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PS Audio PerfectWave DAC! Mark me impressed. - Page 2

post #16 of 23
11/26/09 at 11:49pm
I have bought several DACs for the Mac Mini source and I would have to disagree about the PWD sounding just okay when not sourced by the PWT.

I have the PWD as well as the Audio Research DAC7, Weiss DAC2 and Metric Halo ULN-2 and the PWD sounds better than all the rest run either AES/EBU in or via USB.

The only digital I have that I prefer to the PWD via AES/EBU via ULN-2 firewire interface and the dedicated Mac Mini is my Emm Labs stack. It is actually a very good DAC but that will not stop me from looking for some more DACs as none sound anywhere near as good as any of my Vinyl setups.
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post #17 of 23
11/27/09 at 1:07am
Quote:
Originally Posted by blubliss View Post
$3000
Much of the mark-up taking it to 3k is tied up in that touch screen and the programming for it. Touchscreens like that are semi-notorius for short lifespans.
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post #18 of 23
11/28/09 at 1:45am
Quote:
Originally Posted by vpivinylspinner View Post
I have bought several DACs for the Mac Mini source and I would have to disagree about the PWD sounding just okay when not sourced by the PWT.

I have the PWD as well as the Audio Research DAC7, Weiss DAC2 and Metric Halo ULN-2 and the PWD sounds better than all the rest run either AES/EBU in or via USB.

The only digital I have that I prefer to the PWD via AES/EBU via ULN-2 firewire interface and the dedicated Mac Mini is my Emm Labs stack. It is actually a very good DAC but that will not stop me from looking for some more DACs as none sound anywhere near as good as any of my Vinyl setups.
You obviously have some good DACs to compare the Perfect Wave DAC to, so it is reassuring to hear how it ranks in your line-up. I guess what I meant to say is that other digital sources sound okay in comparison to the Perfect Wave Transport. Whenever I switch from the Transport to other sources, there is a very noticeable loss of sound quality. I did get the DAC before the Transport and did think the DAC sounded great in my system, but the addition of the Transport later represented a surprising and substantial improvement in sound quality. So you might want to consider adding the Lens when it is finally released to your Mac Mini setup.
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post #19 of 23
11/28/09 at 12:11pm
I have a line on a PW transport for a great price but I really just want a DAC for the Mac Mini so I am convincing myself that it won't make that much of a difference. It would make sense that i2s would make for a nice connection and probably the best sound but I have been really impressed with the sound compared to some of the others.

I will be picking up either the Berkley Alpha or the Amarra 4 shortly to see how they compare. After a short listening session with the Amarra 4 I think it might be the winner.
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post #20 of 23
12/23/09 at 3:54pm
For 3k they need at least to have 24/192 USB to i2s through their anti-jitter lens connection - e.g. at least one maximum quality connection from a computer out of the box.

It's laughable that they say you can get maximum quality from ethernet/music server or the perfectwave transport, but not from a USB connection.
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post #21 of 23
12/23/09 at 8:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by eugenius View Post
For 3k they need at least to have 24/192 USB to i2s through their anti-jitter lens connection - e.g. at least one maximum quality connection from a computer out of the box.

It's laughable that they say you can get maximum quality from ethernet/music server or the perfectwave transport, but not from a USB connection.
Why is that laughable? USB has never been up there with S/PDIF, AES/EBU or I2S. Some come close but all implementations that I've heard fall short in some areas. The Sonicweld Gen3 Diverter comes closest though, of what I've heard.
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post #22 of 23
12/24/09 at 3:19am
No, their party line is: our de-jittered i2s is clearly the best. They say it has three max quality inputs: music server (i2s internal) and the two hdmi ports. That eliminates the SPDIF, AES along with USB.

I just mentioned USB because those guys could have included one USB to I2S converter inside, since it's 3000$ and nobody else is going to use their i2s hdmi cable standard.

Maybe they don't know how do make a good enough USB to i2s converter.
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post #23 of 23
12/24/09 at 6:59am
I2S, clearly the best, eh..... I love PS Audio gear (former DL3 owner and current PPP owner) but I2S is still a fairly new method of moving digital signals between two chassis, and was never intended to be used for that purpose -- hence its name, Integrated Inter-Chip Sound. I guess some companies have found a way to do it effectively for short distances of a few feet, but to my knowledge it cannot be used in long lengths which would be applicable to most studios. If the studios don't use it, it won't become a standard method of digital signal transmission. And if different companies use different connectors and methods of transmitting the I2S signal, mixing component brands won't be easy.

S/PDIF and AES/EBU can sound every bit as good as I2S. It just depends how well the circuit is engineered and the parts used. I'm sure PS Audio did a great job with the PerfectWave DAC and PWT, but it's not likely the be all/end all of digital front ends. Once every high-end manufacturer is using I2S, then we can reasonably assume it has replaced the current standards. That will be several years off though, if not longer.
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