PS AUDIO PERFECT WAVE MKII

It all depends on your preamp, system synergy and personal taste. Personally I much prefer with my VAC SigMKIIa pre in the chain when I had a PWDMKII.

My brother has a DirectStream and is using his McIntosh preamp in the chain.

Also if you are using a preamp, turn volume on the DAC to 100% for best results. Volume control is in digital domain so truncating bits if not 100%

01-16-15: Aolmrd1241
Knghifi, according to Ted Smith of PS Audio,it does not matter where the volume level is,the DS will not lose any bits digitally.

From PS Audio forums. Ted Smith quote below...

The DS doesn't loose bits digitally no matter what the volume is set to. Still there's an analog noise floor so if you never have the volume set above, say 60, you'd be better off to use the 20dB attenuator and have the volume up nearer 100. Since the 20dB attenuator is implemented passively in analog it lowers the analog noise floor by, well, 20dB.

Also, FWIW, there's nothing special about 100, e.g. 93 (or any volume setting that works for you) will not cause any less accuracy anywhere in the DS than you get with the volume at 100.

Interesting! Thanks.

Bsme85, if Directstream volume control is implemented in the digital domain, I don't understand how bits are not truncated if not running full volume.

If I remember correctly, in the PWD MKII running singled ended, you can attenuate the volume 20db at 3 different levels. This enables you to run full volume and not truncate any bits. To clarify, when I say 100, it means full volume.