I gett that. I just hate tha PS Audio are reacting to the bad measurement critique and cranking one out so soon, also right after a huge discount on the new units which sort of is a fork in the eye to those who ponied up to buy early. Just a combo that makes them seem insecure and reactionary to me, and sticks in my craw. I can see an annual firmware change, etc. but this one so fast really makes me feel they rushed this out too early and/or just are treating their vision of it willy nilly.

I know I'm a different case, someone who doesn't want to tinker with his components in this way, someone who has become disenchanted with computers sneaking in and commanding my audio experience. But this really is a direction I didn't want to travel with my stereo and I guess I should have anticipated its increasing role and perhaps not gone this route. It just smacks of something unstable and unprofessoinal to me, whipping one out so soon; I can see why others aren't concerned or are happy but it has made me feel disappointed with PS Audio. The damned thing sounds amazing, I'm someone who leaves well enough alone and builds around it, not a constant messer with things. On top of that I have increasingly less and less time to just relax with my system and listen to my music, which is one of the rejuvenating and ecstatic parts of life for me, and here's more interfering with that time that I didn't ask for. Begins to pile straw on my back.

Enough said about this from me, I can see why others can be excited about this but for me right now, frustrated, wearied and saddened by my far to much time caring for deteriorating loved ones (once again!) it's just irritating.

No worries, Lon, we get it.

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For those of you who have a DS, or care - this is not at all true. Ted has this issue fixed the same day the measurement was discovered, but never did a rushed Firmware release because it wasn't an audible issue, just a software one. The new firmware (as I alluded to previously) is the result of Ted getting some new measurement tools that allow him to measure, and look at his changes at a level he's never had before. This latest Firmware (v 1.21) that will be released soon is the result of Ted's having new tools that he can use for the very particular way the DS works.

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This I agree with - it's being discussed in the PSA forums. It doesn't bother me, because I'm too cheap/broke to pay full price for the DS, so I narrowly dodged that fork in the eye. I get it though.

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I'm  on the DS beta team testing the new firmware - I can assure you I'm right.  

I just noticed that the new firmware was released.  Those are some pretty strong words from Paul regarding the performance impact.  I may hold off on upgrading until a get a better sense of the DS as it continues to break in.

"To say 'you ain't heard DirectStream yet' is NOT an understatement"  

From Ted at PS Audio

"For those who are sure to ask:
JA first complained to me about a low level non-linearity – I was pretty sure I knew how to fix that and I was also pretty sure that it didn't matter.  Indeed no-one was particularly impressed with the FPGA code that had a quick patch for the low level non-linearities.  But I was embarrassed that JA found those problems instead of us so I ordered a new scope that was optimized for audio and had 48dB more resolution in the audio band.
Something Paul brought up when we were thinking about how best to address the low level distortion reminded me of a tradeoff in the FPGA we'd settled on quite a while back on a prototype board – much to my surprise with the new scope I could clearly see changes in distortion as I tried different tradeoffs.  And best of all, finding the optimal code freed up some resources in the FPGA.
So not only did we get cleaner measurements but with the newer smaller code is was also easier to see and hear the results of trying some other FPGA optimizations that were rattling around in my mind.
As Paul mentioned a big surprise from the aggregated changes was a lower noise floor.  A lower noise floor always brings other benefits.
I don't think there's a simple description of any of the changes – they are all small things that add up to a result larger than we expected."

Dave1210 wrote on 09/24/14 at 16:38:59:


So much hype from manufacturers lately. Between Steve and Paul you can open up a new surplus cheese distribution center.

I downloaded this, unzipped it, added it to one of the PS Audio SD cards emptied out, put it in, cycled it back on from the back. . . and no blinking LEDs, no real change at all in sound. I just can't do these things it seems. Hopeless. Giving up for now.

120+ hours of break in and still going.  I took the day off and have been listening all day.  Also, I couldn't resist doing the firmware upgrade, so I am now running 1.2.1.  

This is without question the best sound I have ever had in this room.  I really thought the PWD was an excellent DAC, but the DS is a fairly large step up, especially with the latest firmware.    

The amount of detail retrieved from Redbook is impressive, and it's not fatiguing at all.  Bass seems to have increased with the new firmware, but without losing any of the detail.  At first, I thought the new firmware was a little 'drier' than the previous version, but all the wetness/air is back and then some.  Soundstage has expanded as well.

Enjoying the music immensely...

Absolute Sound weighs in on the upgrade.

https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/ps-audio-releases-significant-firmware...

September 29, 2014 - PS Audio's DirectStream DAC, reviewed in Issue 245, has been updated with a firmware upgrade. Instead of using a standard DAC chip, the DirectStream DAC uses a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), programmed by designer Ted Smith, to perform all DAC functions. That makes it easier to implement firmware changes to the DAC's functions, and several have been made already. But version 1.2.1 is touted as a major upgrade to the sound of the DAC, to the extent that PS Audio CEO  Paul McGowan is describing it as a "new DAC." So of course, I had to see how it stacks up against the original DAC. Actually, I had already installed one upgrade to the DAC, with version number 1.1.5, and that made a distinct improvement. So I compared the new firmware upgrade to version 1.1.5.

Firmware upgrades for the DirectStream DAC are recorded on SD cards like those used for camera memory. You can download the upgrade files from the PS Audio website and copy them onto the SD card. Then you turn off the DirectStream DAC, insert the SD card in a slot in the rear of the DAC (contacts facing up), and turn the power back on. The front button with the PS Audio logo will blink while the upgrade is being installed. When the blinking stops, the upgrade has been performed, and the DAC will go through its normal initialization process. You can remove the SD card and enjoy the hopefully improved sound.

