Review and Measurements of PS Audio NuWave DAC

[anmpr1]

I have this dac, thank you Amir for destroying its resale value .

I know you are probably joking, but you really need to thank Paul and Stan (or whomever is running the show, over there) for the unit's now poor resell value. If PS had done their homework, and made something competitive, or even better than the cheap stuff, you'd still have something you could sell on ebay.

 

[AndrewDavis]

The number of high priced DACS that introduce distortion and noise into the signal is staggering.

I suppose when it's a cheap device it's called distortion and noise. When it's an expensive unit we call it "color" and "character."

 

[Sal1950]

Ever heard about tuning parts?

As a lifetime mechanic I can tell you the ratio of good to "not so hot" parts in aftermarket is about 10 to 1.
With a OEM part you get something you know will fit and work. With aftermarket it's a dice game.
But if you want something custom, aftermarket is usually the only option, then you have only experience to guide you.

 

[amirm]

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

Sound is everything for us. That is why we care about how something measures. It tells us how much it screws up what is on the recording.

This DAC has been reviewed in Stereophile. Here is what Jim Austin had to say about it: https://www.stereophile.com/content/ps-audio-nuwave-dsd-da-processor-page-2

Use the logical side of your brain for a moment: what are the odds that what he says is true? That a recording he was playing, all of a sudden was not a recording! It is not possible, right?

He goes on:

Amazing, isn't it? I would buy a DAC that really did that. Alas, it was not the DAC. It was his brain that was sifting through the massive amount of data arriving in its brain, listening for differences so it hears something it ignored in previous plays. You would go crazy if your brain captured everything in every piece of music in your everyday life. When you focus on sound, you routinely hear what you had missed before. This happens if you change your audio gear, or not. The DAC had nothing to do with this observation of his.

And like clockwork, he liked the sound of the more expensive DirectStream DAC from PS Audio than this one because it is more expensive and has a better story:

I listened to DS DAC. It damages the bass tones due to high distortion in low frequencies. And it makes the sound harsh due to harmonic distortion that sprays your music with high frequency notes that are not in the recording.

That is, if you critically listen. If you match levels. And perform blind tests. If you just go for looks and price and stories Paul McGown tells you, then sure, the DS DAC sounds better to your brain than NuWave.

I like to know who I am speaking to so I looked around and noticed a youtube channel with your alias on it. Is that you? If so, you have plenty of PS Audio gear there:

My suggestion: as long as you are here, let some of what we know about audio sync in. I have a high-end audio system. I have many high-end audio friends. I have gone to more high-end audio shows than just about any high-end audiophiles. Please know that I know where you are coming from. It is not the truth in audio. The truth lies in understanding our audio perception and engineering behind audio. Don't cast aside logic and believe things that can't be true. You don't treat yourself this way if you get sick. You go to a doctor. Don't try to be your own scientist when it comes to audio. It does not work.

 

[prighello]

I believe that is actually a different dac than the one you tested. There was a Nuwave and then a year or two later a Nuwave DSD. I think they use different chipsets

 

[prighello]

I know you are probably joking, but you really need to thank Paul and Stan (or whomever is running the show, over there) for the unit's now poor resell value. If PS had done their homework, and made something competitive, or even better than the cheap stuff, you'd still have something you could sell on ebay.

Yes, totally joking

 

[gvl]

I have this dac, thank you Amir for destroying its resale value .

No worries, most audiophools don't sweat the small things like these measurements. One proof is all the beating here hasn't made any significant dent in Schiit Yggdrasil resale values.

 

[Herbert]

The BS revealed with these High End DACs makes me remember my time as an apprentice
@ Burmester, the german High End manufacturer, it must have been in 1988.
He did show me "Boutique-design" drafts sent in by fans. They did not understand, that the simple designs
of Burmester came out of the necessity dictated by the PCB-layouts.
The aim was simple:
Get the cleanest signal possible. As a fact he started in medical technology and assigned the
tight standards on his gear. He used the best analyzers available.
In one occasion, the testing gear was a simple stethoscope.
He used it for testing the rumble of turntables.
I think a C.E.C failed after one minute.
Besides getting a noise free PCB-dayout, effort simply went
into matching parts and keep tolerances low.
People bought his gear because it is durable and upgradeable.
No blabla about trusting your ears and so on.
The individual Amp or CD/DAC did run for 48hrs,
was re-measured and, packed for sale.
Measurements were king.
Not listening impressions.

