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I feel like a toothless hillbilly - PW DAC

I recently purchased a PS Audio Perfectwave DAC with a Bridge. Everything I read in the manual before the unit arrived would end with something like; "and just plug it in and it will automatically download the drivers and take care of the rest".

Fastforward to today: unpacked the unit and connected the USB input on the DAC to my computer. Nothing worked on two different computers. The big problem I am having is that the owners manual seems to be out of date, and PS Audio is still improving it's latest offerings....but this is very different from the way it is portrated online. For the record, I sell hospital medical equipment and electronic medical records interfaces, so I am not a twit (though I am having my doubts now). The big problem for me right now would seem to be that there are so many connection options for the PW DAC that I don't know how to just play music off my computer.

Please tell me where to start (just to play music from iTunes):

1. Twonky
2. eLyric
3. iTunes
4. USB or CAT5 cable

I will be setting up a network later (which should be a laugh), but for now I just want to hear music!

Thanks in advance,
Jeff
jeffatus
jeffatus OP
42 posts
 
Ok, full disclosure here, I had my tonsils out this week (30 years too late as its a completely different deal as an adult) and I thought it would be a great time to set up my new system.....I mean, I have time off work, some nice music and the new system would take my mind off the feeling of broken glass in my throat. Well, in didn't anticipate the amount of narcotics they would have me on so hooking up a computer server at this time is NOT a good idea. To make matters worse, I tried calling PS Audio and they had a very difficult time understanding me since I sounded like I had a sock in my throat....and I may have been sobbing at the time too. Lol.

Anyway, Mark at PS Audio sent me an email telling me to simply change the output device from PC Speakers to the PS Audio Driver. So simple anyone except a tonsillectomy recovering, narcotic taking twit could figure out.

First song I played was from Sia. I am not sure who she is but my wife likes her music and it showed the capability of the DAC in spades. I couldn't believe the level of detail I was getting from the standard iTunes tracks.....it really floored me. My wife, who usually is not all too interested in this stuff was almost speechless. I can't wait until I can finish the system off with good cables and get the server up and running (with the correct Lossless files that really should be running through then PW DAC).
foster_9
1,638 posts
 
Don't feel bad, I had a similar problem getting the W4S driver to run my usb on my dac and I wasn't even on pain medication at the time.
levy03
442 posts
 
Jeffatus...i do my best work when "medicated". don't worry man...with some practice, you will too. =)
jeffatus OP
42 posts
 
So I have had some time to level off the medication and enjoy music just playing on iTunes. Now I need to look at my options for using the bridge. The most confusing thing I keep seeing on PS Audio's owners manual is the references to tagnplay. Has this been replaced by eLyric? If it has, then they REALLY need to update their manuals. I downloaded the manual last week from their website.

I would prefer to use a hard drive and router to connect to the bridge. Do you guys have any recommendations on inexpensive hard drives I can use? Once I have the hard drive, can I just hook it up to my current wireless router via CAT5 cables? Is there any real HiFi disadvantage to going this route? It sounds like a USB connection is the preferred way to go.

Thanks
Jeff
edorr
714 posts
 
In order to be able to connect a drive to the network (i.e. to your router via CAT5), you need a NAS drive. NAS drives are quite a bit more expensive than a standard USB harddrive drive. I am using a synology NAS, but there are others that are probably a lot easier to set up. Once you have your music files moved to the NAS, you need three things: eLyric (fka TagNPlay) on an iDevice, a DLNA server on the network and a music server to manage your library. In my experience the easiest solution that gets you both the DLNA server and music server is to buy JRiver 17 for $50 and be done. It has a build in DLNA server. PS audio has their own server (also called eLyric), but I don't think it is quite ready for primetime (you could be lucky and never have a problem with it, or unlucky and have all sorts of issues - I would not risk it).
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