Hi All,
I’ve been enjoying my PSA DLink III for many years but now I’m thinking about upgrading so that I can jump on the DSD train. This is probably a stupid question but is the PSA DirectStream Dac the same as the DirectStream MK1? If not, what are the differences?
Thanks in advance.
Partially correct, the DirectStream DAC now has two versions, the Mk I and Mk II. The Mk I was released around 2014. The Mk II was released last year. Not to complicate things, but to provide historical perspective, the DirectStream DAC is a follow on to the PerfectWave DAC (Mk I released 2008 & Mk II released 2012). The main difference between them is the PerfectWave DAC is a PCM only DAC and the DirectStream is a DSD and PCM DAC.
The DirectStream Mk I is an excellent DAC and is a good buy on the used market. The Mk I is no longer available new from PS Audio, but there could be some stashed away somewhere. It will be a nice improvement over the DL III!
OK, yes I am aware of the DirectStream Mk II Dac and I sure wish I could afford it! But I wanted to make sure its predecessor being described as a DirectStream or DirectStream Mk I would be the same thing so that I would know what I’m looking at. I guess they figured they had to start calling the original the Mk I after they released the Mk II. Thanks very much for the help!
They had an earlier version of the Direct Stream DAC that is not the same as the later model. They offer a kit to upgrade the earlier version to the later version. (None of this has anything to do with the MK2 DAC)
So when you say a later model, is that the MK I and did it include the upgrades? What were the upgrades?
I can’t answer. I bought the later version of the DSD Sr. MK1 version. I never encountered the earlier version. Someone from PS Audio needs to comment.
There was an upgrade path to the DirectStream Sr. DAC from the PefectWave DAC back in the day (circa 2015)
You purchased the innards/new DS Sr. components and swapped them into the PerfectWave DAC following instructions provided by PS Audio. That kit/option is no longer available from PS Audio.
See here for more information: How to install a DSD kit – PS Audio
In my opinion, you can get the best bang for your buck by searching for a used DirectStream Sr. DAC on the usual Hi-Fi used equipment sites (e.g., Audiogon, Hi-Fi Shark, US Audiomart, etc.) and keeping an eye on the listings in Marketplace on this forum.
They can be had at a variety of price points but are rapidly becoming an insane bargain given their performance. For example:
(The DirecStream Sr. DAC is the PefectWave DirectStream DAC. It is often designated as the DS Sr. in order to differentiate it from the PS Audio DirectStream Junior DAC. Clear as mud…? 
)
There was only one version of the MK1 as far as I remember. What you may be thinking of is the upgrade kit we sold. That upgrade kit replaced the entire guts of the previous DAC, the PWD (PerfectWave DAC) with the MK1 guts.
Tons of people did that and the kit even came with a new serial number and a sticker that announced the hybrid’s status. A lot of those DACs still float around and people consider them (rightfully) early MK1s and the actual MK1s as later. Though chronologically incorrect, that’s what I believe you’re referring to.
Every once and a while a modded MKI comes up for sale here and there for sub 2000. A real audio bargain.
The only difference between the kit version and a new unit is the infrared sensor for the remote. Both work fine and neither affect the performance of the DAC.
I see DirectStream DACs for sale more than I see DSD MK I DACs for sale. It sounds like the MK I is the later version and there was an upgrade kit to bring the PerfectWave DAC up to DSD MK I level, which unlike the factory DSD MK I didn’t have the infrared sensor.
I THINK you may be confused.
Generally, DSD MK I DAC = DirectStream DAC. They are the same model.
The PerfectWave DAC is an older design/model.
FWIW.
Listen to Scotte1, no need to be confused
Correct.
for clarity…
what do DSD JR and SR refer to?
DS Jr:
The DS Jr. is a contemporary of the DS Sr. (a/k/a the MK I, a/k/a PerfectWave DirectStream DAC).
The DS Jr. had a built in network bridge. The DS Sr. has a slot for installing an optional Network Bridge card.
The Jr has a ‘regular’ DAC chip while the Sr has an FPGA with code written by Ted Smith. A completely different beast.
Don’t believe this is true…
From the review I linked to above:
“It shares a unique technology with its big brother, the DSD DAC ($5,999 without the Network Bridge), which utilizes FPGA (field programmable gate array) to upsample both DSD and PCM files.
According to designer Ted Smith, “The input, if PCM, is upsampled with standard PCM anti-aliasing FIR filters to 176.4k or 192k. These filters have a steep cutoff to both keep as much frequency range as possible while avoiding any aliasing. This upsampling is done at full precision (66 bits) so there’s no loss of accuracy (greater than 144 dB S/N throughout).” The signal is then upsampled to 28.224 MHz (10 times the standard DSD sampling rate) to 30 bits. This is done by upsampling 176.4k PCM by 160x or 192k PCM by 147x. Single-bit 64x DSD is upsampled by 10x and double rate 128x DSD upsampled by 5x. Then the signal is downsampled to 30 bits at 5.6448 MHz (double the standard DSD sampling rate.) Next, a sigma delta modulator with embedded volume control is applied. This input signal is 30 bits, and the volume is accurate to 20 bits. Now the signal is in a one-bit format and is passed from the FPGA to the analog output filter. Instead of a standard op-amp, the DirectStream Junior uses a high-speed Class A video amplifier as the final switch for the single-bit, double-DSD output of the Junior.“
Oops I stand corrected.
Sorry for the confusion then,
Remko
I mixed up the Jr with the Stellar Dacs