So does the upgrade deserve all the fuss PS Audio is making about it? In a word, yes. Playing the DSD version of Shelby Lynne's Just a Little Lovin' album, the first thing I noticed was deeper bass, with more impact. Also, there was more air around Lynne's voice, with better focus and detail, and a wider soundstage. I thought leading edge transients were a bit sharper, also. None of these changes made an enormous difference, but the upgrade is definitely a must-do, especially since it's free. Well, almost; you have to buy an SD card, and once you buy one, you can reuse it for the next upgrade. If your camera uses SD card, use one of those.

Does the upgrade deserve to be described as a new DAC? Well, it is a new DAC--the inner circuitry has been changed, and to my ear, noticeably improved. I've paid lots of money for hardware upgrades to components that made no more improvements than PS Audio's DirectStream DAC upgrade--and it's free. Or if you prefer, PS Audio will send it to you on an SD card for $19.95.

(NOTE: that's not the correct price from PS Audio).

What a mess. Turns out PS Audio sent a card with the firmware to my previous Austin address . . . twice. . . even though my requesting email had my current address within it, plainly.

So now having to wait yet again for a card I decided to try to download onto the card IN the DS one more time. Think I did it successfully. But. . . when I rebooted the machine it blinks. . . for about forty minutes. That's not right. I rebooted again with and without the card. . . and I have no DS. Just a blinking light.

Shit.

I felt doom from the start of this and I was right.

That's what I did will, I downloaded the folder, took the files out, put them in the card, and then did the reboot.

Oh well. Waiting to hear from PS Audio.

Thanks, this is frustrating but I have other sources to listen to, and spend too little time with the system, I'll get it squared away eventually. But I think I'll stick with this firmware if they come out with others soon, this is not what I bargained for when I bought it.

I don't know how to reformat a card. I know nothing about cards. I'll just wait for the card from PS Audio.

Why wouldn't the csrd taken out of the unit be properly formatted? It's all Greek to me.

That doesn't work for me, I don't have a PC, I have a Mac.

Thanks though, that made me investigate, I looked up how to do that in Mac and formatted it FAT, it's a 2G card,  and reloaded the seven files and have the same problem.

Sigh.

Dave, I have done that over and over and it doesn't do the job.

I'm away from home for the rest of the evening. I do want to hear what you next have to offer, but I'm just about done with this. I will have the card, finally, two weeks after I ordered it, in a day or two from PS Audio. They are telling me that will totally do the trick. I'm beginning to think I have another problem, but hope they are right as I'd hate to send the unit back to the mothership.

In the meantime I'm pretty astounded at how well the Denon DCD-A100 SACD player/DAC is doing in the system. That sucker was a steal at the closeout price. Redbook is about 85% of what the DS is; I've been running it through my CSP2+. And it does SACD in an amazing manner, and you can access its excellent DAC via coaxial, optical and USB. I've never had a player this well-built either.

http://www.denon.co.uk/uk/product/pages/product-detail.aspx?catid=anniversarycol...

I did erase and reformat the card. I've done all this except try an older firmware. I don't want to do that at this time . . . I'm just burned out on it and I don't want to mess with older firmware. I have dedicated about a third of my this week especially limited free time to this the last few days, and that's precious time just wasted.

I'll just wait til I get the "official" card they say will be the cure for my ailment. I hope so, but I"m beginning to have suspicions. Jeez I wish I had never tried this, this firmware juggling is just . . . not what I want.

I'm done. This has made me so frustrated that I have just turned the unit off. I'm waiting til the card arrives from PS Audio.

No you didn't reopen the wound and I appreciate the help. I just don't like computers and doing things like this and I have spent far too much time on this and in place of relaxing things and I'm just going to wait for what PS Audio has sent, this time to the correct address, third time may be the charm. Thanks for your help.

Lon...glad to hear you are enjoying music on your SACD player while the DS is down.  I cannot believe you still don't have an SD Card from PS Audio.

Well, got the card in the mail (I was told it was coming quickly via UPS with tracking, came instead media mail).

Put it in. Rebooted. Same stinking situation, endlessly flashing light. No DirectStream to listen to.

^&%$

I wish I'd never tried the card myself, apparently I did it right but made my machine inoperable; I at least would have been able to use it a few days longer. Looks as if I'll have to send it back and wait weeks longer still.

I did try that earlier today before the mail. Same thing, nothing but flashing light.

Paul MacGowan says "this only happens if the firmware that turns it from a PWD to a DirectStream has not been installed." But I had them install a kit, and the screen said I had a DirectStream and 1.1.7 firmware.

It looks as if I'll be sending it back, I'm waiting to hear from them. Very frustrating from start to finish on this, I had a sense of foreboding that turned real. Very disappointing.

Thanks for the help Dave. I've tried that and everything. I'm waiting to hear back from them but will probably have to send it back. Even more of my precious spare time wasted doing that. Sigh.

What a drag Lon. Bad service causes a loss of respect and trust for me.

Sending it back again will surely resolve it though...one way or another.

How would you characterize the TADs compared to Genalex and Tungsols.

Lon,

What a nightmare.

Here's a picture of PS Audio's room at RMAF. I guess that's their new hybrid amps on the floor. The only non-PSA equipment in the rack is a Aesthetix Calypso preamp.

Ah, the nightmare is over if it was one. All that waiting and all that unease not knowing what was going to happen. I have the PWD Mk II in the system now that I took out to fit in the DirectStream, it's a great sounding conponent, I'll be fine til I get the DirectStream back.

Interesting room. But I'm okay not hearing it.

Thanks for the clarification Kana.  Looked like the one on the left had a screen in the picture, but makes sense that you need two amps for that system.  I think they are supposed to have a bigger room, but if not treated properly I could see how the bass could overwhelm.  I heard Arnie was there to help with the setup so it probably sounds as good as it can in that room.