We’ve opened a new thread to accept postings from our many DMP beta testers. Here, users will begin posting their impressions, findings, observations, and reviews of this ground breaking new Memory Player.
This forum is open to the public for reading and commenting, and asking questions of those that post their reviews and observations.
The comments and postings are made publicly and without our input or editing.
This is going to be great fun!
I am eager to hear what those who have both a PWT and the new DMP conclude when comparing the two.
I am almost as eager to learn how the beta testers perceive playing an SACD and sending it to the DS.
Exciting times!
Yep, I am lining up recordings I have in vinyl, redbook, and SACD versions for comparison (plus native DSD…).
I’m eager to hear the comparison between redbook CD and the Bridge II. Let us know how much of a difference you hear for those of us who don’t have many SACDs.
largenmt said I'm eager to hear the comparison between redbook CD and the Bridge II. Let us know how much of a difference you hear for those of us who don't have many SACDs.This is what I am looking forward to also; I get why some folks would want to answer the question: "How much better is the DMP than the PWT?". But from a current SOTA perspective, I would be surprised if the PWT were in the conversation. I want to compare the DMP to my DS/Bridge II over the fiber-isolated network, and hear what differences, if any, I can. I have a lot of SACDs lined up, as well as Redbook for the testing. Though it is going to take some serious "persuadin''" for me to want to take discs in and out of sleeves and in and out of a DMP tray.
palerider said I would be surprised if the PWT were in the conversation.I hope you are right; that that DMP is so much better that the PWT becomes irrelevant. I have found however that the PWT to the DS via IS2 is competitive with every other data source, including the Bridge and dedicated high-end servers.
Redbook via I2s/HDMI is the reason I have the PWT, and it’s the best sound I’ve had for that format ever, period. That’s why I have the PWT and the DS. I don’t do files, etc. and I don’t intend to start, not worth it to me, and I enjoy my discs. And originally the PWT was marketed with a large emphasis to those who are still spinning discs. That marketing reached me as I was going through sources trying to find one that was worthy of my amplification and speakers. When I got to the PWT and PWD combo, I stuck with that through upgrading to the DS. Now I want to be able to spin hi-res discs (mostly SACD) into the DS and so I am a beta-tester of the DMP. In short, I can see why someone would want to know if the DMP is a significant upgrade for Redbook, if they were in my shoes and especially if they do not have an SACD collection.
As someone who plays a lot of DoP-burned DVDs through my PWT/DS combo, I’m very curious to learn how this compares to either DoPs or straight SACDs through the DMP/DS combo.
Hopefully someone can help you there. I have some hi-res PCM burned to disc to play, but no DOP material.
Elk said This is going to be great fun!I am eager to hear what those who have both a PWT and the new DMP conclude when comparing the two.
I am almost as eager to learn how the beta testers perceive playing an SACD and sending it to the DS.
Exciting times!
Exciting times.
lonson said I don't do files, etc. and I don't intend to start, not worth it to me, and I enjoy my discs. . . . I can see why someone would want to know if the DMP is a significant upgrade for Redbook, if they were in my shoes and especially if they do not have an SACD collection.Precisely. While I like my server and have a good terabyte of files, I also have thousands of unripped CDswhich I play on my PWT. I am very interested in reports of whether Redbook sounds better on the DMP and, if so, in what ways.
A smörgåsbord of playback options!
Discs, LPs, or files, a music lovers paradise.
lonson said Redbook via I2s/HDMI is the reason I have the PWT, and it's the best sound I've had for that format ever, period. That's why I have the PWT and the DS. I don't do files, etc. and I don't intend to start, not worth it to me, and I enjoy my discs. And originally the PWT was marketed with a large emphasis to those who are still spinning discs. That marketing reached me as I was going through sources trying to find one that was worthy of my amplification and speakers. When I got to the PWT and PWD combo, I stuck with that through upgrading to the DS. Now I want to be able to spin hi-res discs (mostly SACD) into the DS and so I am a beta-tester of the DMP. In short, I can see why someone would want to know if the DMP is a significant upgrade for Redbook, if they were in my shoes and especially if they do not have an SACD collection.Lon, I totally get that. I did not mean to suggest or be interpreted that the comparison shouldn't be made. Only that once made, I would be surprised if the DMP is not an obviously superior machine compared to the PWT. PSA has had eight years to work on this improvement. In digital/electronics time, that's a lifetime. What Paul and Ted have described here suggests that they have developed a significant improvement over the PWT. And having heard a PWT compared to a network setup, I already knew [for my ears] that the PWT simply was not as good as a properly set up network system.
