It’s also the contacts inside the DS (and DS Jr) that are pretty hard to clean.
3 Likes
Thank you for the summary, Ted. It is always interesting to learn a bit more of the behind the scenes work. It also increases my appreciation for what you and PS Audio have accomplished, as well as the value of the updates.
3 Likes
Although, surely, if the SD card was not read properly you would get CRC errors and it would simply not update at all?
The FPGA code is checked at multiple levels with CRCs and won’t boot if corrupted. The checks for the rest of the update (e.g. the PIC/display/control processor) aren’t checked as carefully. Also the memory isn’t cleared carefully after the update so the boot that’s a part of the update itself isn’t always as “good” or reliable as powering off after an update and then using the “clean” boot. There are hundreds of posts in the release threads talking about the update issues. But the take away is that the broken update process in the DS and DS Jr is one reason that they won’t be getting any more updates after this one.
3 Likes
Thanks Ted, Another good reason to update to DS MkII 
Reminds me of one time my iPhone headset stopped working, and it turned out to be pocket lint packed into the lightning connector slot. Got it out with a pin.
Sometimes I wonder why nobody has made some sort of hard felt version of various cards and connectors that you could squirt some cleaner on and use to accurately swab the internal connectors. Probably because you’d never make any money at it 
2 Likes
They are around, but the ones we found cost $20 to $30 each (tho they have tongues for multiple slots.)
1 Like
My anticipation level grows every time I read a @tedsmith post! I don’t know how easy it will be to let go of this model for the MK II. The bar is already pretty high! Thanks Ted!
3 Likes
Have you heard any difference with the new build between I2S and the Bridge II? Anything favor one over the other?
I thought I read in a earlier thread that I2S will do quad rate DSD. I think the Bridge II is limited to double rate.
The Bridge II is limited to single rate DSD (DSD64).
As far as the FPGA is concerned there are 2 kinds of inputs: 1) Differential Manchester encoding for S/PDIF, AES3 and TOSLink inputs and 2) I2S for the HDMI I2S connectors, USB and the Bridge. There’s no intrinsic difference between inputs in a given set: they share identical code hooked to different wires.
With the new release everything will sound better, but if your Bridge II sounds better (or worse) than another connection on older software, it probably still will on the new software.
7 Likes
I know I tried some quad rate with I2S/Windom no go. Hope to enjoy quad rate soon with the new mountain top!
The Bridge II is limited to single rate DSD (you thought double) while Windom is limited to double rate DSD (DSD128) over I2S and USB. The new release will still do single rate with the Bridge II and quad rate (DSD256) over I2S.
2 Likes
You are correct. I used my bridge II for about a month then slipped into the Matrix rabbit hole now I’m a I2S guy and the Bridge is now closed on my DSD. I loved the convenience of the bridge but the sound quality thru the Matrix sounds better in my system! Waiting for the new mountain top.
1 Like
I tried both USB via a ultraRendu and Bridge II back and forth for weeks with a networked Roon as source. I personally could hear no difference. I thought I would miss DSD128/256, but now many months later I don’t.
I do like the simplicity of the ethernet connection. Less bits and pieces.
Thanks for all of your recent updates Ted, I am sure you can sense the excitement from you legion.
Take care,
Vince
3 Likes
Did you pull the Bridge II card from the DAC? It makes a difference…and I2S is the DirectStream’s best sounding input.
1 Like
OK Speed. You twisted my arm. I added it to the list of pending tweaks. Up next is a new cabinet and a Sony XR-65A90J. After that is a PP15.
Ted,
Is there any reason why the USB input cannot handle quad rate DSD? Apologies if this was previously discussed.
Three reasons: The main one is the XMOS chip has an upper limit on the bitrate of the data channel (or channels with DSD) and it would two more physical wires between the XMOS and the FPGA to get past that limit. Also there would have to be new software both in the XMOS and in the PC.
4 Likes