Review and Measurements of the PS Audio Stellar Gain Cell DAC

[amirm]

Interesting. What was the glitch, if you don't mind my asking? Time of day?

I don't know. The tests were weeks/months apart. If it had stayed that way, I was going to try to find it.

 

[RayDunzl]

Where is the Glee and i-told-you-so coming from?

Not from me...

 

[RayDunzl]

Once it had a clear glitch in the sine wave. Another time it was very clean.

Harmonically clean, or does that matter?

*disclaimer: feeds everything in the rack from am undersized but equal to the single 15A/120V wall outlet baby Equi=tech Balanced Isolation Transformer

 

[amirm]

Harmonically clean, or does that matter?

It is never clean. Even my lab AC generator has 1% THD.

 

[tensor9]

Perhaps it is appropriate to point your attention to this:

https://www.psaudio.com/products/directstream-power-plant-20/

$10,000 power regenerator. Typical THD of less than 0.5%.

 

[GrimSurfer]

Perhaps it is appropriate to point your attention to this:

https://www.psaudio.com/products/directstream-power-plant-20/

$10,000 power regenerator. Typical THD of less than 0.5%.

LOL. This was definitely what I did not have in mind, just to be clear!

I'm not talking about some bullshit APC line conditioner or an audiophile grade power source in a CNC chassis, but a professional true sine wave AC generator capable of providing clean and steady 115V/15A. 20A if ever he plans to test high power audio amps.

 

[JohnYang1997]

I don't understand that we have such discussion about ac power supply....
Only thing that can cause an issue is when voltage fluctuats too much. Too low of AC amplitude may cause lower maximum output power. That's it. Nothing more.

What's largest distortion/noise in AC power? It's the 50/60hz fundamental that delivers the power. Any harmonics won't be remotely close to the fundamentals. The 50/60hz will show much larger issue way before anything else. And harmonics are higher frequencies, meaning they will be easier to filter out. Always try to make the DC clean not the AC. As long as the amplitude is consistent and the frequency won't go over the transformer specification, it's perfectly fine.

sigh..

 

[GrimSurfer]

Only thing that can cause an issue is when voltage fluctuats too much. Too low of AC amplitude may cause lower maximum output power...

That's mostly what I was talking about, John.

Then again, DC and other noise on an AC supply has been mentioned before on ASR by @restorer-john and @DDF.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...p-stop-transformer-hum.948/page-2#post-226840

I've got a Australian made KCC "Squeeky Clean" on my bench feed. Must be 30 years old or more with DC blocking etc all in a bomb proof steel case. Another unit on the HiFi.

 

[Human Bass]

Well, there is glee of my part knowing that there is stuff that manages to be much cheaper and better. I feel like that PSA would gladly charge 4k for something that has the performance numbers of a topping d50s.

 

[amirm]

I feel like that PSA would gladly charge 4k for something that has the performance numbers of a topping d50s.

The Topping D50s is hugely better than PS Audio Stellar Gain Cell DAC:

Look at the massive increase in noise and distortion in Stellage Gain Cell DAC. SINAD which is a measure of noise and distortion is whopping 52 dB worse!

If they had produce similar performance to Topping D50s at $4K, that would been mostly OK with me and I would have given them high marks. There is certainly value in a high-end package with more functionality, local support in US, etc.

The problem is that they didn't do that. They produce performance that would embarrass any proper engineer and then charged $4K for it and told people it is better for them.

 

[GrimSurfer]

proper engineer

^^ This might be the real root of the problem.

The marketing and accounting departments appear on top of their game, though.

Kinda reminds me of RONCO.

 

[Human Bass]

The Topping D50s is hugely better than PS Audio Stellar Gain Cell DAC:

Look at the massive increase in noise and distortion in Stellage Gain Cell DAC. SINAD which is a measure of noise and distortion is whopping 52 dB worse!

If they had produce similar performance to Topping D50s at $4K, that would been mostly OK with me and I would have given them high marks. There is certainly value in a high-end package with more functionality, local support in US, etc.

The problem is that they didn't do that. They produce performance that would embarrass any proper engineer and then charged $4K for it and told people it is better for them.

Actually they charge 1,7k. I imagined 4k being an "upgraded" product that could match the d50s as a joke.

 

[GrimSurfer]

Actually they charge 1,7k. I imagined 4k being an "upgraded" product that could match the d50s as a joke.

Standing on the shoulders of giants...

 

[amirm]

I think their engineer have drank the kool aid of improper subjective audio listening. Combined with self-bias of thinking what they have changed in the circuit is doing some good, they are building audio products that are anything but high fidelity.

So many audio companies are building products based on myths that audiophiles believe in. It is remarkable that they don't know any better.

 

[amirm]

Actually they charge 1,7k. I imagined 4k being an "upgraded" product that could match the d50s as a joke.

Ah, OK you got me.

 

[GrimSurfer]

I think their engineer have drank the kool aid of improper subjective audio listening. Combined with self-bias of thinking what they have changed in the circuit is doing some good, they are building audio products that are anything but high fidelity.

So many audio companies are building products based on myths that audiophiles believe in. It is remarkable that they don't know any better.

It tells us something about how groupthink might work in a combination echo chamber-Faraday cage-tinfoil hat.

 

[amirm]

It tells us something about how groupthink might work in a combination echo chamber-Faraday cage-tinfoil hat.

High-end audiophiles and some high-end companies have indeed built a universe of their own as far as audio science. It is a make believe world where they know more than countless researchers and engineers in the real world. What is remarkable is that they don't live the rest of their lives that way. I have challenged doctors who believe in such voodoo how they can do that when their own livelihood relies on such things as double blind testing, medical research, etc. Instead of contemplating the contradiction here, they just get mad and become belligerent. It is so illogical.

 

[Thomas savage]

The point of these review threads is to
A. Inform
B. Review the test results and make sure they are robust
C. Have fun
D. Learn and grow through sharing of knowledge

It requires a level of maturity, ambition even that somewhere or other we seem to be losing.

Attack the information, challenge in a meaningful and a hopefully enlightened way but please can we resist other more base temptations.

Thank you ..

 

[Thomas savage]

High-end audiophiles and some high-end companies have indeed built a universe of their own as far as audio science. It is a make believe world where they know more than countless researchers and engineers in the real world. What is remarkable is that they don't live the rest of their lives that way. I have challenged doctors who believe in such voodoo how they can do that when their own livelihood relies on such things as double blind testing, medical research, etc. Instead of contemplating the contradiction here, they just get mad and become belligerent. It is so illogical.

It's a addiction, like many a bad relationship you can find yourself defending it beyond all reason .

 

[GrimSurfer]

High-end audiophiles and some high-end companies have indeed built a universe of their own as far as audio science. It is a make believe world where they know more than countless researchers and engineers in the real world. What is remarkable is that they don't live the rest of their lives that way. I have challenged doctors who believe in such voodoo how they can do that when their own livelihood relies on such things as double blind testing, medical research, etc. Instead of contemplating the contradiction here, they just get mad and become belligerent. It is so illogical.

Even hardcore high-end audiophiles don't practice what they preach. They might buy into mysticism and bullshit audio on a daily basis but, when confronted with a serious health problem, insist on getting the best damned surgeon money can buy.

It's a really warped way of thinking, similar to nostalgic fantasy: "Oh, wouldn't it be lovely to live in the 1800s, Babs? "

When the reality of cholera and lack of dry cleaning made it hard to keep those fancy gowns and tuxes looking "smart".

[For mods: Purpose of this post is to highlight the inconsistencies in the thinking of high-end audiophiles. Any resemblance to offended members is unintentional and purely coincidental.]