CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS

  • December 31, 2015, 11:20:29 AM
  • Welcome, Guest
Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

Author Topic: PS Audio Perfectwave DAC Filters  (Read 2353 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Marvey

  • The Man For His Time And Place
  • Master
  • Pirate
  • *****
  • Brownie Points: +555/-33
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6698
  • Captain Plankton and MOT: Eddie Current
PS Audio Perfectwave DAC Filters
« on: November 01, 2012, 11:47:02 PM »
Logged

Hawaiiancerveza

  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +9/-3
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 211
Re: PS Audio Perfectwave DAC Filters
« Reply #1 on: June 18, 2013, 07:45:59 PM »
Is the PWD a good dac?  I know moon audio is having a special on getting the PS Audio PWD and a free PS Audio PWT.  Worth it?
Logged

shipsupt

  • Mate
  • Pirate
  • ****
  • Brownie Points: +160/-4
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1687
Re: PS Audio Perfectwave DAC Filters
« Reply #2 on: June 18, 2013, 07:54:27 PM »
Yeah, if you check out our DAC thread (http://www.changstar.com/index.php/topic,485.0.html and http://www.changstar.com/index.php/topic,933.0.html) you'll see that it's pretty highly regarded around here... but there is some evidence that the older MKI, and MKI upgraded to MKII sound better than the new MKII (I think I got that more or less right...) 

That said, if I was in the market I'd at least consider that deal because I like having a transport around. 

All these sales make me think that the replacement for the PWD is coming soon.
Logged
Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

Anaxilus.

  • Dikus Beligerantis Analmorticus
  • Pirate
  • **
  • Brownie Points: +65535/-65535
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 577
Re: PS Audio Perfectwave DAC Filters
« Reply #3 on: June 18, 2013, 08:15:02 PM »
Not a new one.  They sound like a sub $1000 DAC now compared to the older version.  The difference is not small at all and I'd put my money elsewhere if looking for a brand new-in-box DAC.

Personally I think the should put a stop sale on them tbh since they are riding on many reviews based on an older performance level.  However, now there are reports that there are different versions of 2.20 firmware.  I do not believe this explains the difference and there does seem to be some hardware changes which have occurred that are not mentioned publicly.  Purrin runs a different fw from me and our DACs sound much more similar to each other than the new mk2 being sold.  FW is the unlikely cause for the discrepancy.

An odd coincidence.  Many rooms from The SHOW last year were running PWDs.  This year, I only saw one.
« Last Edit: June 18, 2013, 08:20:10 PM by Analixus »
Logged
If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading - Lao Tzu

Hawaiiancerveza

  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +9/-3
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 211
Re: PS Audio Perfectwave DAC Filters
« Reply #4 on: June 18, 2013, 11:47:30 PM »
Interesting.  I was just wondering about it.  I guess I should hold off unless I can find out if its the newer one which I'm assuming it is. 
Logged

hiyu64

  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Powder Monkey
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +5/-5
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 77
Re: PS Audio Perfectwave DAC Filters
« Reply #5 on: June 19, 2013, 12:18:46 AM »
well, I emailed PS audio about the MK2 upgrade board earlier and they said that the last of their MK2 upgrade kits were sold January and it doesn't look like they are going to make anymore.  They did offer to upgrade MK1s at the factory if you send them in and add $995 + shipping.  I would assume they'll just use those new boards that come with the new MK2s to upgrade the MK1.  Therefore, there is now no point in buying an MK1 unless you know know someone who bought an upgrade kit but didn't use it yet or the upgrade board has already been applied.     
Logged

Hawaiiancerveza

  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +9/-3
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 211
Re: PS Audio Perfectwave DAC Filters
« Reply #6 on: June 19, 2013, 01:41:23 AM »
Well thi is the deal Moon audio is having so I'd have to ask Drew if they are the new ones or not. 

http://www.moon-audio.com/audio-equipment/ps-audio/ps-audio-perfect-wave-dac.html
Logged

minimus

  • Swabbie
  • Brownie Points: +1/-0
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6
Re: PS Audio Perfectwave DAC Filters
« Reply #7 on: June 20, 2013, 12:19:16 AM »
On the one hand, I really like how the PW Transport sounds with the PW DAC connected via HDMI cable.  It sounds better than any other source I have tried by a significant margin.  So that offer of a free PWT if you buy the PW DAC seems like a good one.  But I also recommend avoiding the new MK2 DAC. 

