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Review and Measurements of PS Audio PerfectWave DirectStream DAC
- Thread starter amirm
- Start date
I skipped to this page after the first two, so maybe my comment is not either not correct or appropriate. On one hand, I am very happy to see that recently, ASR is reviewing what are considered by the "audiophile" community to be high-end well-regarded DACs. On the other, I am not too surprised about this DAC. When I kept reading the industry reviews about how all of the multiple new firmware updates of the PS DirectStream DAC were improving its sound each time so dramatically and marvelously, I began to get a little suspicious about the whole thing. Overall, very disheartening. But still trying to keep a little faith.
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FooYatChong
Active Member
Guess these luxury audio reviewers are right after all in that it's possible to hear differences between dacs.
It's just not something you would want.
It's just not something you would want.
BillG
Major Contributor
A couple of the talking points on its product page are as follows:
- No off-the-shelf IC DAC chips used
- Purely passive transformer coupled output
He may have been a software guy at Microsoft but he is also an Electrical Engineer, studying CS & EE at MIT.
https://forum.psaudio.com/t/cost-no-object-edition-of-ds-dac/6066/28
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OP
- Thread Starter
- #126
It doesn't look like he finished his degree program. This is from the bottom up of his experience/education on LinkedIn:
That is just three years at MIT and doesn't indicate a degree. Regardless, his next few jobs leading to Microsoft were all software and hence my comment.
All of this said, learning to design hardware and FPGA is hard from a person on his own so clearly he is smart and self-taught.
It says "EE/CS"...
4 years, if you start at start of 76 and finish end of 79...
What makes you think this? Something in the LinkedIn that you screenshot?
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Rja4000
Major Contributor
OP
- Thread Starter
- #129
It is a very common technique on resumes (and on LinkedIn) when you have not finished the degree program. You list the years and name of the university but don't put in, "BS in Electrical Engineering, BSCS, etc." Here is mine in contrast:
Again, I want to make sure this doesn't come as a ding against him. He is clearly a very smart guy, degree or not.
I think, nontransparency is part of the business model for PS audio and many other manufacturerers. It sounds different, costs much money, therefore it's better. Had a PS audio HCA-2 power amp, back in the day. Reviewers stated: "Finally a non tube design that sounds like tubes".
Well, It had an agressive treble and a volumious and undifferentiated bottom end. Came through on everey recording. Measurements? Well they were poor to say the least. High distorition escpecially in the treble region and very low damping factor.
Well, It had an agressive treble and a volumious and undifferentiated bottom end. Came through on everey recording. Measurements? Well they were poor to say the least. High distorition escpecially in the treble region and very low damping factor.
maty
Major Contributor
In those years, before the Bologna Plan (90's, EU), engineering in Spain lasted 5 years, and only 3 years the techniques. Architecture and Medicine 6 years. And the final year project involved about a year. Now are only four years the and pfc is a work of little demand. And in some Schools (Escuelas), to be able to present the PFC, you must to have the level 9/10.
The level of academic demand has fallen dramatically in Spain, even worse every year. I think the same in the rest of the EU.
The level of academic demand has fallen dramatically in Spain, even worse every year. I think the same in the rest of the EU.
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maxxevv
Major Contributor
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As in enigineering speak: " Different for the sake of being different".
Man do people really do serious DACs implemented with FPGAs ? Just doesn't add up to me...
BillG
Major Contributor
I worked with an MIT CS graduate some years ago, and the guy wasn't anything exceptional. So if you're putting that out there as some sort of indication of excellence, it's not in my experience - If they can get passing marks on the courses, they get the degree. It's just that simple, nothing more and nothing less.
solderdude
Grand Contributor
At least the reconstruction filter is nicely done...
Even the TotalCrap outperforms the BS audio DAC when it comes to multitone.
Even the TotalCrap outperforms the BS audio DAC when it comes to multitone.
Appart from all their BS marketing: Chord Electronics
Not surprising at all, they all follow the Kübler-Ross curve. Hopefully some will eventually reach the end of the curve ... ;-)
maty
Major Contributor
And this is how the technological race is being lost compared to other Asian countries such as Singapore, South Korea, China... Excellence, merit and love for doing things right are no longer valued as before in the West.
In Japan the University is also bad.
******* *******
BTW: today is Santa Tecla, the big Festival of Tarragona.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Tecla_Festival
In Japan the University is also bad.
******* *******
BTW: today is Santa Tecla, the big Festival of Tarragona.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Tecla_Festival
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You're jumping to too many conclusions. Ignore the MIT part (if that helps)...
Amir: "Ted Smith is the designer behind this DAC (a software guy who used to work at Microsoft the same time I was, turned hardware designer)"
Me: "He may have been a software guy at Microsoft but he is also an Electrical Engineer, studying CS & EE"
Nothing more, nothing less....
https://forum.psaudio.com/t/cost-no-object-edition-of-ds-dac/6066/28
Anyway, I don't see the point to talk about the guy himself and his degrees...
The DAC is bad. Period. Nothing has to turn personal.
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