PS Audio NuWave Dac (NWD)

[Mr.Sneis]

Somebody somewhere has to know something about this DAC.... Only marketing info around the intrawebs so far.

[HeadphoneAddict]

I think you need to thin the herd and buy one more excellent DAC.

And what would that be? Simply something a little better than my #2-4 DAC's, or one on the same level as or better than the PWD?

I think the Stello DA100 Signature is an excellent match for my balanced KGSS and Woo WA6 amps in the bedroom. I use the PWD in the basement rig with my balanced KGBH, ZDT and EF6 amps. I use the DAC-100 and DACmini with my Macbook Pro as a DAC/amp combo, choosing one depending on which headphones I'm using.

If the NuWave is reported to be noticeably above the Stello DA100 Signature (or their old DLIII) I might consider one, but I'm not sure I need another DAC right now. I had previously considered a Lavry DA11 but was put off by the lack of RCA outputs - it was fun to play with the PIC to affect the soundstage and crossfeed when I tried it. The Wyrd4Sound DAC-2 also looked appealing to me and was under consideration for a while. In thinning the herd I sold the DLIII and Apogee mini-DAC, but not with plans to buy moar.

[The Monkey]

Get an old Parasound and an Electrocompaniet ECD-1

[The Monkey]

Like this.

[Mr.Sneis]

Shit just got bidded on-sight!

Larry - did you feel the Stello DA100S is > the Apogee Mini Dac? I had the DA100S way back when but I only had it a year or so.

Edited November 9, 2012 by Mr.Sneis

[shellylh]

Damn, $43.66 shipping seems pretty steep. The DAC is not THAT heavy.

[Mr.Sneis]

He's using eBay's dumb shipping estimator. I think one of his buyer Q's was about the shipping. Lucky for me I am one state awayat around $32!

[shellylh]

You are right, I didn't see that.

[Mr.Sneis]

FWIW I really regret letting go of the old 1100 I had. From the value perspective the 1600 was not worth the premium considering the DAC has no USB or hi-res support. The 1100 was half the cost or less and wasn't so expensive that it's shortcomings bothered me.

[The Monkey]

I also wish I had kept the 1100.

[HeadphoneAddict]

Shit just got bidded on-sight!

Larry - did you feel the Stello DA100S is > the Apogee Mini Dac? I had the DA100S way back when but I only had it a year or so.

The DA100 Signature is a little more smoother sounding than the Apogee mini-DAC, while the Apogee seemed a little crisper around the edges of a note. Some would say the Apogee was slightly more aggressive sounding. But I don't feel that the DA100 Sig is less detailed although the attack is slightly softer, and the soundstage on both was similar. Side by side the two DACs were more similar than different, like 95% the same. But, with my KGSS or HEV70 driving my HE60 or SR-009 the Stello DA100 Sig was the more pleasing source for long listening sessions. Same with listening to HD800 out of my Woo WA6.

I kept the DA100 Sig over the Apogee because I planned to get the CDT100 some day and wanted to use the I2S input. In this bedroom rig I'm using a Marantz CD5001 via coax as transport right now, which is still pretty good. My Nuforce CDP-8 is much better, but I'm using that in my big rig downstairs. The other inputs are the same, with USB, Optical, Coax and AES/BDU, as well as balanced and single ended output, but now I don't have to use a mini>RCA cable like I did with the Apogee.

I should note that the Apogee via USB was better than DA100 Sig when used in native mode, but with the up-sampling on the DA100 Sig it's USB input improves greatly. Also, inexpensive amps like DV336i, EF1, CTH, Grahm Slee NOVO, and Travagans Red were a slight upgrade over the Apogee headphone out, so I wasn't using that feature anymore. And I don't have an extra volume attenuator in the signal path anymore.

[HeadphoneAddict]

Like this.

How much would you expect that one to sell for?

[blessingx]

I regret selling my Parasounds also (though preferred the 1600 and didn't have the 2000 long enough to really know). Then again dealing with high res files were starting to get irritating.

[Dusty Chalk]

I don't regret selling my Parasound, but I kept the Audio Alchemy.

[swt61]

I regret selling my Parasounds also (though preferred the 1600 and didn't have the 2000 long enough to really know). Then again dealing with high res files were starting to get irritating.

Maybe the Zdac will have a similar sound signature?

[The Monkey]

I regret selling my Parasounds also (though preferred the 1600 and didn't have the 2000 long enough to really know). Then again dealing with high res files were starting to get irritating.

Ric, do you mean hi res in general, or just with respect to the Parasounds?

[blessingx]

The former can be irritating, but yes I meant the Parasounds (or any 16/48 limited DAC). Never found a satisfying solution (they were rarely connected to computer so couldn't downsample on fly, disliked dual libraries or files, didn't trust older Squeezeboxes cutting at 16/44.1-48, was having dropped frames with Airport Express and mother router. etc.). If I had a decent on-the-fly solution the Parasounds sound, well was to my taste.

