2. digital
  3. 168348-152017

PS audio new 25K dac and the psychological effect of owning a company's best.

I was purchasing some hi-res files from NativeDSD today and found mention of PS Audio’s Obsidian Ted Smith Signature Dac ($25K) in their compatibility excel table scheduled to be released in 2021. I am the owner of their Direct stream DAC and DSD memory player and I immediately thought that I would never spend 25K on a DAC. I also thought that now I can have their best so why to stay with the brand. This might be my personal bias but I was wondering if this has an effect on anyone else. Is owning the top-of-line of any brand important to you and would you leave a brand if you were priced out of the market?
rufusluna
earlflynn's avatar
earlflynn
461 posts
 
@roxy54 No doubt

For that money, I'll shop with Audio Note or Lampizator

tomic601's avatar
tomic601
13,185 posts
 
yes, i prefer my genius designer to freeze improvement and innovation just after release of the flagship..fabric biplane….

silly
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
13,185 posts
 
i do like a genius like Jim White of Aesthetix who offers 3 levels of DAC with an upgrade path… standard, signature and Eclipse….

and a world class dac is much much more than a circuit board and a power supply….




mapman's avatar
mapman
22,973 posts
 
I am grateful for what I have.   Some of it is not  too shabby. 
stuartk
3,514 posts
 
That "psychological effect" is a highly unstable phenomena! 

There will always be an Obsidian Ted Smith Signature MKII over the horizon. Some people cannot get off the merry-go-round. It is their misfortune to have the money to endlessly chase an unreachable goal.

And in the meantime, what happens to enjoyment of music?  

It seems far wiser to me to emulate mapman:

 "I am grateful for what I have"
More to discover