Who buy PS AUDIO ?

I'm new to PS Audio, though have been in hifi since the early 1980s.  I've mainly been a Brit-Crit - done the Linn/Naim/Exposure/ProAc thing for a long time. 

I recently got a pair of the M700 monoblocks - with all the stay-at-home orders, experimenting with the stereo was in order.  While I obviously can't offer any definitive opinions, I can say that in my system, in my house, the M700s sound terrific.  I *think* I prefer the Belles 350A Reference amp I bought at about the same time, but it's close overall, even if the amps sound different from each other. 

To expand on the differences in sound, the M700s are airier and slightly brighter sounding than the Belles (note the slightly brighter aspect may be a function of break-in).  The M700s also project a larger soundstage that goes beyond the outside edges of the speakers (Monitor Audio Gold GX300s).  The Belles sounds a bit more substantial, or fleshed-out, if you prefer.  For example, it's easier to hear Lyle Lovett as a complete person with the Belles than with the M700s.  And the Belles seems to have more weight - more sustain on notes - while the M700s seem to define the leading edge of notes slightly better.  Again, please note the caveat that the M700s aren't completely run-in. 

Neither the M700s or the Belles have the feeling of inner drive or liveliness that my Exposure 28 had; on the other hand, both make the Exposure sound relatively band-limited even as the Exposure makes the others sound a bit slower. 

With respect to build quality, I can only comment on the M700s, and I would say they are well-made without being overbuilt.  I don't know how they will fare over the long haul, but from what I think I understand of how the amps operate I'd expect them to be consistent over time and reliable in operation. 

In terms of service, PS Audio has been terrific - good communication both ways, prompt shipping, etc.  And the PS Audio forum is a good one - to echo what others have said, it's great to see people from PS Audio actively and meaningfully participate. 

So I'd say that if someone is in the market for something that PS Audio makes, it's well worth trying.  It's been around a while as a company, is responsive to customers, and makes gear that seems to be both high quality and reliable.  It's gear may not appeal to everyone, but that's OK - part of what makes this an interesting hobby!

I had a quintet power strip.  Great product.

In the past I would have claimed that PS Audio is one of the best companies out there.
Until, I developed a problem that has lingered on now for a couple years. I conversed with Paul and Ted, and they both assured me the fix would happen in the form of a downloadable upgrade. Well 2 years later and still no fix. All I have received is lip service with no resolution, they even shut me down from posting on their PS Forum site.
Very disappointed. Last PS Audio product for me.

ozzy

I bought a PS DirectStream DAC and bridge a few years ago and was so impressed that I ended up selling my McIntosh system and getting a BHK system and P15 power regenerator. It is really excellent gear and sounds terrific. 

I bought all of my gear direct from Kevin Jackson who is terrific. I had the great pleasure of visiting their Boulder factory, listened to the IRS system, and have met Paul, Scott, Kevin, and the brilliant engineers Bascom King (BHK), Darren Myers, and Ted Smith. A truly great team. 

Their trade-in program is a terrific deal. 

Highly recommended.

I had a PerfectWave CD transport that was quite good which I had purchased used (and wish I would have kept).  I traded it in for a new Perfectwave transport and though the unit functioned normally the aluminum casing did not line up in the corners - something that was noticeable from 10 feet away as one of the panels was slanted.  So I sent it back for another PerfectWave transport and it too had crooked casing.  This is a brand new $6000 unit and two in a row were built very poorly (from a visible standpoint) though they passed inspection.  So my opinion is that the company has poor workmanship, especially given asking price.  I also tried a PS Audio BHK Preamp.  It sounded quite good, with two exceptions that ultimately led to me returning the preamp and moving away from the brand for good.  The first issue was that there was feedback/hum that I could not get rid of and did not exist in my system until I introduced the BHK.  I changed tubes, discussed with PSA, and tried several things, none of which worked.  Ultimately PSA said that they believe the unit was functioning normally and that my 95dB sensitive speakers were the culprit as they were too sensitive.  The other is that the click with volume change was obtrusive.  I had a LTA preamp that made an audible click from the unit with volume changes and this was perfectly acceptable.  On the BHK the audible click come through the speakers, which was not acceptable to me given so many other great options.  There are better companies out there IMO.  Also, never pay full price as there are recurrent sales that will make resale of a full price unit challenging.  That said, Paul's talks are informative.