PS Audio

Gregadd

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This seems to be cutting edge. A two box design if you need a cd transport. I am trying to get an audition.

It seems to be in line with what Amir is teaching us. It becomes a music server when you store data on your computer. I think you need the bridge for that.
 

RUR

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Neato transport and I own one. It does have drawbacks, however... It will not play SACD's or DVD-A's - one must rip to .wav files on a blank DVD-R. It will not properly decode HDCD's.

I did not prefer the PWD in my comparison of several DACs, though the comparison was not made transport>DAC>preamp, but transport>preamp>DAC, due to the nature of my system. That means that PS Audios allegedly excellent I2S connection between transport and DAC could not be used. Because of this and other system synergy issues, YMMV. Dan (posts here as devert) is using both PWT and PWD in his active system.

Yes, the bridge is a separate component - a CCA one inserts into the PWD. Currently in beta testing.
 

Gregadd

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Sounds like the PWD and PWT might still be in Beta testing. Over all is it a keeper?
 

RUR

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Greg, the PWT beat the snot out of my Denon 3910 in a double-blind comparison, in my atypical system. So, yes, it's a keeper. The reasons why it won't play SACD's/DVD-A's are discussed in detail over at the PS Audio forum. As for the PWD, I'd strongly recommend that you listen to it in your system which, presumably, will use a more typical transport>DAC>preamp configuration so that you can experience PS Audio's proprietary connection. Dan's the only guy on this forum I know of who owns one so, hopefully, he'll weigh in with his thoughts.
 

Nicholas Bedworth

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PS Audio PWD system integration

Looking at the ad for the PerfectWave DAC in the latest Audio Advisor catalog, it shows quite a few features that I certainly like. Being able to drive an amplifier directly, filter selection, upsampling, and including a remote control at the $3K price point, seems like a nice package.

The ad mentions being able to control any "compatible" NAS, etc. Does the base chassis ($3K) do this or does one need to purchase the "bridge"? The PS Audio site offers the Bridge for $799 an option.

When does one need to get the Bridge? The Audio Advisor sales people say that one can connect a USB drive directly to the base unit http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=PSPWDAC and the back panel photo suggests that this is true.

Oddly enough, the Audio Advisor website has many more pictures of the unit, remote, etc., than does the PS Audio website...

Also, it's not clear when/how one can use an iPod/Touch for the remote.

Seems like the advertising copy is a little confusing, at least to me. I'm not sure what's included, what it does, and what's not included. In the case of Audio Advisor, they're limited by print considerations, meaning the difficulty of cramming a lot of information into 200 words, but the PS Audio web site doesn't really explain things, either.
 

mauidan

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Nick-

You only need to get the Bridge if you want to set up a network server.

Yes, the PWD has a USB input, but it isn't asyncronous.

My Macbook sounds better runnning through my ART Legato asyncronous USB to SPDIF converter into the PWD's Coax input.

An iPhone/iTouch/iPad is used as a remote running PSAudio controller app in a network server set up. This app and the Bridge are currently being beta tested.

If you want more info, read the last three newsletters on ther PSAudio website.

Aloha,

Dan
 

Nicholas Bedworth

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Hi Dan,

Greetings from lower Haiku :) Thanks for the feedback... it was more or less impossible to figure out what was going on given the material on the PS Web site. Looks like a rather nice product in terms of the concept and UI. With the network adapter, it's getting fairly expensive.

Nick
 

muralman1

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Jul 7, 2010
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More input, please!!!!!!!! I need a new transport. I am looking at going naked with Kusunoki's transport, or possibly this. Paul made an excellent case for the pair of PSA devices.

Rur, I am interested in your review. Did you try the NOS feature? Paul's highly affirmation of it's supremacy vindicates my observations here. A 6 moons reviewer relegated his Audio Note DAC to the history bin.
 

RUR

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Rur, I am interested in your review. Did you try the NOS feature?
Happy to help, but what do you mean by "the NOS feature"? That's not ringing any bells and a search of the user manual for NOS yields no results.

Ken
 

muralman1

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Happy to help, but what do you mean by "the NOS feature"? That's not ringing any bells and a search of the user manual for NOS yields no results.

Ken

I do believe Paul was saying in the video that is his preferred mode for the DAC. Oversampling is given in stepped choices, or none. Already, on my system, no oversampling is highly preferable.
 

RUR

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I do believe Paul was saying in the video that is his preferred mode for the DAC. Oversampling is given in stepped choices, or none. Already, on my system, no oversampling is highly preferable.
Ah! No OverSampling! For a moment I thought there was a tube hidden in there....;-)

I'm in an atypical situation, since my TacT preamp processes at 24/96 and any input is resampled to that. When I was using a DAC and analogue amps, I did find that I got the best AQ by avoiding any further resampling i.e. I left the DAC output @ 24/96. These days, I'm using a digital amp which only accepts 24/96, so I have no choice.
 

mauidan

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I prefer the Native mode(no oversampling) on my PWD with CDs and HiRez material, but I upsample internet radio to 48K.
You've also got 5 filters to play with.

Ken- the S2150 will accept 24/192. The S2150 upsamples everything to 384K before conversion.

Dan
 

RUR

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Ken- the S2150 will accept 24/192. The S2150 upsamples everything to 384K before conversion.

Dan
Thanks, Dan! I still get whatever artifacts, if any, of the upconversion from the 2.2XP, no? For example, if I input 24/192 into the 2.2XP, it's downsampled to 24/96 for processing. I can either set the 2.2XP to output @ 24/96 and avoid any further resampling, or set it for any of the standard frequencies and let it resample before output. Have I got that right?
 

mauidan

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Thanks, Dan! I still get whatever artifacts, if any, of the upconversion from the 2.2XP, no? For example, if I input 24/192 into the 2.2XP, it's downsampled to 24/96 for processing. I can either set the 2.2XP to output @ 24/96 and avoid any further resampling, or set it for any of the standard frequencies and let it resample before output. Have I got that right?

Ken- It's my understanding that even integer sample rate conversion produces less artifacts.

If you want to try something other than 24/96, you'd want to go to 24/48 or 24/192.

Dan
 

muralman1

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I can see the DAC is probably not for me. Paul shows the digital filter choices, sharp or soft. I will stick to one that is unfiltered, unless it can be showed to me the multi input keeps the filter adjustments out of the signal path.
 

muralman1

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I am still very interested in the transport. It's circuit board looks like the inside of a Great White Shark for a person like me that has a fear of chips. However, the write-up sounds very logical. Unloading the CD, it stores the bit perfect on a, "Digital Lens." From there the stream is sent through a fixed clock on the way out.
 
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