PSAudio Directstream DAC M-1 (refurb) vs Denafrips Venus II. Quick decision needed!

Just to add:  the Venus is the 12th Aniv. edition.

I would listen to the Denafrips and take note of the sound. Is it to your liking? Does it make you smile when listening? There will always be another component lurking around the corner. And realistically…not all will be an improvement. The bigger question will be; What will it take to satisfy me and am I just enjoying the process of buying and selling equipment?

The Venus II12th is a very high end DAC, it’s qualities are well layered soundstage with great  width and depth, high level of detail yet delicate. It’s a ladder DAC so smoother sounding than delta sigma. You have a very fine DAC and I suggest you just enjoy it. Let it run a while even though it is used. They take a while to settle in. I sincerely doubt the PS Audio would be any better, it may be different but not better.

Huh, you could get a new Pontus 15th which is essentially a Venus for around $2,000.  Denafrips is now direct and gives you a one level up Dac for for the price of the lower level Dac.

Then you better make a quick decision.
for me neither.

@howardlee PS Audio DSD MkI is always available on a used market where you can pick it up for around $1200-$1400. I wouldn’t sweat it. If Venus sounds good to you, keep it and enjoy it.

I vote for the Denafrips Venus II DAC because of its Sound Quality. It has an open, airy sound with high detail and transparency and offers a precise, controlled sound that is fluid and refined.

It uses a 26-bit R2R ladder DAC with high-tolerance resistors and supports native DSD. It has multiple digital inputs, including USB and AES/EBU. The Venus II is compact but dense, with a robust build quality.

“The soundstage of the Denafrips Venus II is wide and dispersive, offering a romanticized, enveloping experience with a full-bodied sound. It provides a more fluid and languid presentation, which can be particularly engaging for certain types of music”. 

+1, As stated above by @2psyop , “I would listen to the Denafrips and take note of the sound. Is it to your liking? Does it make you smile when listening? There will always be another component lurking around the corner”.

OK guys, that does it for me. There are some smart people on this forum.  I like researching these things, but nothing matters much unless it's in your house with your setup.  Hard to do that now; not like the old days.  I'm usually too impatient to "enjoy" the buying and selling process. 

I went that route.  I ordered the Directstream listened to it for a day and sent it back.  Bought a Denafrips Terminator.  It instantly sounded better. 

Please review this review.

+1, Denafrips Venus II DAC.  My opinion. 

You probably listened to the dacs with usb. Try using i2s or Ethernet with the ps audio. Another step up in quality which most other dacs don’t have those interfaces, only the better dacs do. Then if you do get the mk1, get their airlens streamer which will give you another increase in sq, and the airlens gets you i2s out to the mk1/mk2 and even the jr

It seems that the USB on the directstream mk1 was just a bad implementation, because on the mk2 a lot of owners say it sounds just as good as the i2S.

No one can make that decision but you. It's your tastes and your associated equipment. 

I have the Venus 12th and the New Ontech from Denmark based on the Burr Brown…have both going into the same streamer and same amp…definitely the Venus is so much better…

I have the original Pontus ll and love it!  I can only imagine how much better the Venus ll sounds. 

DirectStream was S’phile A+ component. It was a Dac that many Reviewers used. Of course that was 7-9 yrs ago. Sure, digital keeps advancing. But an A+ DaC is still going to hold its own considering its age. whether the Denefrips is superior is hard to know. Every system has those which naturally fits with another well and some poor. I wouldn’t throw the DirectStream out of contention.

