I am using the PSA AC-12.  It's a very transparent yet musical cable.  It's too bad these cables are being discontinued but I doubt too many folks are using the I2S connection these days.

Dave1210 wrote on 07/26/14 at 23:50:53:


Yes, the HDMI AC12 is an awesome cable, isn't it? MIne really is the best I've used in between PWT and PWD.

Yeah, I realized that when I went to their page...you must have caught that before I deleted my post...I'm really bummed, I would have been quite happy with a 10' AC-10 (power cord).

I might just have to go DIY when I finish building my new rack and moving my gear to the side of my room. No way for me to move the outlet without stumbling into another great deal on a big spool of raw Zen Styx type 8awg wire.

Well, I ran the Chord pretty much all weekend on my cottage system.  I didn't get to listen much as I was entertaining.

But when I got home, I plugged it in and all I can say is the overused "wow."  The soundstage really had opened up height wise and the sound was so easy and smooth yet still very detailed and musical.

This itty bitty little DAC will not be everyone's cup of tea.  No switches (not even on/off), limited inputs, wall wart PS, etc.  

While last week I was not tapping my toe, this week I certainly am.  I did not feel the need for a new power supply last night.  I didn't feel the need for anything really.  I forgot I am supposed to be evaluating this thing for purchase and just listened and enjoyed the music.

I did find that I preferred Audirvana plus upsampling everything to 24/192 better than straight Redbook, but still this is a good Redbook DAC.

Very good synergy with Decware.  So natural and smooth.  I think it pumps out 3v (read that somewhere) so it adds some punch.

Raven, I found something on the upgrade price.  It's listed in pounds (not euros) but I think at todays rates its about $340.  It's for both a hardware and firmware update, so that makes it a little more palatable.  The upgrade takes it to DSD 128 and 24/384 via USB.  

We need to get this DAC in the same system as the DS for a comparo.  Unfortunately, I am in Michigan again next weekend.

If I can slip out, I will.

Got to do shopping for the weekend.  12 college kids for three days...

From what I have read, the Chord Hugo at $2400 beats the QuteHD handily and is being called "revolutionary."

Its actually a portable device, but if you are willing to put up with the small connectors, its supposed to be fantastic.  The same dealer I got the QuteHD from is supposed to get one in, so I may give it a listen once he does.

I'm waiting on a review by Computer Audiophile to see what they think of the DS because the same reviewer already reviewed the Hugo.

I found a post on Computer Audiophile where he sort of implied that the DS was better than Hugo.  Or at least when somebody said it was significantly better (can't recall the exact descriptor used), he said he wouldn't say that.

He admits that he is slow to complete reviews.

Here is the $7k one.

http://www.lampizator.eu/NEWDAC/Lampizator/The_Big_Seven.html

I expected to have a DS here this week.

For you DS users, how many hours does it take to burn in?

I tried to pin Ted down on burn-in, he simply said he used really low temp parts, so he expects it will take a while for them to reach a "steady state", but wouldn't hazard a guess as to how long, or how to burn it in.

I lost count of where I'm at, probably 250+, everything sounds just a little smoother I think, maybe a little more spacious.

Also, Ted said that when the DS is in standby, it's actually still on, and basically sets itself to fully cranked (I forget how he worded it). Basically it's pegged with full signal, but the outputs are muted. He admitted he doesn't know if playing music, or letting it do it's thing in Standby mode would burn it in better/faster.

So I'm currently playing it regularly, but also letting it sit in Stand-by overnight. I'm pretty sure the DS has "leveled up" a bit after it's 250 hours of use/standby, but I'm not sure it's fully settled.

Only the first few hours were a little rough - it warms up and starts making music pretty quickly.

Eric, a far as what Ted said: It's the same with the PWD, it's "fully on" in standby, just has the display off and the output defeated when on "standby." BUT I found that an input really didn't get broken in unless there was signal traveling in and through and out of the input, and each input needed some break in.

