PS Audio Direct Stream JR

audiothesis:

Two oldies but goodies come to my remeberance, the Museatex Bidat (still have one) and the Wadia 9 Decoding Computer. About the only two dacs that I recall being able to stand up against world class preamps. 

I've very seldom found a DAC to be a solid stand-alone preamp.  There might always be exceptions though.  The biggest issues usually revolve around thinner presentations and a compressed soundstage in all directions.  I consider a preamp function as a bell/whistle more than a desired attribute.

I, too, have used the PS DS Jr. as a pre-amp for the past week and a half and I would agree with some of the other comments - namely the DS Jr. works as a pre-amp, but only up to a point.

My amplifier must have pretty sensitive inputs (I have no idea since it’s a bootleg Hypex DIY NC500-based unit) because I have no issues using the Jr. as a pre-amp, and at an attenuation setting of 100 the volume is higher than I would really ever need. This is even more so when using the Bridge II as an input for some reason. I seem to be getting about a +3dB delta over the USB input that way, at least with Tidal Hi-Fi/Masters.

As far as the sonic signature and fidelity, I notice no difference between using the Jr. as a pre-amp or plugging it into a few different pre-amps I have sitting around, correcting for whatever it is that each respective pre is adding. For example with a NuForce 7-CH pre, it sounds like an additional volume/gain control was added into the mix, that’s it.

I am not quite sure what someone meant by "accomplished preamp" because a preamp should - according to everything I've ever read - function as a virtual wire with gain. That is, add nothing to the sound and detract nothing from the fidelity. That said, perhaps that poster was referring to the ability to drive a wide variety of power amplifier inputs. In that case, again, I'd agree - there are probably amps out there which would really be better served using a dedicated preamp in between. Perhaps YMMV with tube based setups?

I would guess that if your amp and speakers are sensitive enough it would work perfectly fine as a pre-amp, as that is what I plan to do until something obviously better comes up.

Hard for me to believe that using Junior as a pre amp is more musical than an accomplished pre amp.Even the senior,which I now own,sounds more fleshed out when using the volume control of my Coincident Integrated.
Believe what your ears say not hearsay.

The the above mentioned output is at the high setting. Not enough for full output of some amps. Heck, it’s not even up to red book standard. It would be a shame to waste paid for Watts.

If you don’t think the jr has enough output voltage, you can change the attenuator setting to high and you should have plenty of voltage to power your amps. Attenuator setting “in” is the low setting but it’s also the quietest. 

I have the Direct Stream JR. and used it directly with my PassLabs XA30.8 monoblocks while waiting on my preamp to arrive and thought it sounded wonderful.  When the McIntosh tube preamp arrived.. I loved the DSJr even more. I thought the sounds became warmer and more layered (probably due to the tubes I'm thinking).  Not the most scientific review, but to my ears the sound improved with the preamp but sounded great even before.

I’ve had my Jr for about a year now and tried it as a preamp a couple of months ago just to experiment. I typically use it as a D/A only into my Yamaha AS3000 integrated amp via balanced connection. Using the Jr’s preamp function I have to connect single ended into the Yamaha since its preamp input is only single ended, so not a true apples to apples comparison but close.

Upon first listen it seemed just as good but the longer I listened the less fleshed out the sound seemed. I switched back and forth over the course of a few days and ultimately preferred the Jr as a D/A only. Just to level the playing field a little I connected the Jr as a D/A via single ended input (not balanced like I would typically do) so it was a fairer comparison, but still preferred the Jr. as a D/A only versus preamp. Not terribly scientific but that was my conclusion, could easily go another direction for another listener.