Review and Measurements of PS Audio PerfectWave DirectStream DAC

[digicidal]

H8trs gon hate.
His Mac integrated is a great piece.

Could you point to the hate directed at any of the McIntosh gear? I certainly don't have any towards it (any of it actually). Is it superior - sound wise - commensurate with it's price premium? I'd say no, but I think they're beautiful components which deliver good sound - which is all that's required. It's the ~$6-8K+ worth of power rectification, cables & lifters, etc. that I think are ridiculous (as well as the notion that they made huge differences in the sound quality over the actual components themselves).

For far less money (~$4500) he could have added THIS... used 'pedestrian' XLR's and speaker wire... and had far better sound in that room - all while keeping the aesthetic throughout.

 

[scott wurcer]

A stationary speaker wire has no friction so it won't build up a charge. Even if it did, the outer insulation is going to do its job and keep it from going anywhere.

Also the current in the wire is not what matters, the net charge is neutral and the current determines the magnetic field the electrostatic forces of any kind are extremely small. In any case the electrostatic force comes from the voltage difference on the two leads and immersing the cable in an external DC electrostatic field would do precious little.

 

[MediumRare]

Could you point to the hate directed at any of the McIntosh gear?

Naw, nothing in particular. Just having a little fun verbally.

The fellow seems very likable and enthusiastic, he’s been manipulated into buying more bells and whistles than he needs to. Seems to me some of the components on their own are pretty good.

I completely agree with your other comments, hence my ASR Reference system post/competition: https://audiosciencereview.com/foru...ence-system-200-wpc-maximum-performance.9682/

 

[da Choge]

Could you point to the hate directed at any of the McIntosh gear?

I would think absolutely NOT. I remember my earliest years as a young teenager going into a high-end store in Berkeley, CA (probably one of the few, if not only, high-end stores anywhere near us at the time) and marveling (with a touch of admitted lust) after those McIntoshes with their cool blue analog level meters. I remember the smell of hot bakelite and ozone -- that may have been what made me fall in-love with the whole audio thing at the time. In fact, McIntosh is very responsible for the progression of the "audiophile" and "high-end" niche of the industry in those earlier days. I still love McIntosh equipment - got my first AV processor years ago, and it was a McIntosh (probably McIntosh's first AVP too) -- and, probably also a big mistake -- they were just getting into the field at the time and hadn't gotten things perfected at all -- but I still loved it. And I still love McIntosh's esthetic and think they still make great and worthwhile equipment, especially for those that can afford it. Would I get any McIntosh presently? - I don't think so - looking for better value for the buck (even if it might cost near as much) -- but I still think they're great and totally legendary !!!

BTW, I agree with you - so many crazy senseless tweaks that aren't real. I've always wondered if the purveyors of this stuff really believe in what they're doing or if they have just discovered how to make a quick buck off of people that want to be part of some kind of imagined exclusive group (and then keep on doing it for as long as it can last; and, maybe, after some success, end-up really believing in it themselves).

Sorry -- I have gotten REALLY off-topic here. However, I think we all know as much as we need to know about PS Audio DACs right now -- it will be interesting to see what kind of reception their super high-end Obsidian DAC receives when it finally comes out.

- John

 

[digicidal]

...it will be interesting to see what kind of reception their super high-end Obsidian DAC receives when it finally comes out.

I'm sure it will debut to rave reviews in all the subjective publications... when it hits Stereophile, JA will do a little bit of soft-shoe around a couple of "odd measurements" but state that it's "basically a well designed piece of gear"... and if @amirm gets one for review it will likely be a disappointment in regard to transparency to the source.

Who knows for sure, but the faithful will buy them in enough volume to make certain that PS Audio has a long life ahead of itself regardless.

 

[KxDx]

There's probably a visual gauge to measure a website's bent towards the objective or subjective.

If it has so many flashy colorful ads that it looks like a Geocities page, you aren't going to get an honestly objective review. I adblock the hell out of those sites. Their only value to me is discovering new music by scribbling down what tunes they performed their subjective tests with.

