Sounds interesting but there doesn't appear to any indication as the projected street date. Also no mention of what software would be used to access and maintain one's hard drive based music library. If they plan on using iTunes as the front end they had better forget about the high resolution streaming since iTunes doesn't do FLAC files.

But at least PS Audio understands that the future of digital audio is computer based.

I read through the description of the PerfectWave DAC on the PS Audio web site and I'm still not clear on just what kind of music library management software the unit is going to use. Sure one can just connect a hard drive filled with digital audio files but it's really the music library software that enables one to find and manage the music stored on the hard drive. The SqueezeBox and Transporter use SqueezeCenter and the Sooloos system has its own very powerful music library software. And then there are the many media center type of computers which use various media playback programs such as Window Media Player or iTunes to manage and access the music library.

In any case I'm sure that PS Audio has the whole music library thing worked out. The important thing is that more and more high end audio manufacturers are jumping into the music server and computer based audio market and that's great. Once the average audiophile begins to understands that a hard drive based digital music library can sound as good as one based on CDs/SACDs/DVD-As then things will really start to move forward at a rapid pace. Whether the music stored on a hard drive is accessed via a USB connection or via one's network the really important point is that the music is no longer tied to those silly 3 1/2" silver discs.

Now where is Stereophile's review???

Ummm, what am I missing here? SD's original post stated...

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But, how do you select what you want to hear on the PWD? How do you access the library and sort through it? To manage this, you need a controller.

PS Audio will build two controllers to serve the Bridge and your library. The first will be an iPod/iPhone app that you download and have full access to everything in your library. It will allow you to build a playlist, select songs, search through your library, see cover art, control the volume, the equipment, etc. It

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So...will not the library management software in fact be the Application PS Audio plans to build for the Itouch\Iphone and later improved for the touchscreen? I'm thinking something similiar to Ipeng initially, and something similiar to Sooloos for the touchscreen?

I believe that you are correct. I also believe that the as yet nonexistent application would be called "vaporware".

As far as I'm concerned in computer based audio there are two major factors:

1) The ability to deliver the digital content, e.g. the music, to either an external DAC or, via an internal DAC, as a high quality analog output. The LogiTech SqueezeBox for the former and the Transporter for later. One could also use the USB output from a computer going to an external USB DAC. Think of this as the hardware side.

2) The ability to manage one's music library. iTunes and LogiTech's SqueezeCenter are examples of music library management software. And this would be the software side.

So far very few manufacturers have managed to get both sides right. The SqueezeBox/Transporter systems come very close and a computer using iTunes also comes close. The Sooloos system does the software side almost perfectly but drops the ball on the hardware side (unless of course one doesn't mind spending additional money beyond the initial $12K to get a decent DAC). The Linn music servers do the hardware side perfectly but use terrible music library software.

Hopefully PS Audio will able to match their hardware prowess with some top notch music library software.

There is a part of the PS Audio newsletter that SD failed to post.

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It is this Touch interface we need your help with. Here

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This says to me that PS Audio has made the commitment to the development and continual refinement of the management software and interface much in the same way SlimDevices has done. Very promising indeed.

Interesting and as you say, very promising. Hopefully all this effort will end up producing one helva music streaming system. Watch out SqueezeBox!!

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So...will not the library management software in fact be the Application PS Audio plans to build for the Itouch\Iphone and later improved for the touchscreen? I'm thinking something similiar to Ipeng initially, and something similiar to Sooloos for the touchscreen?

I believe that you are correct. I also believe that the as yet nonexistent application would be called "vaporware".

As far as I'm concerned in computer based audio there are two major factors:

1) The ability to deliver the digital content, e.g. the music, to either an external DAC or, via an internal DAC, as a high quality analog output. The LogiTech SqueezeBox for the former and the Transporter for later. One could also use the USB output from a computer going to an external USB DAC. Think of this as the hardware side.

2) The ability to manage one's music library. iTunes and LogiTech's SqueezeCenter are examples of music library management software. And this would be the software side.

So far very few manufacturers have managed to get both sides right. The SqueezeBox/Transporter systems come very close and a computer using iTunes also comes close. The Sooloos system does the software side almost perfectly but drops the ball on the hardware side (unless of course one doesn't mind spending additional money beyond the initial $12K to get a decent DAC). The Linn music servers do the hardware side perfectly but use terrible music library software.

Hopefully PS Audio will able to match their hardware prowess with some top notch music library software.

Very well said. I totally agree with your analysis of the 2 main factors in computer based / music server audio...

It all comes down to quality and convenience... If it sounds glorious but is a pain in the butt to use, then people will use their CD players instead... If it sounds mediocre (and can't be upgraded with a DAC) then it will be irrelevant to audiophiles (i.e. early mp3 players)...