PS Audio Direct Stream MK2 DAC


While researching the PS Audio Direct Stream MK2 DAC on the PSA Forum, I came across this:

"Regarding “hum,” Ted said: “ You had the opportunity to return your device if it was wasn’t acceptable. I don’t know how one could claim to have been screwed…….”

Not only that, this “hum” was a known feature, as it was discussed early and often in the beta thread. Paul even went so far as to claim every component PSA has ever produced (or at least, every component on his shelf) has this hum."

Further, Ted himself says:

"The hum is coming from the piezoelectric response from a few critical capacitors in the power supply. The device was designed with a component that wouldn’t cause this problem, but supply chain problems forced us to design in a slightly older version of the part which caused the hum. Unfortunately, the new and old parts aren’t footprint compatible, so we’re stuck with the older version for a while even when the newer parts become available again."

Ted is Ted Smith, the" Chief Digital Dude" at PS Audio.

Question to all PSA DS MK2 DAC owners, do you hear a hum?

All in all, do you think it would be better to wait for a while until the problem sorts itself out - OR - is it "much ado about nothing" and I should just go ahead and get the PSA DAC?

I am leaning towards waiting .... But I am interested to hear your views too.

 

 

 

128x128dcpillai

@acmaier3 

Jeez, feeling a tad sensitive are we? This will be my last post on this thread, so go ahead and say what you want about me, I won't reply. But yes, my Mk1 did have a bridge. Noisy, untested? If you say so. Fanboy? Hardly... I currently own no PSA products. Corporate shill... now that is just being shrill. Hey, maybe I'm a bot? You overlooked that one. Have a good life. 

I also don't understand why there could be any confusion on the lack of streaming capability in the Mk2.  PS Audio's marketing material never mentioned anything about streaming functionality w/the Mk2.  And for the "well, the Mk1 had the bridge" argument, the Mk1 bridge was a separate add-on when purchasing the Mk1.  It wasn't even included in the base product. 

@hgeifman ​​​​​​

Thanks for the update from PS Audio in relation to the "hum" issue. 

However, please consider what was stated by Ted Smith in relation to the hum:-

The hum is coming from the piezoelectric response from a few critical capacitors in the power supply. The device was designed with a component that wouldn’t cause this problem, but supply chain problems forced us to design in a slightly older version of the part which caused the hum. Unfortunately, the new and old parts aren’t footprint compatible, so we’re stuck with the older version for a while even when the newer parts become available again

Based on the answer received by @hgeifman ​​​​, I deduce that PSA's answer to the hum issue (and probably the Stereophile article) is a software "workaround" and not a hardware solution as indicated by Ted Smith above. If this is the case, then when will the newer parts referred to be used by PSA? 

Or am I mixing the issues up (ie the noise addressed in the Stereophile article and the "hum" issue are separate and distinct issues)? 

Thinking about it, short of an announcement being made by PSA on the PSA forum, it may be better to wait for those with the MK2 and a hum issue to confirm that the problem is no more before I pull the trigger on the MK2. 

Glad to note that they have been working on the problem though. 

@oczed reading comprehension is taught in grade school. Logic is taught in high school and college. Did you complete any of this schooling?

When someone offers a trade-in for a machine with a network streaming ability for the new version that DOES ship with an integrated network card, you should either be told the network card doesn't do what it did previously or it should be equivalent/superior functionality. This is really just simple logic so I feel very sorry for you. Best of luck stumbling through life with such "cloudy" thinking. 

@markmuse - same points on simple logic to you - PSA were the ones that said the MK1 Bridge was noisy - send me your email and I'll forward the support note where they said the MK1 Bridge II was noisy. So they regularly ship noisy products but are supposed to be a leader in noise suppression eg DS power plants. They aren't scientifically testing their products or they are testing them but just don't care the products are noisy - don't see much room in between. Which do you think it is?