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PS Audio Perfect Wave DAC

Not sure if now's the time to ask since this thing hasn't even begun to ship yet, but anyone have any take on whether the new PS Audio PWD is a viable "one box" solution that would rival in quality what a simple NOS dac and USB converter (i.e. Empirical Audio) would provide? Did I tip my hand as to what I own now? :)

Sounds like it will be spendy $3,500+ when you include the "bridge" option to reclock an incoming signal. It doesn't appear to deal with Apple Lossless format (or potentially AIFF), but the one box solution that allows interface via an IPod Touch or similiar device and that offers 16/44.1 via I2S w/o digital filtering looks like it has potential. Of course they had to go proprietary with HDMI to eliminate Empirical or anyone else from the equation for the time being.
mb9061

Showing 1 response by emailists

emailists
923 posts
 
The price is actually $3000.

I heard a pre release unit at an audio club 2 months back, but I can't make any meaningful judgments about sound quality from the demo, since the gear and music was unfamiliar.

But based on the quality of their current DAC, I am confident it will be excellent sounding (since the new one is 3X the price and the latest technology. They have also learned things from the modded DLIII's that were being done, to incorporate into the new design.

I do think it can handle any codec except ALC, but Paul McGowan did say the unit's firmware is user upgradable to accept new codecs, as they appear (or become popular) It does flac for example (at various sample rates), and they added Reference Recordings HRX compatibility since I saw the demo.

I don't know if the bridge reclocks, but it will allow the unit to be hooked to a hard drive or network, and browse song titles from there.

I hope that sheds some light on the unit. PS AUdio has a forum on it's site where the discuss the nitty gritty, future features etc.
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