ted_b saidElk said So far my impression of Yale final is of delicacy; true to the source. Precise with no artificial detail. Powerful when demanded, gossamer airiness when asked.Elk, is this with PCM sources, DSD, both? What player?
For me the most important characteristics of a sound system are transient attack, timbre and microdynamics (subtle expression).
Elk saidFor me the most important characteristics of a sound system are transient attack, timbre and microdynamics (subtle expression).
[Posts re trouble installing Yale moved to here.]
@Highstream i have not chance to test YF yet, but with Yale beta the +5V on USB line us required. If you have JCAT reference (splitted cable) you need to plug the power line of the cable to the powered USB port (or for e.g. to USB phone charger). JCAT USB cable (standard one with one cable only) should work fine though.
You may find more info in the Yale Beta Test , or also USB cables that work, or don’t, with DS threads.
highstream said Anyone using a JCAT USB card with Yale? Here the DS is not recognized off the JCAT card with Yale, only with a mobo port. I'm wondering if anyone else is running into this - or not. One way or the other, post on the Help forum thread, http://www.psaudio.com/forum/need-help-ask-alex-the-psa-expert/cant-get-directstream-seen-by-yale-usb/#p46470. Thanks,
NOT a fan of the Yale firmware upgrade. In my system the Yale firmware sounds terrible. It sounds like the treble knob is turned all the way up. Music is very harsh and cold sounding now. The subtle details and inflections of a singers voice is gone. The voice just sounds loud now. The highs in all recordings now sounds very overbearing. The bass impact is lost. The gentle richness and soft sounds of music are gone. As for sound stage, there is none. It is just this flat wall of sound. No depth or width to the sound stage. The air around the instruments does not exist anymore. With the Yale firmware my system sounds like I am listening to an old harsh CD player from the late 1980’s. I have listening fatigue after a few hours of playing music.
I’m a vinyl guy. I judge all things against analog sound. When PS Audio came out with the Pikes Peak firmware, I was very impressed with its performance. Sounded very analog, rich and natural. In some cases it sounded better than the vinyl record. I told friends that the new DSD dac with the PP firmware was right there with vinyl, and that is not an easy thing for me to admit. But now with the Yale firmware, I think you have taken a few steps backwards. The good thing is there will be another firmware upgrade down the road and hopefully it will sound better in my system.
maniac said @Highstream i have not chance to test YF yet, but with Yale beta the +5V on USB line us required. If you have JCAT reference (splitted cable) you need to plug the power line of the cable to the powered USB port (or for e.g. to USB phone charger). JCAT USB cable (standard one with one cable only) should work fine though.He's asking about the PCie card, not the cable.You may find more info in the Yale Beta Test , or also USB cables that work, or don’t, with DS threads.
highstream said Anyone using a JCAT USB card with Yale? Here the DS is not recognized off the JCAT card with Yale, only with a mobo port. I'm wondering if anyone else is running into this - or not. One way or the other, post on the Help forum thread, http://www.psaudio.com/forum/need-help-ask-alex-the-psa-expert/cant-get-directstream-seen-by-yale-usb/#p46470. Thanks,
benjie said NOT a fan of the Yale firmware upgrade. In my system the Yale firmware sounds terrible. It sounds like the treble knob is turned all the way up. Music is very harsh and cold sounding now. The subtle details and inflections of a singers voice is gone. The voice just sounds loud now. The highs in all recordings now sounds very overbearing. The bass impact is lost. The gentle richness and soft sounds of music are gone. As for sound stage, there is none. It is just this flat wall of sound. No depth or width to the sound stage. The air around the instruments does not exist anymore. With the Yale firmware my system sounds like I am listening to an old harsh CD player from the late 1980's. I have listening fatigue after a few hours of playing music.You might want to redownload Yale. Then to make sure everything is reinstalled, install an older version, say PP, and then reinstall Yale. We had a few people that had similar reactions to PP until they redownloaded and reinstalled.
benjie said NOT a fan of the Yale firmware upgrade. In my system the Yale firmware sounds terrible. It sounds like the treble knob is turned all the way up. Music is very harsh and cold sounding now. The subtle details and inflections of a singers voice is gone. The voice just sounds loud now. The highs in all recordings now sounds very overbearing. The bass impact is lost. The gentle richness and soft sounds of music are gone.Fiemware upgrades are really a funny exercise. My impression of YF is exactly the opposite what you say here
I second Ted’s recommendation, Benjie. If what you write is literally true, and not over the top audiophile hyperbole, something is wrong. Yale sounds different from PP, but it is not that different.
Went back and reinstalled Yale per Ted’s recommendation and second install sounds much better. First impression is Yale lost some bass punch. Also noticed the output gain of Yale is a little lower than PP. Will have to listen for a few days before I can decide which version sounds better with my system.
