Modding the PS Audio Directstream DAC MK1 and MK2

These MK1’s are hard to beat.

We will also reconsider making another batch of power boards. Our break even number is 5 boards at $300 ea.

This is a plug and play solution that will allow you to use the internal PS or the external one. If no external PS is hooked up the unit will use the internal PS. If the external PS is hooked up then the External PS will be used. It will be automatic and also will pass the power to the analog board at the correct time during power up. This will be a card that slides in the Bridge port with the external power supply connector and LED indicator. All one needs to do is move the analog PS plug to the new board and connect the supplied cable to the analog board. Kit will include the cable with the 2 pin connectors for the external power supply and the DSD.
We make the cables out of 14AWG 2.4mm OD Silver Plated FEP Wire High Purity OFC Copper Cable.

 

This is what everyone will receive.

I did the Vocm mod for a friend several months ago.  He liked it however he thought his Holo Audio Spring 3 DAC sounded better.

a couple months later I upgraded his Edcor XS4400 to our Nickel transformers.  He loves the MK1 now better than the Spring 3.  He raved about it for several weeks.

First pair of APS audio nickel transformers for the NEW Directstream DAC MK2.

Hello. fellow members.

We just finished a bunch of Vocm and transformer mods.  Hopping to make some happy listeners. 😀

jannik

@Jeff: Do you know when the next batch of APS trafos is ready for shipment? Cant wait

We have one pair available now. More to come in June.

MK2 transformers will be available in June.

Glad you are enjoying your MK1.  The USB shorting plugs makes a big improvement If you are not using that port.

Jeff

I use this one. The DS has several local regulators so it’s not super critical. 
 

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2255800739878853

What heat issue?

Read first post

You will be very happy. 

HERE:

There is nothing to worry about however there is 4 heat sinks, two of which are not being used or at least not very much (without the Bridge installed) and do not get hot.  By installing a heat spreading material between these heat sinks distributes the heat more evenly.  I have used M.2 heat spreading material.

Just gently spread the heat sinks slightly apart and slide the heat sink pad (for a M.2) it between the heat sinks. I held the heat sinks together with a U shaped metal spring wire I made up.

No schematics on the MK2.

Good to know you found a good replacement power transformer.

Thanks for the info.

Much lower distortion. The nickel is just part of the equation in making a great transparent audio transformer.  We design these specifically for the MK1 or the MK2.  They are not interchangeable.  

We feel the modded MK 1 with Vocm mod and nickel transformers sounds better than the stock ML2.

The MK2 with nickel transformers sounds just slightly better.

From 1-100:

MK2 99

MK1 98

The XS4400 is not even in the same league as the custom designed nickel transformers.  Some of the "cheap" power supplies are designed better than some the the over priced supplies.  We know because we measure, test and sometimes modify them.

Our experience is just the opposite as with the nickel transformers the external supply makes little difference if any.

The internal power supply is fine in the unit as there are many up stream regulators and filters. It’s not necessary to use an external supply for this reason however using an external supply will remove some heat from inside the DAC.

Also that bridge card destroys the sound of the DS DAC. Best to remove them.

We are the ones who designed and built the APS transformers.  We did extensive testing with all configurations of the DS.  This is how we know what improves the sound and what doesn't.

I think your Bridge II card is flawing your listening. When we did testing, the Bridge card totally trashed the sound quality no matter what mods were done. I would not recommend using the Bridge card as one could never get the great sound these DS’s can provide. With our External Power Board one can A/B the sound difference by just turning off / on the external supply (the internal supply takes over automatically).

The panel of listeners we had could hear NO difference between the internal supply and external supply so it’s not just my opinion. This was also done with the XS4400 transformers as well as our nickel transformers.

The external supply makes no difference in our listening tests however the nickel transformers along with the Vocm mod makes a huge difference.

We had one member with the external power supply, XS4400 transformers and the Vocm mod that used it for several months.  We changed his transformers to the nickel ones and he was blown away.  He also could not hear any difference between internal supply and external power supply.

QUOTE:

"You could be right if you weren’t wrong. I have a dedicated streamer."

I believe you told us you are using a Bridge II board.

QUOTE:

"And as I've told it before (I think, I did on PS Audio forum), with a dedicated PSU for analog board, the Bridge card gets better power, and it doesn't spoil the sound of the DAC anymore (okay, not as much as it did before)."

BTW just so everyone understands the 298D series is not an electrolytic cap.  It's the new Vishay Solid Tantalum Chip Capacitors MICROTAN®

We use these as they are the largest value available that will fit in the 0805 space and has a low ESR, and 0.01 CV DC leakage value and are rated to operate over the temperature of +85 C.

We tested many capacitors and found these to be the best fit and best sounding.

Here is the data on the 298D