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Item: PS Audio Directstream DAC
Location: Perth WA.
Price: $5,200 negotiable. Plus shipping. New price $8,295
Item Condition: excellent, a very good 9/10.
Reason for selling: I have purchased an Esoteric K1 single box unit and no longer need this DAC
Payment Method: - Cash, Paypal
Extra Info:

 

This is PS Audio's latest Directstream model and was purchased a little over 12 months ago. It still has the protective plastic sheet over the piano-black finish top plate, it has always been handled with cotton gloves and is in pristine condition. It comes with all the original packaging including a protective outer shipping box. This is a superb DAC that I used for my music server as my previous Esoteric did not have a USB input. I had to go to substantial lengths to supersede and it sounds fantastic with the new PS Audio Directstream Memory Player. I auditioned a Memory Player recently and they are a great combo. Below is all the relevant product information and specifications for the Directstream DAC.
 

DirectStream DAC – Pure DSD done right

Introducing DirectStream, one of the most remarkable DACS ever built.  Hand written, discrete, perfection based conversion that uncovers all the missing information hiding in your digital audio media for all these years.  CD’s, downloads, high-resolution PCM or DSD based media are expertly upsampled in the DirectStream to ten times DSD rate and output as pure analog directly into your amplifier or preamplifier. Classic PCM based DACS, including many of today’s DACS that can also process DSD, tend to cover up some of the subtle musical details buried deep within digital audio music; a problem inherent in their architecture.  DirectStream solves this problem by employing a pure DSD single-bit approach for both PCM as well as DSD media. This means that your entire library of music can finally reveal all the music and subtle low level details buried deep within its core.  Imagine going to a recording studio and listening to a master tape of any recording made.  This is the experience DirectStream provides its owners who enjoy a renewed sense of enjoyment and discovery when listening to everything in their library: CD’s, downloads, DSD.

Pure 100% single bit DSD based D to A Converter

Most of today’s sophisticated DACs are IC based instruments using off-the-shelf-chips that are Multi-bit Sigma Delta based designs.  While these are relatively simple to design and produce, they don’t often give the best results sonically.  Because they are one-chip systems compromises are made in their architecture that found in DirectStream’s custom based architecture.  DirectStream takes both PCM and DSD, upsamples the data and converts to single-bit DSD and then outputs pure music regardless of input format for the data.  The results of this design can be heard in increased musical information presented to the listener at every opportunity.

Purely passive output stage

Most modern DACs use some form of active tube or solid state output stage to amplify, filter and drive the DACs output.  DirectStream takes a different approach: passive.  In one of the simplest, elegant and musically correct executions of an output stage, high speed class A video amplifiers are used as the final switch for the single-bit, double DSD output of DirectStream; feeding a high performance passive audio output transformer.  The transformer is specially designed to act as both the galvanic isolation between the DAC and the outside world as well as the primary low pass filter required to present a perfect, low distortion, low noise output signal.  When you listen to DirectStream you never are accosted by added bright, hard glare in the music as happens with many active designs.  Instead, clean, pure music flows from the DirectStream directly to your preamplifier or power amplifier.

Resolution perfect volume and balance controls

Designer Smith perfected a 100% bit-perfect volume and balance control that’s built into DirectStream, enabling users to control the output level when feeding directly into a power amplifier or preamplifier.  That the volume control is completely bit-perfect means there is no loss of resolution for any volume setting, a feature unique among the majority of DACS in the world today.  The ability to eliminate the preamplifier in the system without any resolution loss is a major benefit to DirectStream’s outstanding musical performance.

