Great news for all the PST and MSB owners.
Here the announcement on the MSB Forum
Great partnership between two great brands, congrats!
Good job Paul and PS Audio! Good job Daniel and MSB!
10 Likes
This looks interesting, but what type of output is it? Potentially I can connect PST to MU2’s DAC instead of go to MU2’s pre, but MU2 has ABS and S/PDFinputs I think. I also can use one less set of IC. But I am not sure there will be a SQ improvement doing that.
1 Like
It’s an I2S Input module, that must be inserted into the DAC, so people like you can use the PST to play SACDs (and CDs of course) via the MSB DACs. Like the MK II HDMI input.
Wait… I’ve sold the HDMI Dragon 48! I need to re-buy it from my importer, I hope at the same price… life is strange!
3 Likes
That’s too bad and it’s for MSB only.
Wait! That’s a good news for me!
1 Like
Technology runs too fast! I think that DAC and streamer manufacturers should provide their products with “modular inputs/outputs”, in order to be future proof.
5 Likes
I don’t see how this will work with the PST and SACD.
How so?
What’s your doubt exactly?
My understanding is that PS Audio have some sort of licence agreement with Sony that allows PS Audio dacs to decode SACD datastreams in their dacs (and only their dacs), hence the PST needs to satisfy itself that it’s a PSA dac on the other end. It’s not therefore in PSA’s gift to allow the data to be sent to non PSA dacs. How can MSB get over that?
Good observation! I guess MSB guys already know how to manage these things, having produced for years their own transports, that were able to play SACDs via proprietary ProISL connection.
2 Likes
The PST is capable of sending the DSD layer of a SACD to non PS Audio DACs, the Holo Audio May is one that comes to mind, VMV D3, I think the new LaIV DAC are others.
Confirmed by PS Audio here:
MSB have done just that with the new module - FPGA to capture the incoming data. I’m excited by this announcement. MSB are on my radar when the time comes to make another upgrade!
2 Likes
This is what Daniel Gullman said on MSB forum:
We use an encrypted handshake with the PS Audio so the digital signal is not made vulnerable for data ripping. The transport is not allowed to send out the signal without this, otherwise people could easily copy SACD data. In a way, our DAC is now piggybacking off the PS Audio which has the SACD license setup. On some level, our DAC can be configured to playback anything you send it’s way. With the proprietary link, this becomes a closed system.
4 Likes
Slam Dunk!
This is still confusing - one says no handshake necessary, the other says they’ve implemented one. Oh well, I don’t have MSB dacs so can’t use their input modules (unless they want to turn them into protocol converters),
Let them finish their work, then the technical details will be clearer (if of any interest).
What MSB DAC owners are appreciating is the idea of ​​having (or buying) soon a highly performing transport that can use the I2S connection, which should imply better sound quality and the option to finally play SACDs.
For many of them a plus, for others a long-awaited upgrade. In any case a good news.
2 Likes
MSB dacs, being modular offer options, I myself have no need for I2S, but for those with a compatible source it would provide another path to sonic bliss
I feel the pro ISL in the best interface I have experienced. I download my hi-rez and the few SACDs I own I use the dac onboard my Esoteric
Options, nice to have…
Best,
-JP
1 Like
Bingo!
Congrats to PS Audio and MSB staff!
3 Likes
Pretty impressive and a testament to the Hi-End bonafides of PSA’s DACS, IMO…
2 Likes
Just ordered it!
Now I need a HDMI cable again but I’d like to try a Pink Faun I2S before the well known (I had two of them in the past) Dragon 48. Time will tell.
2 Likes
I recommend you don’t bother.
In my experience, the RAL I2S bested the Pink Faun.
I have never had the pleasure of comparing a Dragon to either but, as you know, the cognoscenti here believes Dragon > RAL.
FWIW.
2 Likes