04-21-11: Tonyptony
Sota Sapphire, SME 309, Micro Benz Glider, Proceed PDT, PS PWD
Magnih, boy would I love to hear your thoughts on the sound if you could try the PWD with a PWT. I'm still using a Proceed PDT3, and for the life of me have not yet found a better transport for my system (within the limits of what I'd want to spend). If the PWT were to really blow away the PDT it would give me something to think about.
The PWT will blow away the PDT for the following reasons: 1) The PWT is a 24 bit memory player with a built in digital lens to reclock the data (reduces jitter). This is very similar to the old Genesis Digital Lense, which PS Audio actually designed and manufactured for Genesis. 2) The PWT is a memory player. The data stream is read in, buffered, then error corrected and jitter reduced via the built in digital lense prior to output to the DAC. You can actually eject the cd and it will continue playing for up to 30 seconds. Most other players read data on the fly and error correct on the fly which is inferior to a buffered data stream. 3) The PWT reads up to 24 Bit 192 kHz music files. You can burn 24 bit wav files directly to DVD for playback on the PWT. Red book players can't. It's a great sounding combo. It's my go to when I listen to digital. |
From what I have read on the PS Audio forums on their website, those that have both seem to indicate the PWT may beat the bridge by a bit. The president of PS Audio disagree's however. The PWT with I2S hdmi connection to the PWD is a great combo....natural sounding and unfatiguing for longer listens..., imo |
The bridge has other issues,,,growing pains like problems with gapless play for continuous live music for flac files (The usual way to lossless compress wavs on a hard drive). They almost have it figured out. PS Audio provides firmware updates when needed for the bridge, dac and transport loaded via an SD card. The other issue is ripping all those cd's, setting up a NAS array or another computer to store the files and then locating that out of the listening room. You don't want to hear computer fans while listening to quiet passages in music. Some say server based music is the way to go. For me, being old fashioned, I like the feel of cd's and dvd's...hence the PWT was it for me. |
Here's a good info source for those considering the PW system. There is alot of information being discussed particularly about bridge.
http://www.psaudio.com/ps/forum/ |
05-04-11: Levy03
i'm in my late 40's and have never been married. way to late in life to compromise or change my ways. i yam what i yam!.
Exactly...I'm that old and decided why marry ? Who wants contractual obligations without benefit ? If I were young and had kids it would be a different matter. My Hi-End rig is not community property ! Cheers ! |
04-25-11: Mekong56
Think about it, when you use the Bridge, you are removing the sonic influence of the digital connecting cable between the PWT and PWD... The connection of your music server to the PW DAC/Bridge is either via wifi router or hardwired ethernet cable. The Is2 connection between the PWT and the PWD is superior to that. Your assertion doesn't hold water, imo. |
Hi Mekong56,
Irregardless of what Paul says, I don't think they sound indentical (splitting hairs perhaps)...how could they ? The music reaches the DAC in a different way ie: Server/Bridge vs. PWT). I agree...what one hears on one system may not necessarily apply to another person's system....YMMV
Cheers ! |
Even though I only have the PWT and not bridge, I'm still not convinced they sound the same....and that the PWT sounds better from the various discussion by owners of both on the PSA Discussion Bd. ie: Its been a while since I heard 2.08 such that I cant remember how it sounded, but I can say u is a definite improvement over t (24/192 dropout issues aside). Better detail/soundstage than t, and generally a more realistic soundstage. t build had a flatter, more lifeless soundstage and not as good detail. u build is definitely a step in the right direction.
That said, I get magic playing CDs from my PWT via my PWD that is missing from hi-rez FLAC via the bridge. I consistently get excellent detail/soundstaging playing CDs via PWT. Everything tells me that the higher bit-rate recordings should blow CDs/PWT away, but I honestly have felt a bit underwhelmed from what Ive been getting from hi-rez FLAC over the bridge, or even FLACs ripped from my CDs.
I just A/Bed Dave Matthews/Tim Reynolds Live at Radio City flipping between playing the original CD on PWT, and a bit-perfect/AccurateRip2 FLAC rip from dbPowerAmp played over the bridge. The rip from my CD is a guaranteed bit-perfect copy of the original CD via AccurateRip2 validation. In any case, even with this latest u build of the bridge firmware, the soundstage and finest details are better resolved by the PWT vs. FLAC played over the bridge. I played both albums simultaneously, flipping between bridge and I2S1 inputs, with music within a second of each other on both sources.
Consistently, resolution/detail of guitar strings played during the concert recording is finer with PWT, as is soundstage of the concert hall. You can really hear the difference when listening to bridge source for 20 seconds, and then you flip to PWT. u definitely beats t, and its not like u sounds bad- its quite good, its just that I have to give the nod to the PWT for cases where I can do a direct A/B comparison. That said, given that PWD is doing the digital-analog conversion in both cases, the expectation is that sound would be identical.
Id be interested if staff at PS Audio or folks with a PWT and a bridge (with a well broken in PWT and similarly broken in quality silver-coated HDMI cable) can hear a similar difference. At any rate, its another good comparison point beyond just comparing firmware versions with each other, and is one that is also I2S.
http://www.psaudio.com/ps/forum/viewthread/1948/P45/ Here's someone who compared to Bridge 2.08 & 2.08U and PWT: Chime
Just waking up as my experiment kept me up till 3am
Last night I played for 2 hours comparing 2.08 to u. To my ears, 2.08 is the winner, in every respect. I understand things are subjective, however, particular with cymbals, sopranos and violins there is an edge with u that makes it a little irritating to listen to. I also find more dimension with 2.08.
Another hour of comparing 2.08 v. PWT with all the same music and 2.08 is closer to the PWT than u: but the PWT is still superior. However, both have an ease and are more listenable, the edge gone. In particular the PWT images beautifully, well focused with better layering. Percussions on both are superb.
The PWT is the standard, period. This is what we need them to focus on, in my opinion.
http://www.psaudio.com/ps/forum/viewthread/1948/P75/ Not trying to start controversy. Just sharing experiences. |
Hi 2chnlben,
The convenience of music access via the bridge is certainly a benefit. I too have close to 3000 CD's. I don't relish the idea of all the time it will take to rip and catalogue them all, especially when close to 2000 are non studio live DAT recordings of various bands and have no embedded xml data for organizing. Perhaps I will find the time someday. As a of now, analogue has been occupying most of my listening time. Cheers ! |
04-28-11: 2chnlben
Oh how I wish I had a nice analog setup. More than that, Rockitman, I wish I had the time to enjoy one. My wife and kids pretty much dictate what my schedule is. In my case, a music server is the ideal setup and the PS-A Bridge is among the better choices. I prefer a network solution, so I don't mean to stir up any controversies with the PC/USB sector.
I completely understand FAF (Family Acceptance Factor) limits time. I have a live in hi-maintenance emotionally wise girlfriend. She's a bit troubled by my frequency and length of listening sessions. This I fault with analog. I just sit there with a dazed deer in the headlights expression as my favorite bands are playing before me with absolutely no fatigue. I have become a listening marathoner now...LOL. If I had kids, no way would I get away with it. Cheers mate ! |
LOL guys...she's staying and just has to accept my musical reality. If not, she can depart for greener pastures...Cheers ! |
