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
vhiner
544 posts
 
Audiofun,

You've probably heard this, but I think you'll be very surprised by what John's mods are going to do for your 'dat. He manages to maintain that analog house sound while bringing enormous, rolling bass and subtle detail into a widened soundstage. I did a shoot out with it and
T + A 's top-of-the-line CDP, which is quite refined, and it was simply no contest. Thanks for keeping us posted.
njedi
10 posts
 
Looking forward to this DAC shootout! Awesome stuff!

The MSB DAC III is of particular interest to me. One can bypass the preamp altogether since the MSB provides an analog input. None of the other DACs could be used as a preamp in this fashion. Removing the preamp altogether in theory should simplify and improve the playback chain.
audiofun OP
799 posts
 
I agree Njedi I think the fact that you can use the MSB as a pre is awesome as I can directly feed my future TT though the MSB (should it win the contest) and have one less component in the chain. I really wish I could have one of those simple systems like some, you know 1 stereo amp, 1 pre and 1 cd player, but my systems end up being very complex with lost of components, but the sound is the goal. I will post once this gets going. Sometime after the 1st of the year. Still waiting on my Bidat to come back from John and then I have to break it in.
vhiner
544 posts
 
Njedi,

I ran my Bidat directly into my amplifier for many years. The resolution was amazing, but the "hi-fi" etch was always a problem. I finally started experimenting with tube preamps and was simply floored by the improvement without ANY loss in resolution and articulation. I can't speak for other DACS but the Bidat is best run through a tube preamp or a very, very good solid state preamp. I know a number of other people who have tried skipping the preamp with their DACS and, while there are some advantages (money saving being the biggest) the DAC preamps are generally not up to Class A preamp performance. Just my two cents.
audiofun OP
799 posts
 
Hmm, I used to run my Bidat directly into the amp (I owned a Super Bidat in the late 1997-98) and my new Bidat which is currently with John Wright being converted to the Super and Plus updates (which by the way John informed is now both updates rolled up into one simple called the 'Plus' update) directly into my amps. I have never ever heard a Bidat have even a smidgen of etch. I was surprised to read that Vhiner. My 1st Bidat used to feed (if I remember correctly my Kora 100SB Triodes (at the time) and then I think my Tube Research Labs GT200 (but that would have been through the TRL pre). My current Bidat was feeding a solid state amp of my design and the sound has beaten many a tube amp I compared it to.
More to discover