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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
fsmithjack
coli
291 posts
 
I have not tried firmware before Pike Peak, but after 5 months, Pike Peak sounded VERY wrong....

What I did noticed was that if there was any input jitter, it would effect the sound of the Directstream. Pretty funny considering that PA Audio advertise the DS as having no jitter!

I ended up buying a Mutec reclocker/convert that solved input jitter once and for all. I was using Jplay before that which also helped but to a lesser degree.

Yale beta sounded a lot better than Pike Peak, there's actually bass coming out now! Sigh.

Yale beta still sounded wrong/incorrect.

On the other hand, Benchmark DAC2 at least sounds correct., so yes, the DAC2 is infinitely better than the Directstream already. Sigh again. Oh, with the DAC2, my speaker sounded like subwoofers on certain programs!

Right now, I really want Metrum to send me a working Pavane, the one I got/sending back is damaged in shipping, only 1 channel working, but I can already tell it was special...
fsmithjack's avatar
fsmithjack OP
712 posts
 
07-20-15: Coli

Thanks for the response. Yes I agree the DirectStream or any DAC will yield much better results with an improved - cleaner incoming signal. I found the same with the Bricasti that every little change upgrade before it or after shows nicely.

If you could find a nice and clean used Bricasti I couldn't recommend it any higher to you as a former Directstream owner I love mine.

I never heard of the Mutec before but that seems pretty awesome. Have you tried any others that you could compare it to?

I am really really enjoying my new addition of the Auralic Aries w/ duel Femto clocks and their linear power supply in concert with the Audiophilleo AP2 reclocker with Pure Power battery pack but that Mutec looks cool and was wondering how it would compare to my solution or others out there??

My solution was a total game changer for me and I bet an even much less expensive DAC would sound much - much better. The combo is about $2500 which considering how much it improved the sound and what a comparable server would cost its a great option. It vastly improved a $9,000 DAC so me it was a great buy indeed.

How much is the Mutec?

Thanks
ricred1
2,084 posts
 
Fsmithjack,
Will the Femto clock work with the Bryston BDP-2? Knowing what you know now, do you regret spending so much money on the DAC?
coli
291 posts
 
I'm not sure if Mutec got their USB version out yet, I'm using the MC-3+ Smart Clock with AES in to optical out. $700 off ebay I think. I haven't really compared it with anything else since it works 100% for me already :)

There's an interesting option of syncing to a 10M clock, but I don't think I'll try that, too expensive.
jh901
67 posts
 
Coli- I don't know. Is it really the case that R-2R is the only way? For example, the COS Engineering D1 is a newcomer and compares straight up to the Pavane in the 6moons review. How could that be!?

So we're in a situation where there are some PCM only R-2R, PCM only delta sigma, some DSD only, some DSD only with PCM converted on the fly. There are FPGA chips (both proprietary and off the shelf), various filtering implementations, power supply designs, and unique analog stage approaches. Oh, and then there are the various USB inputs and even a few integrated (or stand-alone) disc spinners. Finally, there are certainly some twists I failed to mention. Whew.

Isn't it more likely that the best overall engineering will rise to the top irrespective of design approach?

Regards, Josh
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