 

[carlosmante]

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

How do you know?

 

[restorer-john]

I think we can say that if you are 16, with undamaged HF hearing, are lucky enough to own good speakers that reproduce out to 20KHz with very low distortion, drive them with a SOA amp like the Benchmark, and are listening to superbly recorded material, then this PS unit will sound inferior to a DAC with ruler flat FR, due to its HF roll off.

I think people are deluding themselves if they think they can hear a 0.5dB roll-of at 20KHz. Even at 10KHz, it's a fraction of a dB down.

But everyone likes a ruler flat response and when it isn't, it's easy to make the description fit the curve.

PS, how many 16 years olds are remotely interested in HiFi these days? Hanging with mates, girls and pimples keep them occupied and Bluetooth everything.

 

[anmpr1]

I think people are deluding themselves if they think they can hear a 0.5dB roll-of at 20KHz. Even at 10KHz, it's a fraction of a dB down.

My guess is that you are correct. I was trying to think of the 'best' case scenario where something so minute could be reliably held. But really, half a dB down, so high, is likely perceptually meaningless. On the other hand, why pay x-tra for a built in tone control in your DAC?

 

[gvl]

How do you know?

I buy them from official dealers but online at a discount. They have original part numbers and manufacturers packaging. You can argue that they are counterfeit but trust me this is not the case.

 

[AndrovichIV]

I have this dac, thank you Amir for destroying its resale value .

How does it sound? Fine. It's output is hot as shown in the measurements so it can sound more dynamic than some Dacs I have since it is louder. It also sounds a bit more laid back than some Dacs I've owned or heard.

I also have an RME ADI 2 in the house for a demo/review and ironically just swapped out the Nuwave with it. So this thread coming up is apropos. The RME sounds better to me, cleaner with more details but not as smooth as the Nuwave.

I'll need more time with it for a proper evaluation but so far my thoughts are postive on the RME. Especially the additional feature set; to think they are/were around the same price!

I wouldn't be so sure, the subjectivists live in their own world and ignore these things, so resale value should be mostly fine

 

[VintageFlanker]

Do you think there is something about the sound that is not captured by the measurements?

Of course: Musicality, Emotion, Soul, Body, Presence, Epicness, sensuality... but only if you have well regarded cables!

 

[Sal1950]

Of course: Musicality, Emotion, Soul, Body, Presence, Epicness, sensuality... but only if you have well regarded cables!

For that you need the Magic Dust!

 

[direstraitsfan98]

I listened to DS DAC. It damages the bass tones due to high distortion in low frequencies.

I do not believe you that you heard distortion in any frequency, Amir. If your hearing is shot above 8khz, it’s also shot in the bass as well. I wish you would stop making such wild claims. It’s as bad as some of PS Audios marketing.

 

[Krunok]

Of course: Musicality, Emotion, Soul, Body, Presence, Epicness, sensuality... but only if you have well regarded cables!

Bottle of wine/beer also comes handy..

 

[BDWoody]

I do not believe you that you heard distortion in any frequency, Amir. If your hearing is shot above 8khz, it’s also shot in the bass as well. I wish you would stop making such wild claims. It’s as bad as some of PS Audios marketing.

I think you should bet money...
I will put mine on Amir.

 

[Krunok]

I think you should bet money...
I will put mine on Amir.

My hearing is shot above 9.5kHz as well, but I can hear bass very clearly. For example, I can hear my mother-in-law coming rumbling from more than 300 meters.

 

[Ralf Stocker]

It's noticeable what bad quality PS Audio delivers. Already the 2nd device. A good cable brings nothing more!