PS Audio PerfectWave DAC vs Bel Canto DAC3

Macdadtexas

Do you subscribe to the PS Audio email newsletter? There is some update info on the PW in there routinely. most recent letter talks about Paul's decision to make their own server now, due to issues loading up some other available ones... and notes on the bridge... etc.

I have it if you want me to forward it to you or you can probably view it online via PSA website I guess.

Of course each PW piece can be had or not, as your case is.

I had the Bel Canto DAC3 after the Benchmark DAC-1 USB now I have the PS Audio PW DAC. It takes some reading but go to the PS Audio website and learn about using the network bridge and audio over a dedicated music network hard drive and controlling it with an phone. Won't all be out until spring it looks like but appears that it is going to be well worth it. As for USB I have the LOCUS NUCLEUS and even with that USB just isn't good for audio, the bridge will be orders of magnitude better. The TosLink the Bel Canto makes is an upgrade but still not as good as what the network bridge will be in terms of resolution AND I lived with the Benchmark and Bel Canto for many months each, the PW DAC is just BETTER, plus it has filters and sample rate selection, I can get it to sound like the oversampling of the Bel Canto or Benchmark or go Native, it really is smooth and for Red Book CD playback it is just right, I put a lot of money into a lot of audio gear and if it doesn't sound right I get rid of it at a loss even, this unit is pretty good and I'd be surprised to get something better at the $2450 price. But I could be wrong so READ READ READ READ all you can.

There is a new competitor for top of the USB DAC heap I would like to listen to, the Ayre QB-9.

i just upgraded from a krell s-300i intigrated to a levinson 432. am currently using my pwd as a pre-amp/volume control (also have the pwt). have a pass aleph p pre-amp waiting to be connected to compare the 2 set-ups....with vs without a pre.

so far i can tell you this much.....the pwd sounds amazing running straight to the ml 432. i can't imagine how it could get any better then this but i'm still planning on connecting the aleph p in a few days just to make sure.

i'll try to chime in with my thoughts after the camparo is completed. my gut tells me the aleph p will be up for sale in the near future =).

the pwt/pwd is an incredible combo. i highly recommend it. at this point in time, i can't say the pwd or pwt are great individually. until the bridge comes out....using them with other gear just didn't sound as good to me. i'm almost 100% sure this was due to the high grade I2S cable/connection i'm using between the pwt/pwd. comparing this connection with the other currently available connection options....it wasn't even close imho. using the I2S connection really makes this pair shine. the bridge might/could change all this though. we'll see.

good luck.
Lev

Levy3,
You are so right about the PWT/PWD. This combo is the best digital I've heard. I sold my Levinson 30.6/31.5 because of it. Sounds like your system is really progressing!