PS Audio, A Family Affair

How wonderful to finally catch up with Scott and Paul McGowan, and to discover how good PS Audio’s prototype class-D amplifier with Hypex modules sounds in its temporary housing. Equally exciting was the just-launched NuWave Phono Converter (NPC, $1895), which combines a phono stage with an A/D converter that can archive LPs in both PCM and DSD formats. Paired with Von Schweikert VR-35 loudspeakers ($10,000/pair) and a custom subwoofer, the system delivered impressive deep bass on a track from Turkish artist and DJ Mercan Dede’s Breath, and lots of color on a track by Chesky artist Marta Gomez.

“Not the hugest range of color, but far superior to PS Audio’s first class-D amplifier,” I wrote in my notes of a system that would make anyone but a diehard tube fancier happy. The set-up also excelled in percussive slam and treble snap. Only a bit of brightness sullied an otherwise fabulous presentation. Doing the honors, in addition to the above, were PS Audio’s P10 Power Plant ($4995) and Perfect Wave (PW) Powerbase ($995), PW DAC ($3995), PW Transport ($3995), and PS Audio AC 12 power cables.

COMMENTS
volvic's picture

a phono stage with an A/D converter that can archive LPs in both PCM and DSD formats.  I wonder when will iTunes will be able to play DSD files in high rez?  

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