I have a krell preamp which maybe why mine is a bit on the bright side
Interesting contrasts. Not surprised by the dCS conclusion.
Surprised by the Gold Note comparison. As to the latter, sounds like the reviewer like aspects of both, but at least based on what you posted if pressed to pick a winner appears he/she would take Gold Note based on grouping it with dCS in closing statement.
I find the treble prominent too - upper mids are sibilant.
More so the point that instruments were â[not] part of a collective whole thatâs greater than the sum of its partsâ. That points to musical flow rather than just listening to individual sounds. I found that to be a shortcoming of Windom vs say Snowmass.
I have a solid state power amp and a tube pre.
Horses for courses.
The reviewer tested it with Bridge II installed. Bridge II strips some spatial data, reduces openness, and nuances on the DS DAC, be it streaming or using other connections. I tested my system with and without Bridge II for a number of times, and made the decision to remove it permanently. The gain was immense. Now my Naim Core server is directly connected to DS DAC and it is amazingly natural. For Roon and Tidal, I am looking at ways to improve the quality of USB connection from Nucleus+ into the DSD DAC. Long term, am not ruling out a stand-alone digital transport.
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Yes I believe so. Donât have a proper streamer yet and was impressed by the non-space consuming Bridge II solution first, which sounded much better than a normal PC USB connection to the DAC.
Will have to try a streamer. Didnât want to spend the same amount as for the DAC again so far on digital for the comparably relatively small effect.
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My top options for streamers are DCS Bridge, Lumin U1, Esoteric N05 (includes a very good DAC) but each would cost roughly the same as DS DAC, so I am holding off for now. Would you consider something like PRO-JECT STREAM BOX S2 ULTRA. It is about $700 and was praised by John Atkinson and recommended by Hi Fi Choice.
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Thanks, a unit like the Project could indeed be an option, PSA is not going to offer as it seems.
Iâm just not sure if this will really sound better unless fitted with an expensive linear power supply and a Matrix as well as an expensive cable for digital and power connection.
Would be interesting if someone has experience, but my impression so far is, that such a digital combo is not optimal unless everything is addressed.
The Bridge II has the disadvantage of generating noise inside the DAC, external streamers have the disadvantage to need all those measures mentioned above to really perform better.
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Project provides an optional power supply for that specific unit @$250. But I totally agree that proper research and if possible testing devices in your own system gives better results.
The reviewer heard what he heard. What I hear may sound different due to the upgrade power cable, the Matrix, itâs power supply, the fancy cables to and from, the Bridge card being removed etc.
I havenât listened to my DSD with ordinary cables and direct USB since buying the Matrix.
I wish he could do a test between the DSD has he had it configured and the DSD the way I/we have it configured. It responds well to expensive love.
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âŚand synergy with upstream and downstream equipment in the signal chain. My system is not inexpensive, nor does it represent anywhere near the investment that you or say @cardri has invested in power supply, cables and such.
That said, one thing the DS has NEVER been during its time in my system (including all of its firmware iterations) is âbrightâ or âetchedâ*. At the risk of sounding hypocritical, I canât help but suspect there is something else amiss in the referenced reviewerâs system.
But, Iâll take them at their word and simply acknowledge their experience is different from mine.
Cheers.
[Note: In the interest of accuracy, the referenced reviewer quote I am addressing here referred to the DS as treble-prominent . âBrightâ and âetchedâ are my words, not theirs. That said, the DS has never been what I would describe as âtreble-prominentâ either (I find too much treble to seem bright an etched. 
)]
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You are right, âbright and etchedâ" was true when I used the DS with my Oppo or Marantz as transports. Sometimes so bad I had to turn the volume down a lot and still very difficult to endure. But those words does not exist with my Aurender N10 or DMP as sources. With the Aurender or DMP, the sound is so real that I donât think anything could be better!!
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I found this comment interesting. May I ask a follow up/clarifying question?:
Do you mean that an instrument that works in the upper frequencies sounds disjointed or somehow unnatural, or are you relating that such instruments seem to unnaturally stand apart from what you previously experienced as a more cohesive or joint projection of sound consisting of multiple instruments along the frequency spectrum?
The reason I ask, is that one of the aspects of the DS that I believe has gotten more prominent and, what I have come to think of as, more correct with the last couple of firmware updates is its uncanny ability to separate different instruments and voices in space and to render them in layers on many recordings.
At first, I found this a bit disconcerting because it was not the (shall I say) wall of sound I was used to. Rather, the DS is now âinsightfulâ enough to separate and present these instruments and voices in space in a manner that recognizes them as individual contributors to a musical act.
Thatâs my take anyway.
Good luck with optimizing your system and enjoy the music. (And thanks in advance if you care to reply.)
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I had a DCS Bartok in my system for a while and went back to the DS. When I auditioned the Rossini w/clock it struck me as a similar sound, but better performance. Nonetheless, I found the DCS stuff to be too digital, harsh, and uncompromising compared to my DS, even if it was technically better in many ways. The DS has a much warmer, smoother and rounder tone. At times the Bartok was unlistenable to me in its brutal precision and sharp edges. Without a doubt, the Bartok and Rossini are much brighter DACs.
Using ethernet does kind of shape the review in one direction as I found the DCS stuff to be pretty harsh with the network input, and many say the Bridge II and ethernet arenât the best sounding.
Now Iâm doing EMM Labs with their Optilink input and it is like a higher resolution DS that kicks the pants off DCS.
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InterestingâŚ
Have fun.
The characteristics of the DCS or Chord and others in comparison are the reason why I wondered that the DS was called to sound prominent in treble.
Yes, I thought that was very strange and quite the opposite of what Iâve found comparing the DS with other DACs. The DS is the least treble prominent DAC I have ever owned.
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High capacitance analog output cables will tip up the top on the DS and they typically roll off the top on other audio units. If someone used high capacitance cables to tame the high end of another DAC (perhaps subconsciously) then the DS will definitely have more than expected energy up top.
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Same observation from my side. Bartok was very boring and non engaging.
I found Rosini to be more engaging musical. But price point wise too high.
Regards,
Sourav
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Good to knowâŚthank you, Ted.
Thanks for the input!
So if my balanced interconnects are ultra low impedance does this imply they are high capacitance?