PerfectWave Transport
Product Details
| Buy Now — $2999.99 | |
| Released: | 2009 |
PS Audio’s ground breaking PerfectWave Transport (PWT) Memory Player stands alone as the ultimate optical disc player ever made. Built from the ground up as a dedicated high-end optical disc transport, the PWT will read Red Book CD's and WAV files of any resolution from both CD and DVD discs (such as the Reference HRx discs) and output near-perfect digital data to any D to A processor made. The PWT is designed to be the best optical disc player you will ever use. Future-proof and field upgradable, the PWT can read high resolution WAV files or standard resolution CD audio files directly and feed the perfected data to your DAC through standard AES/EBU, S/PDIF or PS Audio’s exclusive I2S through HDMI connection for unprecedented performance. Cover art, song titles, track times, sample rates and bit depth are all displayed on the beautiful color touch screen automatically for any inserted disc.
Features & Benefits
Features
- Reads audio from CD and DVD
- Reads high resolution audio files
- Reads multiple formats
- Displays cover art
- Displays song titles and track time
- Editable library of artists and titles
- Bit perfect extraction
- No error correction
- Memory player
- 64mB of RAM
- Built in Digital Lens
- Asynchronous output clock
- Extremely low jitter
- Outputs SPDIF and AESEBU
- Outputs I2S through HDMI
- Sample rate output to 192kHz
- Bit depth to 32 bits
- Field upgradable
- Built on dedicated hardware
- 440,000 gate FPGA
- No computer motherboards or components
Benefits
- No need for a computer in your system
- Take advantage of all the new hi res music
- Create your own disc compilations
- Easy access to all music by name
- Always perfect cover art
- No more disc errors
- Never listen to optical mechanism again
- Unprecedented performance
- Compatible with any DAC
- Perfect connection with PWD
- Future proof for all sample rates
- New formats added as developed
- Quiet, noise free operation
Customer Comments
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- Yesterday, I heard the PWT and PWD connected to a 27K€ Preamp and a very exclusive 25K€ Power amp of which I don’t remember the names anymore ... (sorry, I had them in an email, but the mail got deleted somehow). The speakers where Acoustic System Inc. Tango’s. Beauties! Needless to say, through this kind of setup, nothing sounded bad wink So it was very hard to isolate the PW’s performance for me. Two things I had a chance to compare were: -Leaving out the 27k€ preamp and using the PWD’s preamp instead didn’t sound worse, the PWD did a fine job, both to me and an experienced listener like Guy. That really says something about the PWD’s quality as a preamp. -Comparing PWD+PWT as source to the expensive preamp+phono stage+ turntable sounded different, but not the kind of difference you’d expect going from analog to digital. The PWD+PWT combo didn’t sound exactly the same, but it didn’t sound digital, it didn’t really contrast much with the analog setup. Another big plus I’d say. If I really had to describe the PW’s sound (through this amp and speakers), I’d say ... full bodied and smooth, truly revealing and clear but nothing bright or too analytic, a touch of warmth, but without the kind of blurred bass I hear all too often. I know, not exactly a reviewers or true audiophiles description, but that’s my attempt to put in in to words. And to make it simple, I put in a preorder. smile
- I have to say that this PWT is the best sounding front end I have ever had. It really does sound better than my fully modified Northstar. I do want to mention that to my ears, break in time is needed. It was not until about 40 hours the the sound staging began to solidify. What a fantastic`image. No matter how loud the brass play or the drums, they stay in the back of the orchestra.
- The living breathing sense of live individuals each playing at their own individual pace, is amazing. Each persons inflection on the music being reproduced is uncanny. Depth, soundstaging, imaging and purity of the image with the decoupling of images from each other and, wel, as has been said - a more rounded fullness depicting a live human being not a computer flat image generation. This is rather striking to me. And it doesn't take a lot of pondering and thinking and brainpower to hear it. It's so IMMEDIATELY obvious that it's shocking. From the first track, and on every track, at least in my system.
