Sub 5 grand DACs

When you audition the DirectStream DAC, keep in mind that you can change SW versions by downloading (for free) from the PS Audio website onto an SD card. The latest release is Windom, which I like very much, however, many folks prefer Snowmass, Redcloud, and Torreys. The names come from the high mountain peaks in Colorado…

It would be interesting to see the results. I have not used either. Archimago in his musings compared digital transports using the null method with in room responses graphs from Audacity and found no difference. If anybody wants to have a go it would be great: not something I could undertake at this time.

It is a bottle neck in my opinion, please read my previous posts… It’s not about Hi-Fi terms like ‘detail’… if that’s how you perceive things I have to assume we are in very different places and assessing things quite differently. All these DACs at this level are ‘musical’ in my opinion.
I was not fond of DAVE as it sounded rather forward in my system,I like softer smoother DACs like the Hugo mk1 but still allow me peer easily into the recordings… sure it might not work like that for you… but does it for some of us. and yes I’ll spare the forum the technical differences between reconstruction between the two… but they are very different, and reconstruction preference is highly subjective.

One of my recent DACs uses a ESS ES9038Q2M converter with minimum phase slow roll off filter… I am not sure whether IIR or FIR, but I suspect the former for lower power consumption, and it also does not exhibit the ‘Mandelbroteffect’ which ultimately for me is a limitation… but it’s fine for the purpose I got it for…

i don’t share it, my opinion too. The vinyl reproduction, well done, is not a bottleneck too, even if very old technology.

Sure… it depends what you are after and appreciate … but vinyl certainly doesn’t offer that level of insight and satisfaction to me… but sounds pleasing enough to very enjoyable on a good TT and cartridge.
I sold by NA TT and Lyra cartridge in the end.

DAC threads are mostly tense :). Conversations seem to circle at the end around a few brands and their dac chips. I am not an experts in the area, and most folks on this forum are not either, so giving detailed specs won’t do any good, moreover when topic is related to sub x amount of funds DAC options. Comparing Chord and Naim DAC-wise is kind of awkward to me, given that in the last decade Naim has released 2 dedicated DACs, not counting streamers, while Chord has what, 15, 20? or more? And still people, including me, prefer those few Naim DACs, regardless of the tech figures, and that says enough. I do not agree Naim needs another, brand new, last technology modern dac, they can tweak, and are actually tweaking same dac in a different devise, and make those sound different, very different, while maintaining DNA, so why bother putting something new, unreliable out, Naim is extremely conservative in this regard, and for good. Talking about Statement level of DAC/streamer is kind of odd to me. Naim does not need those, people buying Statement do not need those. Statement is not about digital, at least not to my understanding, and in case need emerges, a 555 will do just fine i guess.

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The manual for the PS Audio DAC goes on about RFI and strongly suggests using a screened mains cable.

To be honest having a screened mains cable will have very minimal affects on RFI in my experience… and only really if you have a strong very local source to your mains lead… and if so there is more likely to be other issues to your audio.
RFI is conducted, to some extent, and travels through the air (obviously) often through the near field. The best way of dealing with RFI is to remove the radiating source.
The AM radio test is very useful and identifying sources.

Well designed equipment should be largely mitigated against EMC issues, however designs not paying attention to EM disturbances will suffer.
Good design here can be more expensive and require extensive testing and some trial and error… and I wonder if for some relatively low run consumer electronics products they just can’t afford to get this part right… or decide to focus elsewhere.

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For the demo both dCS and Directstream will be on latest f/w.

On another note… is it good form to haggle over price. I mean we’re talking 8.5K here for a low ago. sale; no visits etc… Now I’ve heard from someone ‘in-the-trade’ that margins on high end hifi are VERY good so is it rude to suggest a few percent off for such an easy sale?

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Well I don’t suppose using a screened mains cable will hurt. tbh all my non-NAIM items and also the BLT are fitted with screened mains cables… just in case :wink:

“Once everything has been connected, use a high quality AC cable to power DirectStream.
DACs in particular are quite sensitive to AC power and produce a bit of line noise
themselves. Make sure you have a high quality shielded power cable to power
DirectStream, and a Power Plant if possible.”

Indeed it definitely won’t hurt

I always use screened mains cables Steve , they work well on my DAC and Active speakers . PS Audio make some nice ones so there may be a deal to be had …?

Hope it goes well.

Yes Steve agree completely, I do use screened mains cables.
Mark Grant Cables superb service and great value double screened mains leads.

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My dealer gave me some cash off my Chord Electronics stuff because I didn’t need him to trek all the way to the village to install it. I didn’t ask, he did it as I’m a loyal customer. I’m sure he would on dCS, but doesn’t stock PS Audio.

I don’t ask for or expect a discount on things like LP12 as the dealer I use spends a very long time in my cottage making sure it is working perfectly and doing a 100% (or as near as possible) optimisation of my system.

My credit card company has blocked my card because they think I’m a fraudster… I kid you not; trying to do a 9 grand online purchase was more than they could handle. It’s going to take up to a week to get it sorted - to same I’m fuming is an understatement. In fact I went to my cardiac physio on Wednesday pm, after an hour and a half shouting with the bank over the phone, and they almost sent me straight home my blood pressure was that high!

Anyway I have an enforced period to consider am I going in the right direct here. I know you can’t go by reviews but I do find them useful as a starting point and there are some not 100% complimentary reviews out there for the Directstream.

The dCS Bartok is really starting to look more attractive…

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Maybe it was a sign Steve , not worth blowing a gasket …!!

Throughout this thread I’ve been thinking a Bartok into ATC Actives but think you mentioned earlier about not going Active ?? There were great reports of the Bartok into ATC Active 100 SE at a dealer event earlier this year. Even without going active you could have 1 box instead of 3 if you used the Bartok’s Pre .

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Yes I would agree with @MrUnderhill The Direct stream is an awesome Dac…

I went to demo PS Audio Directstream and Auralic Vega G2, within budget

… ended up with a dCS Bartok :scream::money_mouth_face::smiling_imp:

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I may join you ONCE I get the house finished… :see_no_evil:

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:laughing:

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