DAC's....Ayre versus PS Audio

You can get the QX-5 Twenty for less by eliminating unused inputs. It won't get you to the price level of the DirectStream, but it helps.

QX-5 Base - S/PDIF + AES/EBU $6,950
QX-5 USB - USB + S/PDIF + AES/EBU $7,650
QX-5 Net  - Ethernet + S/PDIF + AES/EBU $8,250
QX-5 Full -  Ethernet + USB + S/PDIF + AES/EBU $8,950

Note that these prices may have changed since September 2017.

I own the QB-9 DSD and a Direct Steam Junior.  Though the Junior isn’t the full fledged DS, it’s pretty darn close.  I also have the Pass XP-20.  It’s a really tough comparison.  I did A/B them, for quite a bit and ended up putting the Ayre in my headphone chain.  Sonically, the DSJ was just a tad bit and I mean tad bit more open.  But, given your post, I will swap them out again later today, and give an update.  Is there any specific song/album that you’d like me to demo...within reason.  I don’t own any classical titles.  I listen to a pretty wide variety, Pearl Jam, Radiohead, Led Zep, John Mayer, Miles Davis and own a decent hires collection.  Let me know if there’s something specific you’d like me to demo the comparison with.

How about ..
Freddy the Freeloader..
Gallows Pole..
something off Ten..
Black?
Yellow Ledbetter..

thanks 

Greg

@reruam - what did you end up getting? I just got the DSJ on the 30 day trial. I am just a few days in on the burn-in and the unit is starting to come alive. 

@ toddcowles - what was your experience with the DSJ? I never was a big believer of burn-in but in the case of DSJ - i have experienced first hand the effect of burn-in. Day 1 - i was so turned off that i considered returning the unit. After 4 days of burn-in  there is more sparkle in top and richness in bass. Some say the unit needs 150-200hrs of burn in. Also - do you notice a difference in SQ between TOSLINK (i use a Node 2 to stream to TOSLINK) and the bridge (currently on a 14 day trial of ROON)

Still using the Qb-9 DSD...
awfully good...