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
Hey Ricred1,

Nice to hear from you. Super simple set up that took me all of 2 minutes tops for set up.

First, I picked up a couple reasonably priced decent digital cables to use with it.

(2) DH Labs D-75 Digital S/PDIF Cables that both are 1-Meter long. I paid $75 for both of them. Decent deal. Then

- I plug the wall wart into the wall.

- I placed the W4S between my cable box and Bricasti.

- I plug (1) DH Labs D-75 into my Cable Box RCA out to my W4S RCA in.

- I plug other (1) DH Labs D-75 from W4S RCA out to my Bricasti RCA in.

Then hit the little on button and that's on the side and it's good to go.

It also has tosi-link and BNC hook ups if needed.

This thing makes my TV sound amazing. I can't get over it. The other night I only used my TV as my source and listened music on the TV all night and loved it. Never would have even considered doing that before. Very happy with this little killer unit.

Just for the heck of it I ran a $5 tosi-link of the back of my PC that has a cheap little tosi-link out sound card its a best buy HP PC. I ran that cheap cable out of a cheap sound card into this W4S and into my Bricasti. It sounded excellent. Better I think or very close to when I used my $1000 plus USB cable to my Bricasti through the very well thought of and much more expensive Audiphilleo AP2 w/Pure Power Battery pack and although they are not side by side as I traded away my AP2 I swear that cheap tosi-link direct off my cheap pc sound card out was sounding better or very close to when I used the AP2 w/PP with my expensive USB cable and the solid Black Cat Silverstar75 BNC cable.

I guess it very well could be synergy with my Bricasti and the W4S Remedy that is making it sound so great or this is a flat out an over achieving / giant killer unit.

It just sounds so good I wasn't prepared for it.

Just trying help out my fellow members with a cheap mod/tweak I have stumbled across that has worked great for me.

I think maybe because it was designed to work well with more modest equipment it is now showing it can really shine with the better stuff as well. I guess it just goes to show in digital if it can reduce jitter it will sound better. The cleaner the power the better it sounds.

I think this little unit has already earned itself the right to a better aftermarket linear power supply. It takes 9V but will work with 12V per W4S.

It's funny when I started this thread I listed my entire system in the beginning of this thread - you can see it - it is not that old of a thread - when I was just chatting to you guys about my new fun little W4S Remedy I noticed that my system that I have listed in the beginning of this thread is now entirely different.

The only thing that hasn't changed is my IC's, my USB Cable, some tweaks and computer software.

I have done some serious box swapping and horse trading... lol - kind of scary when looking at it written down like that...lol. Well after noticing that I thought I would share a BEFORE and AFTER with you guys.

I wish I got to hear the Yale back when I had the Directstream in my system.

BEFORE: 2/10/2015

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

AFTER: 8/20/2015

Rethm Saadhana V3 Speakers (India) 2015 (New) Speaker
HiDiamond D8 Speaker Cables 3M (Italy) 2015 (New) Speaker cable
Furutech FT-212 Ethereal Rhodium SC Banana's (8) 2015 (New)
Darwin TRUTH Pure Silver Reference 1M RCA 2015 (New) Interconnect
Darwin TRUTH Pure Silver Reference 1M RCA 2015 (New) Interconnect
Bricasti M1 USB / DSD 64/128 DAC/PRE 2015 (New) DA converter
Auralic Aries Extreme w/Duel Femto Clocks 2015 (New) Transport
Tellurium Q BLACK DIAMOND Reference USB Cable 2015 (New)
Rethm Gaanam SET Valve Amplifier 2015 (New) Tube amp
Triode Labs 2A3S-FFX DHT SET Mclaren SLR Orange 2015 (New) Tube amp
NOS Tubes: CBS JAN 5692 Mullard GZ34/GZ32 2A3C Triodes
Decware ZSTAGE External Triode Output Stage ECC801S 2013
HiDiamond HDX2 Network Distributer / Conditioner 2015 (New)
HiDiamond P3 AC Power Cable 2.0M (HDX2) 2015 (New)
HiDiamond P3 AC Power Cable 2.0M (Saadhana Amp) 2015 (New)
HiDiamond P3 AC Power Cable 2.0M (Saadhana Amp) 2015 (New)
HiDiamond P3 AC Power Cable 1.5M (2A3SE-FFX Amp) 2015 (New)
HiDiamond P3 AC Power Cable 1.5M (Triode Output Stage) 2015 (New)
HiDiamond P3 AC Power Cable 1.0M (Auralic Aries) 2015 (New)
HiDiamond P3.5 AC Power Cable 1.0M (Bricasti M1 DAC) 2015 (New)
Wyred 4 Sound Remedy Reclocker for Cable Box 2015 (New)
MIT Terminator-3 Silver Digital S/PDIF RCA Cable 1M
DH Labs Silver Sonic D-75 Digital S/PDIF RCA Cable 1M
DH Labs Silver Sonic D-75 Digital S/PDIF RCA Cable 1M
Salamander Amplifier Stands (2) Synergy System AV Furniture Stand
PS Audio Noise Harvesters (5) Converts noise to light
OYAIDE RI Beryllium Power Outlets (2)
Audio Isolation Vibration Footers Cork & Rubber (5 Sets)
Blue Circle Audio The Yalu Balula Industrial Surge Protection (2)
JPLAY v5.2 Hi-End Audio Player Digital Transport.
Fidelizer Pro Version 6.1
JRiver Media Center 21 Music Software w/JRemote
Synergistic Research Labs Signature NO 2 Jumpers (Spare) Speaker cable
You should try the Metrum, right now, when paired with Focal SM9, my system blows away $50k audio show systems.

It's so simple too, Metrum Pavane, Focal SM9, Neotech XLR. That's it.

Of course, I back up the whole setup with balanced power, and a reclocker (although I may not need this anymore, it was to compensate for Directstream's crappy jitter rejection, or lack of)
Fsmithjack,

It's a shame you did not wait for Yale. It was well worth the wait. In my estimation it may allow the DS DAC to rival the M1 and the Berkeley Reference.