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Just got the PS Audio Perfectwav DAC -- Amazing

For the last year my system has consisted of the Slim Devices Transporter (Transport + DAC) -> Bel Canto Ref1000 -> Anthony Gallo Ref 3.1

I listen to all my music digitally (lossless/flac). I was very happy with my original system but when the Perfectwave DAC came out I was intrigued. For quite a while I debated between the PW and keeping the transporter or modding it via Modwright.

I ended up getting the PW and though I can't compare it to a modded transporter, it blows the stock transporter out of the water. I should note that since the network bridge isnt out for the PW, I am currently streaming music via the transporter -> coaxial out (spdif) -> PW.

I have only listened for ~5 hours so far, but things I have noticed right away is much cleaner/tighter bass. The low end is so much more accurate than it was before. When comparing, the transporter sounded very muddy (even though at the time I though it was quite good). The mids and highs are tighter as well. The separation has improved quite a bit as well. I have immediately noticed that the loudness of different instruments is wider spread than listening to the same songs on the transporter.

Hope this helps! If anyone has any questions about the PW or the transporter I will try my best to answer them.
danyal711
soundit
7 posts
 
So then the consensus is that the PW DAC is superior to even a Modwright Transporter and I should hold out for the bridge>? It is a digital volume control which somewhere in the literature they state sounds best when above the half way point if I am not mistaken. I've been getting itchy and before I buy the PS PW Transport to add to the DAC I was considering backing out into the Modwright. IF the Modwright added an analog volume control I would OR IF the slim devices remote was self contained with song info like the iTouch will be instead of looking at the unit BUT ultimately I would take the one that sounds better so back to so then the consensus is that the PW DAC is superior to even a Modwright Transporter and I should hold out for the bridge>?
magnih
10 posts
 
I would like to know what people think of this DAC when using a transport other then the PDT. Is it worth upgrading to this DAC without the PDT. I am not savvy enough to undersatnd how the bridge will work or how it will work with compters and things like that. Only intrested in regular trasports.
srwooten's avatar
srwooten
694 posts
 
I use the DAC with my computer as a transport and it is amazing! It will be even better with the bridge when it comes out. The bridge is a slide in cart so I (or anyone) can do the upgrade. Once the bridge is installed you will hook it up just like you do the rest of the DAC. Easy peasy!
audiofun
799 posts
 
The bridge is a card which will allow the unit to connect wirelessly to your network, where you might have a NAS (Network Attached Storage (a fancy way of saying a hard drive connected over the network instead of plugged directly into the computer)) drive. This is supposed to (according to PS Audio) have the exact advantage and sound every bit as good as hooking up to there PWT as the bridge is said to have a built in digital lens.

I would probably buy this dac if the bridge were currently available but as it stands to the only transport/player I will buying is either the new Cambridge BluRay or the OppoBDP83 and then I am sending it off to MSB for the XPORT upgrade in order to have a SACD transport and BluRay player (you of course have to have a MSB dac with XPORT in order to take advantage of this). Hope that helps.
trebejo
102 posts
 
The digital volume control seems like such a deal breaker.

If you pay something in the neighborhood of $3k, for the sake of hi-fi, only to watch the accuracy of the system go away dramatically with a digital volume knob, it seems a shame.

I think that the $400 DacMagic paired with a midfi preamp (altogether, less than $1k) would sound better than a $3k DAC that uses a digital volume knob.
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