So what I do is I run an input all the time, all day, all night, with my Torii on and turned down low. I've NEVER had a problem with leaving my Decware amps on for even as much as a week at a time. (Plus they continue to sound incrementally more phenomenal imo the longer they are on). And it's a good way to get break in going on an input. I found with the PWD and then when I upgraded to PWD Mk II that about 400 to 500 hours on each input brought the unit fully to where it only improved very gradually and subtly over successive months and months.

Hmmm.  On headphones, right?

Stone, did you ever try the new firmware? That was a game changer. The stock Firmware I thought was good, but not $6000 good.

Lon, congrats! I'm looking forward to your thoughts.

marvey's negative comments are strange based on all the other published DS reviews. He also posted:

"I preferred the Hugo over the PSA DSD, but mainly because of its more agreeable tonal balance. The DSD was too tonally skewed to Paul's preferences which seem be to somewhere along the lines of the PWD1. But for technicalities, the Hugo was not nearly as good. Mediocre focus and precision. Coarser and less liquid. Just very mediocre."

Art Dudley's DS review will be in the September issue of Stereophile.

I just posted that quote in the PS Audio forums. It made me laugh.

No. It may be out for delivery today, but I will likely not be home to receive it, but out in the woods at my girlfriend's house instead. So maybe on Monday.

I'm going to try to give it a hundred or more hours of use before making comments.

Never hurts to try. Cabling itself is such an interesting variable, add in a different transfer method. . . .

I probably won't do the giant pain in the ass it will take to do a direct comparison to a PWD Mk II. Tht said, my audio memory is pretty damned good, despite some perosn's theories such a thing is not possible. I'll know pretty much from just hearing it how it compares.

Due to rack space it would be very hard for me to do direct comparison and I'm not likely to do so. If I love the DS more than the PWD Mk II I'll know right away, and be sure after break-in. And then I'll be set. I'll be as specific as I can about differences when I do comment if that helps others.  I do remember audio details and am confident I will know the differences. I'm not a professional reviewer, nor do I play one on TV, my listening time is limited these days with my 60 plus hour a week non-paying care-giving job and my girlfriend who likes me to be out at her place in the woods, and I just don't see myself setting up direct comparisons, would really be a not-so fun to accomplish chore with little personal benefit. I'm stuck with my upgrade, though I don't think it will be a problem for me.

Listening session is tonight actually . Monday's is "get stuff done" day, so I try not to bother them at the office. DeuceKazoo said he's never heard the OTL. I'm thinking OTL + DirectStream will be mind-melting!

Well Steve doesn't even use the ZDAC-1 anymore. DAC technology is moving so quickly, I can't imagine Decware having a DAC of their own anymore unless Steve has something Rebranded for him every couple of years, or hires a DAC Engineer like Ted.

I'm just speculating of course, it's not really something I've asked Steve about. He seems pretty happy with his TEAC, and has been really busy with R2R.

Speaking of which, I still don't believe the DS can do what my Otari could, and I'm betting Steve will say the same. But what it does do really takes digital to the next level. That, plus the ease of use factor of digital storage - and it's a no-brainer. Tape is still a special occasion treat.

Quote:


I would have to agree with you there, I think we all have our own ideas of neutral (I mean besides measuring ad nauseam ). But Steve does pay attention to what people like. When I was speaker shopping at his place (when I wound up picking the MG-944) he played the HDT for me - he seemed excited to have me hear it, then one look at my face and he shut it off. Yeah, it had detail, but cripes it was high-end+++


Quote:


Agreed again, I've put a pause on tapes. I actually had my Otari sold before I realized the HR-1 weren't for me. So I still have an inexpensive deck and a huge pile of tapes, but I'm taking a break for a bit and focusing on my digital now that I have the DS. I'll come back to tape soon though, I just don't like having to hunt down media.

Lon...any changes to report on DS break-in?

LR...any notes/impressions from the listening session last evening?

Sounds very promising so far Lon, and I agree, all of the things you mention sound like benefits.  Maybe after break-in, the % will decrease for the PWD (vs. 85% of the way there) and the value equation will change.

Are you getting a lot more detail from Redbook vs the PWD?  I feel like that comes up quite frequently on the PS Audio forums.