FWIW I have a Direct Stream. It syncs in rather well while getting its signal from the Aurender H100. The Aurender is the weak spot IMO. The rest of my system is listed FWIW  the DS has a very similar sound signature, very much like my Vinyl who is no sloutch

I did a review of the Terminator vs PS Audio Mk1 4 years ago. I still stand by my thoughts 4 years later and still own the PSA MK1 DAC.

https://youtu.be/FHO07PFHj60?si=Tnpv07wlaNycf9ht

I have a PS Audio Directstream Mk1.  I sent it to APS Transformers (J K Richards) for modification/upgrade.  I thought it was a good DAC to begin with; but after their modification,  it's a great DAC!! The mods gave it a better,  deeper soundstage,  more detail and realism, and much extended and cleaner bass. I haven't heard the Denafrips DAC,  so I can't compare the two; I just know that I'm extremely satisfied with the moded Mk1.  As to it being a 9 year old DAC,  remember it's a FPMG  DAC,  and PS Audio was continually upgrading the firmware until about 2 years ago. 

I meant "FPGA DAC"; Field Programable Gate Array.

@rajugsw 

Good review IMO. You nailed its sound signature which is one reason I like it so much. The only weakness in my system/room is that upper midrange. It sometimes has that upper mid glare which drives me nuts. Doesn't happen with my vinyl anymore but digital was a definite toss up. Sounded great and then...Y-I-K-E-S!!!!. I am very allergic to the glare. But The DS took care of it.

@kmcong 

As to it being a 9 year old DAC,  remember it's a FPMG  DAC,  and PS Audio was continually upgrading the firmware until about 2 years ago. 

Good point...one which I had forgotten

Good advice given here, and I agree with the keep what you have if it sound good and makes you smile. Just because a piece of gear is technically better does not mean it will be the sound for you. I had both terminator and Pontus. I preferred the sound of the Pontus and sold the terminator.

Never heard the Denafrips. However had ordered the MK1 from TMR and last weekend compared it to the internal DAC of the Hegel 590 and also a Weiss 202. Both the MK1 and the 202 could not hold a candle to the Hegel. Suffice to say the MK1 is on its way back to TMR and the Weiss back to the friend from whom it was borrowed.

I had a DirectStream Mk 1. It sounded good to me but I didn't like it's streamer card. It crashed all the time.  I bought an AirLens and that was a lovely upgrade. PS Audio had a trade-in deal which gave me the DirectStream II for $3500. THAT was a good deal. The 2nd iteration of their DAC is better- not exponentially better but audibly better. They are heavy - the build quality is really good. they use discreet components which is a big deal. 

I'll probably buy something better in the future- the Playback Designs MPD 8 is on my wish list. 

TMR is a great dealer to do business with. Regrettably, I missed both a Denafrips Ares 15 and a Holo Audio Cyan 2 within days of each other. Opinion please - which would you choose for around $1200 ?

@yesiam_a_pirate 

I had a DirectStream Mk 1. It sounded good to me but I didn't like it's streamer card

Ill give a hearty Amen on that. I'm not sure I ever got it working...at least not correctly.

DaC is fine for now. It plays well with my system & sounds rather good. I'm sure there is better but the player is my weak spot IMO

I own a PSAudio MK-1 And an Airlens, I’m super pleased with the sound. I did purchase a $200.00 iPad from Best Buy to act as a full time remote to control Tidal connect, for me this was a no option upgrade as switching between different source Phones/computers was clumsy and aggravating. 4 people in my home operate the system and again switching was a pain.  

Anyone considering a foreign made DAC ought to pull the trigger prior to the end of the year as it appears that tariffs are coming. 

I never had any problems with my bridge II card. If we had a storm and had a power outage, I had to reboot the dac and everything was fine. Ethernet was better than all the other dacs I auditioned and what my friends auditioned. I then moved to the airlens which I use i2s and the sq went up again. Traded the bridge ii card towards the airlens. Got a nice $800 i2s cable and I’m set. Other reviewers have stated the airlens makes the ds mk1 sound better which I agree with.

@howardlee

Why are you putting so much pressure on yourself? There is no need to panic.

There will be other PSA dacs down the road that come available from TMR.

Don’t assume others know better when it comes to pleasing your ears.

Give the Venus a fair chance.

Impatience is, more often than not, a liability in this hobby.

@stuartk 

best advice yet!

@howardlee 

Glad you found it helpful.