[Mr.Sneis]

How are you guys feeling about the PWD these days?

 

[dj nellie]

Still loving mine.  I don't like the loud clicks that it makes when it switches to a song with a different sample rate, is there any way to avoid that?
 
I also think its output is too hot, at least with the amp I have.  On most recordings, I can't set the volume higher than 60 with my Liquid Fire only at about 8:00.  This is with the LCD-3 on the LF's higher impedance output.
 
But aside from those relatively minor issues, it's a stunningly good DAC.  I've only owned 1 other reference-grade DAC (2 if you count the CLAS), but for the first time I find myself just drawn into the music, rather than enjoying it but wondering what could sound better.  Overall detail resolution and soundstage (both depth and width) are the obvious features that I'm continually impressed with.  Instruments are imaged so precisely, and the soft-to-loud dynamic range seems limitless on a good recording.

 

[purrin]

It's still good. Had a chance to do a direct comparison with the NAD M51 and the mk2 still comes out on top (as it should given its price.) But then again, a crafty purchaser can find a used mk1 and upgrade to the mk2 for ~ $2500. The NAD is pretty darn good though, even with USB (will do 24/96) from an iPad. I wish the NAD was $1600 though.

 

[Mr.Sneis]

I was reflecting today and realized I think for the cost of the upgrade (even at early adopter price) I feel it was not worth it for the headache of the install and the firmware challenges and also requiring special drivers to run on a PC.  I was not unhappy with the mk1, I liked the sound and had no qualms with functionality.
 
It's too late for me now but if I had to do it again I'd just save the money for something else.

 

[Anaxilus]

So the PC > mk2 is plug and pray, not plug and play?  My mk1 is performing quite flawlessly.

 

[Mr.Sneis]

Quote:

So the PC > mk2 is plug and pray, not plug and play?  My mk1 is performing quite flawlessly.

For PC > mk2 requires a driver to work though apparently all asynch usb 2.0 devices require a driver so it's not inherent to the PWD.

 

[musicman59]

Quote:

I was reflecting today and realized I think for the cost of the upgrade (even at early adopter price) I feel it was not worth it for the headache of the install and the firmware challenges and also requiring special drivers to run on a PC.  I was not unhappy with the mk1, I liked the sound and had no qualms with functionality.
 
It's too late for me now but if I had to do it again I'd just save the money for something else.

 
In my case I think the opposite way. I think the upgrade is well worth the money but I am not using the Bridge. I just use the SPDIF or USB inputs out of a squeezebox and/or MacPro. It works flawlessly and sounds great. I even like it better than my Wadia 27. 

 

[estreeter]

Quote:

It's still good. Had a chance to do a direct comparison with the NAD M51 and the mk2 still comes out on top (as it should given its price.) But then again, a crafty purchaser can find a used mk1 and upgrade to the mk2 for ~ $2500. The NAD is pretty darn good though, even with USB (will do 24/96) from an iPad. I wish the NAD was $1600 though.

 
All of this would be so much simpler if I could just get past the hullabaloo around the Audiophilleo / Empirical converters. Darko has a lot to answer for. There is no way I would pay 2K+ for a DAC only to be told I need to buy a Synchro-mesh or whatever. The endless jitter / digititus debate has me seriously looking at a vinyl rig, and that's something I never thought would happen - way to go, Messrs Connaker and Darko - Steve Nugent most love both of you, 

 

[jc9394]

Quote:

 
In my case I think the opposite way. I think the upgrade is well worth the money but I am not using the Bridge. I just used the SPDIF or USB inputs out of a squeezebox and/or MacPro. It works flawlessly and sound great. I even like it better than my Wadia 27. 

