PS Audio PWD MkII vs W4S DAC2

am yet to hear a DAC that beats my PWD MKII any where near its price point. the few much higher priced competitors i've heard don't best it either. when considering all the gear i've ever purchased...the PWT/PWD is the only thing i've never had a 2nd thought about. as already mentioned...the MKII upgrade takes it to yet another level. add I2S and the bridge/network playing capability to the equation and it's a home run/grand slam in my book.

do give it a listen. i think you'll agree.

Thanks, all. PWD II sounds like it is worth a listen (pun intended).

Anonymoustao, I am not sure what review you are referring to. I didn't write anything about as review.

Peace.

Neal

Nglazer, I was responding to Tabl10s. His name is Neal, too. Sorry for the confusion.

Enjoy your further research into the PWD Mk II. I hope to hear one in a few months at the Newport Show.

I think it's worth noting that quite a few Meitner BiDat fanatics have switched to the PWD2. This crowd are known for their allegiance to "musical" DACs in a "reasonable" price range.

That said, I have to admit that the differences between the best 10 DACs could be considered relatively subtle. The reason I've settled on the PWD2 is that it hits my price/performance sweet spot. I'd have to spend more than twice its price to hear what I consider to be a significant improvement and I just don't have the green. Every DAC has a character and I could live with many of them. The PWD1 was a darned good DAC but it still had a somewhat digital quality that left me yearning for something better. With the PWD2, I find myself listening to my music and instead of focusing on my gear. What's that worth? I dunno, but I like it very much.

A final note: a buddy who moved on from the PWD1 to the Bel Canto battery powered flagship emailed me to ask whether I'd compared the PWD2 to the latest Bel Canto upgrade (MKII). I was unaware of the upgrade so my previous post does not apply to it. This is important because I trust my friend's good taste and he says the Bel Canto upgrade is stellar. The pace of digital improvement is crazy right now and I suspect strides in computing chips down the road will bring us to previously unattainable heights.

Actually it's Howard.