Paul has informed us that, to his ears, the DMP sounds better than the Bridge II through the DS. Can’t wait to find out. My network system is about as optimized as I can make it, with Cisco managed switches, fiber between the server and the DACs, fiber isolation [with linear PSUs] at every source point, a beast of an NAS with 4-port LAG, SSD & RoonServer, VLAN for the audio & QoS optimized, and 10-gigabit copper.
I am almost hoping that the DMP is better than the DS/Bridge II, precisely because it will foreshadow a Bridge III at some point. But candidly, my real comparison point will be the MSB Select. And even if the DMP is slightly or tremendously better than the Bridge II, it still will have to be so much better that it overcomes the Roon interface advantage. That is a tall order.
P.S. Lon, I bet you go to files one day. At some point, there will be music that is released only in file form, and you will want to hear it. And by then, I suspect it will be much easier to do. Heck, even now, it’s pretty easy. True plug-play-rip-store quality servers are on the market. And spinning devices eventually wear and wear out. But it’s not a choice of exclusivity. You can do both files and discs. Heck, that’s what I am doing by deciding to try the DMP.
No, I don’t think I’ll go files. I can always get someone to provide material to me burned on disc if I need to. And I’m having to not increase my influx of new music, for both fiscal and home harmony reasons. I have enough disc spinners to last a life time, I believe, as well. 
Can’t seem to part with them and no one wants them. I have over 20,000 discs to spin and don’t want to waste any time ripping, that’s a complete waste of time for me.
Anyway, I’m sure that a network system can sound better than the PWT, but I’ve never heard one in my listening to people who have gone computer audio, etc. Not really close imo. And those persons are always trying something to make sound better, always working at it. I’m a tweaker and I do less of it, I just spin and listen more. So. . . I think I’m where I want to be and have not had a single itch to move in another direction.
On top of all that, my interest in vinyl playback grows too!
Anyone at PS Audio or any of the beta testers have experience with dCS, Meitner CDSD/DAC6 or other previous SACD transport/DAC solutions that can compare those to the DMP? I had the dCS stack (Elgar, Verdi, Purcell) then the Meitner but the transport of the latter died its last death 2 years ago so my SACD collection has been silent for awhile. Looking forward to it coming back to life with the DMP.
My EMM Labs SACD transport died years back (in fact that’s what got me started designing the DirectStream DAC.) Also I don’t yet have a DMP in my system yet so I can’t yet directly compare the new DMP with the my dead EMM Labs transport, but I do have a hacked Oppo that can play stereo and multichannel SACDs to a stack of DirectStreams that definitely sounds better than my EMM Labs transport to my EMM Labs DAC6e. I’m sure the DMP and a (or three) DirectStream(s) will sound better than both of the other setups.
Ted, do you plan on getting a DMP? I think you might have the most experience from the SACD side of things, at least based on everything you have stated reviously.
Definitely I’ll get a DMP. Tho I have an Oppo with the Vanity HD DSD digital output card I fully expect the DMP to be better: PS Audio has nuked all of the video crap (which was bad news for sound quality.) PS Audio replaced the power supplies. They redid all of the clocking (believe me the Oppo clocking was a weak link - not horrible but not great.) Also the Digital Lens, etc. is definitely a good thing… Not least the remote will be easier to use without all of the clutter for non-audio related things (well it’s also nice to use one PS Audio remote for the DMP, DS or DS Jr, etc.)
Wow. Congrats guys. I am looking forward to the reviews. I will be living vicariously thru you all.
lonson said I have over 20,000 discs to spin and don't want to waste any time ripping, that's a complete waste of time for me.No kidding.
This a lot of time better spent listening.