PS Audio Direct Stream DAC "Windom vs Sunlight"

[@ridirefain6606]

Thanks for the video. I would love to see more PS Audio product reviewed. Especially, the Stellar phono stage and BHK amps and preamps.

[@googoo-gjoob]

bump up the playback speed to 1.25x and you dramatically reduce the urge to nod... great info. i appreciate your perspective on PSA gear. i love mine.

[@AL-yr3tc]

Thanks for this video. Really enjoyed it. I have the Directstream and I think that Sunlight sounds great. Adds a thick, rich, mid-bass along with a more detailed top end. I’ve listened for hours and although I haven’t gone back and forth with Windom, I definitely think I like it more than Windom. I hope someday to visit your store but I’m in California so it may be a while!

[@josepharchila1496]

I agree that’s been my experience. I feel like everything improved across the board including the sound stage.

[@jongwoo]

Are you guys testing the latest one that says "PerfectWave DirectStream DAC" on the face, or the older model that says "PerfectWave Analog to Digital Converter" on the face?

[@nsxelent]

Great review of Sunlight vs Windom, I love my Direct Stream DAC. Looking forward to your comparison of the P20 vs Niagara 7000. Would be particularly interested in your thoughts on connecting large mono blocks (McIntosh ideally) to one or the other or directly to wall power. Thanks for all your work!

[@josepharchila1496]

You can get to your destination lots of different ways. Some like the scenic route and others like the highway. As long as you enjoyed the journey is all that matters. At the end of the day the numbers don’t matter - if you love what you’re hearing mission accomplished. Thanks for taking the time to analyze and share your opinions.

[@labalo5]

Yes! Another video from Adrian and Villip!!

[@stever7638]

How well does the DS pair with SS preamps and amps? Seems it fares better with tubes?

[@johnmarchington3146]

Thanks for a great comparison between the two PS Audio DirectStream DAC FPGA updates. Those FPGAs are amazing when you can reprogram them and end up with a different type of sound. I live in New Zealand and hope to have the PS Audio PerfectWave SACD transport and the DAC by Christmas although I have too admit I think it's going to be a tight squeeze. They were paid for in late October and ordered in early November.

[@RJ_Chicago]

Thanks for that good video! A couple of things: 1. I have two systems. One is powered by a PSA P20. The other is powered by a P12. I also have Niagara 1200 on the same system as the P12. I am a big fan of PS Audio and the PowerPlants. To be fair I also have some Shunyata Research PS8s with Defenders in both systems. 2. I also have a DS DAC. I too need to go back to it and listen again to Windom and then update to Sunlight and do the same. I think it is a good idea for DS DAC owners to download all the firmware variations and keep them in your computer file so you have them and it then truly turns your one physical DAC into several.

[@mikewinburn]

Soooo…. What’s the chance we’ll get a comparison btwn the sunlight w the ps audio SACD transport, and the mc2700 w the McIntosh SACD transport? This is where the rubber meets the road.

[@williampearson4968]

I am curious - what is the power cable? Interconnects? Speaker cables? and did you use the Is2 preferred PS Audio connection between the DAC and CD player? or did you stream through what products? Was inputs in balance mode? Always watch your videos!

[@vilipmak3973]

We didn't use a disc player. We streamed files from Tidal to our Innuos Zen connected to the DS via USB. Nothing was changed in the setup in our listening except for installing Sunlight.

[@rickcarlson5916]

Thank you for another informative video!

[@d.w.96318]

Please do a review of PS Audio's M1200 Monoblocks!? Please please please!

[@thomass.9167]

Let’s call it an infomercial instead. Not really a review if you make a living selling the stuff. Terrific product though, I’m sure.

[@vilipmak3973]

@@thomass.9167 An infomercial would imply it was scripted. And as you know, our videos are entirely off the cuff except for a little factual background that Adrian has researched. I actually never know what he is going to say and he doesn't know what I will say. So, not an infomercial.

[@thomass.9167]

@@vilipmak3973 Fair enough Sir. However, a car dealer is not likely to point out the shortcomings of the latest model on the lot in his “review”. It’s always varying degrees of great. And that’s perfectly fine. It’s all just entertainment. But, picky semantics or not, we can still call it what it is. I watch your videos regardless. 😁

[@josepharchila1496]

I have them and I love them - just spectacular sound quality and seemingly unlimited power. I upgraded from the M700 huge improvements across the board. Hard to believe how live it sounds sometimes.

[@d.w.96318]

@@thomass.9167 that’s why you listen to what is being said and more importantly, what is not.

[@jeromewhitmill733]

It nice to see something other Macintosh lol. Maybe a different speaker system.

[@TheCamerlengo7]

I only recently came across this channel and am enjoying the witty repartee very much. Adrian and Vilip are my favorite father and son duo in audio since David (RIP) and Daryl Wilson!

[@labalo5]

Oh wow, i didnt know Adrian was Villip’s dad?

[@onegoodearcanada]

@@labalo5 😂

[@vilip119]

Actually I'm older than Adrian - and he's from Singapore and I was born in Hong Kong.

