Hi All, separate from the DS MKII modding thread at ( Modding DirectStream DAC MKII - Audio Components / DACs - PS Audio ), and as authorized by @Interested, here is a thread for late-beta, early-production DS MKII recipients with questions / comments about how to get their new babies up and running. Hopefully experts from the beta thread will be able to advise some as well. I will post a link to here there too.
Here is a first question: How should a USB stick be formatted to make firmware upgrades? From the beta thread, it sounds like sticks are needed at this point. And some folks have had problems with exFAT format. Does it have to be FAT32 at present?
Hello! How exciting that the DS2 is out on distribution. Very much looking forward to hearing the various experiences from forum members as the production version rolls out
Trying to order the Mk II now. Got as far as picking a color and looking up my Mk I serial number for trade in and now it won’t let me continue. After repeated re-tries, I got as far as entering my Mk I serial number for trade in and the only think to click on was start over. My guess is that the web site is being slammed with new orders.
I have tried using both FireFox and Edge browsers on a PC.
I do not believe the MK II is ready for general shipping.
@Interested may have misunderstood the context and purpose of this new thread, which I believe is just a tad ahead of its time. (Although the first post is certainly not inappropriate. Nor is the thread.)
Actually, time has come today! I made my order via email sent on 1st Dec to sales@. I included a pdf of my previous sales order for the trade-in calculation. PSA then sent me a new order PDF adjusted for the trade-in. Called in my credit card number and by and by… last week, maybe once they had an internal OK to ship, I am just assuming… there was a Fed Ex notification. I am away but will be home on Tuesday where my new MKII already awaits!
Yes. From an earlier set of update instructions: “Make sure the USB stick is 32GB or under and formatted to FAT32. The instructions apply to Mac, PC, or Linux.”
@scotte1@bstanwick If you are in the States, you can try sending an email with a prior sales order PDF for trade-in to sales… or to your favourite sales contact… at psaudio.com. That should get you in the queue. Oh, and, yes, choice of colour. Then you can also monitor feedback regarding the present wave of deliveries before actually pulling the trigger if you want. But, yeah, could be too late for Christmas. But maybe for New Years!
I confirm that the italian dealer has both silver and black DS DAC MK II in stock now. Ready to be shipped.
As asked in another thread (sorry for this second post but this thread didn’t exist yet) I would be happy if @Paul@aaronm@jamesh or PS Audio staff could confirm me that these units are:
official release and not beta units, it means already worked and checked with all beta issues well known and fixed hardware wise. To be sure that if I buy tomorrow one of these I will never need to send it back for already well known issues.
with last software FW179 already on board
Hope the answer will be useful also to all other EU customers that are ready and excited to buy MK II units next days.
I think that’s a major interesting point for all who want to buy it soon (and I know one):
Is there a difference between beta units and official releases at all?
And if there is, is the only difference (as I assume) the definitive absence of a HW fix needed (assumed PSA already found out what to fix in detail)?
If few beta testers had to send their units back to Boulder it means that:
early production needed some work
PS Audio needed to find out which units needed to be worked and which ones not, related to issues reported by some beta testers unlike others working flawlessly
After PS Audio announced the end of beta period and official launch of general release, I suppose and expect that:
PS Audio needed to determine which units already produced would have been re-worked after a final check and updated quality control
PS Audio needed to adequate the last production consequently in order to be sure they can ship to US and international customers only those units, definitely fixed as for well known beta issues
Being all the steps above described happened in a very short time, we (me) as customers ready to buy would be very happy if PS Audio would be able to assure us about units already available at dealers. I’m assuming that the units that are in stock at EU dealers today have been shipped a few days (weeks) ago, just in the middle of the process above described.
I have no doubts that a company well trusted and carefully driven by professional and serious people like Paul is going to clarify these aspects in a clear and competent way without any effort.
Keep calm and let them the time to answer us and we will be all happy!
Luca, it would be great if you could confirm from a dealer that this is not pre-ordering. Seems pretty unlikely they would actually have units in hand. Unless you already know this to be a fact.
They called me yesterday to confirm me that units are in stock and if I pay one tomorrow within next Wednesday I receive it.
That’s the reason why I was a little bit surprised (excited and incredulous and displaced by the news) and I’m asking here on the forum a few clarifications.
PSA must feel confident to ship their “early release” DS MKII to Italy. They must have heard your Christmas wish. I do not know if other countries have them ready for sale yet.
The few units that still have problems were the ones that never went back to PSA for a fix, and the new FW triggered issues. I have not heard the “fixed” units having issues.
