PS Audio NEW Huron Firware upgrade. 😩😫😩

I am glad I have my Audio-GD Master 7. They got it right the first time and left it alone. 
Alan

The good thing is I can revert back firmware any time I choose , and there is 
Sonic adjustments coming up in the near future . Sometimes progress has to 
Take s temporary step back to progress 2  ahead.

That's a bummer,
I won't upgrade mine,I like it just the way it is.

Maybe down the road the sonic adjustments will make a better dac.

Best,


Kenny.

Audioman58, I presume you are pauljvl2122 from the PS Audio forums.  Assuming that is correct, you should be clear to everyone here that your DS DAC has about 175 hours on it and it was recommended by a couple of folks on the PS Audio site to give it more time, say 250-300 hours before making decisions on sound.  It was also suggested to play with speaker positioning.  Just trying to present all of the facts here ...

For those that aren't completely familiar with the PS Audio DirectStream DAC, there have been several firmware updates provided by PS Audio.  Each one has been FREE.  The firmware is posted on the PS Audio website, you download it as a zip file, unzip it to a SD card, place the SD card in your DS DAC, and turn it on.  The firware loads automatically and you can go back and forth from any version of the firmware to any other version.  It doesn't ge any better than that (at least in the real world)!

I have to vehemently disagree with Audioman58. I really liked Torrey's but in all parameters Huron is better. It doesn't cost anything to try and as pmotz said you can always go back to Torrey's. The DS dac is the least expensive piece of equipment in my music system and it wasn't until I had 300+ hours on it that it started to come into it's own.

@lwin - +1 on Huron, it sounds incredible to me. At first I was hearing some crackling that wasn't there before, I thought I had a woofer or a tube going. Not sure what that was but I reloaded it again, let the system run in a while and no noise. I am hearing more music, Micro details. Less noise = more music.

I have 450 hrs on my direct stream dac, now have the new Huron software , I like Torrey's , but the new Huron is very very good, tons of micro detail, bass and top end better ,this is a very good software update ,and will stay with huron

One mans opinion is next to meaningless

I will give it another week. I will say 24 hours later it is only more up front 
In character on transient attack yes micro detail is  better  as well as more defined imaging. It is not quite as analog  or as smooth as the original.if more run In time is needed as some say I will be back after another 175 hours to let you know. 

The "problem" with FPGA dacs is that designers can tweak the software for a totally different presentation that is better for some and worse for others.  The PS audio dacs have been through a number of "upgrades" and not all were better.  Personally, I prefer to buy a new component or cable when seeking a different sound.  But that's just me... a former PS Audio Direct Stream Jr. owner.  

The DS dac needs a least 750 hours of break in time to show off its full capabilities using any of the firmware updates. 

Hello all,

I'm glad to hear some positives on this new upgrade from some more experienced users.

I own the ds and the jr and will try the upgrade on one or the other first and get plenty of time and see.

I have several changes going on with my main system and I like to take my time and only change one thing at a time.

Best,

Kenny.

Try it Kenny, you can always go back. I'm sticking with Huron.

Lance

Lance,

You do find Huron to have lwr noise anything other changes,
Would you say the dac still maintains its neutral character or is it to early to tell.

I'm going to upgrade the jr for now and let it play continuously in my 2nd system for a couple of days and then try it.I use the DS in my main system and as you can see I do like them.

I can see that you and I like some of the same qualities in a system.

Thank's for the info,

Kenny.

Lance,

I did install Huron on my Jr and have it running continuously in my 2nd system,I will check it out in a few days,won't have the time anyway.

I never have told you that I owned the Janzen Valentina's for about six month's and just recently sold them on the Gon.

I thought they were a very good sounding speaker and David is the nicest guy you could ever met.But they weren't the best match for me in my main system and I just can't keep everything.

Even though I think we both would agree they do have such a magical midrange but for me in a larger room they sounded a little small in image size and a very small sweet spot.

In the end I did seriously consider moving them to my 2nd system in a smaller room but I did'nt.

I hope you can yourself a pair of Di's you might really like them.

Best,

Kenny.

So I've been listening to the ps audio direct stream dac , with bridge , and now with Huron , as a result of the lower noise floor , the micro detail now is incredible,

The overall timber in the instruments , so real and life like , I'm amazed at every cut ,my hats off ted smith

pavpet,

That sounds very encouraging to me,I've installed Huron on my Jr and in the next day or 2 I'm going to check it out in my main system.

