Review and Measurements of PS Audio PerfectWave DirectStream DAC

[graz_lag]

... and dCS ...

We should however admit their boards are damned sexy!

 

[graz_lag]

http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/view/119011
I have the 1986 MFSL's release:

http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/view/83301
I have the 1985 Japanese's release :

...

 

[LTig]

Are you referring to this one ? As I have it.

View attachment 34765

Yep, this one, but mine is A&M 395 000-2, the barcode reads 0 82839 50002 9, and it has a DDD label down right. Bought 31st May 1985 for the amount of 15 € (converted).

 

[GrimSurfer]

The pursuit of really good original rock/pop recordings is a rare example where quality is free.

Used record stores make money on volume, so they don't usually ask more for one pressing over another. Most consumers don't care because good enough serves.

So for nothing more than a bit of effort, an audiophile can find source material whose quality can be readily heard and appreciated.

And it doesn't cost a penny more!

OTOH, one could buy a newly remastered copy of the same album and end up paying more for LESS SQ:

http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/view/101324

 

[LTig]

We should however admit their boards are damned sexy!

View attachment 34767

Agreed, but the price, the price ...

 

[graz_lag]

Yep, this one, but mine is A&M 395 000-2, the barcode reads 0 82839 50002 9, and it has a DDD label down right. Bought 31st May 1985 for the amount of 15 € (converted).

I see ... What the difference between the DDD logo and the indication DIGITALLY RECORDED AND MASTERED I have on mine means then ?

 

[LTig]

if you like contemporary rock/pop with the best dynamics, FR and noise characteristics, these are considered the best:

http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/view/119011

http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/view/83301

http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/view/93488

It's no coincidence that all three were fully digital (DDD) and performed by artists that played an active (though not necessarily leading) role in the recording, mixing, and mastering process.

These are a bit off my mainstream listening tastes but excellent references to better understand what can be done by people who really know what they are doing. Quite useful for auditioning/comparing audio components.

2 of 3 in my possesion - not too bad, I think ...

 

[ahofer]

I read through the entire PS Audio thread last night. I wasn’t surprised at the invective directed at Amir, although I was surprised at how...fictional it was. I was more surprised at the exchange between “psydave” and Ted Smith and others. I didn’t view Dave’s questions as hostile or inflammatory. Yet Smith and others continued to accuse him of it, even asking for a ban, accusing him of being Amir’s sock puppet. Overly defensive at the very least.

 

[Rockfella]

Post this one it is confirmed that a lot of companies making high end audio are pure scams

 

[GrimSurfer]

I see ... What the difference between the DDD logo and the indication DIGITALLY RECORDED AND MASTERED I have on mine means then ?

View attachment 34770

Same thing...

D1=digital recording
D2=digital master
D3=digital format (yeah, kinda dumb as all CDs are digital format)

 

[LTig]

I see ... What the difference between the DDD logo and the indication DIGITALLY RECORDED AND MASTERED I have on mine means then ?

View attachment 34770

I'd say none. On mine it says top left DIGITAL RECORDING and nothing about mastering. That's probably why it has the DDD logo (the so called SPARS code). which means an all digital production.

 

[LTig]

D1=digital recording
D2=digital master
D3=digital format (yeah, kinda dumb as all CDs are digital format)

Yeah, that's what I thought as well up to 2 minutes ago until I found the wikipedia article about the SPARSE code.

 

[AudioSceptic]

Same thing...

D1=digital recording
D2=digital master
D3=digital format (yeah, kinda dumb as all CDs are digital format)

You could have any combination between AAA and DDD. DDA arrived in the late 70s, before CD, for example.

Edit: the last letter was mastering, not the final product as I thought, but you would need analogue mastering to make an LP., so my example still holds.

 

[Thomas savage]

I read through the entire PS Audio thread last night. I wasn’t surprised at the invective directed at Amir, although I was surprised at how...fictional it was. I was more surprised at the exchange between “psydave” and Ted Smith and others. I didn’t view Dave’s questions as hostile or inflammatory. Yet Smith and others continued to accuse him of it, even asking for a ban, accusing him of being Amir’s sock puppet. Overly defensive at the very least.

Unfortunately this is typical of online forums and social media in general, perfectly reasonable and otherwise intelligent folks turn into something Holly different.

It happens here too , less so hopefully.

 

[Miska]

I can understand your wish, but I fear that it is very unlikely that some company builds a DAC without a standard DAC chip that reaches or even betters the specs of SOTA chips. I have seen too many failing doing so. The same is true for opamps, in my view.

I think there are quite a number of such. Of course much less than ones building something with chips, which just makes life easier.

I'm pretty happy with the ones I have.

 

[Miska]

Chord and dCS. Any others?

T+A (for DSD only), Playback Designs, Holo Audio, Denafrips, Nagra, Lampizator... On pure R2R front there's even more.

...and me...although I haven't been doing it commercially.

 

[LTig]

T+A (for DSD only), Playback Designs, Holo Audio, Denafrips, Nagra, Lampizator... On pure R2R front there's even more.

Sure there are, but which of those can really beat a SOTA DAC with standard DAC chips regarding noise, THD and linearity? Not even talking about prices ...

 

[Miska]

Sure there are, but which of those can really beat a SOTA DAC with standard DAC chips regarding noise, THD and linearity? Not even talking about prices ...

Holo Spring (1 and 2) is one that comes to mind first, you just need to run it in NOS mode and have a good DSP to drive it. I don't have a Denafrips yet, but it is on my shopping list. I have both Spring 1 and Spring 2, Level 2. And also Cyan DSD, but it doesn't quite reach the same performance.

Everything at very reasonable price. Of course, if you are ready to coin in some more, you can get somewhere with T+A, dCS, Chord, Nagra, etc, etc.

 

[AudioSceptic]

Sure there are, but which of those can really beat a SOTA DAC with standard DAC chips regarding noise, THD and linearity? Not even talking about prices ...

Exactly: beat, not just get close.

 

[Miska]

And I'm sorry, but I personally don't really like how the ESS Sabre sounds. No matter what kind of THD figure some Sabre DAC gives.

ESS/CirrusLogic - on your face
AKM/Wolfson - neutral
TI/BB - laid back