PS AUDIO PERFECTWAVE DIRECTSTREAM DAC

Pre owned. In excellent condition, with no visible signs of wear. Includes remote control, manual, and original packaging.

The DirectStream is designed as a digital converter capable of transforming any source—regardless of format or sampling rate—into a high-frequency single-bit DSD stream, operating at a rate twenty times higher than the standard. Instead of traditional DAC chips, it uses a powerful hand-coded FPGA that delivers exceptional processing capability and highly precise signal control. This approach eliminates digital harshness and allows the unit’s firmware to be updated over time, keeping the device at the cutting edge and constantly evolving.

Engineered as the heart of a reference-level digital system, the DirectStream handles any PCM content up to 352.8 kHz, supports DSD64 and DSD128 via USB and I2S, and even DSD256 via I2S with the Sunlight operating system. Its precision digital volume control—completely lossless—enables it to be used directly as a preamplifier when connected to a power amplifier. When equipped with the Network Bridge, it becomes a full streaming platform, compatible with Qobuz, Tidal, Spotify, and Roon.

Its approach to digital conversion is radically different from that of conventional DACs. All incoming digital signals—whether from a CD player, server, or streamer—are converted into pure DSD and then transformed into analog with remarkable delicacy. This design philosophy, the work of engineer Ted Smith, brings the listening experience closer to that of the original master tape, with a natural and unforced musical presentation rich in detail that many traditional DACs fail to reproduce. Thanks to the FPGA architecture, periodic firmware upgrades can significantly improve sound quality, ensuring the device remains modern and high-performing over time.

The output stage follows an equally refined philosophy. Instead of relying on tube or transistor-based active stages, the DirectStream uses high-speed, high-current class-A video amplifiers feeding a high-quality passive audio transformer. This component provides galvanic isolation from the rest of the system and functions as a low-pass filter, delivering a clean, quiet, and distortion-free signal. The internal, bit-perfect volume control allows the DAC to be connected directly to a power amplifier without any loss of detail or dynamics, simplifying the system and further enhancing overall sound quality.

The result is an exceptionally pure sound, free from digital coloration and capable of revealing nuances and micro-details that often go unnoticed. Those familiar with the true timbre of instruments will find an uncanny level of realism, reminiscent of listening to the original master recording. For anyone wishing to fully uncover what is truly captured in their discs and digital files, the DirectStream stands as one of the most musical and revealing solutions available today.

Technical Specifications:

• Digital audio inputs: 2× I2S; Coax; balanced XLR; TOSLINK; USB; Network Bridge slot
• Sample rates: I2S & USB: 44.1–352.8 kHz 16/24-bit; DSD64; DSD128; DSD256 on I2S (with Sunlight update); TOSLINK: 44.1–96 kHz 16/24-bit; XLR (AES/EBU) & Coax S/PDIF: 44.1–192 kHz 16/24-bit; DSD64
• Analog audio outputs: RCA / XLR unbalanced and balanced (x2)
• Output level (low): 0.282 VRMS balanced; 0.141 VRMS unbalanced
• Maximum output level (high): 2.818 VRMS balanced; 1.414 VRMS unbalanced
• Output impedance: 100 Ω / 200 Ω
• Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz (±0.25 dB)
• THD & IM @ 1 kHz (full scale): <0.03%
• Output stage: passive audio transformer driven by high-speed, high-current analog amps generating double-rate DSD
• Supported formats: PCM; DSD
• PCM sample rates: 44.1; 48; 88.2; 96; 176.4; 192; 352.8 kHz
• PCM bit depth: 16; 18; 20; 24 bit
• DSD data rate: standard 2.8 MHz; double-rate 5.6 MHz; DoP and native DSD via I2S and USB
• Input jitter reduction: effectively 100%; residual immeasurable; no PLLs or FLLs
• Input processing: 170 MHz
• Signal processing: 50 MHz
• Synchronous upsampling (all inputs): 28.224 MHz
• Digital processing S/N ratio: >146 dB
• Digital volume control: lossless, bit-perfect
• Analog conversion method: Delta-Sigma (DSD) single-bit double-rate
• I2S input: HDMI connector; PCM or DSD; DoP and native DSD
• USB input: USB-B connector; PCM or DoP v1.1; asynchronous transfer
• Unit weight: 9.97 kg
• Unit dimensions: 36 × 43 × 10 cm