Review and Measurements of PS Audio PerfectWave DirectStream DAC

[Krunok]

Thank you very much for your good advices and nice words. I know very well in which forum I am and I respect it. I am learning a lot from the forums. My experience is however based on listening, not through the forums, but at home in the same room and conditions. Is it ABX? Not. But I would not say that an equipment is crap without listening to it. If you are so sure that ElementX will outperform a TotalDAC, you should try the experience yourself.
Here again, to share an experience, I had the opportunity to listen to PS Audio at home and didn’t like it (sorry no ABX). The perception was the same presented by Amir through his own listening experience.

Without any intention to offend you, but why do you think anyone here would be interested in your subjective listening experience with TotalDAC vs Element X or Linn vs Naim CD player when the only thing you used in that evaluation were your personal preferences?

Stating that you equally liked TotalDAC and Element X or that you liked Linn streamer more than Naim CD player is to me equivalent that you said that you prefere green socks over red. I can only say: glad you found what you like, but where exactly is real contribution in that? Or you think that community of this forum might really benefit from your choices based on your preference? Should we now all consider wearing green socks? Are you supposed to be some kind of a trend-setter when it comes to DACs?

Even if you would be a formally trained listener (which I suspect you are not), your preferences based on sighted listening tests would be of no or very little value to anyone here.

 

[AudioSceptic]

Thank you very much for your good advices and nice words. I know very well in which forum I am and I respect it. I am learning a lot from the forums. My experience is however based on listening, not through the forums, but at home in the same room and conditions. Is it ABX? Not. But I would not say that an equipment is crap without listening to it. If you are so sure that ElementX will outperform a TotalDAC, you should try the experience yourself.
Here again, to share an experience, I had the opportunity to listen to PS Audio at home and didn’t like it (sorry no ABX). The perception was the same presented by Amir through his own listening experience.

The Element X does not need to even match the TotalDAC. It's only $3k, 1/5 the price of the TotalDAC. That's a ridiculous price difference.

 

[anmpr1]

On my last round of dealer visits, to audition speakers, i got the cable lecture everywhere. Each of them would ask what cables I was using or planned to use, at which point I outed myself as thinking it didn’t matter beyond we’ll-made terminations and tight connections. Audio Doctor, Innovative Audio, Sound by Singer, Lyric HiFi-everyone in the store immediately (just two, typically) came over to gang up on me.

What you need to do when this happens is matter of factly say, "I'm using the new Wotan Series Valhalla cable with the optional Niebelung gold plated spade lugs, all suspended with Loki Fire Risers." And then give him the look that says, "What? You haven't heard them yet? Don't you stock them?"

 

[AudioSceptic]

What you need to do when this happens is matter of factly say, "I'm using the new Wotan Series Valhalla cable with the optional Niebelung gold plated spade lugs, all suspended with Loki Fire Risers." And then give him the look that says, "What? You haven't heard them yet? Don't you stock them?"

You knew, of course that Nordost use names very like those?

 

[anmpr1]

You knew, of course that Nordost use names very like those?

Dammit it all. And I thought I was being clever and making up something original. I guess they beat me to it. But that proves my point. Just use your imagination. It won't matter, since you'll be playing them. And they won't know it.

Use something from '50s sci-fi. That would work. How about, "I'm using custom made Phlogiston free Interocitor cables, the one's with a Cathermin tube termination, and with an Indium complex of +4. You know, the one's designed by Cal Meacham. Very expensive."

 

[BDWoody]

What you need to do when this happens is matter of factly say, "I'm using the new Wotan Series Valhalla cable with the optional Niebelung gold plated spade lugs, all suspended with Loki Fire Risers." And then give him the look that says, "What? You haven't heard them yet? Don't you stock them?"

Tell him, you happen to have an extra pair of them you could 'give to him' for the low low price of $10k. But wait! If he acts RIGHT NOW, he can get a set of FREE Ginzu steak knives!

 

[AudioSceptic]

Dammit it all. And I thought I was being clever and making up something original. I guess they beat me to it. But that proves my point. Just use your imagination. It won't matter, since you'll be playing them. And they won't know it.

Use something from '50s sci-fi. That would work. How about, "I'm using custom made Phlogiston free Interocitor cables, the one's with a Cathermin tube termination, and with an Indium complex of +4. You know, the one's designed by Cal Meacham. Very expensive."

Fill your boots. <https://nordost.com>

BTW Krell is one of the all-time great brand names. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbidden_Planet>

Edit: in case you don't know it, here's a snip <

>

 

[anmpr1]

Fill your boots. <https://nordost.com>
BTW Krell is one of the all-time great brand names. >

I wasn't aware of this Nordost outfit. Thanks for the link. Of course I was not serious, but making a funny joke. These people are serious, and selling a $3500.00 USB cable. That's the real funny joke. How depressing.

On the other hand, if you sprang for a Krell amplifier you probably got something built really well, where cost of manufacture along with retail mark up likely represented a justifiable price to value ratio. And you didn't have to pay x-tra for special Robbie the Robot connectors.

 

[AudioSceptic]

I wasn't aware of this Nordost outfit. Thanks for the link. Of course I was not serious, but making a funny joke. These people are serious, and selling a $3500.00 USB cable. That's the real funny joke. How depressing.

