PS Audio Directstream DAC Early Impressions

[audiobill]

At my last outing, I built and thoroughly enjoyed the Audio Note 4.1 LE all tube multibit nonoversampling dac.

With a great offer for it in trade for my recently acquired Conrad-Johnson Premier 140s (more than I paid for the Audio Note), I thought I might use the opportunity to try something a little different (!) and got another outstanding deal on a new in box PS Audio Directstream DAC.  You can read the universal reviews and accolades of this piece, but I'll just share my initial impressions, and will do a follow up later, after complete burn-in (said to be 250-300 hours). Whether you subscribe to burn in or not, an extended listening period will refine my impressions.

The Directstream is an FPGA dac, hand coded by Ted Smith, an MIT PhD and former senior Microsoft engineer, so I'd guess he has the chops to pull this off.

Here's what I hear, with about 35 hours on the dac streaming Tidal HiFi (16/44 and MQA) through my custom VTA SP14 preamp, biamped Conrad Johnson Premier 140s and Magneplanar 3.6/R speakers, carefully positioned- the latest software, Snowmass, arrived in the dac.  

The AudioNote 4.1LE has a midrange and sense of "you are there" to die for.  The Directstream, which is also transformer coupled at its output, maintains this glorious midrange but adds extension at both the low and high end.  The lows are very solid, articulate and convey all the harmonics a real acoustic string bass is capable of.  Wonderful!

With a noise floor of -130 to -140 db, the highs are very detailed with no sheen, screeching, dentist drill effect or other digital nasties that most delta-sigma chips can produce.
Like having all the goodness of a good multibit dac with none of the drawbacks.  With the transformer coupled output acting as a low pass filter, both the Directstream and the Audionote do a great job of avoiding the usual digititis.  No opamps or other uninspiring cost savings measures in either dac.

The Directstream, with it's quiet, extended response conveys a nice sense of fullness, very satisfying.

Dynamics, decay, and really impressive imaging and soundstaging are all attributes of the Directstream, and the "impact" of leading edges such as the strike of a piano key, the pluck of a guitar string or the "blat" of a trumpet really bring music to life.  Toes a tappin!

More to come later, but this dac is a keeper, especially with the regularly updated software as Ted Smith continues to refine his code.  Like regularly having a new, updated dac at no additional cost. 

Strongly recommended.  Expensive, but if you shop carefully.......

BTW, the Directstream Jr, with the same FPGA code but recently discontinued is a great buy.  PS Audio will continue to support the Jr.

Later - 

Bill

[Raven]

Great review audiobill!
Later this year I probably start to shopping for DAC
if funds allow so.
This DAC definitely will be in my list.

[brutiarti]

Good review. Wonder what are the differences with my Esoteric D-05 DAC that converts everything to DSD as well...

[Boomzilla]

Thanks for the info, Bill - I always enjoy your reviews! This one is particularly welcome since I'm DAC-shopping myself.

Boom

[klinemj]

Good review - would love to hear it!

Mark

[novisnick]

Thanks for the review Bill. I’ve been eyeballing the Jr. For some time but now it’s gone. I assume that it was cutting into the pricey model. Keep exploring and informing us of your audio adventures.
Nick

[audiobill]

How things are looking lately:

[fritz]

Awesome looking system Bill

[bitsandbytes]

Congrats on a great purchase, Bill.

Your review is really awesome! Liked the write up on the PS Audio and The Absolute Sound sites. Hopefully in the not too distant future will get a chance to listen to this DAC

Walt

[audiosyndrome]

Hi Bill- great purchase. Did you get the network bridge option? A strong selling point IMO.

Russ

[audiobill]

Thanks, Russ -

I ordered, then cancelled the Bridge:

-I don't want to subscribe to Roon (99.9% of my listening is to Tidal HIFi at CD resolution)
-The alternative third party control software isn't that popular with users
-PS audio is supposed to be coming out with Bridge III in a reasonable timeframe that will use their propriety interface
-A full MQA unfold doesn't interest me - yet
-Tidal over my Mac Mini via USB or toslink sounds great now

Of course things may change over time....!

Bill

[klinemj]

I do like the idea of FPGA's. It gives the manufacturer great control over what code actually runs (vs. a standard chip). Reading Lonnie's comments about the issues they are having with embedded "black boxed" code in the RMC-1, having full control of the code on a chip level would avoid that. And...allow different filters to be easily created vs. relying solely on those provided with the chip. Filters make a big difference in sound, from my experience (I can select different filters w/my Geek...).

