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PS Audio Perfect Wave Direct Stream DAC A legendary dac from PS Audio. Introducing DirectStream, one of the most remarkable DACS ever built. Hand written, discrete, perfection based conversion that uncovers all the missing information hiding in your digital audio media for all these years. CD’s, downloads, high-resolution PCM or DSD based media are expertly upsampled in the DirectStream to ten times DSD rate and output as pure analog directly into your amplifier or preamplifier. Classic PCM based DACS, including many of today’s DACS that can also process DSD, tend to cover up some of the s
This is a buyer’s market at this price: A$3,200 sits well below the A$4,273 25th percentile and far under the A$7,213 median, so it reads as a strong deal rather than merely fair. Against the recent comparable spread, you’re paying less than half the typical asking level, which is exactly where a keen buyer should pay attention.
The upside here is simple: PS Audio’s digital gear is generally well-regarded for resolution, timing, and a clean, refined presentation, so a good example can be a very satisfying long-term DAC/streaming front end. At this price, the key is condition and completeness: confirm it powers up cleanly, all inputs work, firmware is current if applicable, and any remote, power supply, or original packaging is included.
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.
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audio-markt.de
Good
DE
eBay UK
GB
StereoNET
Excellent
StereoNET
AU
StereoNET
AU
StereoNET
AU