On the other hand, if you sprang for a Krell amplifier you probably got something built really well, where cost of manufacture along with retail mark up likely represented a justifiable price to value ratio. And you didn't have to pay x-tra for special Robbie the Robot connectors.

I'm frankly amazed that Nordost is new to you. They have been the most notorious cable maker for years. Try this view of a parallel universe.<https://nordost.com/images/review-images/review-pdf/Nordost_Odin2_62016.pdf>

I agree that Krell stuff is not rubbish, or even overpriced compared with a lot of high end.

 

[ahofer]

Yes, if, in 1993, you needed to drive your apogee Scintillas, you kinda had to get a Krell.

 

[Eirikur]

Like really hear? Like via ABX tests?

Are you aware that, to my best knowledge, no person was ever able to demonstrate such superhuman capabilities in properly conducted ABX test?

Well (ahem), I certainly heard a problem with one of my newly acquired (old) speakers because I apparently "know" a certain piece of music well enough to detect something wrong. The time honored audiophile trick didn't work, my wife didn't hear anything weird, neither from the kitchen, nor standing right next to the speaker.
Still I was sure that the solo by Ritchie Blackmore was too thick, since I played Child in Time so often in the past. That combined with the knowledge that Blackmore plays fairly clean with little distortion prompted a more systematic approach.
Upon "measurement" with n-Track Tuner on my iPhone with some pure tones the faulty part was quickly identified: one of the tweeters produced additional harmonics due to a slightly elliptic coil. After carefully aligning the coil in the magnet assembly the harmonics were pushed down beyond my detection ability at normal listening levels.
Still replaced the tweeter of course, to allow me cranking it up without revealing this problem.

In tracking down the problem I did do some AB testing though, mixing the track to mono and panning the sound from one speaker to the other, but initial detection was clearly from memory.

 

[Krunok]

Well (ahem), I certainly heard a problem with one of my newly acquired (old) speakers because I apparently "know" a certain piece of music well enough to detect something wrong. The time honored audiophile trick didn't work, my wife didn't hear anything weird, neither from the kitchen, nor standing right next to the speaker.
Still I was sure that the solo by Ritchie Blackmore was too thick, since I played Child in Time so often in the past. That combined with the knowledge that Blackmore plays fairly clean with little distortion prompted a more systematic approach.
Upon "measurement" with n-Track Tuner on my iPhone with some pure tones the faulty part was quickly identified: one of the tweeters produced additional harmonics due to a slightly elliptic coil. After carefully aligning the coil in the magnet assembly the harmonics were pushed down beyond my detection ability at normal listening levels.
Still replaced the tweeter of course, to allow me cranking it up without revealing this problem.

In tracking down the problem I did do some AB testing though, mixing the track to mono and panning the sound from one speaker to the other, but initial detection was clearly from memory.

If you're wife can't distinguish DACs from the kitchen I would consider leaving her no matter how cute and intelligent she is - she simply isn't audiophille wife material.

My wife, for example, can tell from our kitchen when our neighbours are switching their DACs.

 

[Sal1950]

I suppose you are suggesting dishonesty, but I prefer to be generous and give them the benefit of the doubt.

Don't lie to people who trust you, and don't trust people who lie to you.

They've lost the goodwill that comes from honest, non-obfuscatory explanation.

Agreed. Many of the reviewers in the big audio media write things that add up to complete fairytales to anyone with a bit of common sense and live outside the umbrella of the Alice In Wonderland world of high end audio. We can not go around making unfounded accusations but neither can we put on blinders to the fact that this segment of the high fidelity community is based on the subjective review>manufacturers success of products priced at extreme numbers. Since there is basically no real evidence presented by the either side of the income path that can be scientifically supported all things are possible.

 

[beefkabob]

It would only be easy if the measurements don't correlate to what's audible. Is that what you are suggesting?

Yes. And if they do correlate and therefore a DAC that measures well but sounds terrible can be produced, some people need to shut the hell up.

 

[beefkabob]

One of the reviewers at Stereophile already did this. In comparing the Benchmark DAC3 to a worse measuring one (Border Patrol), the reviewer said the Benchmark removed the sounds of the church walls in a recording he listened to...

Double blind? Sounds like listener bias most likely. However, more likely, the other DAC was distorting the sound, and he liked the color. But a simple double-blind test would prove the point, and I doubt that happened.

 

[Sal1950]

Edit: in case you don't know it, here's a snip

They're Monsters Jim, Monsters from the Id!

 

[beefkabob]

https://www.stereophile.com/content/nothing-what-i-want#8663zrxmWWfSH8wK.99

“Subtractive distortion”, never heard that before.

Well, of course not. You can't hear what's subtracted! Sheesh.

Glad I've never purchased a copy of Stereopile. That article is utter horseshit.

 

[Blumlein 88]

Yes, if, in 1993, you needed to drive your apogee Scintillas, you kinda had to get a Krell.

Oh please everyone then knew Classe was the ticket for Apogee's. And don't forget Symo cables.

 

[graz_lag]

 

[Blumlein 88]

They're Monsters Jim, Monsters from the Id!

Is that why you needed Monster cable for the Krell amps?