Review and Measurements of PS Audio NuWave DAC

[amirm]

But wait, there is more....

I bought a $1,000 DAC and I still need to shield my AC cable?

 

[amirm]

Lots more....

 

[amirm]

You are dealing with the wrong company if you think you are finished with your investments:

 

[amirm]

As if they are worried you have not gotten the message yet, it is repeated for you:

 

[phoenixdogfan]

As if they are worried you have not gotten the message yet, it is repeated for you:
View attachment 34714

Imagine how many snakes had to die to make that much oil.

 

[tktran303]

BS Audio...

 

[gvl]

Paul can write too.

 

[restorer-john]

PS Audio sell cables and regenerators. They are in the business of profitable add-ons, just like every company before them, and most companies now.

Car makers recommend original OEM spare parts, not aftermarket for the "best performance and reliability". They recommend their own expensive dealer servicing for the same reasons.

Audio companies since Adam was boy, recommend their own brand accessories, headphones, batteries, cables and stands for the "best performance".

What's the big problem? I see no lies or deception in the highlighted statements, and arguably a lot more truth than many other brands.

 

[Sal1950]

Once they get you on power cable and conditioner, might as well get you to "invest" even more in a digital cable. Why? Why would you need to know. We are saying it so it is so...

I've been hearing this line for years but have never gotten anyone to answer my question as to what separates a good bit from a bad bit? Or even how a bit perfect stream can have it's sound changed if it's data stream is not corrupted?
This is an older component but it's manual opened my eyes to how far off the rails PS had gotten as early as 2012.
I understand the marketing drive, but is there NO integrity left at the Boulder CO headquarters.

 

[amirm]

I've been hearing this line for years but have never gotten anyone to answer my question as to what separates a good bit from a bad bit? Or even how a bit perfect stream can have it's sound changed if it's data stream is not corrupted?

A DAC is a part-analog, part-digital system (mixed-signal IC). The digital part are the samples. The analog part is generating an analog voltage from a reference. In theory, noise and spurious tones can get through the DAC and pollute its analog output. You often seen such interference in my jitter test. And you frequently read comments from people that activity in a PC can be heard in the output of the DAC.

In interfaces like S/PDIF, the clock is extracted from the bits. When bits are transmitted on the wire, due to limited bandwidth of the cable and noise, the timing that is extracted is likewise changed. The variation is actually data dependent.

Now, good DAC implementations deal with most or all of this so in practice you don't face these things. But I measure for them (e.g. j-test in Jitter measurement). And we often see interference in them: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...and-measurements-of-sound-blasterx-ae-5.9114/

Those pulses should not be there. They have clear pattern meaning something is getting to the output of the DAC that should not.

 

[SIY]

As if they are worried you have not gotten the message yet, it is repeated for you:
View attachment 34714

 

[gvl]

I only buy OEM replacement parts for my cars, aftermarket is typically inferior.

 

[restorer-john]

In theory, noise and spurious tones can get through the DAC and pollute its analog output.

Most older multibit D/A converters had completely separate and isolated analog and digital supplies.

 

[BillG]

As if they are worried you have not gotten the message yet, it is repeated for you:
View attachment 34714

Yeah, okay! They're just straight up running a confidence game now, and unfortunately, many people will fall for it...

 

[AndrewDavis]

Only for naughty gluten-intolerant people, otherwise glutton would be more appropriate.

Since we found out my daughter has Celiac disease we don't eat gluttons at our house at all.

 

[The Audiophile Barista]

Just out of curiosity. Is anyone here interested in how this DAC sounds? Or do you only go by measurements?

 

[Purité Audio]

PS Audio crap through and through.
Keith

 

[Tup3x]

But wait, there is more....

View attachment 34711

I bought a $1,000 DAC and I still need to shield my AC cable?

Considering the price and all those remarks in their manuals... I find it impressive how it can perform like this compared to <150 € gaming oriented internal sound card, which supposedly operates in really challenging environment. Yet somehow the results end up being like this.

 

[audio_tony]

I only buy OEM replacement parts for my cars, aftermarket is typically inferior.

Here in the UK, the aftermarket parts one can buy for a BMW for a example, are the identical OEM part with the BMW logo carefully ground off.

This applies to other makes too.

Many aftermarket parts are made in the same factories as the OEM parts.

 

[BillG]

Is anyone here interested in how this DAC sounds?

As DACs go, the measurements indicate that it should be relatively transparent. So, no... especially since I can purchase one that's measures even more transparent for a fraction of the price...