Well everyone, I just took the leap and ordered my mk2… the debt is still sinking in… although psaudio has done an outstanding job of helping on that end with such a good trade in value! Its just one of the reasons I keep buying their products! The others are:
Made in the USA
Fantastic audio products
Long lifespan with frequent updates to firmware
Being able to talk to the Engineers/Designers and pick their brains (hopefully not causing permanent injury! )
Good customer service
Great value for performance ratio
other good reasons I cant think of right now… its 3:30am here…
My current/past psaudio gear:
(all gear is stock for now)
DSD Sr mk1
P12 regenerator
DS Memory Player
NuWave Phone Preamplifier
Stellar Phono Preamplifier
soon to arrive… DSD Mk2!!
Other gear:
Primaluna Dialogue Integrated HP (KT-120 & NOS 12AU7)
DH Labs (PCOCC Silver plated copper) D-750 Digital Coaxial Interconnect
Audioquest and PS Audio Power cables t/o
VPI Classic Signature HW Reference with Fatboy 10" Tonearm
Soundsmith Zephyr MIMC Star ES Cartridge
Roon Nucleus + Core
It’s taken me 9 years so far to put this system together searching for the best value/performance I could find, usually meaning finding good sales on almost everything listed! The DSD mk2 is going to make everything shine! Probably my end game DAC as I dont see 15k+ doable for another DAC in 2-5 years. So, my dream system is almost done… yeah right… wishful thinking!!
Hi Vince. In an earlier post I read you were using the KTE SU-2 to convert from the Sonore Signature SE USB output to I2S. I was curious if you have moved away from this based on your post and that you now like USB better. I am very interested in your experience as my chain is Sonore Optical Module to Sonore SE to DS 2 via Curious USB. I was considering the best way to move to I2S and was following your comments closely. Anyway, I new in writing to the forum. BTW … my name is Bob and my DS2 has about 1week on it and it continues to get better!
Hi Bob - I am no longer using the KTE SU-2. I am directly connecting the Sig Rendu to the MKII via a Wireworld Platinum Starlight 8 USB cable. It replaced an Audioquest Diamond a while back.
I personally didn’t hear a difference between I2S and USB on the MKII so I removed the KTE SU-2. Some here on the forum prefer the USB connection, others seem to like the I2S. As with most things in this hobby I think it’s user/system dependent. What you hear, might not be what I hear.
I will add my experience with USB or I2S. I have approximately 500 hours on my MK2 now and I have eliminated the Matrix and I2S. I found too little difference if any between going from Sonore opticalRendu to Matrix and I2S into the MK2 compared to opticalRendu USB to MK2. I had been waiting to see which cable I needed to purchase, Dragon HDMI vs upgrading a Transparent Premium USB. I am considering Cardas High Speed USB 2, Inakustic, Wireworld or other recommendations.
Since I discovered how USB input sounds great on MK II I found the cable I’m preferring is the Pink Faun USB, on the warm side of natural, musical and “analog”. Music is magic, realistic, especially voices. It replaced AQ Diamond and Intona Reference.
Hi vkennedy61,
Finally pulled the trigger on the MKII (hope to have it by mid Feb, but let’s see). You seem like the perfect person to ask regarding streaming to the MKII as I am also using Sonore products in my current stream configuration:
Roon Core (and music files) in a QNAP NAS
2 Sonore Optical Module Deluxe (fiber optic connection between the two
Bridge II
For MKII purposes, seems the best option would be to kick out one of the optical modules and replace it with a Signature Rendu (input fiber optic, output USB). A more cumbersome but workable solution could be to connect the second optímale module with an Ultra Rendu and go USB out (this option requires more cabling). Apart from that, what would be the additional configuration needs from Roon as it pertains to MKII (not Roon certified)? Thanks for your help!
Regards,
Gorm
@gorm.yoder - I suppose it depends on your budget. Your Option 1 certainly will work.
If you went with keeping both Optical modules, you do open yourself to a wide selection of endpoints to choose from. There are very few, optical endpoints. As you’ve noted the Sig Rendu and the opticalRendu are two of the few. To be honest, I can’t think of any other.
I haven’t spoke to them recently regarding ETA for my unit, but I hope yours arrives ahead of schedule. Looking forward to exploring a new musical experience
Yeah, I will be happy to tell everyone about it! Im on the list, but probably wont be receiving it until sometime in March. So, it will be a while. I do love the Lumin X1! The soundstage exploded in size versus my previous streamer (elac dsg-01). The internal DAC of the X1 was on par with the PS Audio DS mk1, but slightly more lively.
The DS mk1 was definitely smoother sounding than the X1. They were equal with overall sound quality… just different. Lumin did a great job with their integration of their off the shelf chip. I was surprised that it held its own against the DS mk1.
)
