I might be interested in make my first PS purchase and was thinking of trying a junior , which seem to be reasonably cheap and given it
Its got both the bridge and in theory the same processor as its big brother , seems a steal.
Another factor , is I’m based in the uk, so servicing , if needs be might be an issue
Welcome!
Caution: I had a DS Jr and loved it, but when it failed it was not repairable due to unavailable parts. It was far past warranty. PS Audio did treat me well in offering a DS Mk I at a very attractive price. FYI
My DSD Jr. has been running 24/7/365 for at least five years. I am listening to it right now. I listen to it more than any other DAC. More expensive DACs have come and gone. But Jr. stays.
Thanks. I guess I’m used to hifi that doesn’t fail. I assume that means no updates to the firmware any longer ?
No. That’s over. But in my opinion, none are needed. It’s a fine DAC, with a built in Ethernet bridge. At the prices you can get one for It’s a pretty safe purchase.
I bought a used Jr and had it in my system for 3-4 years with no issues. It is easy to love at the current used market price as well. I would do it again given the same circumstances!
The Junior is still one of my favorite PS Audio devices. It just had that je ne sais quois that was…I don’t know…just so je ne sais quoi. Solid
Thanks very much. One other question, how warm does it get? I’ve read it get hot. I might need to rearrange my hifi cabinet
Mine has less than an inch between it and the shelf above it. Hot? Na.
Will you be using it with a preamp?
If not you may run into an issue of hearing the noise floor from your listening position.
Considering your first PS purchase, the junior model sounds like a great option with its affordability and similar specs to the more advanced version. However, since you’re based in the UK, be sure to check the availability of servicing and support options for this model locally to avoid any potential issues.
That would be an issue for me. Currently my rig is absolutely silent. I could pair via a passive preamp, and perhaps because I’ll probably apply some DSP, via Roon it wouldn’t be an issue. Is the junior noisy then …
I used the jr without a preamp and I could hear the noisy noise floor from my listening chair during quiet passages in the music.
I think I’ve read that elsewhere. I don’t really have space for an active. Perhaps the junior is not for me. I might need to look at big daddy then, though I wouldn’t gain much over the junior in my use case
I have had a Jr since 2016 and have not had any issues with it. I like the sound of it and when I go back to the DAC’s in my Oppo 105, I notice a big difference and cannot listen to the Oppo for very long periods. I use the Oppo as a transport and a short term back up if something would happen to the Jr.
The Jr does run very hot in my opinion. PS Audio should have made some ventilation holes in the top of it to let heat escape. I end up turning off the Jr from the power switch in the back in the summer months since I am afraid it will get too hot which is not good for electronics. I do have air conditioning, but the Jr still feels too hot when I touch it in the summer. And it seems to heat up the room too.
I thought the jr sounded good, but the noise issue got to me, so upgraded to the Sr, which solved the noise issue, then eventually added the BHK preamp which further improved the sound.
My current DAC is a minidsp SHD, which combines a half decent DAC with Dirac and all sorts of DSP options, but I’m looking for something better and if needs be can sort out EQ via ROON
My DS Jr is in storage and I need to get it out and sell it at some point.
And I really need to wash my sheets.