PS Audio Direct Stream

Ozzy and Tonyptony,

So, if I compare AES digital cables, just about any input digital cable will do with no difference in SQ?

Sabai, I compared a HiDiamond Reference XLR digital cable to a High Fidelity CT-1 Ultimate RCA.
Between these 2 cables, there was almost no change when toggling from XLR to the RCA input.
I say almost because there may have been a slight(very slight)edge to the XLR.

Ozzy,

Thanks for letting me know.

As an FYI, both TAS and Stereophile have reviews of this unit this month. I got both in the mail today.

As noted above, three magazines gave the PS Audio DirectStream DAC an outstanding review.

However, it still brothers me that the DirectStream converts all inputs to 10 x DSD, and then uses a true single-bit double-rate DSD core engine to prepare the signal for output. In other words, it is performing many calculations on the source file for output. I suppose I should forget about the technical stuff in the DirectStream DAC and just judge the DirectStream by how it sounds.

In any case, I am still very happy with my Ayre QB-9 DSD DAC and see no reason to think about replacing it. I am still fascinated by the DirectStreams’s technical design and its use of DSD technology.

Does it really sound as good as the reviewers say it does?