Maybe the Zdac will have a similar sound signature?

Fingers crossed. Really curious how it and NWD will compare.

[purk]

Has anyone tried the W4S DAC 2? I really like mine. I need a DAC in $500 range for work rig though. Is the PS Digital Link III a good buy at the $450 range?

[deepak]

Has anyone tried the W4S DAC 2? I really like mine. I need a DAC in $500 range for work rig though. Is the PS Digital Link III a good buy at the $450 range?

There is a 63.5% chance it was in the massive list of DACs HPA owned.

[purk]

There is a 63.5% chance it was in the massive list of DACs HPA owned.

I thought it is more like 50% Seriously though, is the W4S DAC-2 comparable to a PS Perfect Wave DAC 1?

[HeadphoneAddict]

Has anyone tried the W4S DAC 2? I really like mine. I need a DAC in $500 range for work rig though. Is the PS Digital Link III a good buy at the $450 range?

Haven't tried any W4S DACs yet.

I did own a DLIII for a long while and it was pretty nice when I got it for $699, so $450 is an even better deal. The timbre and tone (or frequency response) was similar to the Stello DA100 when set for 96K up sampling. It was a little brighter and more spacious sounding in 192K mode, but maybe with a little more glare in the treble. Not sure why it would sound that different with changing up-sampling rates, and you can't turn off up-sampling so it's one or the other.

Overall performance was not far from a standard Stello DA100 or Apogee mini-DAC (a little behind Apogee), but my main issue with it was that it had difficulty handling high jitter levels via optical, like from that of my 1st Gen Apple TV. I took it to RMAF 2009 and was going to leave it set up with an Apple TV and 19" monitor, so I wouldn't have to leave my Macbook unattended when I wanted to see the rest of the show. However, we discovered pops, clicks, dropouts, and graininess with ATV. The Macbook optical out was very noticeably better than the Apple TV, so I had to use that for the rest of the meet.

At that time we compared it to a stage 3 or 4 Cullen modded DLIII which was more refined, open, spacious, and detailed than the stock DLIII, regardless of transport. So Rick Cullen (of W4S) seems to know what he's doing with DACs. I recall we tried another DAC that couldn't even lock onto the signal or make any sound using the ATV optical out (but I forget the name).

I ended up buying my PWD from Mike and compared the DLIII to it, and it wasn't really close - hearing the same improvements with the PWD that I heard in the Cullen modded DLIII. I think I sold it for $550. So, the DLIII is a very decent mid-level DAC that performs close to the DA100 and mini-DAC when used with a good transport. Based on other comparisons I've done, I did feel a Lavry DA10 and Cullen modded DLIII were better.

But there's little chance that you'll be disappointed for only $450. A new Nuforce HDP costs $450 and it doesn't perform nearly as well until you connect it to a linear regulated PSU like a sigma 11. In your price range there is also the $399 - $499 W4S µDAC to consider, but I haven't heard anything about those yet. If you were only going to use USB input and single ended output, you could save even more money with a 24/96 DACport LX or Pico DAC.

[purk]

Thanks for your take on those DAC!! Your impression on them is really helpful. I had the Pico DAC in the past but sold it as I want a DAC that can handle hirez files and my DHA3000 is not functioning properly as of late; so I need an interim solution while it travels to Japan and get repair.

[skullguise]

Just got an email that my NuWave was picked up by FedEx. Crossing the country via Ground, so not here until after Thanksgiving most likely, too bad.....

[skullguise]

NuWave in the house, sounding pretty nice IMO. Not as purely neutral as the NAD M51 on first listen, but a nice mix of hi-fi goodies with musicality. I have owned a Cullen-mod'd DL3, this retains some of that house sound: big sounding, very slightly warm, but good details. Yet it seems to take it a step further, with some pinpoint imaging and more detail. I haven't heard the PWD Mk II, but had a brief listen to the PWD Mk I; and I think this sounds closer to that than to the DL3.

Only a few hours so far, but very pleased.

Only sour note: there is a problem when I have both balanced and SE connections plugged in. I set up SE to my Rega Brio-R amp, and balanced to my Spritzer-mod'd SRM-Xh. Even with the Stax amp off, the SE outputs are dimmed down to the point where one channel would barely play. I had to unplug the XLR's from the DAC, and all is well and great. Going to read the manual, and maybe ping PS Audio on that....would have liked to have both operative at once, but it's not the end of the world.

In any case, with the trade-in (I traded a DAC that cost me all of $89 shipped, for a $300 credit) and cost of $695, I think this is a very good DAC. In the long run, I still will probably be happier with the M51.. But this is just real good stuff.

Won't have a ton of time to listen over the next few, but hope to have a few more thoughts at the end of the weekend.

[Voltron]

Have fun with it Todd!