PS Audio Perfectwave vs Directstream DAC

@audiodwebe Thanks.  I genuinely wish I knew the reason I don't like the DSD.  Would be useful to learn what's going on so I could understand my ears better.  High noise floor and rolled off bass (two measured properties of the DSD) don't capture it.  

Thanks for the info, audiom3.

cal7313, your ears are the only ones that matter so good for you that you found a sound you like.  I've never heard of Audio Mirror so will theck them out.

Cheers, and stay safe.

@audiodwebe I bought a PS Audio DS DAC last week and they are on close-out now.  I would guess that the upgrade from the PW to DS is as well.  I'd call them (they don't have plans to put the sale prices on the website... yet anyway) and see what they're selling the kits for.  The DSD was over 40% off.

I’ve owned both. Unlike most, there was something about the DS that just doesn’t work for my ears. I upgraded twice, and both times sold the DS. Rebought a PWD the first time and then moved on to an Audio Mirror T3 SE that I find quite a bit superior to both.  I've also had a Shiit Bifrost 2, Matrix X sabre pro, iFi iDSD pro, Holo Audio May, & Lampizator Amber 3 in my system for auditions.  

Obviously I’m the odd man out on the Directstream impression, so YMMV. They are completely different DACs though and if there’s a house sound it’s because of power supply and input boards.

Yes, quite noticeable indeed.

Thanks.

I already have the PW DAC with a Bridge II for streaming and picked up the Node 2i a few months back to stream into a headphone amp.

Cheers,

Mamoru

@audiodwebe

I’ll also add that I liked bth DACs, especially the DS and have owned a couple of them.

If you’re looking for a low cost streaming solution that sounds great you could look at a Bluesound Node 2i paired with a good sounding, low cost DAC like a Denafrips Aes II.

For less than the price of a PerfectWave you’ll have better sound and current tech.

Thanks, everyone.  I appreciate the info.

Looks like I need to start saving my pennies.

I've owned both, the PerfectWave is nowhere near the level of performance of the DirectStream. 

I upgraded my PWD II to the DSD, and it really, really was an enormous improvement.  (I used the Bridge II with both.)  I was pretty darn happy with the PWD, but the DSD is in another league.

They use the same Bridge, so the DAC in each will get the same signal. Still, the analog output of each box is a product of its respective DAC. Whatever the innate sound differences of the DACs may be, I'd expect them to affect the streaming inputs similarly to the other inputs (USB, SPDIF).