PS Audio Direct Stream

Hi Ozzy, Not sure if it can replace your preamp. We played it through our clubs Genesis I-60 integrated amp, into Genesis G7.1f loudspeakers. It seemed to have less gain than the clubs Oppo-95. Depends on how much gain your amp has, input impedance, length of cables, speaker sensitivity, etc.

A lot of the members really liked it. It does depth really well. I thought it was a tad soft sounding, and could be a bit more extended in the treble region. It was really easy to listen to. Very smooth with no nasties at all.

As with anything I would try to demo it in your own system first, if possible.

Sarcher30, Thank you for your comments.
I see others have also commented that it was a bit laid back in the treble. PS Audio claims that you need to retune your system to account for the different equipment.
Perhaps toeing the speakers in a little more.
I sure wish I could try before I buy, but right now if you want one you've got to pay in advance just to get on the waiting list.
Perhaps PS Audio has a 30 day refund policy, that would be nice.

Sarcher30, This is what PS Audio posted on their forum from Ted on your posting.

"Yeh the club's speakers weren't up for the bass. They didn't want to run the integrated amp more than 3/4 of the way up and they used an unbalanced connection. The DS volume was being controlled by a fellow in the first row. I don't know how often it was at 100 or not. For some I was turning the volume down on the laptop when people indicated to or seemed to be in distress.

On a few tracks there was a difference in opinion with the people who were sitting nearer the front that those standing in the rear. Some members tried lots of places in the room, some didn't. The biggest difference to my mind was that in the room the front could be too loud at the same time that the rear was, perhaps, too quiet.

The designer of the speakers didn't like the setup and moved them at the break, unfortunately I don't have any idea what he didn't like or how the change affected the sound.

As to soft, after most had left the head bangers thought Alice in Chains and Porcupine Tree sounded great :)"

I guess a tad soft and not the most extended in the treble plus great depth describes DSD/SACD sound in general. This is why it reminds us of the old time turntable/analog sound. Since the DS up converts everything to DSD this shouldn't be too shocking. Does it have the option of NOT up converting to DSD?

Gentlemen, most of these impressions are from DS that have less then 50 hours on them and at best a little over that. Wait until there is at least a good 100+, but I would expect that the DS might need as much as its predecessor the PW to show its true nature, so 400-500 hours would not be out of line.

Some of the reports that mention the softness etc, are from people that have reported that the PW needed 400-500 hours to show how it truly sounded.

Check post 923. He mentions how it is starting to improve etc.

http://www.psaudio.com/forum/directstream-all-about-it/directstream-dac-first-impressions/page-31/