Directstream Mk 2 with different streamers?

Audio Components DACs
1

Edit: Wow, after being plugged in on standby overnight, things sound considerably better. Still a touch bright, but my question about an Airlens compared to an OpticalRendu remains :slight_smile:

I just got a Directstream Mk 2 yesterday and am wondering about streamers. This is a remanufactured unit so it’s broke in (I hope), and most of it sounds wonderful. The issue I’m having is brightness in the upper midrange/lower highs. I find fatiguing and I keep turning it down, down, down. :frowning:

I’m using an OpticalRendu, with a Teddy Pardo power supply which I’ve had for many years swapped. I USB cables from Audience Stage 2 to Cardas Clear which calmed down the brightness a bit, but not enough.

A couple years ago, I compared an Airlens using coax to the OpticalRendu using USB, and my impression at the time was they were pretty similar, but the Airlens might have a little more warmth and bass. This comparison was with the DAC I still have, a Lampizator Amber 3 tube DAC.

My question is will changing streamers to the AirLens (or anything else) help with my brightness issue, or do I just not like this DAC and need to find something warmer?

System:
BHK Preamp
BHK 250 amp
Magnepan 3.7i speakers
Lampizator Amber 3 DAC
Cardas Clear Reflection interconnects and speaker cables

2

I have never heard that tube DAC but my guess is you are used to the sound of that one. But I will say I have not heard anyone calling the MKII bright. Especially with those speakers and amp. Are you just used to the sound of a Tube DAC? Having to keep turning it down sure tells me your ears do not like it.

3

I figured someone would say that I like tube DACs better :slight_smile:
Some of the reviews I read made mention that the brightness might be a thing you’ll notice.
I “can” put resistors on the Magnepans to calm things down also, but the downsides are there is a loss of transparency as well as altering the sound for my vinyl playback which sounds great without the resistors. Yes, I bought high quality resistors to replace the cheap ones that Magnepan supplies.

3 Likes