Even though I have always liked both my DS and Jr,I always thought they good be better.

As Lance has said a lwr noise floor equals more music


Best,

Kenny.

Hello all,

I meant I installed Huron on my DS,I wanted to upgrade my Jr first but Huron won't be released for another week or so.

That's ok I don't have the time to listen much this week anyhow.

Best,

Kenny.

I’m liking Huron as well. I haven’t gone back to Torrys to test, but with Huron and some new iconoclast cables from believe it or not Belden (which I’m going to be a dealer for - ps audio dealer as well) I’m literally having a Sufjan Stevens concert in my listening room right now ! And the Illinoise album I’m listening to is 44.1. It’s shocking that a low res recording made in various apartments in brooklyn can sound so amazing.

I’m finding the bass to be more articulate, and more well controlled, so Pehaps yes someone might feel there is less bass.

Live music is my reference and I think Huron is getting us closer to it.

That being said, I did listen to the sgt. Pepper remix for the first time and thought some of the highs drove me out of the room a bit. Or it could distortion from the original multi tracks that’s now more audible. So maybe Huron has that quality as well on certain tracks. I don’t have much time on it yet but I the reference material I am playing has all been improved.

Ted Smith - the genius that he is for creating a DAC that keeps transforming itself - says that there is less ultrasonic noise.  

Did the noise floor change?

I was using the DSD direct to my amps and had to use the high gain setting... when I did so, there was a lot of hiss. Had them look at my unit and give me a loaner, both had the same issue. Eventually I just downgraded back to the PWDII.

I originally gave the Huron firmware a negative.
Since then things have changed years why, first I corrupted the down load 
The 1st time by removing the card reader before first right clicking to eject 
Then getting a ok sign.
This one tells me to go over all options . I had bought the latest best Card As, wire
From Pangea ,I thought was decent Wrong  on a hunch I replaced with a 
Furutech 0 crystal Copper power cord and all brightness went away noticeably better. A valuable lessen for even a seasoned Audiophile. 
Always check for any weak link in the chain. 

😃😃😃😃

I love the Huron sound in my DS. Now I have a top tier DAC that gives immense satisfaction.

My listening buddy installed Huron last night. His system comprises Zanden transport/PS Audio Directstream/Air tight ATC1/ATM3 pre/power & Tannoy Autographs (with my crossovers).

Huron was a substantial upgrade - lower noise floor, improved resolution, much quicker. To my ears the biggest performance upgrade since the PS Audio Directstream DAC came out. The improvements were more pronounced on streamed music and CD red-book playback than DSD.
  
I did notice at first there was so much more information and separation that the music ( Geminiani Sonatas for Violincello & Basso Continuo - Accent ACC10081 ) ensemble seamed dissembled, but this disappeared as the system ran in & ears adjusted to the changes. On another recording - two cellos, plucked strings were staggeringly better separated, each of the strings on the cellos had their own acoustic envelop with buckets of air and fingering much more clearly resolved than before the upgrade. On some old Callas mono recordings her voice shifted back slightly in the soundstage, but resolution and nuance were up several notches.

A no brainer to me as far as the upgrade goes, would not go back.

I have enjoyed a DirectStream DAC now for nearly three years and have applied each firmware upgrade, when it's become available, and have enjoyed each upgrade and appreciated the benefits.

As you can imagine, my DAC is well broken in now.

I immediately found that Huron was a noticeable improvement in the detail from both CDs and SACDs, the placement of instruments/voices in the sound stage was more defined and the bass seems to be a little more accurate.  IMO, Huron is a "keeper".

Here, here! I totally agree!
"Clark, Its the gift that keeps on giving".
ozzy

What I don't see mentioned is that everyone must consider these firmware upgrades in relation to their equipment. 
Huron is not going to have the same impact on all systems, since all systems are different!
if your system is not that relvealing, or can't handle the increase low end; you're not going to hear the impact as well as others, with "better" systems. 

So it doesn't make much sense to compare. It's akin to people comparing their car's mileage. Mileage depends heavily on how your drive, when you drive, and where you drive. So just because my C63 gets x mpg is not relevant at all to you (unless you follow me to/from work every day ;)