PS Audio Direct Stream

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?

I dont like its DSD playback at all and that is putting it nicely. PCM is quite good.

Hgeifman,

You state "I suppose I should forget about the technical stuff in the DirectStream DAC and just judge the DirectStream by how it sounds."

And then you state "I am still very happy with my Ayre QB-9 DSD DAC and see no reason to think about replacing it."

So what's the point of all this?