Over time we have been supplying DirectStream DACs to mastering studios and engineers that make the music we listen to. DirectStream is an excellent reference tool, one used by Gus Skinnas, Cookie Marenco (Blue Coast Records) and now Steve Hoffman.
While at THE High End show in Newport we had a chance to sit Ted Smith, designer of DirectStream down with Steve Hoffman and pick up a few tips on the art of mastering. It’s an interesting, short conversation you may enjoy.
Very fun.
Nice!! Two gray haired masters!!
Very enjoyable and a wonderful endorsement of the DirectStream.
I’ll have to check this out when I get home. Work frowns on me enjoying videos when I’m on the clock. 
Great mini-interview! Too bad the impatient horde (all three of 'em) outside the door cut it a little short. My question is in the opening Paul introduces Ted as the “designer of the DirectStream and other wonderful digital products”, at which point Ted abruptly turns to Paul and gives him a startled look. So is that a “you honor me too much” look or (the option I like) “you’re not supposed to tell them about new products yet” look?
The latter. 
If there was an Olympic gold medal in Teasing, I know who to nominate… 
Yes. And in successive Olympiads.
Paul said: “The latter” … Oh boy, now the pestering can begin!
I totally caught that look from Ted as well - I’m glad Paul is teasing as such…at least we know something else is coming down the pipeline!
I finally got to watch the video this morning before work. Steve talks a lot like I do (how unfortunate for him). It’s clear his brain works faster than he can vocalize intelligibly.
Ditto, was also wondering about that, as I’m sure every single person person who’s watched the video wondered. If was a minor product, Ted wouldn’t have reacted.
Very exciting.
Inventor. Recently Ted iterated in the forum that he isn’t finished yet.
That DAC could go into anything:
i) active speakers
ii) > 2 channel DS
iii) multi-amping DS
iv) ii) & iii) together
v) PCIe card based distributed room computing running in the Roon system (this would be the easiest one to do, and I for one could not give two hoots about noise from the PCIe channel if I could pipe digital all over the house, besides I’m sure it could be filtered out and get 99% result).
vi) an external bridge based digital pre-amp with many inputs. External Bridge + DAC + (Digital?) Pre-Amp functions (e.g some form of digital cross-over processing)
And what if it an entirely new product ? The above is just re-packaging, in conceptually simple ways. What if Ted has done another completely original thing ?
The mind does boggle.
Paul has mentioned a new product that Ted is working on in this forum before, it’s not a successor so to speak of the DirectStream, but another animal.