PS Audio PerfectWave DAC Upgrade


Paul McGowan has leaked some information about a major upgrade the perfectwave DAC that will be coming out within the next few weeks. Pricing as of yet unknown, but current units will be field (DIY) upgradable.

Apparently, major changes were made to the digital processing board, involving changes in the powersupplies, and replacement of CMOS switching for the gates and clocking with analog switches.

Second, new jitter reducing circuitry called NativeX was implemented.

There are more as of yet unannounced new features.

Apparently, SQ on all inputs will benefit, including the bridge. Exciting stuff.
edorr
Tonyptony, according to PS Audio, version 2.0.2 only has a problem with de-emphasis flag decoding for the S/PDIF input, not for any other digital input. So, yeah, you would have a problem if your transport is a CD player connected by coaxial cable to the Perfect Wave DAC. In that case, you can switch to version 2.0.3, which fixes the de-emphasis flag decoding for the S/PDIF input. With all other digital inputs (HDMI, AES/EBU, USB, optical), NativeX works fine in version 2.0.2.

A while back, the topic of one of Paul McGowan's daily e-mails was the mystery surrounding the differences in sound quality between different versions of PS Audio's firmware and software. He wrote, "Fact is we’ve been struggling with trying to figure out why small changes in the code that runs our products have an impact on the sound quality – why folks love one version of software and dislike another. There are many great mysteries concerning sound quality and they only become obvious once you figure them out." (Unfortunately, they have not figured out the mystery yet.) He goes on to write that differences in sound quality "might seem obvious to you but not to our designers since the changes we were making had 'nothing' to do with the data stream or the audio itself. Sometimes a change in the front panel display code would cause a major upset in sound quality." So, even Paul McGowan is admitting that a change to 2.0.2 to fix de-emphasis flag decoding for the S/PDIF input may cause 2.0.3 to sound different than 2.0.2.

In any case, PS Audio does seem to want to resolve this mystery. My only concern is that Paul McGowan has said that he likes version 2.1.0 (now 2.2.0, I guess) better than other versions. Mrtennis elsewhere has said that PS Audio's product revisions tend to make them sound more analytical. So it is by no means certain that their programmers are aiming to replicate the sound quality of 2.0.2 as they continue to revise and refine firmware. As long as they make a number of firmware versions available, as is the case now, I am not overly concerned. I do feel sympathy for people who are buying brand new MK2 DACs, find the sound to be a bit ruthless, and cannot switch to version 2.0.2 because that firmware does not work with the new front panel display of their new MK2 DAC.
QUOTE "I do feel sympathy for people who are buying brand new MK2 DACs, find the sound to be a bit ruthless, and cannot switch to version 2.0.2 because that firmware does not work with the new front panel display of their new MK2 DAC".

Well, let's see if we can do something about that.
Pls stay tuned.
Hi Guys
Slightly off topic here. Are you getting the same or maybe better sound out of your computer fed system, than from your (good) CDP?
I am struggling to get close.
Many of the ultra high end guys are demoing their five and six figure speakers at shows with computer based sources. If there was a compromise they would not do this. So if you don't cut any corners, you will get similar or better quality from a computer source than a CD player. This involves using a good CD ripping program, a dedicated music server, a high grade USB converter (unless you have a DAC with very good USB input), and a good USB cable (not without controversy this one).