PS Audio Direct Stream

@ Nglazer, Did you need to burn-in the cardas RCA to XLR adapters?, If so, How do they sound?, do they take much from the sound, what is your honest impressions of the cardas Adapters?, Excuse me gentleman for getting off topic, this will not take long, thankyou.

It is always hard to know how much one tweak if affecting the overall sound, but in this case it was easy. These are far far superior to the BAT adaptors they replaced (and they were pretty good), and MUCH better than the old Cardas black adaptors which went for $50-$60/pair. These were $150/pr at Music Direct, are very substantial and high quality.

I cannot tell how much subtraction from what the sound would be if I had XLR terminations on the IC, but my pre is all unbalanced so I am not sure that would have changed anything.

Neal

This is a response to:

06-06-14: Sabai

Thanks for the information about this tube buffer. Can you kindly describe some details regarding the difference with and without it on the DS?

Sure, it provides that tube depth and body to the sound at a level that just wasn't there or wasn't nearly as evident... It's impact is most in the sound stage depth and the distinct separation of the instruments. It lights up the edges of the center image for a more supple yet defined center image. That tripod of sound between a deep center image and the sound from the speakers but the sound is no longer from the speakers they are now further back in the space between the middle image and the actual speaker and it has nice effect on the speaker disappearing more than it was. So I find when it deepens the center and pulls the corners back and widens them. Now as they are wider it becomes more defined because now the corners are not only more widened and back but more illuminated in the rear canopy and the darkens corners are now faintly visible and that widen and fattens the entire stage and the entire process adds another level of depth and sophistication The realism and the stage becomes fuller and more enveloping. It is not subtle really at all. Now I am sure my preamp has a lot to say about this. That is why it is hard for me to compare to those with no pre. When I remove my tube output there is a big different and when I remove my pre it is an entirely different presentation so please take this into consideration but the tube output with this DAC and a good pre with good speakers I am sure will provide to a level what I am speaking of. I hope this answers your question. Thanks

Neal, I have the cardas new black adapters that are $112.00 retail, are your adapters Black color?, the only other cardas adapter I know of is called the cardas clear adapter, and that only comes in one type of connection that I cannot use, I will take a peek at the music direct site, cheers.

Neal, after looking at their site, I do not have the adapters you have, the cardas adapters I have are $96.00 retail on the music direct site, I believe these are the new and improved adapters that are black, they have never been $50.00 to $60.00 that I know of, I will be useing them temporary, I will be modding my digital player with furetech xlr chassis out puts with Tara labs internal wireing anyway,thankyou for your reply, cheers.