[@labalo5]

@@vilip119 very cool. You guys are awesome nonetheless. Thanks for the vids and experiences you guys keep sharing

[@TheCamerlengo7]

@@vilip119 I’m sorry. I misinterpreted your comment about ‘old man strength’ when Adrian picked up that Golden Ear speaker like it was a feather. I assumed you were referring to him as your old man. You guys play so well off each other like father and son. Watching these clips on an iPhone, you look a lot younger than Adrian! (Don’t tell him, I don’t want to hurt his feelings)

[@golfnutintib1]

why is this the last firmware update from Ted for DS product?

[@normally624]

I believe there’s a new DAC coming

[@vilip119]

@@normally624 2 new DACs in fact, according to the rumours...

[@googoo-gjoob]

@@vilip119 , well, the new dac comes in 2 separate chassis. one for the analog portion & 1 for the digital portion.

[@cablebrain9691]

Go to 9:03 to hear only about Windom vs Sunlight firmware.

[@joseauger1353]

First, Ted Smith has mentioned that once Sunlight is installed, the DAC should be left playing music for about 100 hours. The reason he states is because the new firmware is using areas in the FPGA that are not being used before. You can check that on the PS Audio blog. After I installed Sunlight I gave it a try immediately and, although I liked it, I decided to wait and left the DAC running for several days. The improvement was big. I found it to be more liquid, detailed, denser, but not as forward as your review implies. Voices sound glorious. I listened to female and male vocals and they sounded more natural. Breathing was more apparent. Choirs were very detailed, with individual voices and with an enhanced perspective. Pianos sound very realistic, with the hammers striking the strings and the resonance of the piano's wood enclosure. In some recordings I was able to hear the fingers as they struck the keys. String instruments sound much like the real thing. Violins, violas, cellos and bass sound like string instruments with a wooden enclosure. The resonance of the wood is very apparent in cellos and basses. One thing that surprised me is the breathing of the wind instruments performers, even in and orchestra. If this is a harbinger of future things to come, I will definitely give the next generation PS Audio DAC serious consideration. Keep the good work. I like your reviews a lot.

[@drichard3094]

Probably depends on your system, but Sunlight is too forward in your face. Watching tv, the voices seemed forced, a lot less imaging and soundstage. Powered by a P12 power plant, with my Directstream dac Jr. and Windom, I have a pure black background with a superb 3D soundstage and very detailed but smooth. With Sunlight, it's not brighter, it keeps the nice analog tone, but seemed forced foward, , switched back to Windom that same day. A nice achievement from PS Audio to evolve the sound from these DAC's, but Sunlight won't be for everyone, but at least we get to choose.

[@CaptainCrunch823]

Very system dependent. I have both a Sr and a Jr. I think I like Sunlight on my Sr and Windom on my Jr but I need more time I’m my various systems to be 100% sure what my preferences are.

[@drichard3094]

@@CaptainCrunch823 Any updates Mike? What are your thoughts on Sunlight with the Sr. now?

[@CaptainCrunch823]

@@drichard3094 so far I have left sunlight running on both and have enjoyed some long listening sessions. I can only recall one time where I reverted to an older firmware release due to sound preference. For now, I’m sticking with Sunlight. Check out the PS Audio forum where there is a lot of great discussion on this topic. Good luck!

[@recboilable]

@@CaptainCrunch823 Hi Mike. I have the Jr. but thought about upgrading to the Sr. If you could put a percentage around it, how much of the Sr. do you get from the Jr. DAC? Would you recommend upgrading if I already have the Jr.?

[@GavinHodgson]

Shame you don't stock Chord TT2... would be very interesting how it compared with Directstream running Sunlight. Nobody posts comparisons on these two.

[@eleong]

In light of the interview with Garth Powell, would love to watch a review of Audioquest Niagara power conditioners versus PS Audio Power Regenerators (the Niagara 5000 vs P15 or Niagara 7000 vs P20). Thanks for the awesome videos!

[@ptg01]

NICE !!!! So if this is PSAudio's last firmware update to their superb DAC, is there a brand new one coming out in the future ? FPGA is a great call by Paul. Just rewrite the software and its all new! P.S. What's with the Apogee speakers behind you ? Is that the Grand ??? They are gorgeous!

[@vilip119]

Duetta Signature

[@ptg01]

@@vilip119 Love them Apogees Duettas and Divas!!! So hard to drive though as it can dip below 1 ohm. We’ve had luck using David Berning’s amp.

[@vilip119]

@@ptg01 Our client was using Kinki monoblocs. And we used McIntosh MC611 monos. Sounded great.

[@ptg01]

@@vilip119 No issues driving it when it dips below 1 ohm ? That's great ! The soundstage and image of those things are second to none... Just sad that they went belly up.

[@ptg01]

@@vilip119 I believe that y'all are in Markham, ON... Once the US / Canada border opens up, I would love to drop by !!!

[@RumblestripDotNet]

PS Audio vs McIntosh systems faceoff coming soon!

[@chonasimpson6487]

8 grand lol must be nice to have a endless supply of money lol.I will stick with my Bat tube cd player and stream in my toliet.

