We sat and listened carefully last night. Although I could hear some artifacts in the high end (slight sibilance, a bit of glare) and a somewhat thin low end, it was entirely listenable.
I think it shows how system-dependent things can be. I have no objection to listening while it’s still breaking in, and the PWDII has gone cold and dark.
The soundstage does seem larger than with the PWDII, and there are some details that seem more present than before. It’ll be interesting to hear how the DS opens up over time.
Q: Has anyone upgraded the fuses in the DS? How many, what type, and how do you get the top off without screws?
Q: I don’t have any DSD tracks in my library. Where’s the best place to pick some of those up?
A few I can add for you . Acoustic sounds DSD of tea for the tiller man is a good show case . But better is the Elvis stereo 57 DSD . It is just a wow moment when you play it. Track 2 is my fave . Another is anything by opus3. The latest is great it’s opus 3 no 3 DSD . Buy it as a DSD 128 . Lead track is house of the rising sun .
Rob, I believe in PSA’s How To on their site there are instructions for kit builders which explain how to take the top off. You flip the DS over, remove several screws holding it together, get four threaded studs, about 2" long, don’t recall the size, and thread these into four threaded holes, they are small maybe 3/32. Then you flip DS back so the top is up again and push down on the left and right edges of the case. Top should pop out so you can remove it easily. There is also a video on this. You should read the How To or view the video first.
rogerdn said
Rob, I believe in PSA's How To on their site there are instructions for kit builders which explain how to take the top off. You flip the DS over, remove several screws holding it together, get four threaded studs, about 2" long, don't recall the size, and thread these into four threaded holes, they are small maybe 3/32. Then you flip DS back so the top is up again and push down on the left and right edges of the case. Top should pop out so you can remove it easily. There is also a video on this. You should read the How To or view the video first.
Thanks, Roger...
Now that you mention it, I did see the video when deciding on kit versus pre-built. I’ll check to see the size for the screws, and then go to Lowe’s to get frustrated when a) I can’t find them, or b) 1 out of the 4 are the wrong size because someone messed up the bin.
It would be nice to know the fuse values before going into the box. That way, I don’t have to open it twice.
rogerdn said
Rob, I believe in PSA's How To on their site there are instructions for kit builders which explain how to take the top off. You flip the DS over, remove several screws holding it together, get four threaded studs, about 2" long, don't recall the size, and thread these into four threaded holes, they are small maybe 3/32. Then you flip DS back so the top is up again and push down on the left and right edges of the case. Top should pop out so you can remove it easily. There is also a video on this. You should read the How To or view the video first.
Thanks, Roger…
Now that you mention it, I did see the video when deciding on kit versus pre-built. I’ll check to see the size for the screws, and then go to Lowe’s to get frustrated when a) I can’t find them, or b) 1 out of the 4 are the wrong size because someone messed up the bin.
It would be nice to know the fuse values before going into the box. That way, I don’t have to open it twice.
2 fuses. Short type. 1 amp slo blo type. 5X20mm length. If you are replacing I highly suggest Synergistic Research SR20 fuses. Placed backward so that when viewing the fuses installed the end of the fuse nearest the 20 on the fuse barrel is on the end closest to the rear of the chassis. Basically compared to the writing on the fuse barrel the flow of current is spearing to be against the flow of the writing on the fuse.
Rob, never have changed the fuses, later today I can check the spare(s) they sent and see what it says.
Edit…I see it’s answered. If you like the Boss, get his latest album High Hopes, crank up the vol to just below the pain level and enjoy, ‘full bodied’, powerful stuff, love it.
One other quick question – and it might be silly one, at that:
I’ve seen advice to run burn-in with the attenuator on (Level = Low), making the DAC work harder. Overnight, I simply turn off the amp, turn on the DAC’s attenuator (if that’s the right term), and loop a burn-in disc.
Is it okay to turn the DAC up to 100 under these conditions? I have a piece of book marker tape over the amp’s power switch to remind me to turn down the DAC before turning on the amp! That would be a rather nasty surprise.
Rob H. said
One other quick question -- and it might be silly one, at that:
I’ve seen advice to run burn-in with the attenuator on (Level = Low), making the DAC work harder. Overnight, I simply turn off the amp, turn on the DAC’s attenuator (if that’s the right term), and loop a burn-in disc.
Is it okay to turn the DAC up to 100 under these conditions? I have a piece of book marker tape over the amp’s power switch to remind me to turn down the DAC before turning on the amp! That would be a rather nasty surprise.
Turning it up to 100 with the attenuator set is the way to put the most current thru the transformers. FWIW The volume at 100 with the attenuators in is close to 60 with the attenuators out. When taking the attenuator back out just make sure you turn the volume down a ways before you hit the filter button.
Turning it up to 100 with the attenuator set is the way to put the most current thru the transformers. FWIW The volume at 100 with the attenuators in is close to 60 with the attenuators out. When taking the attenuator back out just make sure you turn the volume down a ways before you hit the filter button.
