I just loaded 1.2.1, with no problems. I notice an improved bass, and an “airiness” around the instuments with a larger soundstage. Some of my red book cd’s, now sound like I’m there in the studio listening to the performance. It’s live but I know better. Thanks to Ted, Paul and the PS Audio team for a job well done.
Wow, where is the 'jaw dropping' emoticon when you need one. Superb firmware! Thanks once again Ted, Paul and everyone else involved for making an awesome sounding DAC sound even more spectacular!
DEA saidNicely put.Wow, where is the 'jaw dropping' emoticon when you need one. Superb firmware! Thanks once again Ted, Paul and everyone else involved for making an awesome sounding DAC sound even more spectacular!
Actually this says it all.
I big smile and a thanks from me to all the PS Audio team involved delivering this amazing sound.
I’m enjoying my DS, the firmware 1.2.1 has lifted the musical performance to new highs for me, low level listening is excellent very engaging louder volumes just enthralling or reflective as the song writer and recording engineer intended for us to hear, I’m definitely the closest I have ever been - transporting to the venue. I cannot wish or ask for more the sound and performance bottom to top - perfect is the performance, this DAC is amazing thanks 
Regards
Johno
Thanks guys!!
Frode saidDEA saidWow, where is the 'jaw dropping' emoticon when you need one. Superb firmware! Thanks once again Ted, Paul and everyone else involved for making an awesome sounding DAC sound even more spectacular!
Nicely put.
Actually this says it all.
Thanks Frode, lol… I actually did write more, describing what I was hearing… but then figured what’s the point. Keep it simple… the Directstream clearly sounds much more impressive after installing the new firmware.
gocubs42 said I just loaded 1.2.1, with no problems. I notice an improved bass, and an "airiness" around the instuments with a larger soundstage. Some of my red book cd's, now sound like I'm there in the studio listening to the performance. It's live but I know better.Thanks, I didn't know how to describe the improvement, you've done :-). I've also the feeling that at low or very low level I got a fuller sound, which is interesting in quiet moments.
Thanks again to PSAudio and all beta testers.
[Discussion regarding problems installing the new firmware moved to its own thread]
Well, this just knocked me out of my chair. Excellent upgrade, gives us a bigger soundstage and a much better bottom end. Nicely done Ted. 
Looks like one more nail in the coffin for my vinyl collection!
1.2.1 is fantastic. Amazing.
Just to clarify, do we think that correcting the measurement anomalies resulted in this level of improvement in SQ? Or is there something else going on.
stereophilus said 1.2.1 is fantastic. Amazing.Just to clarify, do we think that correcting the measurement anomalies resulted in this level of improvement in SQ? Or is there something else going on.
Working on the distortion with high level signals in the base had more of an effect than I anticipated. I don’t think in and of itself fixing the low level non-linearities made much of a difference, but the work that fixed both of these had some unexpected positive side effects: a lower noise floor (which is never bad IMO) and it allowed me to do some other resource balancing in the FPGA - for example that lowered the FPGA jitter a little and further solidified the soundstage. Everything together had a synergy that none of us expected.
If I hadn’t started down this path from looking at JAs measurements I suspect I would gotten here eventually, but often an external observation/request, etc. serves to focus attention.
stereophilus said 1.2.1 is fantastic. Amazing.Just to clarify, do we think that correcting the measurement anomalies resulted in this level of improvement in SQ? Or is there something else going on.
It’s my opinion that lowering the distortion (confirmed by measurement, and widely observed subjectively, as in this instance) should always yield better sonics.
Is it just me or we must crank up the volume when we use the bridge ?
When I use usb with Audirvana , I have no problem : but when I use the bridge with Elyric , I need to crank up the volume .
I just use the remote to verify the balance , and I cannot go higher than 63 on both channel . When I hold the button of the right channel , it goes up to 63 and after it switches to the left channel . The maximum I can reach is 63 for both channel . So I understand why I need to crank up the volume … Ted , is it normal ???
brodricj said It's my opinion that lowering the distortion (confirmed by measurement, and widely observed subjectively, as in this instance) should always yield better sonics.If only things were that simple. The distortion related things I did raised distortion on average but in ways that no-one can hear and lowered it other ways that we obviously do hear - I got here by trying to lower overall distortion too much and obviously threw the baby out with the bathwater.
cop1s said Is it just me or we must crank up the volume when we use the bridge ?When I use usb with Audirvana , I have no problem : but when I use the bridge with Elyric , I need to crank up the volume .
I just use the remote to verify the balance , and I cannot go higher than 63 on both channel . When I hold the button of the right channel , it goes up to 63 and after it switches to the left channel . The maximum I can reach is 63 for both channel . So I understand why I need to crank up the volume … Ted , is it normal ???
Sorry I can’t help: The changes I made to the FPGA don’t affect the volume levels limits and I don’t think the new host processor code does either - but Dennis may have to correct me on that. The same file played thru the bridge and thru any other input should present the exact same bits to the FPGA and therefor be at the same volume. I don’t know if Elyric has configuration items that could cause this effect.
Sorry for my last post , I don t know why , but the volume was at 63 on the screen . So I put it at 100 manually on the screen and everything is now ok .
There seem to be a few anomalies for a few people with the volume/balance controls just after an update. Get things back to normal and you probably will never see that again.
For me, with 1.2.1 it’s like everything just snapped into focus and i didn’t even realize it was blurry before. A major improvement and you can’t beat the cost. Thanks to Ted and the whole team.
By the way , 1.2.1 is an outstanding upgrade !!! Congratulations Ted and the rest of the team …
Lets hope that Stereophile and JA will do a follow review for the DS with the new FW in an upcoming issue.