PS Audio Discussion Forum

I got the unit last week, but didn’t have a chance to run until today… Here’s how I am running the PWD until the bridge comes out;

PS Audio Perfectwave DAC
Apple Airport Express (1st gen)
Apple Mac Pro PC for file storage
AR Optical Cable
ATC SCM 50 ASL speakers
Sound Organisation two tier stand
Harmonic Technology Magic balanced XLR IC’s 3 meters
Harmonic Technology AC 11 Powercords 2 meters
PS Audio Powerport
PS Audio Quintet

As the speakers are active, which had not been on for some months awaiting the arrival of the PWD, it took some time to have the six amps warm up…. But even upon initial running, I could determine the sound was something I had not delivered to these speakers before… Now that the system has settled in for five hours, the sound just becomes more lush and warm. Bass lines are much more defined, taut, articulate. Vocals, well it was nice to have Alison Krauss, Joni Mitchell and now Cyndi Lauper come over to sing today… David Gilmour made a guest appearance too. I must say, my speakers are not sited all that properly, nor is the room perfect (acoustically) from which I am now using the system. That will change. none-the-less… Still a piano now sounds like a real piano.. vocals sound human…not shrill like..

Speed and attack in the music is there unlike before. imaging, excellent of course.. spot on… It will be interesting to see how the music changes once the bridge is introduced into the system. For now optical input via the AEX… I have not yet done much critical listening… Today was just get the system up and running and settled in… more to follow perhaps…

cheers,

btw, anyone know where i can buy the latest Hi Fi New and TAS that recently reviewed PW products and related filtering processes?

Hi Dave:

Are you using the preamp inside the PWD?

Since you are in wireless mode, what are you using for the optical to coaxial conversion?

Thanks, Jim

Yes, just the PWD and two active loudspeakers. very simple signal path.. and hence I am using the ‘pre-amp’ of the PWD..

“Since you are in wireless mode, what are you using for the optical to
coaxial conversion?”

I am taking my music off the hard drive of an apple computer via itunes wirelessly into an apple airport express (AEX), and taking the signal out of the AEX via an optical toslink cable into the back of the optical input on the PWD.

Music is controlled via the supplied handset for the PWD, mainly volume, but you can toggle the filters and sampling rates from your armchair with the PSA supplied remote too. I am controlling the itunes library with my iphone remote app..

Thanks for your response. Since I have an older Theta DS Pro, Gen VI (>12 yrs!), it does not have a Toslink input and there for
I had to “rig” up a optical to coaxial converter to run a wireless network through the AEX.

You don’t have this issue as the newer DAC have toslink inputs.

understood! You’ll like what you hear…

I had previously taken the optical output of the AEX into a venerable Meridian 518 Digital Pre-amp with the ability to change bit rates, word length and apply numerous filters as well, into a Meridan 203 DAC then into my analog 502 Meridan pre-amp before going into active speakers. The PWD eliminated the need for three devices, the 518, 203 and 502…

Your old sequence to establish a wireless set up was complicated—I’m sure you’re pleased with the PWD!

dave g - 06 July 2009 03:36 PM

As the speakers are active, which had not been on for some months awaiting the arrival of the PWD, it took some time to have the six amps warm up…. But even upon initial running, I could determine the sound was something I had not delivered to these speakers before… Now that the system has settled in for five hours, the sound just becomes more lush and warm. Bass lines are much more defined, taut, articulate. Vocals, well it was nice to have Alison Krauss, Joni Mitchell and now Cyndi Lauper come over to sing today… David Gilmour made a guest appearance too. I must say, my speakers are not sited all that properly, nor is the room perfect (acoustically) from which I am now using the system. That will change. none-the-less… Still a piano now sounds like a real piano.. vocals sound human…not shrill like..

Speed and attack in the music is there unlike before. imaging, excellent of course.. spot on… It will be interesting to see how the music changes once the bridge is introduced into the system. For now optical input via the AEX… I have not yet done much critical listening… Today was just get the system up and running and settled in… more to follow perhaps.

 

Excellent!  What a great review.  You really hit it spot on.  The PW series really makes music, not digital audio.  I keep coming back to the same conclusion: these products are game changers in the way they present the music.  Not as a CD and not as digital music - but perhaps for the first time they just help the music sound natural.  Like people are actually in the room with you.

what’s kind of interesting is that i placed the post below a few weeks ago on the subject of the music itself; it wasn’t to take away from all the enthusiasm we all have (in our own way) regarding Hi Fi, Music and the process of discovering new music etc… but thought it worth re posting here..

to quote from thread: http://www.psaudio.com/ps/forum/viewthread/291/P15/

“However, results substantially lower than 100 psecs have been published in the past… which in a layman’s eyes, refutes what you say about the lowest measurement floor being 100 psecs. In last months issue, a Classe product was measured at <10 psec (24-bit/48kHz) and 21 psec (16-bit 44kHz), as an example.

Perhaps I was expecting too much, but a score of 80% is not what I had expected to see.“

It is at this point I am reminded of an in person presentation by Ivor Teffenbaum , Managing Director of Linn Systems in the early 1980’s. He was demoing the venerable Linn LP 12 turntable against their newest, more modest table (forgot the model number axis maybe)

He clearly stated throughout this evening long demo that listening to recorded music should be about enjoying the experience so much that it drives you to want to go out and listen to live music. We all get so caught up in the ‘specs’ of gear/kit, we forget that if our foot’s a tappin, then the gear must be ok!

My foot is awaiting my PWD!