Ted,
Wow, for a change, I think I understand one of your posts!
Is it me, or does this seem a bit counterintuitive? From my limited understanding, running with Level: High at 100 seems that it would ‘crank’ more than Level: Low at 100, as with Level: Low the volume – so to speak – is knocked down.
Perhaps I just have the concept backwards. Wouldn’t be the first time.
Can you clear that up just a bit?
Add me to the list of, “So far, lovin’ it!” It sounds great.
I think you have ted and me confused. I am the one to try and decrypt. Lmao.
The concept is the lower level output loads the output stage so leaving it on and at 100 loads up the output stage pretty good. So no future connection is needed.
Turning it up to 100 with the attenuator set is the way to put the most current thru the transformers. FWIW The volume at 100 with the attenuators in is close to 60 with the attenuators out. When taking the attenuator back out just make sure you turn the volume down a ways before you hit the filter button.
Ted,
Wow, for a change, I think I understand one of your posts!
Is it me, or does this seem a bit counterintuitive? From my limited understanding, running with Level: High at 100 seems that it would ‘crank’ more than Level: Low at 100, as with Level: Low the volume – so to speak – is knocked down.
Perhaps I just have the concept backwards. Wouldn’t be the first time.
Can you clear that up just a bit?
Add me to the list of, “So far, lovin’ it!” It sounds great.
Rob
Sorry I’m inscrutable at times
The attenuator isn’t implemented digitally by, say, subtracting some thing from the volume. Instead it’s a relay that puts 15 ohm resistors from the output lines to ground: i.e. by shorting 9/10 of the signal to ground. This causes more current to flow thru the transformer.
Something we should know or at least I did not. As we use the DS much of what I do is enjoy its sound . I am recovering from a flu like illness so I have not even used it much in my home in NC. My point is I do not have a special cpu down here as of now. I did have the iMac but it’s up north now. Anyway my personnel cpu is a AMD 5200 2.71. It seems fast enough for my needs for business anyway. Well listening to the DS today here it seemed ok but not like I remembered it. Very uninvolving at best. No shine. I blamed it on me not being well . So just now I was getting mad at what I am hearing . So connected it to a surface pro . Nothing special there at all here . Except the sound was just amazing in comparison. Now it’s the DS I remembered and why I brought it down here with me. So a fair warning as this DAC fairs better than most with cables. It does need a cpu to play well. So I think its fair to assume we all should try other cpu,s or atleast a really newer one or one that is proven to be good. Maybe a thread dedeacted to it. And yes I stopped all services I could including the antivirus .
alrainbow said
Something we should know or at least I did not. As we use the DS much of what I do is enjoy its sound . I am recovering from a flu like illness so I have not even used it much in my home in NC. My point is I do not have a special cpu down here as of now. I did have the iMac but it's up north now. Anyway my personnel cpu is a AMD 5200 2.71. It seems fast enough for my needs for business anyway. Well listening to the DS today here it seemed ok but not like I remembered it. Very uninvolving at best. No shine. I blamed it on me not being well . So just now I was getting mad at what I am hearing . So connected it to a surface pro . Nothing special there at all here . Except the sound was just amazing in comparison. Now it's the DS I remembered and why I brought it down here with me. So a fair warning as this DAC fairs better than most with cables. It does need a cpu to play well. So I think its fair to assume we all should try other cpu,s or atleast a really newer one or one that is proven to be good. Maybe a thread dedeacted to it. And yes I stopped all services I could including the antivirus .
Just some thoughts
al
Al, hope you’re feeling better. I had the same thing I came down with last Monday two days after my son’s wedding. I thought I was nuts at first but it took me down until last Friday before I got back on my feet.
During that time I had loads of opportunity with my DS but mostly shied away as everything bothered me no matter what until sometime Thursday
We sat and listened carefully last night. Although I could hear some artifacts in the high end (slight sibilance, a bit of glare) and a somewhat thin low end, it was entirely listenable.
I think it shows how system-dependent things can be. I have no objection to listening while it’s still breaking in, and the PWDII has gone cold and dark.
The soundstage does seem larger than with the PWDII, and there are some details that seem more present than before. It’ll be interesting to hear how the DS opens up over time.
Q: Has anyone upgraded the fuses in the DS? How many, what type, and how do you get the top off without screws?
Q: I don’t have any DSD tracks in my library. Where’s the best place to pick some of those up?
Rob
Hi Rob.. what you describe is exactly what I found. Im at about day five and I couldn't be happier with the SQ. The spitty sibilants you talk of will clear right up and the presentation will become more grounded(whatever that means). The "hear everything on your disc" spin is right on the mark. This is most apparent on DSD files. I got 6 DSD albums from Acoustic Sounds and I must say they are great. I'm a big fan of the Steely Dan album Gaucho and I have multiple copies. For a long time my favourite was a vinyl rip of the original US LP. Now I'm not sure. The dsf file played back on the DS has everything. The added detail would wasted if the sound was edgy and bad 'digital' . This is NOT the case. The DS just sound right...enjoy
Another good one is Cat Stevens Tea for the Tillerman. You will hear things that you didn’t know were there.