It's actually a pox upon other industries as well though. Many game review or PC technology sites who weren't afraid to call out bad products, have shuttered over the past 5-10 years because they would get denied review samples and advertisements. Online journalism has turned into "kiss ass or die."

 

[Soniclife]

looks like a Geocities page

Love it, so accurate.

 

[digicidal]

Online Journalism has turned into "kiss ass or die."

FTFY

 

[skipost-it]

@amirm
From Facebook MQA Audio Group:
“PS Audio is having a private sale on their Directstream DAC to existing customers. These DACs are awesome and for THIS price it's hard to beat. This DAC does full MQA unfold and sounds awesome! Almost $3k off!”
Now $3.999

Will you be the culprit?

 

[BillG]

@amirm
From Facebook MQA Audio Group:
“PS Audio is having a private sale on their Directstream DAC to existing customers. These DACs are awesome and for THIS price it's hard to beat. This DAC does full MQA unfold and sounds awesome! Almost $3k off!”

Will you be the culprit?

Fire sale! Fire sale! Hahahaha!

 

[amirm]

@amirm
From Facebook MQA Audio Group:
“PS Audio is having a private sale on their Directstream DAC to existing customers. These DACs are awesome and for THIS price it's hard to beat. This DAC does full MQA unfold and sounds awesome! Almost $3k off!”
Now $3.999

Will you be the culprit?

Wow! I wonder....

 

[scott wurcer]

Not me, I bought a $125 Bybee Quantum Enhancement device just so I could testify it does nothing. It got me nowhere even though the "tear down" revealed what a scam it was.

 

[KxDx]

Fire sale! Fire sale! Hahahaha!

Probably still clearing close to $3000 profit per unit sold.

 

[BDWoody]

Fire sale! Fire sale! Hahahaha!

There may be more than a few recent purchasers unhappy with that price slash...
Course, maybe others will think it's time to stock up with impossible to resist pricing like that.

 

[anmpr1]

There may be more than a few recent purchasers unhappy with that price slash... Course, maybe others will think it's time to stock up with impossible to resist pricing like that.

There is precedent. I knew a woman who bought Kitchen Aid mixers when they were on sale. She had three still boxed. I asked her, "Why do you need so many mixers?" She replied that they make good gifts for the daughter-in-laws on Christmas, and it's always good to have a spare around.

So there you have it. With that in mind, I'm thinking that Paul and Stan should take the hint. If they'd offer their DACs in 24 different kitchen coordinated colors, that would be great, too.

 

[audiophile]

this is the first time Paul mentioned ASR in his video

 

[oldsysop]

 

[solderdude]

A car analogy .. again and a very poor one at that.

At 4:30 he also states: ASR and Ethan as well as Paul himself are wrong.

At 5:30 He states: measurements must be within certain limits and then listen to how it sounds.
Don't buy on measurements only, don't buy on sound only is his advice. Use common sense.

He prolongs the audiophile notion: great measurements don't mean great sound and poor measurements don't mean poor sound.
This doesn't jive with the remarks he made earlier... see if it complies to miminal standards (which he doesn't mention what they are).

Typical video.

 

[JJB70]

The master of audiophile spin strikes again! I really do admire Paul McGowan's style and delivery, he is a master communicator with a genuinely engaging and avuncular style that just draws people in. He does it so well that many of his viewers will not realise just how disingenuous he is,the utter nonsense he can speak and that he is selling them snake oil.

 

[slingshot]

This may have been mentioned before. They just went factory direct eliminating the retailer's' markup. They can afford to lower the DAC by $3,000 or even more. They have a very aggressive trade in program on almost any type of working equipment. That is because their profit margins are now so high they can just throw the trade in away, if they want to. They were going to value my 15 year old Arcam AVR300 worth about $250, at tops, at $540 on some of their equipment. The more expensive the equipment you are purchasing, the bigger the trade-in value until it reaches a maximum.