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PS Audio DirectStream with Bridge II - FREAKIN' AWESOME!!!

I am new to this hi end game of sound and have been researching products for over a year and a half and I finally started buying up equipment last month.  I recently acquired a PS Audio DirectStream DAC and was really enjoying the sound with my cd collection.  I started looking at music servers for casual listening.  I love Tidal because there is so much music to discover.  I looked at the Sony, Aurender, Naim, on and on.  Then I did more reading and realized I could buy a Bridge II from PS Audio to stream Tidal and other services.  I received the Bridge yesterday from The Music Room in Colorado (another great company btw) and proceeded to install it in my DAC.  Once I installed the bridge I followed the directions on the PS Audio website about how to stream Tidal and within a minute I was up and running.  All I can say is this stuff is FREAKIN' AWESOME.  The album art appears on the front of the DAC, a little added bonus, but it was so easy to setup and control.  I am in not affiliated with either PS Audio or The Music Room, however, I wanted to share my excellent experiences with the rest of you A-goners.  You may all already know about this equipment but in case there are any other newbs out there like me I thought I would share my little adventure.  

128x128mmporsche
13 responses Add your response
cymbop
315 posts
 
Great to hear that the functionality is there after so many hiccups with the Bridge I.  

What are you using to render (control and select music for) the bridge?  A laptop or tablet running JRiver or Roon?  When my beloved Squeezebox Touch eventually bites the dust, I may be looking at the Bridge II versus an Auralic Aries.
mmporsche's avatar
mmporsche OP
144 posts
 
I read the Bridge I did have some issues.  So far, 3 hours in I have not experienced a single hiccup on the Bridge II.  I am just using an old LG Nexus phone because you can only get Tidal with BubbleUpnp (sp?) app on Android, not available on iOS devices.  I installed the app and clicked on a couple of menus and it all just shows up and works seamlessly, just like PS Audio shows on their website.  I believe you can pick up an Android tablet for $50 to $75 used or $100 new.  I just gave me Kindle Fire to my father last month because I never used it, oh well.  I would prefer a table to more easily view and navigate, however, the little phone works fine for now.  
mmporsche's avatar
mmporsche OP
144 posts
 
Also, speak to Josh at the Music Room and he will hook you up with a Bridge II for a reasonably price.  My understanding is it works with both the DirectStream and older DAC PS made, PerfectStream I believe it was called?
cymbop
315 posts
 
...and indeed he did!  Bridge II is on the way and I am all kinds of excited.
cymbop
315 posts
 

Received Bridge II yesterday to replace a Squeezebox Touch which was connected by ethernet to a Vortexbox Appliance (headless linux box running Logitech Media Server.)  Installation was easy as dropping bread into a toaster.

Because LMS has been rock-solid for me forever, I decided to use Holzohr’s experience in this thread to implement it with the BII.  Installed Philippe’s uPnP plugin in LMS (v. 1.2.5.0).  Had to futz with a couple of settings for an hour or so, but now I’m in business using LMS as server and iPeng app on iPhone as control point.

Success with flac in 16/44 (which is 99% of my collection) and gapless worked on a 24/96 version of Dark Side of the Moon!  Success with Pandora for background listening!  Success with TIDAL for redbook streaming of damn-near every recording in the world!  

Small niggles:  iPeng got completely hung up trying to switch from the 24/96 Dark Side to another album.  If iPeng gets flustered it will occasionally give 3 seconds of garbled music/static at the beginning of a track.  My laptop got kicked off my wifi network this morning and required a router reboot (maybe has to do with a dynamic IP?)

Funny bonus:  I listen at night once the wife goes to bed.  We installed iPeng on her phone so that if she’s ever awakened or annoyed by a track I’m playing, she can skip it herself from the bedroom.    

Sound Quality, on my PWD II and in comparison to the SBT through coax input into firmware 2.4.3, is the best I have ever experienced at home.  Winner winner, chicken dinner!  So much blacker, quieter background.  Imaging took a huge step forward with space delineated between instruments in the soundstage.  Pace and rhythm were miles better.  A couple of times I freaked out because I thought there was a person in my home, only to realize that it was a studio musician shifting on his stool, and he was present in the room with me.  Bass had significantly less overall weight than before, but it was tuneful and accurate for sure.  All listening was in NativeX mode with Auto filter.

SQ is my highest priority in this game, and the small hassles in setup and operation are easily worth it to gain the listening experience I enjoyed last night.   Chapeau to the whole PS Audio team.


cal3713's avatar
cal3713
1,421 posts
 
Two questions.  Is there a way to stream other services to the Bridge II, I've been using Rhapsody for years?  Also, can you stream computer audio to the Bridge II as if it were a standard soundcard?  

Thanks folks.

- Chris
mmporsche's avatar
mmporsche OP
144 posts
 
Chris,

I believe that is correct, however, the app is only available on Android devices. I use all mac and have some music stored via iTunes. I downloaded google music and it allowed me to migrate my iTunes library with one key stroke. You also have the option to download other services. I am only using tidal so I haven't checked for rhapsody but I bet it is available. I would just call ps audio to make certain. 
knghifi
1,668 posts
 
I had a PS Audio PWD MKII with bridge 1.   I ran DLNA server on a Mac or Windows.  I prefer LMS over JRiver.   SQ was very good but Bridge 1 was very unstable that requires frequent recycles so moved on.

My brother replaced his PS Audio PWD MKII / bridge 1 with PS Audio DirectStream / bridge 11.   He brought it to my home over Thanksgiving.  It took ~10 minutes to download and install JRiver on my computer.  We use JRemote on his iPad ... SQ was a HUGE improvement over PWD.MK11.   Bridge 11 is very stable, faster and no failures so far.  

I haven't demo all available DACs in the market but at street price, PS Audio DirectStream / bridge 11 has to be one of the best ROI.
rzehr
7 posts
 
One can also run the BUPnP Server on a Mac - this allows playing Tidal to a PS Audio Bridge II without Android.
http://www.psaudio.com/forum/directstream-all-about-it/tidal-now-streaming-to-bridge-ii/#p48867
bubba12's avatar
bubba12
436 posts
 
I’m late to the party but I downloaded Roon today. I use a Mac Book Pro to listen to ITunes hooked to my Exogal Comet. Do I need another player to use Roon app. Exasound  Power Play or similar?
bubba12's avatar
bubba12
436 posts
 
Exasound Play Point*

emailists
923 posts
 
As a new PS audio dealer I wanted to point out that the DS sounds amazing direct to amps via balanced.  I could not have said that about the PWD.    The DS has a great volume control scheme using a transformer.   Direct to their BHK amps is unbelievable.   
mikey8811
259 posts
 
Hi

Did anyone compare the Bridge II vs Auralic Aries into Direct Stream DAC?
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