Perfect Wave DAC and Bridge


I installed the new Bridge into my DAC Saturday. It took about 10 minutes to get it installed and playing music. The sound is like nothing I've heard from digital or analog. The sound is so much more transparent, sweet, and more dynamic than the PWT, my Levinson Reference 31.5 and 30.6 DAC, or any analog rig I've heard, it's hard to believe. It has a sense of pace and rightness to the sound that sends tingles up the spine. And this was at Redbook resolution, when we moved up to 24/96, all I can say is you have to hear it to believe it! Got to go. More details soon.
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Showing 5 responses by 2chnlben

...(it seems many want sell it)?


Currently, there are six PWD (DAC) units for sale on AGon, of which only two are used (placed by end-users). The other four units are advertisments placed by dealers (three of which are for new units and one of which is for a demo unit).

My guess is that the dealers want to sell them becuase that's what they do for a living!!
Tomcy6:

Assuming that you are referring to the PWD with Bridge…

Your external hard drive will connect via USB to a computer (or a NAS). Said computer or NAS needs to be connected to a wireless router (wireless for wi-fi interface with a controller – say an iTouch). I would however recommend connecting the computer (or NAS) to the router with Ethernet cable (CAT 5 or CAT 6 – although it won’t make a difference in this application). You then need to connect the router to the PWD/Bridge via another run of Ethernet cable (this is the only wired option for a network interface with the Bridge)…again, Cat 5 cable is fine. There is a way to interface wirelessly between the Bridge and router, but that would require a wireless dongle. Your best bet is to go wired.

Hope this helps.

Happy New Year!

_Ben
Tomcy6:

Two key pieces of required software are the controller software and the server software. Since I assume you’re still interested in the PWD/Bridge, I would recommend that you utilize PS Audio’s proprietary controller software, “Tag-n-Play”, which you will load directly onto your iPod device (e.g.: an iTouch) via the iTunes website (simply connect your iPod device to a computer via USB to load said software -which you can now buy directly from iTunes for $10.00)

Next, you’ll need to decide which server software to utilize (purchase and download). If you go with a NAS, your options will be somewhat limited (i.e.: since most – if not all – NAS devices are preconfigured with embedded server software and you typically cannot load other third-party server software). Many NAS devices come with Twonky Server, which is merely okay as a mate with the PWD/Bridge. Logically, the forthcoming PS Audio proprietary server software, “eLyric” will be the ultimate solution (however, they – PS Audio – have not yet perfected their software). I do not believe that you will be able to embed the forthcoming eLyric in a NAS (you will need to confirm this). This would necessarily mean that you would need to load eLyric (or any other third-party server – e.g.: James River Media Center, Twonky Manager – or Twonky Server, Asset – by dBpoweramp, etc.) onto a computer. I bought a Netbook to use as a proprietary computer for my music server, since they cost about the same as most NAS devices.

The nice thing about a NAS is that you don’t need to have a computer on to listen to your music. The problem with NAS devices however – as noted above, is that you may necessarily be stuck with the server that comes with the NAS…..too bad nothing’s perfect!! This is the reason that I opted to go with a Netbook (they’re very quiet – darn near dead quiet, and they’re very small – making storage easy). It is an affordable and very effective “interim” solution (it is working out so well however, that I may not change….). There will be some great new solutions forthcoming by PS Audio and other companies.

I recommend that you visit the PS Audio forum to gain more information about some of their planned product – such as a NAS-type device that will include the embedded eLyric software (which won’t be available until late 2011). http://www.psaudio.com/ps/forum/

I considered the same things that you are now considering…to go with a NAS, or to utilize a computer…where to place everything…how to connect everything (e.g.: how to go about running long lengths of cat 5…etc….etc…!!! The easiest solution for me was to place a small Netbook in my listening room, along with a wireless-capable network router. This allows me to load the server software on the Netbook (I’m currently using Twonky server and I will soon switch to eLyric when the beta version becomes available in a couple of weeks). By the way, Twonky works pretty good as an interim solution. I can then run a reasonable length of cat 5 from my router to my Bridge, which is located fifteen-feet away from the router. Since the Netbook is in the same room, I can access and manage all my music files via the Netbook while I listen to tunes. I loaded the T-n-P controller ap on an iTouch and all is well.

This is so cool and so utterly mind-blowing (for an old “child-of-the-seventies” like me) that I still can’t get over it. I have every single CD I own (4,000+) ripped and loaded – along with several hundred hi-rez files – all accessible from my listening position with the simple swipe of a finger…including volume control. My CDs are boxed up and packed away. Oh….by the way, with the Bridge there is no loss in fidelity. My Redbook CDs actually sound better as FLAC files played through the Bridge/PWD than they did through my dedicated CD player.

Don’t hesitate to ask more questions, that’s what I did. Once you learn the basic facts, it’s all pretty easy.

Good luck!

_Ben
One more thing Tomcy6...

Whatever NAS, and/or server you end up with, understand that it must be UPnP compliant. Also, Boistry's suggested WNDR3700 NAS is the one that get's the most recommendations from PS Audio Forum members.

Good luck!

_Ben
Lightminer:

While there are obviously many aspects of a NAS that factor into performance, for utilization with the PWD/Bridge, a fundamental factor is the music server utilized or embedded within the NAS.

The reason PS Audio has elected to develop their own server software is because the majority of servers available today lack the features desired by most audiophiles. This is why it is important for those interested in setting up a PWD/Bridge-based music server to give this particular topic much consideration before rushing into anything.

_Ben