 

Physical

 
Unit Weight 22 lbs [13.5 kg]
Unit Dimensions 14” x 17” x 4” [ 36cm x 43cm x 10cm]
Shipping Weight 31 lbs [19 kg]
Shipping Dimensions 20.5”x 24” x 10” [52cm x 61cm x 25cm]

Power requirements

 
Input Power Model specific 100VAC, 120VAC, or 230VAC 50 or 60Hz
Power Consumption 30W

Digtial audio inputs

I2S(2), Coax, XLR Balanced, TOSLINK, USB, Network Bridge slot

Sample Rates

I2S,S/PDIF, and USB — 44.1kHz to 192kHz 16bit, 24bit, DSD 64, DSD 128
TOSLINK – 44.1kHz to 96kHz 16bit, 24bit

Analog Audio Output

 
Connector RCA/XLR Unbalanced /Balanced (X2)
Output level, low 1.41 Vrms(+5BV)/3.15
Output level high, maximum 2.81 Vrms (+8dBV)/5.3 Vrms (+12dBV)
Output Impedance 100?/200?
Frequency Response 20-20KHz +/- 0.25dB
THD+N @ 1KHz (full scale) <0.03%
Output Stage Passive audio transformer, fed by high current, high speed analog amps producing double rate DSD.

Data Handling

 
Format PCM or DSD
Sample rate (PCM) 44.1kHz, 48.0kHz, 88.2kHz, 96.0kHz, 176.4kHz, 192kHz
Word length (PCM) 16b, 18b, 20b, 24b
Data rate (DSD) Standard (2.8MHz) or Double (5.6MHz) DoP on all inputs as well as raw DSD on I2S inputs
Input jitter reduction effectively 100%, residual immeasurable. No input PLLs, FLLs.
Input Processing 170MHz
Signal Processing 50MHz
Synchronous Upsampling, all inputs 28.224MHz
Digital Processing S/N ration >146 dB
Digital Volume Control Zero loss of precision
Analog Conversion method Delta Sigma (DSD) Single-bit double rate

I2S Digital Input

 
Connector HDMI
Format PCM or DSD. DoP on all inputs as well as raw DSD on I2S inputs

USB Digital Input

 
Connector USB “B” Type
Format PCM or DoP v1.1 (DSD over PCM)
Transfer mode Asynchronous

 

 

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Edited by angst46
Price eduction
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Love this DAC. FYI, your specs are slightly outdated – a software update introduced support for 352.8kHz DXD over USB and I2S. I played some on mine via USB yesterday. 

 

GLWS.

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 2017-5-3 at 2:50 PM, angst46 said:

Item: PS Audio Directstream DAC
Location: Perth WA.
Price: $5,200 negotiable. Plus shipping. New price $8,295
Item Condition: excellent, a very good 9/10.
Reason for selling: I have purchased an Esoteric K1 single box unit and no longer need this DAC
Payment Method: - Cash, Paypal
Extra Info:

 

This is PS Audio's latest Directstream model and was purchased a little over 12 months ago. It still has the protective plastic sheet over the piano-black finish top plate, it has always been handled with cotton gloves and is in pristine condition. It comes with all the original packaging including a protective outer shipping box. This is a superb DAC that I used for my music server as my previous Esoteric did not have a USB input. I had to go to substantial lengths to supersede and it sounds fantastic with the new PS Audio Directstream Memory Player. I auditioned a Memory Player recently and they are a great combo. Below is all the relevant product information and specifications for the Directstream DAC.
 

DirectStream DAC – Pure DSD done right

Introducing DirectStream, one of the most remarkable DACS ever built.  Hand written, discrete, perfection based conversion that uncovers all the missing information hiding in your digital audio media for all these years.  CD’s, downloads, high-resolution PCM or DSD based media are expertly upsampled in the DirectStream to ten times DSD rate and output as pure analog directly into your amplifier or preamplifier. Classic PCM based DACS, including many of today’s DACS that can also process DSD, tend to cover up some of the subtle musical details buried deep within digital audio music; a problem inherent in their architecture.  DirectStream solves this problem by employing a pure DSD single-bit approach for both PCM as well as DSD media. This means that your entire library of music can finally reveal all the music and subtle low level details buried deep within its core.  Imagine going to a recording studio and listening to a master tape of any recording made.  This is the experience DirectStream provides its owners who enjoy a renewed sense of enjoyment and discovery when listening to everything in their library: CD’s, downloads, DSD.