Mark

[Loop 7]

I've heard the DirectStream at the PSA factory on the massive IRS speakers they have in one of their music rooms. Aside from a mind-bending experience hearing a pair of MBL speakers, it was the best system I've heard.

[dasanto2]

I had the Direct stream with the Network Bridge in my system for several months. It is still by far the best DAC I have owned. Congrats.

[Loop 7]

Apr 7, 2019 12:21:18 GMT -5 klinemj said:

I do like the idea of FPGA's. It gives the manufacturer great control over what code actually runs (vs. a standard chip).

Agree and it removes the entire debate over a DAC chip's signature sound.

[klinemj]

Apr 8, 2019 14:31:22 GMT -5 Loop 7 said:

Apr 7, 2019 12:21:18 GMT -5 klinemj said:

I do like the idea of FPGA's. It gives the manufacturer great control over what code actually runs (vs. a standard chip).

Agree and it removes the entire debate over a DAC chip's signature sound.

Agree...I think this is part of why I don't like the standard SABRE chip but I do like the one in my LH Labs DAC. The LH Labs uses different filters than the SABRE in the Oppo 105.

Mark

[KeithL]

There are quite a few DAC chips out there that offer a choice of multiple filters and/or the option of using external filters.

An FPGA is just a specific sort of chip which can be programmed relatively easily in small quantities... which makes it a handy way to implement custom filters in a product that you expect to sell in small volumes.

(It's the code that matters... and an FPGA is simply one effective way to implement custom code.)

Some DAC chips, including the Sabre line, and the Analog Device AD1955, allow you to use external filters.

Others, like the Wolfson 8742, include a whole selection of internal filter choices (you get to select which set of three you want from a list, then you can switch between them using an external switch).

Of course, there is also the question of who knows best.......

For example, a company like Analog Devices, or Wolfson, spends a lot of money developing their DAC chips, including the filters they decide to include.

Ditto for Sabre. (Sabre DACs don't have a unique sound signature by accident; you can bet that they sound exactly like their manufacturer wants them to sound).

(And you've got to wonder what the odds are that some small independent company is going to develop better code than the guys who designed the DAC chip in the first place.)

Of course, it's obvious which sounds better in the marketing brochure:

1) "We're so good at programming that we replaced the filter code included with the DAC with our own unique special code... and we think it sounds a whole lot better."

2) "We used the DAC chip, and used the filters included by the folks who developed it, because they really know what they're doing; our product sounds great because, well, we did try really hard not to screw anything up, and we succeeded."

I should also point out that, while the filters are a major part of what makes a DAC sound the way it does, they aren't the ONLY thing that matters.

Things like the power supply design, and the analog components around it, are also quite important - and can both have a major effect on the sound signature.

Apr 8, 2019 14:31:22 GMT -5 Loop 7 said:

Apr 7, 2019 12:21:18 GMT -5 klinemj said:

I do like the idea of FPGA's. It gives the manufacturer great control over what code actually runs (vs. a standard chip).

Agree and it removes the entire debate over a DAC chip's signature sound.

[audiobill]

I knew this was coming - 

"An FPGA is just a specific sort of chip which can be programmed relatively easily in small quantities... which makes it a handy way to implement custom filters in a product that you expect to sell in small volumes.
(It's the code that matters... and an FPGA is simply one effective way to implement custom code.)"

And this,

"(And you've got to wonder what the odds are that some small independent company is going to develop better code than the guys who designed the DAC chip in the first place.)"

IMO, PS Audio has done some very fine work .... the Directstream goes far beyond using FPGA code for filters.

[klinemj]

Amen Bill!!!! Totally agree! When my LH Labs DAC that uses a Sabre with special filters is besting the Sabre Oppo puts in its products AND the chips Emotiva uses in its former flagship (the DC-1) and in its XMC-1...seems like better filters and better overall chips/technology are indeed out there than the ones the guys who designed the chips for the big guys have produced.

Mark

[Loop 7]

Apr 8, 2019 16:42:49 GMT -5 KeithL said:

Things like the power supply design, and the analog components around it, are also quite important - and can both have a major effect on the sound signature.

The exception being Sabre DAC chips which can show their personality regardless of other components and decisions, if I am connecting the dots correctly?