The MK2 is worthwhile, no matter the wait.
Perhaps your gut feeling says there’s a better alternative around the corner? In that case, keep us informed!
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Depending on where you live and dealer willingness, you could use this time to listen to other Dacs. There’s a lot of choices.
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Hi All, I’m trying to configure my mkII to select the active input automatically. I use the I2S1 (a) and USB (b) inputs. If (a) is selected but no signal and I start Jriver on the laptop on (b) I would like (b) to become active automatically. Make sense? Or am I expecting too much? I’ve tried fiddling with the input settings to no avail yet.
If you press the I2S1 button twice in a row the first time will select I2S1 and the 2nd time will select auto input select.
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Thank you, Ted.
Does this Auto feature work with all inputs by selecting then pushing center button once again to set to Auto?
Thanks!
It’s turned on exclusively by pressing the I2S1 switch twice (or once if I2S1 is already selected 
)
I actively scans all inputs for active data and plays the last one that became active and is still active.
There isn’t any way of restricting it to only a few inputs (say, if the others can be active too.)
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Ok thanks. I got hooked on the Auto thing from the Jr.
The MK II review finally arrived in the new June issue of the UK magazine HIFI NEWS.
“I’ve yet to hear a PS Audio component that didn’t leave a lasting impression, the most recent being its mammoth BHK M600 monoblock [HFN Dec ’22]. That amp combined a weighty presentation with rich tonality, and the DirectStream DAC MK2 ploughs a similar furrow. It’s a superstar performer with a wonderfully balanced sound; treble is typically smooth and bass has depth and drama, but detail isn’t obfuscated and soundstaging is clear and precise. It’s all so achingly naturalistic that one track turns into two, turns into five, turns into an evening. No genre is off-limits, either, as the DAC works its magic to scrub up everything from rap to rock.
The dimensionality of the sound is what stunned me, though. Quite often I ended up with head cocked to one side and an inquisitive look.
‘Lazarus’, from David Bowie’s Blackstar[Columbia/ISO/Sony Music, 96kHz/24-bit], showed a finely constructed image with exceptional depth, so that this electro-infused production arrived with layer and layer of sound behind Bowie’s vocal. Similarly, Joe Walsh’s ‘Life’s Been Good’ [But Seriously, Folks…; Asylum Records, 44.1kHz/16-bit], while not as overtly mixed, still felt effortlessly three-dimensional.”
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HI-FI NEWS VERDICT
Fans of PS Audio have long been asking about a successor to its DirectStream DAC, and this MK2 model was worth the wait. This builds on the custom code concept of its predecessor with across-the-board improvements, delivering – the sensitivity of some amps to its ultrasonic noise notwithstanding – a scintillating performance from whatever flavour of music and file you might choose to play.
Sound Quality: 87%
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Where does this score land in their rankings. Sorry I am not familiar with that site.
In the same issue they reviewed the Auralic Aries G1.1 streamer and it received a sound quality score of 86%.
Score of 87 is about average. Not terrible, not great. About average for an $8k component I’d say. Wouldn’t call it a good score.
For context, the FR30 and FR20 got 90%. Wilson Audio Alexx V got 94%. Things that score poorly get like 84%. I can’t remember exactly but BHK600 may have also gotten 87 recently
Reminds me of a recent thread around here
I’d still rather have less filtering in the DAC than more, but I wonder (something to think about for the next DAC design) if filtering could be optional (I’m talking switching in an analogue low pass post output transformer) and the rerason for it made explicit, folks have the option then (and PSA support get less calls).
Disclaimer - PSA DACs out of my price range, especially in the UK, but the tech is very interesting (partly because of all the openness of the design process).
Just read the review of the Mk2 in Stereophile. Not the most informational review. . . if I didn’t own either Mk1 or Mk2 not sure I would have a good idea how it sounds. But I do own both and am glad I do!
Sounds good, I enjoyed it, found myself listening more than 2 hours, but (always a but) measurements concern me. That’s not going to go well on the internet.
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I saw the review, the measurement section is especially bad I thought… measured worse than Mk1, 20dB higher distortion? “sub 16bit” s/n? huh? Maybe @tedsmith or @Paul can shed some light into this.
Not a great review. My takeaway is that Atkinson really likes the Benchmark DAC3.
The last paragraph was ugly imo and if I was PSA, I’d want to take a look at the review unit.
Which issue was this? I don’t see the review in the May 2023 issue.
June
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