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Unknown condition makes this difficult to benchmark confidently, but at US$6,799 the asking price is clearly ambitious: it sits far above the comparable-listing median of US$813 and the 75th percentile of US$2,000. Unless this is an exceptionally rare, fully documented example with unusually strong provenance, the price needs substantial justification rather than a routine used-market premium.
The model’s appeal is its high-end, statement-level preamplifier design, valued for resolving detail, tonal refinement, and serious system-building flexibility. Before considering it, confirm the exact generation, serial number, operating condition, service history, original packaging, remote, power supply, and accessories. A private audition and return option would be especially valuable at this level. In its present, unspecified condition, this is not a compelling buy; the seller would need to provide exceptional completeness and provenance to make the premium defensible.
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.