OK, This is my first real post ever so be kind please. I feel compelled to comment.
I have been lurking on the site for well over a year. I started with the PerfectWave DAC and purchased the upgrade kit to DS. I have dutifully followed all the updates, and for the most part, have seen a steady improvement in the overall sound of the DAC. PP had begun to wear on me a tad due to some stridency in female voices (Eva Cassidy for example) I have read with anticipation all the comments during the Yale beta test period. Frankly, was not sure what to expect with all the opinions flying around. Guess my confidence in Paul, Ted and Arnie prevailed since I downloaded Yale and just got it up and running on my system.
Don’t care much for hyperbole, but WOW, this is not just a minor improvement. I feel like I have made major equipment changes in my entire system. The depth of stage with instruments placed within that field is immediately apparant. Lyle and Rickie Lee never sounded so good. Perfectly spaced on stage and their voices easily identified in their respective location. (Lyle Lovette Live in Texas, song: North Dakota)
The slight stridency of the system is GONE. Thanks for all the strategic planning and implementation. And all this for nothing more than a few minutes of download time!
Kudos to the entire PS team.
Great report, drdk, and nicely articulated. Thanks for chiming in.
Are you listening to Redbook files?
For the most part I am listening to Redbook. Have a handful of higher resolution files and honestly have not listened to them on Yale as of yet.
My friend emailed me his reaction to Yale:
“Another step forward in muscality. The highs sound more relaxed and better integrated with the midrange. Strings and brass sound noticeably more natural. I notice more transparency and nuance especially when listening to concertos where individual instruments are highlighted. Listen to the bowing on a cello concerto and you’ll see what I mean. More precise placement in soundstage enhances the illusion of being there. Also the “getting sucked in” factor has increased a lot. A more natural and nuanced presentation overall.”
Wow very nicly written I just wish I could agree to it all.
It’s just not they for me as it is slightly warmer this causes a slite decrease in ambience and micro details. Details are there on other dacs and on Yale beta. This really puzzles me. I get the relaxed part and yes it’s choice but you cannot say to me it increases the staging when it does not. The bow makes sense as its warmer so lower freq are enhanced.
While it does have details and wonderful coloring of the sound the pitch is wrong for me as well as tone meaning less neutral.
The mods seems flatter as the upper is less and I guess it takes of it with it.
I know this sounds like it’s bad it’s not I just really like take beta better. I wish Paul and team would release some other versions more like beta as this is the path I like. Perhaps more weight with skittle more neutral tone might be perfect
I liked and enjoyed PP since its release. IMO if you come out with something there are gonna be some people who don’t like it.
I installed Yale Beta about three weeks ago. It did not send me scurrying back to PP, but it was a subtle change. I expected Yale Final to be more of the same. So I was waiting for Yale Final to compare to PP
This morning I installed Yale Final. YALE Final is a huge step up from Yale Beta and PP. Where it truly stands out is in Dynamic Snap. The micro and Macro Dynamics are presented with explosive authority. True toe tapping goodness!
I’d say it is better just about everywhere; detail in bunches, yet presented in a organic and easy to listen to manner…
So far only listening to the PWT, but I am loving it.
Are there better DAC’s? sure opinions are opinions, but I know of none that are anywhere near the price.
Over the years other companies have touted the “Upgradability” of their equipment (primarily Digital Equipment), those claims have primarily been baseless boasts that bore little or no fruit. I congratulate PS Audio, with the DirectStream DAC they have wonderfully delivered with the promise of upgradability. Cudos! 
Now how about a bigger power supply for the DS 
alrainbow saidWhile it does have details and wonderful coloring of the sound the pitch is wrong for me . . .
What do you mean by the pitch is wrong? What is pitch?
Are you referring to frequency balance?
No not frequency it’s about the tone being darker this changes the sound of everything
so as an example make vocals are deeper as females are darker. It’s the same with instruments I am very poor at explaining but I do know what I hear. Like the paino you were kind enough to give sample of. What was you findings in it from beta to final. Aside from the impact being less was it not a bit darker and some loss of ambience on the room.
Could it be my headphones just Inhance this more than speakers. The change from one to the other is obvious not bad but in your face to hear
I understand.
I find Yale final more relaxed, although I continue to hear a great deal of detail. I do not think there is a loss of ambiance retrieval.
But you are absolutely correct; headphones are best for listening to minute details and ambiance is different on headphones v. speakers.
It’d funny headphones do give more details but speakers when done right give more ambience . An example os the same song you posted when I downloaded it ot was on headphones ot sounds very different on my infinity rs1B setup there is a real sense of fhe room on speakers but headphones gives me their details and ambience too but not imaging of fhe room like speakers . I an rushing to get this room done to setup something even the rs 1b till the irs v are shipped from storage .