When I upgraded my MK1 to an MK2, I really did not like the sound of the 2.1.0 firmware.  OK, the bass was better.  But otherwise it had a bright and fatiguing top end that was headache inducing.  With the upgraded MK1 DAC, I had the option of installing the older 2.0.2 firmware, and that sounds much better.  But firmware 2.0.2 cannot be installed in the new-in-the-box MK2 DACs, as it messes up the touchscreen, making it unreadable. 

Although most owners on the PS Audio forum who upgraded their MK1 DAC to an MK2 say they strongly prefer 2.0.2 and some owners of the new MK2 DAC have complained that they find it borderline unlistenable with the new firmware, PS Audio has done nothing to remedy the situation.  The reason seems to be that Paul McGowan, the CEO/owner of the company, prefers the sound of the new firmware to the older versions...at least that is what he said on the PS Audio forum.  IDK, maybe he is going slightly deaf and doesn't find the treble to be fatiguing.

I have heard rumors that they are working on an MK3 version of the DAC, and that might resolve the problem.  But I am not sure I would take that gamble.
Logged

Anaxilus.

  • Dikus Beligerantis Analmorticus
  • Pirate
  • **
  • Brownie Points: +65535/-65535
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 577
Re: PS Audio Perfectwave DAC Filters
« Reply #8 on: June 20, 2013, 12:29:50 AM »
No idea about the Mk3, but if the difference I heard between the AK100 and AK120 only boils down to adding another DAC chip for each channel, I'd totally go for that.
Logged
If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading - Lao Tzu

CEE TEE

  • Master controller of all scores
  • Mate
  • Pirate
  • ****
  • Brownie Points: +98/-338
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 839
  • Need More Time To Loaf Around
Re: PS Audio Perfectwave DAC Filters
« Reply #9 on: June 20, 2013, 01:25:37 AM »
Quote from: minimus on June 20, 2013, 12:19:16 AM
When I upgraded my MK1 to an MK2, I really did not like the sound of the 2.1.0 firmware.  OK, the bass was better.  But otherwise it had a bright and fatiguing top end that was headache inducing.  With the upgraded MK1 DAC, I had the option of installing the older 2.0.2 firmware, and that sounds much better.  But firmware 2.0.2 cannot be installed in the new-in-the-box MK2 DACs, as it messes up the touchscreen, making it unreadable. 

Although most owners on the PS Audio forum who upgraded their MK1 DAC to an MK2 say they strongly prefer 2.0.2 and some owners of the new MK2 DAC have complained that they find it borderline unlistenable with the new firmware, PS Audio has done nothing to remedy the situation.  The reason seems to be that Paul McGowan, the CEO/owner of the company, prefers the sound of the new firmware to the older versions...at least that is what he said on the PS Audio forum.  IDK, maybe he is going slightly deaf and doesn't find the treble to be fatiguing.

Sounds like there is a "new" version of 2.2.0 though (within the last month).  In my mind, that should elicit a new Firmware number.  Supposedly it only works with the MK II, not the MK I upgraded to II. 
 
Would be nice if there were a clear flowchart with all versions downloadable.  But that would scare potential buyers.  (This way buyers are scared after the purchase.) 
 
I keep two SD cards on hand with 2.0.2 and 2.2.0 loaded on them.
Logged
sound soft harmonics rich bile rich rhyme