Sold: PS Audio Stellar Gain Cell DAC - $850 (Reduced)

[DancingSea]

Aloha,

 

This has been a great DAC over the last 9 month.  I'm the original owner.  Loved it so much that I've since upgraded to the $4000 Direct Stream Junior and need to sell the Stellar Gain Cell DAC to help pay for it.

 

In like new condition with remote, original box and accessories.  Retails for $1699.  Offered at $850 plus shipping and PayPal fees.

 

InnerFidelity.com, a Stereophile sister publication, preferred the SGCD over the Mytek Brooklyn:

 

"Mytek's newer Brooklyn all-in-one is a significant improvement on their prior design, but I still find it somewhat rough in the treble region. The Gain Cell DAC does a great job capturing the energy of cymbal strikes, while at the same time showing their natural decay in a well-behaved manner—something the Brooklyn still can't pull off to my satisfaction. Nit picking? Perhaps, but I think most people could spot this if they knew what to listen for. Once you hear it, it can't be unheard, and PS Audio's offering becomes the obviously better performer."

 

And went on to say:

"Multi-function components can be a great thing. They reduce system complexity by combining several devices into one chassis, and eliminate a bunch of cables in the process. The caveat? Quality has to be up to a high standard for each section, or it's just not worth doing. 

 

Fortunately, PS Audio's Stellar Gain Cell DAC delivers outstanding performance in all three areas—D/A converter, preamplifier, and headphone amplifier. None of those aspects feels like an add-on or bonus feature, secondary to the main event. This is a device that can truly act as the heart of even a complex system. In an era where many devices seem to have throw-away headphone outputs, PS Audio truly does justice to headphone listeners everywhere."

 

https://www.innerfidelity.com/content/ps-audio-stellar-gain-cell-dac

 

Thanks for you consideration.

[DancingSea]

Reduced to $850.... Thanks.

[xsajohn]

PM sent

[DancingSea]

Sale pending....

[wwaldmanfan]

How does the DSJ sound compared to the Stellar Gain?

[GAR]

Yes, I'd be curious to hear what the OP thinks about the DSJ's sound vs the Stellar Gain - thanks.

[DancingSea]

They are both very good DACs.  While its difficult to quantify such things, I'd say the Stellar is perhaps 85% of the DSJ overall.  Which makes the Stellar a great value.

 

Here's an interesting difference that illustrates the power of the DSJ's upsampling to DSD 1280.  With the Stellar, I could not stand Roon on its own.  Roon with HQP sounded obviously better and that's how I listened to the Stellar.

 

With the DSJ, despite test after test, I can't hear a discernible difference between Roon via The Bridge II (ethernet) and Roon/HQP via USB (RUR + Curious Link).  Actually, Roon via The Bridge II, much to my surprise, has become my preferred way to listen.  I've not gone the Sonore route, and Darko states that with a streaming DAC, the Sonore direction is not worth it.  So in a sense, the DSJ is a DAC with Sonore like separation from my Mac, rolled into one.

 

The DSJ is everything the Stellar is, and a bit more.  More detail, more open, better soundstage, a tad smoother etc.  The difference is obvious, but not massive.

 

The DSJ does run significantly hotter than the Stellar due to the Bridge II.  Ted Smith said the design accommodates the heat.  The Stellar could fit anywhere on the rack, even have something stacked on top of it, while the DSJ needs space above to dissipate the heat.

 

I lucked into a *great* deal on a new DSJ.  At $4000, I would not consider the DSJ worth it vs the Stellar, its not 2.5 times better.  But for what I paid,  the upgrade was a no brainer.

 

 

[GAR]

16 hours ago, DancingSea said:

They are both very good DACs.  While its difficult to quantify such things, I'd say the Stellar is perhaps 85% of the DSJ overall.  Which makes the Stellar a great value.

 

Here's an interesting difference that illustrates the power of the DSJ's upsampling to DSD 1280.  With the Stellar, I could not stand Roon on its own.  Roon with HQP sounded obviously better and that's how I listened to the Stellar.

 

With the DSJ, despite test after test, I can't hear a discernible difference between Roon via The Bridge II (ethernet) and Roon/HQP via USB (RUR + Curious Link).  Actually, Roon via The Bridge II, much to my surprise, has become my preferred way to listen.  I've not gone the Sonore route, and Darko states that with a streaming DAC, the Sonore direction is not worth it.  So in a sense, the DSJ is a DAC with Sonore like separation from my Mac, rolled into one.

 

The DSJ is everything the Stellar is, and a bit more.  More detail, more open, better soundstage, a tad smoother etc.  The difference is obvious, but not massive.

 

The DSJ does run significantly hotter than the Stellar due to the Bridge II.  Ted Smith said the design accommodates the heat.  The Stellar could fit anywhere on the rack, even have something stacked on top of it, while the DSJ needs space above to dissipate the heat.

 

I lucked into a *great* deal on a new DSJ.  At $4000, I would not consider the DSJ worth it vs the Stellar, its not 2.5 times better.  But for what I paid,  the upgrade was a no brainer.

 

 

Appreciate the comparison. By chance, have you heard the Jr.'s big brother, the DirectWave model? And silly question but what do you mean by a "streaming Dac"? One that you're streaming music to?

[DancingSea]

6 hours ago, GAR said:

Appreciate the comparison. By chance, have you heard the Jr.'s big brother, the DirectWave model? And silly question but what do you mean by a "streaming Dac"? One that you're streaming music to?

 

The big brother is the Direct Stream, and I’ve not heard it.  According to PS Audio, Junior is 85% if it. 

 

Streaming means the DSJ connects to the network via the built in Bridge II over Ethernet. This avoids USB. Roon, JRiver, and maybe Audirvana can connect over the Bridge.  HQPLAYER and Amarra cannot, they need USB. 

[GAR]

2 minutes ago, DancingSea said:

 

The big brother is the Direct Stream, and I’ve not heard it.  According to PS Audio, Junior is 85% if it. 

 

Streaming means the DSJ connects to the network via the built in Bridge II over Ethernet. This avoids USB. Roon, JRiver, and maybe Audirvana can connect over the Bridge.  HQPLAYER and Amarra cannot, they need USB. 

My mistake, not DirectWave but DirectStream, jeez louise.

 

Streaming - thanks, I'm not terribly familiar with PS Audio DACs so this clears up matters for me. 

[DancingSea]

 

10 minutes ago, GAR said:

My mistake, not DirectWave but DirectStream, jeez louise.

 

Streaming - thanks, I'm not terribly familiar with PS Audio DACs so this clears up matters for me. 

 

Not that it matters so much, but their full “birth name” is Perfect Wave DirectStream and Perfect Wave DirectStream Junior. 

 

Commonly abbreviated as DS and DSJ. 

[GAR]

1 minute ago, DancingSea said:

 

 

Not that it matters so much, but their full “birth name” is Perfect Wave DirectStream and Perfect Wave DirectStream Junior. 

 

Commonly abbreviated as DS and DSJ. 

Yep. PS Audio's business model is intriguing, particularly as it relates to DACs. The idea that the company can effectively, through software, regularly improve the sound of your DAC (as opposed to having to constantly upgrade) is a compelling one.

[Kalim]

DancingSea - so you consider Diretstream Dac as the top end of PS audio systems mentioned below ? 

[Kalim]

Also, let me know if your GSD is still up for sale and if you can ship it to India ?