Review and Measurements of Paradigm PW-Link Streamer/DAC

[batfunk]

I don't understand...you can stream Tidal or whatever directly from PW link to your dac without pc, with hi-fi app or bubble upnp.
For music files on pc, the best way is to use foobar or Volumio(forget others players) on bit perfect mode.
https://www.audfree.com/tidal/tidal-on-volumio.html
For YouTube, I use smartphone with Bluetooth, works perfectly with my smsl m200 Dac

If you put pw link volume 2 clicks away from max, you will get no distortion.

 

[Peen]

I don't understand...you can stream Tidal or whatever directly from PW link to your dac without pc, with hi-fi app or bubble upnp.
For music files on pc, the best way is to use foobar or Volumio(forget others players) on bit perfect mode.
https://www.audfree.com/tidal/tidal-on-volumio.html
For YouTube, I use smartphone with Bluetooth, works perfectly with my smsl m200 Dac

If you put pw link volume 2 clicks away from max, you will get no distortion.

I use my PC for work as well, so have to use it. Actually don't even listen to music that much. For music test I've tried Foobar, Roon, Tidal, Amazon Music etc, etc but it still distorts even without E30 in chain. If I do 2 from Max, it still distorts. I have to go about 10 from max.

Although lately it seems to be doing fine lately even though nothing has changed.

 

[batfunk]

Did you try with another pc? Maybe it's yourpc digital out which is faulty. If not, your pw link is defective.
I have no problem of distortion with mine. The only problem I have is with cd player connected to digital in and pw link used directly as dac. I have loud crackles in speakers when track changes. I introduced again an external dac, no more problems.
So pw link dac is really poor.

 

[Peen]

Yes, I even have an esxi server with digital out, same issue. Take out the PW Link and just go optical to DAC and the volume never changes. Even if I set PW Link volume some where in the middle, or less, if I pause and start even a YouTube video, the volume changes each time. Some times very loud and distorting, or very quite and barely audible.

Even while playing Amazon Music HD or Tidal, when playing an album the next track will be higher or lower volume then before. I did try DTS PlayFi and it seems to be fine. But I can only set volume to 50%. If I go higher it will start distorting.

 

[Pavano]

I have the same chain as you, Peen, and I also have like a pumping sound, probably distortion, and really I didn’t find any way to cure this problem. I tried three different PCs, to no avail. The PW link just won’t produce acceptable sound. First, I thought it is the amplifier, but it is not, because I’ve tried three different amplifiers as well

 

[batfunk]

Happy owners of Pw-link, I tried for you the four main streaming services compatible(Qobuz, Spotify, Amazon music and Tidal).
Verdict: only one app recognize Play-fi speakers and play tracks Gapless..
And the winner is... Spotify Premium!!!
You get access to barely same number of tracks as Tidal(spotify has a lot of Japanese music too), 320 kbps is subjectively for me same as Flac, you can download to listen offline, it's gapless, and most of all, you can rid of play-fi app(thanks God!).
Of course, if Tidal app will recognize one day play-fi speakers, I will be delighted to return back to their services.

 

[d'Brit]

I bought my PW-LInk a few years ago strictly for the ARC room correction software. Circumstances led to it sitting in storage until a few months ago. I finally was able to set it up after purchasing an S.M.S.L. SA-300 power amplifier (Amazon: $139.00). I have the PW-Link connected to a Shield Android TV Pro in a 2.1 setup. After purchasing the PW-LInk I've read nothing but bad about the DTS Play-Fi software. My experience has been just the opposite. I did update the software immediately upon activating the unit and apparently DTS has corrected the prior problems. I listen through Qobuz and have yet to experience any issues with the PW-Link. And yes, room correction software is the real deal, it made a significant difference in SQ.

 

[batfunk]

DTS software works well if you only need to play tracks, I agree. But you can't make any search by date, name or whatever, à nightmare when you have hundreds of favorite albums.same for creating multiple zones
And you have this fucking gap of five seconds beetween tracks(whatever streaming services ou dlna). I doubt you don't have it. As I said, only Spotify premium app recognize play fi speakers and it's the only way to have gapless.
To conclude, The problem is play-fi app, not pw-link.

 

[d'Brit]

Playing tracks is all I've been using the DTS software for but as its for casual background listening of playlists and albums, it works for me. I haven't noticed a 5 sec gap but then I haven't been focused on it. In time I may look at Spotify. I have Roon and Qobuz and that's currently enough expense for me.

 

[Jmudrick]

My turntable and phono pre are in storage pending a house move but I'm wondering if anyone is using their analog input from a phono preamp and with what results ?

