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
I have a new question... How does the PWT compare to the Linn Klimax DS. Granted the Linn KDS is ~7x the price ($20k) but I want to know how much of that is just for the 'Linn' name / hype. I find it hard to believe that the KDS could be that much better considering it's 2 years old and digital streaming technology is relatively new.

Furthermore Linn provides almost no specs about the KDS (DAC, how it processes the info etc). Maybe the PWT description is all marketing but things like native mode etc seem pretty legit and I doubt the KDS has them.
Danyal,

That is exactly the question I'd like answered. Very little mention of Linn on here, though they were the first high-end audio company to adopt this technology, and they seem to have truly embraced it. (For the sake of argument, I'm allowing Slim Devices no high-end pedigree, unlike ModWright).

For my money, Linn 'get' the benefits of this architecture better, and have made excellent efforts to explain it (though there's a lot to it and I'm techier than most). Their products seem more focused to me, as a direct result. They have always integrated an ethernet port with the DAC. The Klimax and Akurate DS both use the same DAC as the PS, the Wolfson WM8741 (though Linn use 2). Actually the PS blurb says it uses the WM8741 and the WM8742 in the same paragraph, which is poor. The Majik DS and entry-level Sneaky DS uses a single WM8740. I'm not perfectly sure, but believe Linn's implementation is to upsample always.

Interestingly, and confusingly, Linn talk very highly of their digital volume control, and the benefits of a signal path unencumbered by a preamp. But, they only have digital volume on their two lower models. It's a mixed message, and you have to wonder whether they have an eye on the inevitable harm done to pre-amp sales. One thing's for sure: analog or digital, attenuating reduces the s/n ratio, so it's 'lossy' either way. But it's entirely confusing(though tempting) to equate this with lossy compression, which is doing different things to different frequencies.

Price wise, I think the equivalent to a PS + bridge would be an akurate ds, but you need a pre-amp with the akurate. I have yet to do a single listening test, but looking forwards to comparing PS and Linn one day.
forgot to mention, as the thread had moved on so much: I'm going to audition Bel Canto Ref 500s and/or S500 and Gallo 3.1s, which is very similar to OP's setup. Danyal, do you like it? I've also been advised to try the low power amp/high sensitivity speaker route. Going to try to look into this at the upcoming audio show in Silverstone.

Also, if the talk is to be believed, then your current setup, connecting via spdif, has lost all the low jitter benefits of the Transporter. It would definitely be great to hear you compare the PS + bridge vs Transporter. And in the meantime, though you're hearing the higher spec componentry of the unbridged PS, can you make out any jittery downside compared to your previous setup?

Thanks!
MnM
Mnm-- The Gallos are great. Can't really tell you much about different amps on them because I have only tried the Ref1000s. But with the PWT they are amazing. I am planning on getting the bridge as soon as it comes out, but (currently) regardless of whether it is connected via USB or TOS it sounds far better than the Transporter. Additionally I can't really tell the difference between USB and TOS. I need to listen a bit more though.
I am using the PW DAC straight into my amp, a McIntosh MC275. The DAC really shines with the PW Transport. The combination is astoundingly good, much better than with other digital sources and better than any other source I have ever used. I am not using a separate preamp because I am not convinced one would improve on the sound. My speakers are Sehring 703s. Interconnects/speaker cables are Gabriel Gold.