[jhm731]

http://www.psaudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/PS-Audio-DirectStream.pdf

[mgalusha]

They demoed this for the Colorado Audio Society last weekend, I couldn't make it but several friends said it sounded better than the existing PS DAC. That's all I have, no idea how it would sound compared to anything else, including doing PCM > DSD in software as mentioned in the press release.

[jhm731]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7z7QXWto-k

[Goosepond]

Paul McGowan says that Part 2 of this has been published but I don't see it or probably just don't know how or where to look. 

Gene

[jhm731]

Part 2:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wv1XWedFgDY

[DARTH AUDIO]

Does anyone know what is involved in upgrading an existing PWD to the DirectStream? Paul mentioned something to the affect of ripping and replacing the insides?? And, how much will it cost?

Thanks,

Gary

[fiveoclockfriday]

I'm interested to hear some reviews or further info on this. It seems that new Sony HAP-Z1ES is doing something which sounds similar (at least to a layman like me); resampling all data fed in to DSD before output.

[Goosepond]

Does anyone know what is involved in upgrading an existing PWD to the DirectStream? Paul mentioned something to the affect of ripping and replacing the insides?? And, how much will it cost?

Thanks,

Gary

This comes from the comments of the Part 1 video from Paul McGowan:

"US retail is $5,995 and if you're upgrading from a PWD II, $2,995.  Or, you can trade in your PWD II and get a $2,000 trade in allowance.  At least that's how we're doing it here in the States."

Gene

[OzarkTom]

I'm interested to hear some reviews or further info on this. It seems that new Sony HAP-Z1ES is doing something which sounds similar (at least to a layman like me); resampling all data fed in to DSD before output.

I may get the Sony next month. Surely the PS Audio is not 3x better.

[Geardaddy]

There are multiple machines out there that convert PCM to DSD (Chord, PBD, Meitner, EMM Labs).  What specific innovation is there here?  jhm731?

[firedog]

There are multiple machines out there that convert PCM to DSD (Chord, PBD, Meitner, EMM Labs).  What specific innovation is there here?  jhm731?

No, it is doing something more or less unique when you take it all together. Reclocking, upsampling to 10X DSD multiple, and then producing the analog by using FPGA and only a low pass filter. Etc.

The proof will be in how it sounds.

[Geardaddy]

No, it is doing something more or less unique when you take it all together. Reclocking, upsampling to 10X DSD multiple, and then producing the analog by using FPGA and only a low pass filter. Etc.

The proof will be in how it sounds.

The algorithm that up samples to 10 x DSD and then down samples it to 2X DSD at the output appears unique.  The use of FPGA and a low pass filter only is not.

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f6-dac-digital-analog-conversion/ps-audio-directstream-digital-analogue-converter-19591/

[wisnon]

Its not 10xDSD, its multibit PDM, ie pseudo PCM, which is 24bit/28mhz, ie 10x DSD rate but NOT single bit.

It is then down-converted to DSD2x and then hi-speed video switch used for i/v conversion LPF with a transformer. The FPGA upsampling has tones of gates to facilitate massive raw data crunching to give a optimized algorithm.

The big thing is the forced reclocking/buffer that resets the inputs to its own internal pace and starts the jitter story from scratch. then clever component layout avoids creating new jitter.

This is more a story of potentially great implementation to a simple and elegant starting theory, rather than raw innovation.

[Geardaddy]

It looks to have some promise.  Time will tell. 

[DaveC113]

Interesting but about 3x too much $ imo... unless it sounds that much better but I'm skeptical.

I hope DACs in the future will be modeled after the Sony HAPZ1ES but with multiple digital and analog inputs plus volume... basically a built-in preamp and a DAC that could be used for other sources.