Pure 100% single bit DSD based D to A Converter

Most of today’s sophisticated DACs are IC based instruments using off-the-shelf-chips that are Multi-bit Sigma Delta based designs.  While these are relatively simple to design and produce, they don’t often give the best results sonically.  Because they are one-chip systems compromises are made in their architecture that found in DirectStream’s custom based architecture.  DirectStream takes both PCM and DSD, upsamples the data and converts to single-bit DSD and then outputs pure music regardless of input format for the data.  The results of this design can be heard in increased musical information presented to the listener at every opportunity.

Purely passive output stage

Most modern DACs use some form of active tube or solid state output stage to amplify, filter and drive the DACs output.  DirectStream takes a different approach: passive.  In one of the simplest, elegant and musically correct executions of an output stage, high speed class A video amplifiers are used as the final switch for the single-bit, double DSD output of DirectStream; feeding a high performance passive audio output transformer.  The transformer is specially designed to act as both the galvanic isolation between the DAC and the outside world as well as the primary low pass filter required to present a perfect, low distortion, low noise output signal.  When you listen to DirectStream you never are accosted by added bright, hard glare in the music as happens with many active designs.  Instead, clean, pure music flows from the DirectStream directly to your preamplifier or power amplifier.

Resolution perfect volume and balance controls

Designer Smith perfected a 100% bit-perfect volume and balance control that’s built into DirectStream, enabling users to control the output level when feeding directly into a power amplifier or preamplifier.  That the volume control is completely bit-perfect means there is no loss of resolution for any volume setting, a feature unique among the majority of DACS in the world today.  The ability to eliminate the preamplifier in the system without any resolution loss is a major benefit to DirectStream’s outstanding musical performance.

 

Physical

 
Unit Weight 22 lbs [13.5 kg]
Unit Dimensions 14” x 17” x 4” [ 36cm x 43cm x 10cm]
Shipping Weight 31 lbs [19 kg]
Shipping Dimensions 20.5”x 24” x 10” [52cm x 61cm x 25cm]

Power requirements

 
Input Power Model specific 100VAC, 120VAC, or 230VAC 50 or 60Hz
Power Consumption 30W

Digtial audio inputs

I2S(2), Coax, XLR Balanced, TOSLINK, USB, Network Bridge slot

Sample Rates

I2S,S/PDIF, and USB — 44.1kHz to 192kHz 16bit, 24bit, DSD 64, DSD 128
TOSLINK – 44.1kHz to 96kHz 16bit, 24bit

Analog Audio Output

 
Connector RCA/XLR Unbalanced /Balanced (X2)
Output level, low 1.41 Vrms(+5BV)/3.15
Output level high, maximum 2.81 Vrms (+8dBV)/5.3 Vrms (+12dBV)
Output Impedance 100?/200?
Frequency Response 20-20KHz +/- 0.25dB
THD+N @ 1KHz (full scale) <0.03%
Output Stage Passive audio transformer, fed by high current, high speed analog amps producing double rate DSD.

Data Handling

 
Format PCM or DSD
Sample rate (PCM) 44.1kHz, 48.0kHz, 88.2kHz, 96.0kHz, 176.4kHz, 192kHz
Word length (PCM) 16b, 18b, 20b, 24b
Data rate (DSD) Standard (2.8MHz) or Double (5.6MHz) DoP on all inputs as well as raw DSD on I2S inputs
Input jitter reduction effectively 100%, residual immeasurable. No input PLLs, FLLs.
Input Processing 170MHz
Signal Processing 50MHz
Synchronous Upsampling, all inputs 28.224MHz
Digital Processing S/N ration >146 dB
Digital Volume Control Zero loss of precision
Analog Conversion method Delta Sigma (DSD) Single-bit double rate

I2S Digital Input

 
Connector HDMI
Format PCM or DSD. DoP on all inputs as well as raw DSD on I2S inputs

USB Digital Input

 
Connector USB “B” Type
Format PCM or DoP v1.1 (DSD over PCM)
Transfer mode Asynchronous

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Could be interested in this & messaged you but no reply.

