2. digital
  3. 1256402860

Bidat vs. Perfecwave MSB Playback Design

Ok, so here goes. I love my Museatex Bidat. It is not going ANYWHERE. The rub comes in that I want to be able to access high res files. All my files are on HDD in AIFF format. I am torn between the Playback Design dac, the Perfect Wave and the MSB Platinum Dac 3. The problem is I have never had a chance to hear, let alone compare any of the 3 high res capable dacs mentioned. I can not afford to purchase all 3 simultaneously to do a head to head comparison. I wanted to know if anyone has compared any of these dacs to a Bidat. The Bidat (currently and for the last 10 years) has been my reference digital source. I have noticed that when most people compare new dacs they will say things like "the bottom was so much tighter" or "everything is so trasnparent". The Bidat is just "Right"; anyone who has heard the unit will immediately know to what I am referring.
That certain unmistakable ineffiable quality which sounds like ral music; it makes you believe (even if temporarily) that Jane Monheit is in your living room singing directly to you. I have had Wadia and a slew of others and they are all fine machines, but I need the unit I am looking for to have that certain 'life' quality which makes you forget about all the reviews, what other people think and just reside in that special place in yourself where all is right.

Ok, now that I've waxed poetic, any opinions would be greatly apprecited :)

Thanks,

Don
PS>the Dynavox Dynastation II was the ONLY other digital source that I have owned or heard to compete with the Bidat bu alas it was a CD player only thus I got rid of it.
audiofun
kevinzoe
167 posts
 
You might also wish to consider Berkeley Audio Design's "Alpha DAC" which plays high res formats too.

http://www.berkeleyaudiodesign.com/products2.html

Best of all it's 'only' US$5,000 which I think is quite a savings over the Playback Desgin and likely the MSB also.

Hope this helps .. .. ..
macdadtexas
1,794 posts
 
If you want Jane Monheit in your living room, you need to listen to her on vinyl, you will never get there using digital samples.

Or, know her of course.
audiofun OP
799 posts
 
Thanks guys, but I'd really like to hear from someone who has done a true head to head with a Bidat or a Dynastation 2. I have compared my digital directly to a SOTA vacuum TT using a Lamm phono pre. They were both very very good. In the end, I chose the digital, less fuss and i couldn't hear an advantage with the TT. It was really quite an amazing comparison an out of the 4 or 5 of us in attendance, no one opted for the TT. Not saying anything bad about TT, just tha tI don't deal in absolutes with analog vs digital. I have heard a TT kill a digital rig and I have heard digital walk all over analog. Depends on what you have.
restock
831 posts
 
Having heard the John Wright Museatex Bitstream and Bidat my guess is that you may like the Weiss DAC2 or Minerva. While I heard them in my system at different times, both had a similar feel to the presentation, very clean, dynamic with excellent full bass. The Weiss is better than the Bidat in terms of resolution and detail though and for high rez via the computer it is difficult to beat for the price.
audiofun OP
799 posts
 
Thanks Restock, I appreciate you taking the time (as I do with everyone who posted/posts and entry). I will look into it, especially since I can go Firewire directly to the Weiss and I am using Amarra software now (well i am evaluating, jury still out).
More to discover