PS Audio uber dac


While browsing the PS Audio forums.. talk is.. PS A will be coming out with a $20,000.00 dac in the near future. I think Ted Smith is the design guru. Seems like a lot of scratch for a product from a known ’value for money’ oriented company. Wish them luck...lots of stiff competition in that price range.
aolmrd1241
@pwhinson ,

 from all what I've read the Metrum Pavane is fantastic. People describe it as vinyl sound. Seemingly it has all, micro dynamics, separation of instruments, soundstage, tone and timbre spot on. Basically what one would expect from a great NOS implementation.  I dream DAC, at least for me. 

However, the sound does not come cheap. It's pretty expensive at retail price, which is natural given that Metrum  have their own chips.  You only get the DAC, or the preamp  in the Adaggio/Jade versions which implement an amazing volume control manipulating the voltage through through the chips without the shortcomings of usual volume implementation in DACs. There is not headphone output, no DSD files, and of course the best inputs are I2S (only works with their Amber which seemingly is great but only works as a Roon endpoint) followed by AES, Spdif an finally USB. 

I would like to know how Pavane compare with Jade. I've not seen any serious comparison and trustable (= non commercial) in that regard. The Jade is half the price with half of R2R ladders and less sophisticated AC/DC circuitry than the Pavane. Is it worth the price difference?. They the Onyx version, which is the Jade with volume control. 

Personally, I'm watching for some good deal in a used/demo model. 






you have to remember with this gear that NO ONE should pay retail for PS stuff...I paid 62% of retail for a new unit from an authorized dealer so just remember that when you’re talking about the price of that gear. 

I’d sure like to get 62%  off a new DirectStream DAC.  How the heck do you do that??
Check my math but 62% of retail is 38% off.  

Good place to start...
ASK if the dealer has any flexibility on price.  
Maybe they've got a demo that could be sold
OR a v1 when v2 is about to be released.