Next DSD firmware update in early 2021?

Hi @vkennedy61

Given your positive feedback, I hope you don’t mind me asking you how you setup Bridge II and DS DAC.

  1. When streaming you have any other connections to DS DAC other than LAN cable?
  2. Do you use any ethernet enhancers?

Thank you for your time.

@tedsmith, do you mean streaming will be external to the DAC on a card like the bridgeII or will it be a physically separate PSA device and connected to the DS MkII via I2S or some other digital connector?

It’s physically separate.

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Exactly right. There will not be a network connection to the DAC for streaming.

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Nothing against the Bridge II. Not having a network connection on the DAC is a positive!

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Hi,

First off, I really like bulleted questions! They really help to ensure that your questions are clear and are parsed out. Thanks!

  1. When streaming you have any other connections to [DS DAC]

a. Other than ethernet I have only tried USB to the DS. I used a number of different Roon endpoints from a Pi w/Hat, Sonore and SoTM. All were connected to the DS via USB. If it were not for the Bridge II, I would have settled on a Sonore ultraRendu. It sounded great, it’s very reliable, and upgrades are simple. I was powering the ultraRendu with a Uptone UltraCap LPS 1.2 which works great and aesthetically matches the ultraRendu. I use a similar setup in my office feeding a Chord Hugo2. It sounds fantastic in a near field listening setup.

  1. Do you use any ethernet enhancers.

a. I have tried just a few tweaks but haven’t (yet) tried something like an EtherRegen.

b. I have a Ubiquiti Unifi Network which has a core switch from which I have other local switches hung off of via fibre. Our Roon ROCK server is connected directly to the core. One of the secondary switches is attached to the back of my media cabinet. All devices that have an ethernet connection are attached to this switch. Things like Control4, Shield Pro, Anthem AVR, Oppo 205, and currently the DS.

c. I have tried running a fiber home run from the core to a fiber ethernet media converter to the DS. ​I powered the converter with a Teddy Pardo LPS. I felt that this configuration sounded the same (to me) as a CAT"X" cable connected to the media cabinet switch to the DS.

d. CAT”X” - I’ve tried a number of different ethernet cables from 5e to 8. I’ve also tried cables from a number of vendors and have found that I couldn’t hear the difference between 6A, 7, and 8. I’ve settled on a .75M Audioquest Diamond Cat7 cable. Why? I owned it. Otherwise, I would have left the CAT8 cable that I made myself.

e. I am in the process of switching from a BDI media cabinet to a Salamander. Once that is done the next thing on my roadmap is to play with an EtherRegen.

I will fully admit that I have no formal critical listening training. I have read and watched numerous videos on this subject. In short I have a handful of tracks that I have identified as my test tracks. I use these same tracks whenever I make a change. I listen as closely as I can via speaker and headphone. I also try to do this critical listening at night. Regeneration is one of the reasons I am changing to a Salamander cabinet. I cannot fit a PP 12 or 15 in my current cabinet.

At the end of the day, I am in search of a sound that feels right to me. I am sure there are many who when given the chance would really like “my sound” and others would cringe and run from the room hands clamped over their ears.

I hope this helps, I may be on the verge of word salad.

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Hi Ted - Yes, I did mean the MKII.

To be clear, I understand that there won’t be a network connection to the MKII. It isn’t clear to me if PS Audio will be creating a network endpoint that will interface with the MKII, or will that be up to us as it is already with many other non-networked DAC’s. I am quite used to this type of connection being an avid fan of Roon with multiple different types of endpoints here in our home.

Thanks!
Vince

Basically any streamer will have a network cable (or Wi-Fi module) for input and any of the standard DAC connections for output. E.g. S/PDIF, AES3, TOSLink, USB, and/or some have I2S. This is true of the new PS Audio streamers as well. You can mix and match as you wish.

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Unfortunately, for I2S, none that I’m aware of that will do any better than DSD64. :angry:

I suspect the PS Audio one will, but I don’t have any direct knowledge.

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Care to share some details about an external endpoint, a “Bridge III”? Is one in the works?

I haven’t read any of this but it might answer some questions:

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I just read that thread. My take away: Ideas happen, work starts, ideas are modified, work continues, ideas modify, rinse and repeat, sooner or later there will be product(s). In the meantime carry on and enjoy this crazy hobby!

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A solid exegesis. :grin:

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And the kids on my Team didn’t think I knew what a TLDR is… :thinking:

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Hi Vince,

I cannot thank you enough for sharing your experience. Almost a white paper :+1:t2:

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Interesting thread, however I would really like to take it back to the initial question in the thread title… Any kind of news about the firmware update to our beloved current DSD:s?

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April-ish.

See here:

I have closed this thread as we have two threads with the same topic. The active thread is

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