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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
128x128Ag insider logo xs@2xfsmithjack
jon2020's avatar
jon2020
986 posts
 
Fsmithjack,
This is very interesting. The PP upgrade was just released a week ago and though you seem impressed by it, you are going for the Bricasti M1 now. The Bricasti M1 has had great reviews but I am just curious - did you bring back a demo unit for audition in your home system before making that decision? Or is it that the PP firmware did not synergise well with your system? At other forums, those who don't like it have rolled back to the previous version.
fsmithjack's avatar
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fsmithjack OP
712 posts
 
Hello and thanks. I liked it a lot. I have them both on a little thumb cards so super easy to use either at any time. I think the pp upgrade is a big improvement but each persons system and preference is different.

My changing DACs is not because anything the DS did wrong or doesn't do in my system but more to do with my new speakers I think.

What I mean by that is that they are so much better and so superior to anything else I have ever had and they resolve and image so incredibly well that every little upgrade change has provided such clear and discernible improvements that it is this I think that has propelled me to try and really dial the rest of my system in and focus on the so important source.

This thread has been great because I now have a better understanding of my need to improve my transport after I change my DAC. My new speakers have really improved my knowledge and understanding of recorded music that I am looking to really nail down eve everything best I can.

I have heard the Bricasti M1 DAC multiple time at Fidelis in NH the Harbeth US Distributor and local Wilson dealer and it really struck me. It not only sounds "right" it really had a presence that wasn't analogue per say but made the music feel closer and more alive. I had that pop and drive that was special and it was so smooth and so resolving it seems to be on another level than what I have been accustomed to. It reached out and grabbed me and it remains to be seen if I can get that same type of presence in my system but my hope is with this DAC and an improved transport solution combined with what I think are great speakers will get me the sound i'm driving for but you never know and part of me is nervous because I know what I have now and that is a very special and outstanding DAC so we'll see...
wisnon
700 posts
 
Pity,

As I said the Transport is half the equation here and the DS is compatible with the SS Rendu via i2s HDMI cable.

This is a superb link as it has a ethernet to i2S conversion board (with clean/isolated power distribution network) inside it that galvanically isolates the crud from packetized data streams like Ethernet and USB. THEN to avoid recontamination, it uses the Low voltage diffential signalling (LVDS) to stream i2S DIRECTLY to the DS Dac...stopping all the upstream crud from contaminating the Dac. Ultra elegant solution. The SSR is also benefitting from clean power inside it, as no switchers are used throughout.

Only like 7 Dac brands are compatible and the DS is one, so an almost tailor made solution, emulating the tightest possible integration between dac and Transport.

A reclocker here would be a waste of money as Ted Smith guaranteed an elaborate reclocking scheme for all input into the DS, as all incoming data goes thru the same preparation process into the same buffer.

On another note, the soon to be released dartzeel LHC-208 has a 2 clock system and the 2nd master clock in not in any PLL circuit and he says that is the special secret sauce he has for that sweet/fast analog sound
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fsmithjack OP
712 posts
 
Yes I am really glad to now better understand the importance of the transport. I kind of wish I knew about that streaming transport before I mentally committed to the M1 but I am thinking my next move after the M1 is to go with a Auralic Aries streamer transport. It will allow me to still use my beloved Tellurium Q Black Diamond USB cable and keep using my JRiver. I m not a computer pro for sure. I tried combining all my music on one drive and now I have three of the same songs in a row on every album and have no idea how to fix it. The computer stuff is a little over my head so to buy a ready made transport seems like a good idea and I hope it add nice sq improvement.
wisnon
700 posts
 
FSmith,

I hear yah.

If you do the Aries, get the more expensive one with the double clocks (one dedicated to the USB) and the LPSU. Also, get the soon to be released Regen USB unit from Uptone Audio. It can be found via the Computeraudiophile program as of March 15 or so. It treats the USB in a similar but less elaborate way compared to the SSR mentioned by me above.

Regarding song duplication, i guess you can go about this a few ways…the easiest being in Windows or Mac where you go and arrange the music folder contents by name. The identical one will line up together in a bunch and you use your delete key with abandon….just be careful that they are true duplicates and not different formats of the same music, ie rbcd/mp3/dsd/iso files/PCM hires at different rates/flac/wav/aiff, etc. Besure of what you want to keep.

For identical albums with diffent names/metadata….that will be harder to find and sort, and will take real stickitoitivity to get thru.
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