AudioCircle
Audio/Video Gear and Systems => All Solid State => Topic started by: A_shah on 8 Nov 2017, 11:47 pm
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The PS audio Directstream FGPA DAC is being sold very deeply discounted 3k to $3.4 K how would AC members compare to other DAC's
I already have a Schiit DS Gungnir (love it) but that is giving duty to my headphone amp ! I would like to Buy a new DAC for my main system which has a D S 2 for a pre amp and Odyssey Kismet.Stratos for an amplifier , OPPO 203 ( which has a capable DAC)I don't even know if I need one ? for streaming Tidal or Hi-rez ? is it worth it ?
Thanks
Asghar
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The PS audio Directstream FGPA DAC is being sold very deeply discounted 3k to $3.4 K how would AC members compare to other DAC's
I already have a Schiit DS Gungnir (love it) but that is giving duty to my headphone amp ! I would like to Buy a new DAC for my main system which has a D S 2 for a pre amp and Odyssey Kismet.Stratos for an amplifier , OPPO 203 ( which has a capable DAC)I don't even know if I need one ? for streaming Tidal or Hi-rez ? is it worth it ?
Thanks
Asghar
On the PS Audio website that dac is still listed for $5,999 http://www.psaudio.com/products/directstream-dac/ , are you sure your not talking about the Directstream Jr. which is $3,999
If you have a link with a new PS Audio Directstream Dac going for $3k - $3.4 please post it.
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No I am not the PS audio DirectStream jr. is being sold for around $2500.00 but not on their website you need to go to dealers for the discount !
Asghar
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PS Audio makes some fine gear but they don't maintain their pricing very well which affects resale value significantly. There have been times when some of the BHK amps have been available brand new on Amazon at about half of their retail price. They also often have trade-in deals with significant discounts offered when you purchase directly from PS Audio, which also tends to devalue the equipment on resale. Again it's some fine gear but pricing seems inconsistent and somewhat arbitrary compared to most other established brands. Of course like most things in audio YMMV.
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Best place to buy from?
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No I am not the PS audio DirectStream jr. is being sold for around $2500.00 but not on their website you need to go to dealers for the discount !
Asghar
Post a link so I can purchase a new Directstream with a US warranty for $3400
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Post a link so I can purchase a new Directstream with a US warranty for $3400
Yes indeed, please do.
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To address your question the Direct Stream DAC is way in another league of better sound over the Oppo, IMO.
That's why some here would be really interested in getting one at a good price.
I've also heard users say the Schiit, Yggy, ( short for something like Yggysil ) is a real over achiever in it's price range.
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The OP is correct. I purchased mine (new with warranty and registered with PS Audio) for $3500 shipped. You have to negotiate with a dealer. It's like buying a new car. They probably get discount pricing if they buy "x" number of units and then work to get their investment back. Dealers aren't allowed to advertise anything but the list pricing. I spoke with someone about this at PS before purchase. They have a staff member watching internet ads for this.
Actually, their resale pricing is fine. Better than some other manufacturers that make great sounding DACs but aren't as universally known, like Lampizator and Aqua.
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I read a review from a Directstream owner that also owns a Sony HAP-Z1ES. His review said it was a toss-up in SQ between the two. Plus the Sony has many more features for a much lower price.
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I have a DS JR and it was a big step up over my OPPO 105 but the biggest differance was wjhen I added the DMP player, if you have alot of hard discs it is a game changer it really takes playback to another level, as good or better than my minyl playback. Yes you can find 30 to 45% off on new products you have to call the dealers directly. I recommend The Music Room
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Post a link so I can purchase a new Directstream with a US warranty for $3400
OK Just picked one up
from TMaudio.com they are authorized dealers of PS audio you can go on Ebay website make an offer and they will make you a counter offer ! you can also try underwoodHifi (Walter Lieberman alway a good guy to deal with)
cheers and good luck !
Don't know if I did the right thing their are so many options available in the market today plus this technology continues to evolve and of course their is an issue of "want and a need !" I don't know if I need it ? but may be I just want it because the price is right ! or maybe I will really enjoy listening to it !
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OK Just picked one up
from TMaudio.com they are authorized dealers of PS audio you can go on Ebay website make an offer and they will make you a counter offer ! you can also try underwoodHifi (Walter Lieberman alway a good guy to deal with)
cheers and good luck !
Don't know if I did the right thing their are so many options available in the market today plus this technology continues to evolve and of course their is an issue of "want and a need !" I don't know if I need it ? but may be I just want it because the price is right ! or maybe I will really enjoy listening to it !
