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Bricasti M1 DAC vs PS Audio Direct Stream DAC

I own a PS Audio Direct Stream DAC that I like a lot but heard my friends system with the Bricasti M1 and I am strongly thinking of changing my DAC and would love your feedback from other members that have heard either or both. I know they are both great but really thinking of changing my Dac from PS Audio Direct Stream to the Bricasti M1 DAC. I use a HP Desk top computer as source with Jplay and JRiver Media 19 and the outstanding Tellurium Q BLACK DIAMOND Reference USB Cable. The rest of my system is below. I listen to Classic Rock, jazz, vocal, some modern music and the usual audiophile stuff.

Thanks

My system for reference.

Ascendo C-8 Renaissance Speakers (Germany) Monitor
Purist Audio Design Corvus Praesto Revision 2.5m Bi-Wire Speaker cable
Cardas Clear Interconnect 1 Meter RCA Interconnect
Darwin TRUTH Pure Silver Reference 1 Meter RCA Interconnect
Darwin TRUTH Pure Silver Reference 1 Meter RCA Interconnect
Audio Research REFERENCE 1 w/Rhodium IEC/NOS Tubes Tube preamp
Decware ZSTAGE External Triode Output StageTelefunken ECC801S
PS Audio Direct Stream DSD DAC w/ Bridge DA converter
Tellurium Q BLACK DIAMOND Reference USB Cable
PS Audio PerfectWave PowerBase Vibration Cancelation/AC Condtioner
Conrad Johnson Premier 12 Mono's 140 Watts Tung-Sol KT120's amps
PS Audio PowerPlant Premier AC Regenerator
BMI Shark Pure Jeweler Grade Platinum AC Power Cable
Sablon Audio Petite Corona 2.0M AC Power Cable
Mad Scientist PC-NEO with Power Purifier AC Power Cable
JPS Labs The Power AC+ 2M AC Power Cable
Synergistic Research Labs Tesla Series SE T1 AC Power Cable
Synergistic Research Labs Tesla Series T1 AC Power Cable
PS Audio Noise Harvester (5) Converts noise to light
OYAIDE RI Beryllium Power Outlets (2)
Hubbell Outlet 5362/5262 Deep Cryo Process
Blue Circle Audio The Yalu Balula Industrial Surge/Spike Protection
JPLAY v5.2 hi-end audio player turns PC into a digital transport.
JRiver Media Center 19 Music Software
128x128Ag insider logo xs@2xfsmithjack

Showing 6 responses by mysticriver

mysticriver
11 posts
 
Hello everybody,

I have read this thread all the way through and I must say it  is a fascinating story, filled with drama, suspense, and a lot of great information.

I am a recently retired software engineer who has loved music for many decades, along with the pursuit of excellent equipment to enable an optimum listening experience.

When I was 11 years old I built an Arkay integrated stereo tube amplifier from a kit.  In college I had a Dynaco amp with AR-3 speakers.  Over the years I have had a series of tube and solid-state equipment, constantly upgrading in search of better sound.

I bought a PS Audio DirectStream DAC last year and have been amazed at each OS release from Pikes Peak through Yale Final and now Torrey's.  This DAC has been a series of delights with each upgrade and I have no doubt the best is yet to come. 

Since I liked the DS so much, I ended up buying a PS Audio BHK 250 amp and BHK preamp also, along with a PS Audio P10 Power Regenerator to power all of it.  Every new component was a revelation with the P10 perhaps the most surprising of all since I had no idea how much pure A/C power could do to improve the musical experience.

When I damaged a connector on the DS a couple of months ago I called PSA and they gave me an RMA number without question.  They fixed it for free and shipped it back via priority shipping within 3 days. 

My BHK preamp is registering 592 hours and 30 minutes of tube time and still the system continues to improve.  The synergy of all PSA components working together is absolutely marvelous.

With all the discussion of mixing and matching various components, of questions,  expectations, trials, and disappointments, I thought it might be helpful to describe a different approach.   By choosing all components from one manufacturer designed, developed and tested to work together, I have finally stopped  worrying about improving my system and am simply reveling in the joy of music.
mysticriver
11 posts
 

Hi fsmithjack,

You asked about transports and speakers; there is something cool I can share, although not really about my own system, which is nothing special.

I listen mostly to classical music ripped to lossless files stored on my Mac Pro.  I play these with VLC software running on macOS Sierra.  I usually rip new CD’s immediately but otherwise use a Marantz CD6000OSE CD player.  This elderly player sounds excellent routed through my DS.  Ted Smith has claimed that all transports sound the same with the DS DAC because it does not rely on timing from the source which could cause jitter.  Maybe his opinion will change now that PSA has introduced the DS Memory Player.  With ability to deliver full SACD resolution to the DS via encrypted I2S, that transport sounds like the new SOTA.