[@jblesser]

The issue with the Audioquest interviews for me was that it seemed like an advertisement 100% - just an opportunity for Audioquest to have a stage to pontificate about their philosophy their product, their wonderfulness and brilliance and insight - just highly tedious and bereft of educational value. You gave them a forum for mouthing all their sound bites. Therefore I found it disappointing as I assign you guys at Audio Excellence as people with insight and integrity and earnest opinion and I felt like you diminished yourselves to a small extent by giving them a platform for their dog and pony show, notwithstanding whether or not their products have value and worth. Basically, for me, it was like watching a carnival barker given free range over your wonderful KZbin channel.

[@thomass.9167]

It’s aaaaall just entertainment, Sir. Take it for what it is and enjoy the show. As Ringo would have said: Peace and love!

[@jblesser]

@@thomass.9167 I don’t agree that it is aaall just entertainment, it is partly entertainment and partly informative, hence the motivations of this channel. If it was as black-and-white as you suggest then one should not expect any intellectual rigor from anything on KZbin across the board.

[@shanestephenson8423]

Hi guys my name is Shane I'm from Victoria Australia in a place called Geelong I'm a massive fan of your videos

[@vilip119]

Thank You!

[@StuartMcFarlane]

They do look like printer though!!! ;-)

[@thomass.9167]

PS Audio products no doubt sound fantastic. But I agree with you. Not very exciting designs. Picture anything by PS Audio next to anything from McIntosh. They might sell even better if their products didn’t look like office equipment. … No disrespect. Just an observation that design indeed matters.

[@havbeen18]

I would be very disappointed if a software update made this amount of difference to a DAC I had spent a serious amount of money on. Only proves that even the top notch products don't produce anything like a true sound.

[@alfredallram1815]

No, it's just proof how far Digital has to go (and I am a passionate supporter and look forward to it)

[@vilip119]

You should be very pleased, actually. PS Audio is able to evolve their art of digital. And there is no "true" sound...

[@havbeen18]

@@vilip119 thanks for the reply. You are a retailer, I agree there is excitement in a manufacture updating a product and like you I must champion PS Audio for continuing development and even more so for sharing that with existing customers. My point is that a change in sound as dramatic as you described may not be to a customer's liking, there could be aspects which would have driven them towards a different product. For example you are a great fan of Macintosh, correct? If those amps updated overnight and sounded so different would you still be happy with the purchase ? Especially if your hard earned cash had been spent on a particular model.

[@vilipmak3973]

@@havbeen18 You're missing the point - an fpga does allow programming changes - so, if you like Windom better, you use Windom - if Sunlight is preferred, then you can use Sunlight. In any case, the user gets to choose...

[@googoo-gjoob]

@@havbeen18 , shame on PS Audio for striving to hand out free improvements. to make matters worse, you can 'undo' the improvements. a company which provides options......how dare they!

[@Burevestnik9M730]

Direct Stream was debunked by Amir from Audio Science Review. Get rid of it as fast as you can (otherwise you lose money)

[@thomass.9167]

Amir proved Direct Stream doesn’t exist?

[@labalo5]

Flat earth guys everywhere. Amir mentioned the guy who designed the DS worked at MS too while he was there. Amir isn’t fond of the sound blah blah. To each their own I suppose.

[@vilip119]

This Amir guy - what a joke - he makes himself look bad - it's like he's never actually listened to music or even likes music. He's certainly never listened to the gear he debunks. Has he actually liked anything? or explained how something does work well? And if you just take his say so without actually listening to the gear - what kind of service are you doing and what are you contributing? We don't need more negativity in our lives.

[@AngryChineseWoman]

Amir and his devoted followers from ASR, who say that all DACs sound the same ?

[@labalo5]

@@vilip119 he’s got a very solid cult following. I understand his approach but at the same time it somewhat is amateur hour at best. The followers though aren’t passionate audiophiles. Of course their side of the fence they would call us jaded or audiofooled. The problem isn’t Amir it’s the flat earth fanatics that just want to stick it to others. Probably fueled by envy, boredom or just are keyboard commandos. I knew of someone who did very good analysis of (mobile) DIY speakers, (Klippel) measurements and provided listening impressions. Some of his stuff started to get republished by oems too. That specific community seemed to be more educated over ASR which IMO they hide behind “science”. They should call it DIYAudioSomethingReview or something like that. Take away the science in it. Cause then all the scientists and triple degreed engineers all come in toast to how smart they are. Whatever. Anyhow It is what it is.

[@keeferdog5617]

You guys “used to” make good vids? WHAT HAPPENED?

[@TJ-gz1ij]

They lost Jay Lee, He quit and ever since... audio excellence has been a shadow of it's former self.

[@vilip119]

And you "guys" used to ask good questions and make good comments... WHAT HAPPENED?

[@vilip119]

@@TJ-gz1ij We didn't lose him. Jay left to do his thing. Good for him. Check out his videos - which of course doesn't have us...

[@TJ-gz1ij]

@@vilip119 I love you Vilip

[@bcardamone]

It’s “used to” …. Not “use-to”