2. digital
  3. 191749-165378

Streaming, Getting the Signal, Then What?

I feel so stupid not getting the streaming thing though at almost 70 years old I have moved more toward digital then any time previously.  My PS Audio AirLens into a PS Audio DirectStream DAC MK1 gets its signal from a Netgear Nighthawk CAX80 modem/router purchased in Jan. '22.  I know I get a signal. I hear music play. Is this Netgear product better than the freebie that the ISP provider installs?  I think so. But following discussion FORUM I tend to think I may be able to do better, maybe?

So chime please as to what perhaps I should considered considering my AirLense & MK1 DAC. PLEASE, do not tell me why what I have could be so much better if.... This post presumes I have the equipment I have. From modem/router to sources is a high end AudioQuest ethernet cable product. That also is out of the equation for whomever wants to opine as to my cable choice.

Recommendations please.  If it matters the sources feed into a PS Audio BHK Signature pre, then into a pair of PS Audio M1200 monoblocks.  Speakers are Ohm Walsh Tall 3000. Love love love the flexibility I get from omni-directionals.  O.K., you can share your thoughts about my Ohms. But budget doesn't allow MBL or German Physiks.  Thanks one and all.

128x128veemike
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,417 posts
 

I was just browsing the thread and feel I must add my 2 cents. When I had PS Audio transport and dac, the I2s interface was clearly better SQ than any other formats.

I agree with above comments to have your router and any wall-warts plugged into a different line than your stereo setup. Also using a LPS (linear power supply) on the router instead of the SMPS wall-wart is a major improvement in sonics and removes noise.

@veemike  Can you be specific about what is missing from your music playback or what improvements you seek?

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p05129
504 posts
 

Wrong again. More and more of your better dacs don’t use usb and more and more are adding i2s and Ethernet. USB is flawed, never meant to provide good sq. I did all of that 10 years ago or more with usb dacs and all the gimmicky reclockers, femto clocks, offramp devices, and others.

Talk about noise, you probably have a streamer/computer in your room which are much noisier than most dacs. Go back and read the reviews of the DS mk1 dac, nobody complained about noise. There is no mk iii dac, just the mkii which is noisy.

The only other dac that bettered the mk1 was the dcs at multiple times the cost with their Ethernet connection. I preferred the DS mk1 over the briscati, Berkeley, msb offerings, up to around $20k price range.

 

danager's avatar
danager
959 posts
 

I'll be 70 this year and depending on your streaming  service your current setup should sound pretty darn good.  The PSAudio MK 1 is a nice DAC. I have one and it took me a ,long time to finally upgrade it. I fed mine with all the inputs USB, AES, I2S spidf and honestly while they have slight differences I couldn't walk into the room and identify the input without looking.

Trying to get your streamer the cleanist electrical signal might help.  If you use dimmer light switches turn them off or all the way on.  Removing any switching power supplies from the circuit and feeding the streamer with ethernet not WiFi is an easy way to optimize your sound.  I haven't tried all the tweaks like running my router with a LPS or replacing the Ethernet cable with fibre but in some instances it might reduce  background noise.

The biggest change to your sound without throwing money at it is to bypass the preamp and use the. DAC s volume control.

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