As for speakers, I listen near-field via a pair of Wharfedale Opus 2 M2’s.  Alternatively, I switch to Altec-Lansing Valencia 846b’s that mated well with my previous all-tube system.  PSA CEO Paul McGowan doesn’t like horns but I think the Valencias sound fine within their limits.  I also listen to Audeze LCD-2 headphones  through the headphone section of the BHK preamp.

That’s my stuff, but maybe the question should be “what transport and speakers are best?”

To begin addressing this I wondered what choices Ted Smith made for his personal system,  which led me to this page where he listed all his equipment.

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/members/ted-smith/

As I write this, Ted has not updated the list for over a year, so take it with a grain of salt.  He may well have updated the preamp, amp, and transport with PSA equipment by now.  But regarding the transport especially his choice is quite remarkable!  In this list Ted is using an Oppo BDP-103 updated to include a Vanity 103HD DoP analog board.  The unique feature of this board is that it outputs full multichannel SACD digital for connection to the DAC of your choice.  This is huge  as it somehow bypasses Sony’s encryption which normally prevents the Oppo from outputting full SACD digital.

Ted uses his Oppo BDP-103 with a Vanity 103HD DoP to drive no less than THREE DS DAC’s for full surround sound.  The story of how he came to adopt this system is documented in the following PSA forum thread:

http://www.psaudio.com/forum/directstream-all-about-it/dop-output-from-an-oppo/

Audiopraise Vanity boards are sold by JVB Digital:

http://www.jvbdigital.nl/jvb.asp?cur=2&level=sdi&page=browse&searchtype=quicksearch&searchstring=vanity

For speakers, Ted uses JM Lab Utopia (Novas, Altos, sub).  

PSA also has another product under development that has caught my interest: speakers.  

http://www.psaudio.com/forum/loudspeakers-1/new-ps-audio-speakers/

This becomes more intriguing when you realize they are being designed by none other than Arnie Nudell of Infinity / Genesis fame.  

http://www.stereophile.com/content/arnie-nudell-infinity-genesis#qP67dVSIl0Bu8icL.97

So, yeah, there’s that to look forward to.  In the meantime, I am basking in a new CD set (Marie-Catherine Girod - Mendelssohn Complete Works for Solo Piano).  The Marantz player may not be SOTA but the DS DAC makes it sing like a nightingale!


mysticriver
11 posts
 
Ted Smith's System

This is the link to the detailed list:
http://cgi.audioasylum.com/systems/3367.html

mysticriver
11 posts
 
Ted Smith's System

Here's his image gallery
http://gallery.audioasylum.com/cgi/view.mpl?UserImages=7184&session=&invite=194917041
mysticriver
11 posts
 
Hi fsmithjack,

It is designed to be user-upgradeable and very easy.

Here is the link to the Vanity 103HD DoP board that Ted uses:
http://www.jvbdigital.nl/jvb.asp?cur=2&level=sdi&page=title&title=924

The following information is under the comments tab:

"The installation of the Vanity103HD module is very easy and fully reversible.
No soldering or back panel drilling is necessary. Module is designed to simply replace the original analog output board of the OPPO BDP-103."

"The Vanity103HD DoP module has selectable SACD playback when in DoP mode. DoP stands for "DSD over PCM" and this method allows to send raw DSD stream in standard 24bit PCM frames at 176.4kHz over SPDIF. More details about the method can be found here: http://dsd-guide.com/sites/default/files/white-papers/DoP_openStandard_1v1.pdf"

If you buy one, let us know how you like it!


mysticriver
11 posts
 
Hi fsmithjack,

"This looks awesome - OK so to summarize so I buy the Oppo BDP-103 and this board the Vanity 103HD DoP board and install it myself then just use it as a cd transport?"

Well, that’s the idea as I understand it from what I read, anyway. Of course you don’t need the Vanity board unless you actually play SACD’s as well as CD’s.

As far as my personal system goes, I prefer digital files, with just the occasional CD. So I’m sticking with the Marantz, but the Oppo / Vanity combo sounds like a cool idea if you’re into SACD discs.

If you have any questions about compatibility with your DAC, etc. you should direct them to JVB Digital.

As for the other stuff, I don’t have any experience with the hardware / software you mention, so I’ll leave that to someone else.

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