- I have less than 5 hours on each of my Perfect Wave components. I just listened to my first high resolution music. I downloaded The Smmithereens Play Tommy as 96/24 FLAC files from HDTracks. Certainly I didn't expect this to be audiophile quality music, but I like The Smmithereens and have been enjoying their 2 LPs of Beatles songs. Boy was I surprised! The music just sounded "right." I agree with the previous posting about having the volume louder than usual. Imaging was great, the frequency extremes were extended, bass was punchy, dynamics were at times shocking. I'm thrilled!
- I think it’s the best sounding digital I’ve heard. Tonight I’ll be dreaming of listening to this piece through a pair of HP2’s.
- With the PWD and PWT so much fun can be had pulling off the shelf Redbook CD''s you haven't listened to in a while.. .... all my CD's have new life with this combo of equipment. Understand I copied many a CD to a hard drive and played them through my Squeezebox. But this arrangement does not compare to the Perfectwave. So what is it that makes it, well different. I have to say it's the blackness around the instruments, the layering of music and of course discoveries of sound not heard before in any format. The system presents music as if played on a stage, when live, and you are sitting at the control panel when the music is engineered in the studio. Very hard to explain but I can tell you a difference all will enjoy.
- I'm using a 1 meter WireWorld Silver Starlight 5 squared HDMI to connect PWT to PWD using "Native" mode and it sounds F _ _ _ _ _ _ AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- I used native resolution and auto filter for all the tracks. The experience was out of this world. I was totally immersed, and experienced proverbial goose bumps. I immediately invited my wife and my mother-in-law to listen to this song ( A big Risk). They could not believe the clarity of the singer and the resolution of the music. At this juncture I had to tell them about the beta testing of the units. It was kind of a blind study, as they like to call it in Science . They both gave a big thumbs up to the units. I also tested Reference Recording DVD's. PWT had no problem reading the discs. The music was breathtaking. I still have to listen to all the DVD's that I bought from Reference Recordings. I am sure they will be a treat to listen . PWT is the only player to my knowledge which plays DVD data discs, with 176kHz/24 bits. The future bridge will open up even more options. PWD as stand alone pre-amp did meet and beat all my expectations (Not to mention my wife's and Mother-in-law's)
- When I was told that the jitter was non-measurable (meaning "world class") , I had some problems with my left eyebrow... Until I made some tests, using red-book CD's ... And then I understood. The level of detail provided by this platform is absolutely stunning. I'm not very good at words. But I know what I've heard and i know what I felt... Listening to Keith Jarrett's Koln concert was a revelation . I know that recording almost by heart but now it was something else.. Emotions and tears. Yes, real tears... So don't ask me to be objective because I didn't make any measurements. I just felt fire. And that's perfection to me...
- Redbook sounded better played via this system than any other digital system I have ever listened to. The HD files played native and via the PWD (as preamplifier), were stunning. The combination of this system and a truly high quality recording/source represents the proverbial “Holy Grail” for digital. When listening to “Kent Poon Presents Audiophile Jazz Prologue III” (a master recording available by Saracon) I knew I was hearing something very special. It simply did not sound digital. While not all of the Redbook (or even HD files) demos sounded as good, this particular release was as airy and spacious and resolving and detailed as anything I can remember hearing via a stereo system; the nuances were there, the atmosphere was there (the emotional content of the music was presented in a way that I thought was not possible with digital). The immediate difference in sound was not as apparent as one might realize by replacing speakers, but the differences were not the subtle ones that you really have to work at to discern. The difference was real; the difference was audible and palpable, but not necessarily in soundstage, imaging, bass control or clarity – it was just more resolving (and more importantly, involving). The best way to describe it would be to say more “musical.”