You mean http://www.tmraudio.com/ I think
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You mean http://www.tmraudio.com/ I think
Yes thanks !
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PS Audio Directstream is now advertised for $3999 direct from PS Audio. Add a Bridge II for $900 more.
https://www.psaudio.com/products/directstream-dac/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=dearlocal&utm_campaign=directstream_dac_2018&fbclid=IwAR1Zq7_FtIeKKbLOlctxoM3_hFVasJUndQkGtOJwjZ5UxvP9hp8ugsMsoso
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Post a link so I can purchase a new Directstream with a US warranty for $3400
Bought a DirectStream Junior (DSJ) with warrantee and registration a couple of months ago for $2580 shipped from the factory via Walter Lieberman at underwoodhifi.com.
Reportedly DSJ provides 80% of the performance of the DirectStream Senior (however you quantify that) but includes Bridge (streaming) function. Yes PS Audio site is showing DirectStream Senior for $3999 or $4799 with Bridge II.
Since both use FPGAs they're software based. So PS Audio has issued 6 free downloadable software upgrades (so far). A nice way to avoid obsolescence. For 42 years PS Audio has been very supportive of customers.
Tried a Schiit Gungnir Multi Bit, but wasn't impressed by the sound quality. Schiit design and sound quality has been dogged online as controversial, but I like that their designs are upgradable.
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I've had my DS Sr for a 2+ years now and have gone thru several of the FREE software upgrades as they've rolled out. It's a fantastic piece of gear. I've been enjoying it very much. Before the DS, I had a Wyred 4 Sound DAC2 DSD SE (upgraded from a standard DAC 2). The W4S was a top notch DAC (and still a very good DAC today), as I'm sure many will recall. But when I got the DS I wasn't prepared for the improvement I heard, ESPECIALLY with Redbook CD's. I don't know how they did it, but not only does the DS somehow unearth details in the music that were previously blurred, but it also does this while sounding entirely natural. I hope PS Audio continues to roll out software upgrades, but I get the feeling they're going to slow down a bit on this (compared to the earlier years of the DS's life). The latest software (Snowmass) was a pretty major upgrade and I think they may be nearing the pinnacle of what the hardware is capable of.
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I've had my DS Sr for a 2+ years now and have gone thru several of the FREE software upgrades as they've rolled out. It's a fantastic piece of gear. I've been enjoying it very much. Before the DS, I had a Wyred 4 Sound DAC2 DSD SE (upgraded from a standard DAC 2). The W4S was a top notch DAC (and still a very good DAC today), as I'm sure many will recall. But when I got the DS I wasn't prepared for the improvement I heard, ESPECIALLY with Redbook CD's. I don't know how they did it, but not only does the DS somehow unearth details in the music that were previously blurred, but it also does this while sounding entirely natural. I hope PS Audio continues to roll out software upgrades, but I get the feeling they're going to slow down a bit on this (compared to the earlier years of the DS's life). The latest software (Snowmass) was a pretty major upgrade and I think they may be nearing the pinnacle of what the hardware is capable of.
Plus+ 1
I have 3 DAC's at the moment but nothing beats the Directstream with Snowmass it is a very different level of listening with a good gear !
Asghar
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PS Audio makes some fine gear but they don't maintain their pricing very well which affects resale value significantly. There have been times when some of the BHK amps have been available brand new on Amazon at about half of their retail price. They also often have trade-in deals with significant discounts offered when you purchase directly from PS Audio, which also tends to devalue the equipment on resale. Again it's some fine gear but pricing seems inconsistent and somewhat arbitrary compared to most other established brands. Of course like most things in audio YMMV.
This has been the case with PS Audio as long as I can remember. As long as one is aware of this and is willing to wait for the right deal to come along, PS Audio gear is generally an excellent value. I bought a BHK amp and preamp new at a substantial discount this year and couldn't be happier. Another major factor for me is the longevity of the company and their willingness to go above and beyond for customer support. I had purchased a used PS Audio AC12 power cord from a well known dealer and when I received it, I suspected it might be a counterfeit. I sent it to PS Audio for inspection, they verified that it was indeed a counterfeit, and replaced it with a brand new one at no charge to me whatsoever!
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^^^^ 100% agree with everything Photon46 has to say here. PS Audio's customer support is fantastic. Also agree that people griping about PS Audio gear losing too much value on the used market is absurd. Shop around and wait for the best deal to begin with, like you would when buying car! It's really no different.
