Yeah looking at that review. Compares to the DSD?? U2 is not a DAC. Maybe he meant no better than usb out his mac. One bad review will not make me sway.
Itâs aimed at a different market than the PSA streamer so really shouldnât be compared but I really like where it is made, how it is made and the way it just plain works with no attention needed.
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Didnât point it out to sway anyone
Didnât think you did. I did want to see what he said. Just pointed out that I thought the user review limit so many other online users was not very good.
Curious why you think that? With the MKII a good streamer is next up.
Excited to receive my very first PS Audio gear today, the DirectStream DAC Mk II. Although I live 20 minutes from PS Audio just outside of Boulder, I have only recently discovered this company (I should get out more I suppose). The Mk II will be integrated into an existing system that includes a Rose 150B streamer/DAC, PrimaLuna EVO i400 tube amp, and Klipsch speakers, a system I have really enjoyed streaming mostly Qobuz music, along with existing DSD/PCM/MP3/AAC files acquired over the years running through Roon established on a 2013 Mac Pro (Roon Core). While the Rose 150B has been quite enjoyable, since I am using Roon, itâs usefulness is limited to operating as a network server along with the Sabre R2R DAC which is very good (~80% good) but I want more out of a DAC (hence the PS Audio DS Mk II). The other Rose 150b features/OS are of limited use to me although very well developed. So, I can either adopt the Rose 150B (I2S capable) as an expensive and overkill streamer until the Air Lens is available (I think that is it) or pick up a Mac Mini and tie into the Mk II selling the Rose 150b to the Music Room just down the street in Erie CO. With the later option using a Mac Mini, I am just not sure I can use a Mac Mini both as a Roon Core and Network Streamer to the Mk II. Reading thru the forums here, it looks like there are many folks moving from the Mk I with the Bridge ii and trying to answer the same question. I saw a post about someone recommending Kisune Red Streamer which seems very interesting. But I like the idea of fewer components. If the Mac Mini can serve both as a Roon Core and a Network Stream connected directly to the Mk II, that would be ideal. Appreciate the sage advice and wisdom of those on this forum that have traveled a similar journey.
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Welcome @ozon8r!
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FWIW, I ordered a HoloAudio Red DDC/Streamer a few days ago.
I am sticking with my DS DAC MK I for the foreseeable future, but I wanted to hear for myself whether a Bridge II Ethernet card alternative could be a material upgrade - and the price was right!
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Check that thread out.
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That is a great thread and read through it several times. The post re Bacch4Mac caught my attention and may explore that as a solution which indicates a direct Mac Mini to Mk II USB connection.
This is exactly what I have been thinking. I feel certain there is a less expensive streamer as good as the AirLens even if it is as good as touted to be. I am not giving up my DSD with Bridge II so fast, but have been looking at the Lumin U2 Mini and the Innuous Pulsar Mini. Aurender too expensive and often limited to USB output cable. Open to suggestions.
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No offense everyone, but do we need another MKII streamer topic?
@Elk - thoughts?
Good thinking. I merged the latest MKII streamer into this one.
If anyone has additional suggestions for tidying up the topic of streamers please let me know.
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FWIW I will be using a Lumin U1 Mini that has an external Kenneth Lau power supply with the DSD Mk2.
Have used it with my DSD Mk 1 for a couple years as an upgrade from a Bridge 2.
I run it into a Matrix and then the DSD Mk1.
The app works fine and runs Qobuz fine.
I also use JRiver for files on my hard drives with no issues.
I canât say I have used anything else to compare it to, but it seemed like an upgrade from the Bridge 2.
I am curious to learn what you think about using the U1 Mini without the Matrix into the MKII.
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Do people generally think using USB is better than I2s?
On the MII, I think that thereâs no difference at all. Thereâs several people here on the forum that tend to agree. It wonât hurt for you to try and form your own opinion. If it works, thatâs less âstuffâ in your rack.
Some (@luca.pelliccioli 
) are starting to believe âless is moreâ.
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There is general consensus on a big improvement of USB input with the MK II compared to MK I, due to galvanically isolation.
Iâm still trying to understand what I prefer between I2S and USB, maybe USB lastly.
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@Elk, @vkennedy61 Fare point with the original title of the thread I started and no offense taken by me. I started to change the title to more directly reflect the essence of my question in the first post but now consolidated here. The question is whether to feed the new Mk II with Qobuz and owned music file content (DSD, PCM, AAC, MP3, etc) through a new to market Mac Mini (M2) using Roon software. Or keep the Rose 150B as just a streamer bypassing the internal Sabre DAC within the Rose until the Air Lens is available. Then gift or sell the Rose once the AL is out. I read this thread backwards and forwards and only saw a mention of a Mac (not a specific one) using Bacch4Mac but not enough details nor any other posts related to a new Mac Mini M2 and Roon specifically. I have read other threads related to older Mac Minis but nothing more current reflective of the current model. So, I thought I would start a more specific thread asking the question. I know you are very active and provide many insightful posts. Very grateful for you and all of the other active members willing to share.
BTW, about four hours of burn in on the Mk II and very satisfying using the Rose to stream content. I did discover a bug in the Rose in that it flips the phase and polarity when two outputs are open and streaming DSD files. No issues with PCM. The Mk II is very pleasing so far.
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Usually people think I2S is better than USB. But there have been a lot of improvements in USB. Definitely kit like Lucaâs Innuos into MK2 is very fine in USB. A Raspberry Pi3 into a MK1 not so much. A Raspberry Pi4 into a MK2 I am enjoying. Have not decided on need to upgrade yet. I may need to ask the Asi team.
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Itâs a very good question. I donât know much about the Rose, but if itâs USB output isnât specially treated, thereâs most likely not much difference in the SQ out of either the Mini or the Rose. But if you are going to get the Mini, you may be the best judge by doing your own listening tests between the two.
There are reports that the Mini is quieter if you perform a LPS mod to it. Supposedly it quiets it digitally, and since you are using an external power supply, it doesnât run the fan as often.
I suggest you play around with both and decide what you like better. Part of the fun of this hobby. I do suggest you run the MKII for at least 500 hours before you make any judgements, it takes a while to settle in.
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