PS Audio DirectStream network bridge

Thanks Mark, the mountain villa analogy made me laugh, good post. I'm still considering both possibilities but now I feel I'll be making an informed decision.

When you use USB, you are using the computer as the player and streaming music via USB.

You are not streaming music, you're streaming data since timing is not involved.  Source of D/A conversion timing is the clock inside of your DAC.  Because it is data computer doesn't have to be dedicated, can be slow or fast, with any amount of RAM.  Yes, computer can be electrically noisy (as everything around is including LED bulbs), so you should use USB cable without power wires.  Well designed DAC should have common mode noise suppression in separate digital section.  External HD can be acoustically noisy, but I have one that is very quiet, not to mention SSDs that are getting cheaper.  Format is not important since it is data.  I use ALAC with with WiFi to save space.  Any playback program will do, as long as it is bitperfect.

I had a PS Audio PWD MKII with bridge 1. I ran DLNA server on a Mac or Windows. I prefer LMS over JRiver. SQ was very good but Bridge 1 was very unstable that requires frequent recycles so moved on.

My brother replaced his PS Audio PWD MKII / bridge 1 with PS Audio DirectStream / bridge 11. He brought it to my home over Thanksgiving. It took ~10 minutes to download and install JRiver on my computer.   In JRiver, create a 24-bit Audiophile DAC for UPnP and enable bitstream DSD over Ethernet.   We use JRemote on his iPad ... SQ was a HUGE improvement over PWD.MK11. Bridge 11 is very very stable, faster and NO failures.   Both DAC and computer connected via Ethernet.

I haven't demo all available DACs in the market but at street price, PS Audio DirectStream / bridge 11 is an excellent value.

Hi

Did anyone compare the Bridge II vs Auralic Aries into Direct Stream DAC?

Did anyone compare the Bridge II vs Auralic Aries into Direct Stream DAC?

 
Bridge II is integrated avoid digital cable so I wouldn't bother with Auralic if I have a Direct Stream

I talked to my brother yesterday and ZERO problems so far with Direct Stream /JRiver since last fall.