Software updated to 6.1, not sure what changes.

Fidata app also seems to work ok as DNLA player for network files (no cloud playback).

 

[batfunk]

For a while, I used Pwlink as dac, with turntable(pre amp integrated) on its analog input and analog out on power amp. Worked flawless.
The problem is now I use an external dac, with no analog input, so phono sound has to be converted to digital by dac then to analog... I doubt sound quality will be good, I have to try it.

 

[Peen]

Since optical in is completely broken I have to go RCA in.

Would it be better to go

PC -> Topping E30 USB in -> PW Link RCA in -> Klipsch PowerGate RCA in

or PC AUX out (or Apple Dongle) -> PW Link RCA in -> Topping OPT in -> Klipsch PowerGate RCA in

I've tried both and they work well, no issues and can't tell a difference in sound. But would like to use what "should" measure better.

 

[Jmudrick]

Since optical in is completely broken I have to go RCA in.

Would it be better to go

PC -> Topping E30 USB in -> PW Link RCA in -> Klipsch PowerGate RCA in

or PC AUX out (or Apple Dongle) -> PW Link RCA in -> Topping OPT in -> Klipsch PowerGate RCA in

I've tried both and they work well, no issues and can't tell a difference in sound. But would like to use what "should" measure better.

A double conversion there can't be optimal. Is relying on wifi to access network shared files not an option? Media Server in Play-Fi accesses and plays back using a simple Serviio installation on my PC pretty well.

 

[Peen]

A double conversion there can't be optimal. Is relying on wifi to access network shared files not an option? Media Server in Play-Fi accesses and plays back using a simple Serviio installation on my PC pretty well.

I use this for meetings, YouTube, games, music, etc.

Unless somehow all sound from Windows can be transferred IP through my LAN.

Sent an email to Paradigm with the issues with OPT in. I doubt anything will happen, but worth a shot.

edit: DTS Play-Fi app for Windows allows audio from all sources, but it's incredibly laggy for YouTube and games. The "DTS PlayFi Audio Renderer" only seems to use 16 bit 44100 Hz as well.

 

[Peen]

I use this for meetings, YouTube, games, music, etc.

Unless somehow all sound from Windows can be transferred IP through my LAN.

Sent an email to Paradigm with the issues with OPT in. I doubt anything will happen, but worth a shot.

edit: DTS Play-Fi app for Windows allows audio from all sources, but it's incredibly laggy for YouTube and games. The "DTS PlayFi Audio Renderer" only seems to use 16 bit 44100 Hz as well.

Finally fixed this, maybe this will help someone.

I uninstalled my driver which is the newest HDA Realtek driver for my X570 motherboard. I went to the newest Realtek non-HDA 6.0.1.8186 driver and it seems to work good now!

What is sort of strange though is before it let me push 192khz to the PW-Link (which it was messing up on), and now the PW Link can only output to 96khz. But I know the PW Link can only output 48Khz with ARC on.

The other thing that is happening which makes sense now is that the PW Link can no longer control volume, as well as the Windows volume mixer in exclusive mode.

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

And we go round and round. This is the cheapest ARC room correction. Listen and updated to MRX.

 

[Gphoton]

I am curious about this as well...
Anyone have experience?

I have both. I had tried the ultracurve a while ago and had stoped using it. I had to add heatsink to the DSPs. It helped in some ways, but the result was too bright. I bought it used and measured with the Mic pointing at the speakers instead of the ceiling that Anthem reccomends. The ultracurve hardware is good and they use AKM DACs as well, though I did digital in to out. The Anthem software is the real difference. I did a correction and added 2dB of slope which solved the brightness issue

 

[Gphoton]

I'm going optical Squeezebox Touch-PW-Link-E30-Amp. The pop between songs is the PW-Link switching back to 48kHz between 44kHz FLAC, unnecessarily. Is there a way to transmit a very low level near zero 44kHz signal between songs to hold the PW-Link from switching?

 

[Jmudrick]

I added Primephonic to the system which necessitates using the optical input in the PW Link via Chromecast. I notice that while not strictly gapless the pause between tracks is way shorter than using Qobuz streamed directly from the PW Link.

 

[Rubicon]

I just ordered PW link for my system. Which would be the better connection option for me using optical out streaming Spotify and Amazon music?
I am assuming the Oppo DAC is much better than Parasound

PW Link--> Oppo Sonica DAC --> Parasound P6--> Parasound A21--> Speakers + Sub
or
PW Link--> Parasound P6--> Parasound A21--> Speakers + Sub