Affordable alternativ to the PS Audio DirectStream DAC

Actually the starter Rockna Wavedream is $6k so that is not VERY expensive. 

Although they do have more expensive models in the SE series.

So expenisve is allways going to be a relative terms.

In our shop we have dacs from $1k to $35k so compared to a $1k dac a $6k Dac is expensive, compared to a $35k dac a $6k one is pretty cheap.


Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ

If you hear somebody complaining about the PSA DS dac, ask them what release of the firmware did they use. Most people like the improvement each release provides. I’ve updated the dac multiple times and each new release sounded better than the prior release.

I highly recommend the $1,500 Audio Mirror Tubadour III DAC.

I sold my Denafrips Terminator after hearing this DAC. BTW, I bought the Terminator after reading that people prefer it over the PSA DS DAC. And I am a big PSA fan and have some of their products including their big Power Plant P20.

A friend of mine also prefered the Audio Mirror DAC over a much more expensive Lampizator DAC and sold the Lampizator. It really is that good.

martin, you are in luck.  The PS Audio is a FPGA design, and the Denafrips is a Resister Ladder.  These are expensive designs.  Buy a DAC based on a Delta Sigma Chip.  The go to chips at the moment are the ESS 9028 and the ESS 9038.  There are several of these that are excellent.  (I currently run two - one is the Wyred 4 Sound DAC 2v2, and I also use my Oppo 205 as a DAC.)
With the FPGA and Resister Ladder types the additional cost is not for additional quality, but additional work in implementation.  Most, if not all, of that cost goes into a different type of sound - that you may prefer, or you may not.  However with the 'DAC-on-a-Chip' you will get (1) a different sound, (2) a cheaper price.  So long as you do a modicum of research you will get a fabulously good DAC.

I am presently considering the Okto Research DAC8 (when it come out) and the Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro.

PS Audio Perfectwave dac.