into a digital transport.
JRiver Media Center 19 Music Software
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fsmithjack OP
712 posts
 
Steve,

This sounds awesome. I love learning new great ideas like this. You make some of the best digital products on the market so we all love your advice and ideas. 

Can you expand a bit more on how to do this. We PC based audiophiles love trying to squeeze the last bit out of our rigs and mods like this are awesome.

A couple years back or so when I started this thread you were the one that taught me the importance of the transport - think I was running USB from my PC back in those days. Time flies and as does the technology.

Thanks for sharing and helping us out! 
audioengr
3,282 posts
 

FS - It can be fairly easy if you order a LPS supply from one of the small vendors. You can request that they connect the earth ground from the power IEC to the DC common that is on circuit board and the DC connector.

If you have a 2-prong plug on your supply, like a Sbooster, then you may have to make a 4-foot wire with a banana plug on one end and the other end must connect to the "ring" on the DC connector. You can connect this usually by removing with a knife a short length of the insulation on the DC cord and then solder to the shield. The banana plug can go into the ground hole of an outlet.

BTW, what is happening here is the leakage that usually occurs across the Ethernet interface transformer is reduced significantly, resulting in better SQ.

Steve N.

Empirical Audio

jwm
918 posts
 
I added the Netgear Switch to my system. Ethernet from my PC connects to my Netgear AC-1200 local wireless router. The router connects to the new switch and then from the switch to the Bricasti. I will say the sound is more relaxed, more open or transparent. I can't believe it. The only problem is when I play DSD X2. The sound turns on and off like shuttering and then it shuts off. The other 24/96/ 24/192, and DSD X1 all work fine. DSD X2 works fine with just my wireless router.
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fsmithjack OP
712 posts
 
I am glad you like it and very good description of the SQ effect. If you add a LPS to power your router it helps even a bit more. Also, it’s an unmanaged switch so it could learn how to run your DSDx2. Never tried DSDx2 myself so good for everyone to know that. It allowcates bandwith as needed so it should learn as you give it Time and run DSDx1 is my guess. You don’t need a $300 LPS for your router one of the $85 China LPS from eBay will work fine and its one of those where the sum of the whole is better then the individual parts type of things! Even a iFI Swichkng supply will help but I have both and like the China LPS better. More transparent sound. I used the AudioQuest Forest RJ/E cables which are a great little
cable for the money. Much better than cheap regular cable and not real expensive at all. They were like $30 a peice. The Vodka was a nice bump also but a lot more money and I really liked the Cardas but even more money also. Not big changes but all the little adds equal a nice whole add. 
jwm
918 posts
 
I have Sbooster linear power supplies on the router and the switch. May be over kill, but what the hell. I can replace the fuses in both power supplies to see if that changes anything as well.
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