 

Edited by john70
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16 hours ago, WhakPak said:

Is this one a PWD2 that was converted to a DSD?

 

Could be wrong but the conversion kit is only internals, not the external case. This case has DirectStream on the front (bottom right).

 

So this is a DirectStream (I think).

 

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Sorry about the late reply I have been indisposed due to hospitalisation.

 

This is NOT a kitted out older model and it is not grey market It was purchased new from Douglas

Hi Fi in Perth and receipts can be provided. Douglas are looking into whether there s any transferable

warranty.

 

 It is as new.

 

All the best,

Steve

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Sorry about the late reply I have been indisposed due to hospitalisation.

 

This is NOT a kitted out older model and it is not grey market It was purchased new from Douglas

Hi Fi in Perth and receipts can be provided. Douglas are looking into whether there s any transferable

warranty.

 

 It is as new.

 

All the best,

Steve

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I did PM you Steve but no answer to my question so maybe you are not sure so I will put it out here as follows:-

 

"I currently have the Sony HAP Z1es which I can load all my CDs & Hi REz files into and stores them. It outputs in DSD to my system though balanced or RCA.

I have been looking at something like this as an upgrade to the above but I have always wondered how it gets the music files I have.

As they are all on a USB hard drive can I plug that into a USB input on the Directstream and play them ok?.

If not then how can I play them. "

 

Anyone know the answer to this?. And thanks

 

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51 minutes ago, angst46 said:

...This is NOT a kitted out older model and it is not grey market It was purchased new from Douglas

Hi Fi in Perth and receipts can be provided.

 

I thought so. It was just unusual to see that DirectStream DAC sticker on the back of the chassis. Normally they go on upgraded units. But upgraded units don't end up with DirectStream printed on the front facia, which yours has. Very unusual.

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50 minutes ago, angst46 said:

Hi WhakPak

Does "just about" refer to something I can help you with?

All the best,

Steve

 

PS Audio told me a few months ago that Huron will be released in 2 weeks. Last week they told me it will be a few more weeks. Hence why "just about" requires some interpretation, because it might be just about one week, just about one month, or just about something else....

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1 hour ago, angst46 said:

..Douglas are looking into whether there s any transferable warranty.
 

 

As far as I know PS Audio warranty applies to original and subsequent owners. If the product purchase was registered in "MyPS" on the PS Audio website you'll get a warranty count down timer starting at 3 years from date of purchase.

Edited by WhakPak
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1 hour ago, hotJ said:

Interesting, the back panel still says perfectwave. There's no change between the 2 models?

 

Upgraded units keep the same chassis, but are identified as upgraded units with a DirectStream DAC sticker on the back. The IR sensor on the front is different between the 2 models. Apart from that they should be the same.

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Thank you very much for all the input with your posts, very helpful. I had trouble finding out about the warranty as the dealer has never had model sold on during the warranty period. This unit is registered and has received the upgrades.

 

Perhaps someone can help clarify whether DSD files on a hard-drive can be run into the Directstream? I have played hirez from a thumb-drive but not a hard-drive.

All the best,

Steve

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Reading the on-line writeups by Absolute Sound / What HiFi etc. I would be pretty sure it will work, but I think you will benefit from turning off the DSD engine in the Sony otherwise it is outputting DSD128.  The Directstream will process DSD128 but I suspect it would be better to let the Directstream do its thing from the regular output.

You should post the question in the PS Audio Forum for a definitive answer - Ted Smith the Directstream designer/guru regularly reads/posts on the forum.  

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