- I find myself listening 2-3 db louder and no ear fatigue; it’s like suddenly driving on a smooth road top and you want to push the accelerator down more. Secondly, I listen to mostly studio-recorded music and the musicians, being artists, aren’t happy just playing their instruments, they like to leave little “bread crumbs” so to speak (a triangle here, little guitar riff there, etc). I can hear further into the mix with the PWT, the trail of “bread crumbs” is easy to follow now. I think the PWT is doing more than just solving the jitter problem; in my view the PWT represents a paradigm shift in how digital is read and transmitted from the disk. The sound I am hearing is that good. The PWT is, as Paul stated, "the bargain of the century"
- Next I did some direct comparison in real time between a few LP’s and their red book CD counterparts. Using the PWD volume control I was able to match output volume exactly to my vinyl rig for accurate A/B comparison. For this testing I selected Steely Dan’s Aja, Supertramp’s Breakfast in America, and Cat Steven’s Tea for the Tillerman. I was quite surprised to see just how close the sound was switching back and forth between the analog and digital playback. Especially with my vinyl source running through an all tube phono-stage. The PW duo create a very real and natural sound along with the same excitement and surprise I often get with vinyl. For what its worth, the cost of my analog rig is almost identical with the cost of the PWT & PWD pair. I am also using the same Nordost Heimdal interconnects on both. After a few hours of listening I would have to tip in favor of the PW pair as it combines the natural sound with a touch more clarity in all frequencies and of course the benefit of an absolutely black background with absolutely no grove swoosh.
- The units arrived in excellent condition and I must say they are gorgeous! I think anyone would be very pleased with the design and build quality. The piano black top is simply stunning. The set-up was quick easy. The GUI on both the PWT and PWD are very intuitive and provide a host of useful features. Great to know when you are playing 176.4KHz/24 bit on the PWT you are receiving it on the PWD. Also cover art, ability to name inputs for a host of input scenario, GlobalNet service, etc., prove how feature rich these units are. I had purchased a copy of Reference Recordings HRx 176.4KHz/24 bit Crown Imperial – Dallas Wind Symphony in anticipation of the units arrival. This is where the units really shine. I have never heard this type of clarity and dynamic range from my system. This disc is loaded with shimmering highs and extreme lows presented with such clarity that it is a real showcase for this equipment. I think this also confirms that good material is such a critical element if you really want good sound from your system. Congrats to Paul and the entire PS Audio Design team for development of such high quality units with a comprehensive list of features that are certain satisfy almost any audiophile.
- to my ears the PWT is sonically, quite the diamond, as close to flawless as I have ever heard.
- I would term it musical, with a vengeance. I believe the PWT/PWD combo I termed something like fine well aged wine after dinner. Smooth, soothing, and inviting. They just beg you to come home from work, flip 'em on and kick off your shoes. Listener fatigue was all but gone with the Beta testing I have done the past 11 days. Two thumbs way, way up. Quite an accomplishment the boys at PS Audio have come up with. I applaud them with a standing ovation. Indeed. They deserve it and the well deserved back order sales they are going to incur with them once the word gets out further.
- The instrumental color and harmonic richness of life is so more evident and so much more than I think we ever thought red book could allow. First time I have heard a piano truly sound warm, natural and full without any clanginess of digital artifacts we came to know with digital playback. Nope, gone. Sweet. String instruments are revelatory. Violin, viola, basses, you name it. Upright bass in jazz is all there including the ability to hear the sounding board and strings slapping against the fret. Nice. Finally, I am home with my digital system. I suspect this will be the last digital system I will buy. It is that good and long term listenable. I have no listener fatigue at all. Except, it is so smooth and sweet late at night with Bill Evans discs I find myself nodding off shortly after the disc begins. They simply relax me completely.
- I think I was more impressed with 16/44 even more than the 24 bit files due to expectations I expected the quality in the Hi Res stuff but the cd quality easily beats sacd and dvd audio which is a great achievement!
- this is the best digital CD Red Book I have ever heard, guys. I am beyond impressed. It is opening up nicely after about 100 hrs on the system. VERY nice, indeed.
- Beta testing these is, shall we say, a real treat to say the least. All I think I can say is.... this is simply deliciously luscious sounding digital. I will be posting my beta comments tomorrow evening to PS Audio. Lovely, simply, lovely. I have had them since Saturday evening running constantly, breaking in. About 100 hrs on them now.
Manuals and Brochures
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PerfectWave Transport manual
Video
PerfectWave Transport
The PerfectWave transport is explained in detail by Paul McGowan. Check out how it works and learn more by watching the video.
High Definition Audio
CEO Paul McGowan explains the intricacies of high definition audio.
Product Specifications
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Dimensions 3.75"H x 14"D x 17"W -
Weight 25 lbs.
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