The DS will have the gold fuses already. If you want to take the DS apart you need four special screws. There are instructions somewhere but, if I were you, I would forget about it.
I’m frustrated with Windows and JRiver - I think I’m done with mucking with that Media PC tonight. Right now I’m pushing music from my Oppo to the DS via Coax and I’ll (re)address the Media PC tomorrow with a fresh head.
I’ve only got about an hour on the DAC since I gave up messing with the Media PC. First Impressions: Even the fiance notices the difference. She asked if I was playing a different version of CSN - Helplessly Hoping - No, it’s the same copy as always. She’s pissed I spent so much, but is begrudgingly admitting she can hear the improvement.
Separation of voices and instruments is the first and biggest improvement I hear right off. In the CSN song above, each voice is quite clear, and one stood out that we never really noticed before. Played The Waylin’ Jenny’s - Summertime and it gave me shivers.
Reverb in the recordings is more apparent, adds more “air” to the recordings.
Being a casual musician, I have a good sense of what instruments should sound like, and a lot of that has to do with the attack and decay - the DirectStream has this right. Guitar picking, and the crack of drum heads really come alive.
Bass is doing something weird, at one moment it sounds tight and right, next moment it’s kinda bloated.
I’m going to let it burn in and report back later. I need to go beat a PC to death and go to bed.
We won’t get into the Mac vs. PC thing, but I was pleased when I didn’t have to dink around to get the DS going. Just swapped the PWD for the DS as though they were one and the same.
Thanks to all for input on the DSD files and vibration control.
Now, that said…
Ted, Oh, Ted. What… have… you… done… ? This thing is crazy good! ()
We had a good listening session last night () and simply couldn’t break away (). Stayed up way past our bedtime (). At only about 36 hours in, the DS is settling nicely and presenting some incredible improvement over the PWD. As Paul told me in an email, “It won’t take 30 days to decide.” I might as well send the PWD back, now.
Sorry about all the emoticons. It’s easier than thinking right now.
A few highlights and tune recommendations:
If you’ve never heard of Jesse Cook, give the live album “Montreal” a spin. Jesse is one of our favorite artists, a very dynamic guitar player from Canada whose music is best described as Nuevo Flaminco, but not in a boring Otmar Liebert way. I think he has gypsy roots, actually. In “Dance of Spring”, he goes on a run that will blow you away. Susan says, “If you’re at one of his concerts and sitting in your seat, there’s something wrong with you.”
Mickey Hart on “Dafös”, track “Psychopomp”, where he plays the Beam, a large, curved beam with strings that are activated by slapping, hitting with sticks, etc. It’ll rattle the windows. It was well represented by the DS. As they say, I heard things I’ve not heard before.
If you like Doo Wop, The Nylons’ album “One Size Fits All”, track “Romance (If I Can Get It)”. We’ve never heard it like last night’s run. The a capella voices were all distinct, clear and present, yet melded together very nicely.
One thing I really appreciate about the new DS is the large volume display. Nice, big numbers that an old fart like me can read from across the room. In the past, I always had to squint at that little bar display.
alrainbow said
A few I can add for you . Acoustic sounds DSD of tea for the tiller man is a good show case . But better is the Elvis stereo 57 DSD . It is just a wow moment when you play it. Track 2 is my fave . Another is anything by opus3. The latest is great it's opus 3 no 3 DSD . Buy it as a DSD 128 . Lead track is house of the rising sun .
This one. 12 bucks a no brainer and it’s all great .
al
Thanks, Al, for the Opus3 sampler recommendation–I just got it and it’s fantastic. (I write “just got it” casually, having purchased something from several thousand miles away in a matter of minutes. What a world we live in.) Tea for the Tillerman is also superb–was listening to that last night.
One question for Al or anyone who knows this sampler: on the first track, all the instruments are loud and up front, while the singer’s voice is soft and set back in the soundstage. Is this the way it was recorded, or is something wrong (phase??). All the other tracks sound normal. This is with the DSD64, since I can’t yet play DSD128 (next Monday, next Monday . . . )
Yes she sings a little laid back. But if you have a Mac and aurdivana plus she is a little more up front. My msb DAC portreys her like the Mac and DS does. How cool,is that sax man. There is all kinds of little noises in that recording as well. Enjoy . Do you have Elvis stereo 57
dsd 64. Acoustic sounds. What an amazing voice he had it’s another must have . I really wish others would tip us up to stuff like this. I have learned to enjoy so much more just because the quality is there .
Glad you liked it. The whole download is really good . Reg cat Stevens sad Lisa is good showcase for the DS for me .
)
) and simply couldn’t break away (
). Stayed up way past our bedtime (
). At only about 36 hours in, the DS is settling nicely and presenting some incredible improvement over the PWD. As Paul told me in an email, “It won’t take 30 days to decide.” I might as well send the PWD back, now.