 
X2, I will do it over again even if I have to pay full price.
Quote:

 
All of this would be so much simpler if I could just get past the hullabaloo around the Audiophilleo / Empirical converters. Darko has a lot to answer for. There is no way I would pay 2K+ for a DAC only to be told I need to buy a Synchro-mesh or whatever. The endless jitter / digititus debate has me seriously looking at a vinyl rig, and that's something I never thought would happen - way to go, Messrs Connaker and Darko - Steve Nugent most love both of you, 

 
I rather pay $2k for a DAC that is upgradable than $1k that is not upgradable.  Yes, the upgrade fixed the USB issues but it also added the digital lens that bring the DAC to another level on all inputs.

 

[purrin]

Quote:

 
All of this would be so much simpler if I could just get past the hullabaloo around the Audiophilleo / Empirical converters. Darko has a lot to answer for. There is no way I would pay 2K+ for a DAC only to be told I need to buy a Synchro-mesh or whatever. The endless jitter / digititus debate has me seriously looking at a vinyl rig, and that's something I never thought would happen - way to go, Messrs Connaker and Darko - Steve Nugent most love both of you, 

 
You don't need the Synchro mesh or whatever for the mk1 and especially not for the mk2 (which has the Digital Lens gizmo). Here is a jitter measurement (24/48) of the mk2 directly fed by USB. I still need to do the 44.1 test. Take it with a grain of salt since I haven't taken many of these types of measurements. I do have a jitter measurement of another DAC and it didn't look as good as this one (it had the symmetrical sidebands.)
 

 
Also, I think I read somewhere on the Internet where someone tried one of those Synchro meshes on a mk1 and it didn't do jack. Personally, I found the USB implementations on the mk1 and mk2 quite good sounding and superior to poor or mediocre CD transports.

 

[estreeter]

Quote:

 
Also, I think I read somewhere on the Internet where someone tried one of those Synchro meshes on a mk1 and it didn't do jack. Personally, I found the USB implementations on the mk1 and mk2 quite good sounding and superior to poor or mediocre CD transports.

 
Yep - that was Darko and his mates - they got a bunch of DACs together and the only DAC to show no audible improvement with the SPDIF conversion was the PerfectWave. My comment was in relation to the M51 which, in Oz, sells for considerably less than the PWD - add one of the Empirical boxes though, and I have to question whether spending 3.5K for a single box (and a reasonably future-proof box at that) suddenly makes more sense. Havent heard either, so thats pure speculation - just annoyed by the apparent need for a converter with the other DACs. Project86 has a very commonsense approach to the whole thing, but it still annoys the living $$$$ out of me. 

 

[estreeter]

Quote:

I rather pay $2k for a DAC that is upgradable than $1k that is not upgradable.  Yes, the upgrade fixed the USB issues but it also added the digital lens that bring the DAC to another level on all inputs.

 
Can you tell me who is selling the MK II for 2K ?  We get gouged here in Oz - the local distributor has pegged the price at 3.5k and that will rise as our dollar loses ground - but I saw it at 4K on a US site. You dont want to know what the retail price is for PS Audio's power products - I almost choked on my breakfast cereal.  

 
Still, someone has to pay to keep lawns mowed in front of their Colorado office.  

 

[jc9394]

Quote:

 
Can you tell me who is selling the MK II for 2K ?  We get gouged here in Oz - the local distributor has pegged the price at 3.5k and that will rise as our dollar loses ground - but I saw it at 4K on a US site. You dont want to know what the retail price is for PS Audio's power products - I almost choked on my breakfast cereal.  

 
Still, someone has to pay to keep lawns mowed in front of their Colorado office.  

 
I'm referring to MK I for 2K, there are few on Agon for around 2.5K MK II
 
If you think their price is crazy, did you check on Accuphase lately?  I love Accuphase and it is my dream system and most likely pony up when I can afford it.

 

[estreeter]

Aim higher.  

 
http://www.dcsltd.co.uk/
 
If I had enough money for the Scarlatti stack, I'd be too busy buying Ferraris and commissioning the creation of new orhpanages in Cambodia. Its silly money, IMO. 

 

[Duckman]

So, any consensus on USB input quality of the Mk2?