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Fantastic support.....it better be fantastic when dealers take 40% off of retail to sell them. It’s a joke....I was one of the fools that paid retail for a direct stream Dac only to find out that their dealer network gives them away at a deep discount. They are the General Motors of the Audio industry only difference is GM is 20% off of select vehicles where PSAudio can be bought for 40% off of everything. Just sell the crap factory direct if it ain’t worth what dealer retail is.
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I agree too. If you buy it right you can sell it right and everyone wins as opposed to some of the "exotic" brands that sell for inflated retail and still sell for half off used. In the end if I sell any of my PS gear I will lose less of a percentage of cost than on the "high priced spreads."
If you don't ask questions and survey the market before you buy then that's on you not the manufacturer.
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Fantastic support.....it better be fantastic when dealers take 40% off of retail to sell them. It’s a joke....I was one of the fools that paid retail for a direct stream Dac only to find out that their dealer network gives them away at a deep discount. They are the General Motors of the Audio industry only difference is GM is 20% off of select vehicles where PSAudio can be bought for 40% off of everything. Just sell the crap factory direct if it ain’t worth what dealer retail is.
Your ire towards PS Audio gear being discounted by dealers seems misplaced in light of the fact that similar deals can be had many other brands as well. I've purchased a number of excellent pieces of new gear over the years from dealers that discount 25 - 40% off retail prices. One just hast to shop around and perform due diligence.
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Love your verb! :duh:
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Your ire towards PS Audio gear being discounted by dealers seems misplaced in light of the fact that similar deals can be had many other brands as well. I've purchased a number of excellent pieces of new gear over the years from dealers that discount 25 - 40% off retail prices. One just hast to shop around and perform due diligence.
Yes and no. PS doesn't make it clear that the price is flexible from dealers, but not from PS directly. When I called them as mentioned earlier in this thread about discounting, they weren't really forthcoming about the dealer network. The DS I purchased at 40% off was advertised as a demo/trade in but when it arrived it was clearly a brand new unit. This kind of gets the dealer off the hook about advertising at less than retail (not allowed) or taking it back if you don't like it as they'll fight you on the 30 day return.
I give PS good marks for their branding and marketing success but the pricing is annoying. The 35% discount the factory is offering right now says "our margin is fricking huge cause we're still making good money on these at 35% off" I would be annoyed if I'd paid them full price in September. If the retail on them was $4500 instead of $6000, people wouldn't be pushing back so hard. Nobody gets a new Honda Accord at 40%+ off retail and no sales tax.
Also, when they introduced the DS dac, pretty much unannounced, it obsoleted the PW dac instantly. I've always felt recent PW owners should have gotten an upgrade offer at cost (at least). I have a friend who purchased a PW dac/transport combo the week DS was introduced without mention, at full price. He returned both within the 30 days for a refund he was so ticked off.
The DS is a good sounding dac but not a great one, imo though it has amazing flexibility. It is really optimized for DSD not PCM playback. The connectivity is excellent with the bridge, and I give them high marks for that. I don't use streaming services or Roon. PCM playback sounds far more lifelike with a good r2r dac imo. No flames intended. Good product, good company.
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The OP is correct. I purchased mine (new with warranty and registered with PS Audio) for $3500 shipped. You have to negotiate with a dealer. It's like buying a new car. They probably get discount pricing if they buy "x" number of units and then work to get their investment back. Dealers aren't allowed to advertise anything but the list pricing. I spoke with someone about this at PS before purchase. They have a staff member watching internet ads for this.
Actually, their resale pricing is fine. Better than some other manufacturers that make great sounding DACs but aren't as universally known, like Lampizator and Aqua.
Since you mentioned Aqua resale value please be informed that the Aqua Acoustic line is future proof. It is an design that can be upgraded by user and or factory. So your original investment never goes to waste. Only when a true advancement comes about an upgrade is offered.
It is a rare thing to see Aqua sold used so at this point no track record of resale pricing.
As far as pricing. A demo unit can be sold for 40% off after a year or if model is changed. The manufactures do not want their product cheapened by heavy discounts. Not fair to other dealers. A complimentary discount of 10%-20% is a fair expectation unless dealer has a huge overhead.
For dealers it is never a good thing when the factory offers discounts for direct purchase. Especially if dealer has stock of such. Either sell direct or through your dealer network.
charles
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Here is a podcast with the designer of the PS Audio DSD Dacs. Pretty interesting listen.
https://www.audiostream.com/content/ted-smith-%E2%80%93-ps-audio-legend-audiostream-podcast-no8 (https://www.audiostream.com/content/ted-smith-%E2%80%93-ps-audio-legend-audiostream-podcast-no8)