PS audio DIRECTSTREAM dac

PS Audio’s DirectStream DAC, designed by PS Audio’s own Ted Smith, is now available in Australia from Magenta Audio. The PS Audio DirectStream DAC is unusual because rather than decoding PCM data from CD direct to analogue, it first converts the PCM datastream to a DSD datastream, which is then converted to an analogue output. Why this three-stage process? According to Smith, it’s because of a problem he sees that’s inherent in the PCM decoding process itself, irrespective of the type of decoding used: ladder-DAC or multibit Sigma-Delta. ‘ PCM processors universally mask some of the subtle cues in music, and no amount of upgrading, expenditure, tweaking or improvement can fix this fundamentally-flawed system,’ he said. It isn’t just PCM that the DirectStream converts to DSD: the PS Audio DirectStream converts all digital inputs to 1-bit DSD using 66-bit fixed-point FIR filters. Unlike many other processors available, DirectStream’s FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) processor unifies all inputs (PCM or DSD) at 10× DSD, then uses a single-bit double-rate DSD core engine. ‘ PS Audio’s DirectStream is a totally new approach to processing digital signals,’ says Mike Kirkham of Magenta Audio. ‘ By means of its radical architecture and construction, it is able to offer state-of-the-art digital performance and extract previously-masked musical details from all formats, at an affordable price. DirectStream will change viewpoints regarding ultimate sound-quality while simultaneously offering greater value than any other contender for state-of-the-art. In a nutshell, PS Audio’s DirectStream is not just another new DAC… it’s a whole new process for decoding digital audio.’ Available now, the PS Audio’s DirectStream DAC retails for $6,699 (RRP). Existing owners of PS Audio DACs can have their units upgraded to DirectStream operation for $3,199.

For further information, please contact Magenta Audio on (08) 8388 8444 or visit www.magentaaudio.com.au