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The dusty proof that Huron has arrived!

So What's the Buzz?

There are some operational improvements to the display and volume control, but it's the sound of Huron that excited me. The first thing I noticed is the well-deep bass. Torreys had wonderful, musical bass, but the power and depth of the lowest notes are so improved that I had to reset the levels on my REL Strata II subwoofer to compensate for Huron's subterranean ability. Lowering noise has blackened the background considerably, and in turn, resolution has improved. String plucks, cymbal strikes, and hammers hitting piano strings explode with a new expressiveness that adds realism. Separation is wonderful, and individual instruments are easier to pick out of the inky blackness. Layering of instruments and voices#8212;already a DSJ hallmark#8212;are even better. Reproduction of all digital files, not just hi-rez or DSD, are more enjoyable than the best previously served up in the Tune Saloon. And that was the DSJ with Torreys OS.

Mo' is Better

Stage width and depth are noticeably better (they were already excellent). Detail retrieval is better too. Bass and treble performance? Ah, much, much better. Tonality is somehow even lovelier; and the timbre of a well-recorded piano note or guitar pluck frequently draws a silent "wow" from my lips. Attack and decay are better, in turn improving dynamic contrast to waaaay better.

Slathering so much better on the musical bread makes for delightfully delicious listening!

There is a minor downside: All this additional resolution and detail does show the warts on a few more recordings. But even as there are moments that remind not all recordings are created equal, the vast majority, including my large collection of old Redbook rock; sound better than ever with Huron.

The Difference Maker

To me, one of the defining attributes of a fabulous high-end audio system is its ability to expose the differences in every recording. I think the DirectStream Junior running Huron is just such a difference-making component, and while I enjoy listening to nearly every recording I own, every so often I'll have a special listening experience. One recording that found itself wrapped around me recently was James Taylor's October Road. Bass was solidly fantastic. Taylor's finger-picking stunningly real. Horns were punchy, brassy, and liquid. No longer in the background, the backup singers were a highly resolved part of the whole. But as always, it was JT's gold-tinged tenor that stole the show. I've never heard this album sound better.

Just the Beginning?

Even though Huron is technically superior to Torreys, it is somehow more than just numbers and lines of code: Huron has even more musical soul. I've spent hundreds of dollars on upgrades that don't even spit in the eye of the improvement this free Operating System upgrade provides. It is not just "like a new DAC", it is a new DAC.

In the near future, those of us that use the DSJ's built-in Bridge II network card, will enjoy yet another exciting new feature. PS Audio's Dennis Kerrisk, is currently working on a software update that will allow it to decode MQA when used with Huron OS.

My ball cap is off to the entire team at PS Audio for their continued development of the DirectStream and DirectStream Junior DAC's. I don't know how many more 14er's PSA will conquer, but if Mr. Smith played for the Rockies, he'd have just hit a 14,012 foot home run with Huron. It certainly makes my decision to have purchased the DSJ, a very smart move.

Keep on swingin' for the fence, Ted.

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So Christmas indeed arrived early this year. It may have come from a wizard in a Hawaiian shirt but the beard does make Ted look a little like Santa. Well done Paul, Ted and the rest of the team at PS Audio. If any of the Part-Time Audiophile readers need reference level digital playback, you really must audition the entirely new DirectStream DAC with Redcloud. This is one cloud that you will find in the audio heavens.

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Scoggins: Building on an already great-sounding Huron edition of the DS DAC, Ted Smith and Paul McGowan recently unleashed a spectacular update that moves the Direct Stream DAC into reference territory. The improved clarity is astonishing. A rare and genuine evergreen product.

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Hade den tillhört de mer hypade Dac:arna så hade det varit enklare och/eller är det helt enkelt för högt pris du satt. Priset styr allt varken man gillar det eller ej beroende på om man är köpare eller säljare. Finns ju folk som låter grejerna bara stå undanstoppade för att de inte får ut det beg. pris som de tycker är det rätta, är rätt tragiskt tycker jag då det är bättre att någon annan får glädje av produkten. Man har ju sett en antal annonser genom åren som återkommer och återkommer pga att ingen vill betala det säljaren begär.

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