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Offered is „Gain Cell DAC“ by PS Audio as new device from the category „D/A Converter“ on audio-markt.de - the online market place for high-end. The advert with the number 2905305552 ends on 29.11.2026 at 15:42 o'clock.
Age matters here: this is an earlier Stellar-generation DAC/preamp rather than PS Audio’s current flagship, but it remains a highly capable design. At €1,500, it is a strong bargain against the 13-listing market: well below the €1,548 25th percentile and dramatically under the €4,402 median. Assuming it is genuinely functional and complete, the price leaves substantial room before it becomes merely fair.
The appeal is its unusually broad role: a fully balanced Class A analogue preamp, ESS-based DAC, headphone output, home-theater bypass, XLR and RCA connectivity, and support for high-resolution PCM and DSD. Its Gain Cell volume architecture and analogue inputs make it more than a conventional DAC, especially for a compact system that needs source switching and preamp duties. Check that the remote, power lead, and all inputs—including USB and I²S if relevant—work properly, but there is no pricing reason to hesitate over a clean example.
Independent perspective — not a price guarantee. Always verify condition, accessories and provenance before purchase.
PS Audio, a pioneering American hi-fi brand, traces its roots to 1973 when co-founder Paul McGowan launched the company in California alongside Stan Warren. Emerging from the analog golden age, it debuted with a standalone phono preamplifier, reflecting McGowan's early passion for vinyl playback honed through radio station connections and encounters with audio enthusiasts. The brand quickly evolved, embracing digital audio in the 1980s by releasing one of the first high-end CD players, the PS Audio CD-1, soon after Philips and Sony introduced the format.
Today, PS Audio specializes in premium electronics, including power amplifiers, preamplifiers, digital-to-analog converters (DACs), and integrated amplifiers, with a hallmark focus on power conditioning via innovative AC regenerators known as Power Plants. These devices, born from Stan Warren's mid-1980s discovery that oversized transformers enhance audio performance, remain a cornerstone. The lineup also encompasses digital lenses for refining streaming and disc playback, alongside select analog components, though it eschews speakers, headphones, turntables, or cables.
Positioned firmly in the high-end market, PS Audio commands respect among discerning audiophiles for its bold engineering and unwavering pursuit of musical purity. Celebrating 50 years in 2023, it occupies a niche as an innovator rather than a mass-market player, appealing to buyers who prioritize transformative power delivery and digital refinement in sophisticated systems.
See all PS Audio listings on RADAR.
