# Jay's "review" of PMG DAC **URL:** \ **Category:** DACs\ **Created:** [August 10, 2025, 2:21pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/jays-review-of-pmg-dac/42440 "2025-08-10T14:21:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![panhead-2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5e9695/32.png) [@panhead-2](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/panhead-2)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2025, 2:21pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/jays-review-of-pmg-dac/42440/1 "2025-08-10T14:21:46Z")
Hello - just watched Jay Iyagi’s review of the PMG dac on youtube. Considering it is unavailable here, I dont see how he could have it long enough to make any kind of statement. Components can take a while to break in. No comments about it’s streaming capability or use a a preamp. I am quite surprised by this weak attempt. I do like Jay and have met him at Axpona. What do you think? ---
**Author:** ![Elk](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/elk/32/1240_2.png) [@Elk](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/Elk)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2025, 2:35pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/jays-review-of-pmg-dac/42440/2 "2025-08-10T14:35:17Z")
Link to the specific review to which you refer? ---
**Author:** ![Audioholic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f14d63/32.png) [@Audioholic](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/Audioholic)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2025, 2:39pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/jays-review-of-pmg-dac/42440/3 "2025-08-10T14:39:49Z")
[![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/psaudio/original/4X/4/f/b/4fb40851a1efccb7c9069337473ca80d03d7ea42.jpeg "Are DSD Audiophile DACs a SCAM? PS Audio PMG Signature 512 DAC Review!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fU0LmqexpI) ---
**Author:** ![roninaudio](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/roninaudio/32/262996_2.png) [@roninaudio](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/roninaudio)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2025, 2:49pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/jays-review-of-pmg-dac/42440/4 "2025-08-10T14:49:28Z")
I don’t think that review did anyone any favors. He compared it to Meitner somewhat favorably. Mentioned the volume control could possibly be updated to perform better in future firmware updates? Overall was impressed with the PSA house sound still being evident? I never really associated PSA with a house sound. Just good clean accurate music. No real color but maybe you guys disagree. He mentions the price and wonders if current owners may wonder if this is good upgrade path. I guess many Mkii owners will figure that out immediately. Overall, (to me) not a great review. And I don’t mean in regards to the DAC specifically. I mean the review (vs what I typically expect from say Stereophile or even Huff) was not very helpful. I agree it seemed like a general (perhaps a bit rushed) effort to get something out there. ---
**Author:** ![falling\_leaves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9adbd/32.png) [@falling\_leaves](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/falling_leaves)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2025, 2:49pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/jays-review-of-pmg-dac/42440/5 "2025-08-10T14:49:42Z")
Skip to 8:22 to avoid all the blabbing… ---
**Author:** ![Elk](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/elk/32/1240_2.png) [@Elk](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/Elk)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2025, 2:51pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/jays-review-of-pmg-dac/42440/6 "2025-08-10T14:51:11Z")
Thanks! I saw the reference to DSD DACs being a scam, but nothing relating to PS Audio - probably because I am on my phone. ---
**Author:** ![roninaudio](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/roninaudio/32/262996_2.png) [@roninaudio](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/roninaudio)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2025, 3:02pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/jays-review-of-pmg-dac/42440/7 "2025-08-10T15:02:07Z")
Personally, I think I should go down Monday, hear the DAC myself. Then bring one home and review it! At least I’d be comparing it to another PSA dac! Lol Hopefully a few ships relatively soon…. ( I guess I don’t get why you would compare the dac to another brand. The other brand is a unknown to 99.9% of the folks reading the review) ---
**Author:** ![Audioholic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f14d63/32.png) [@Audioholic](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/Audioholic)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2025, 3:09pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/jays-review-of-pmg-dac/42440/8 "2025-08-10T15:09:59Z")
I thought Jay’s review was quite helpful and meaningful, and makes me want to upgrade from my DSD MkI upgraded by JK Richards. For the most part I trust his reviews, and align with his personal tastes. His review of a pair of speakers lead me to my current loudspeaker. ---
**Author:** ![RonP](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/ronp/32/213555_2.png) [@RonP](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/RonP)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2025, 3:11pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/jays-review-of-pmg-dac/42440/9 "2025-08-10T15:11:01Z")
I just watched. Essentially, he says the PMG is a “great DAC”. But he feels it’s too expensive. ---
**Author:** ![scotte1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/scotte1/32/147_2.png) [@scotte1](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/scotte1)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2025, 3:11pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/jays-review-of-pmg-dac/42440/10 "2025-08-10T15:11:06Z")
Seems like the review was conduced sans adequate knowledge of the product… For example, at around 12:54 he talks about FPGA firmware updates being an “advantage”. (Not relevant with this model, unless I am mistaken.) In addition, his mentioning of a PSA-DAC “house sound” makes little sense to me since the new PMG signature DAC is a pretty radical departure from the Ted Smith collaboration. FWIW. ---
**Author:** ![Audioholic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f14d63/32.png) [@Audioholic](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/Audioholic)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2025, 3:17pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/jays-review-of-pmg-dac/42440/11 "2025-08-10T15:17:35Z")
Jay has heard any reviewed previous PS Audio DACs, and he’s confirming that it has a similar PS audio sound, which is good to know that this new DAC hasn’t veered off in a radically different direction, as I like the PS Audio house sound. ---
**Author:** ![magister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@magister](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/magister)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2025, 3:22pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/jays-review-of-pmg-dac/42440/12 "2025-08-10T15:22:24Z")
I own/have owned several pieces of PSA gear. They have all provided good amounts of detail and good sound staging but never any excess treble or other undesirable artifacts, and they tend to be slightly on the warm or organic side (which I like, without going overboard in that direction). So I guess that’s the “house sound“. Based on what I’ve read here about the new DAC, it offers that same type of sound but taking it to a higher level of quality. ---
**Author:** ![Audioholic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f14d63/32.png) [@Audioholic](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/Audioholic)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2025, 3:24pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/jays-review-of-pmg-dac/42440/13 "2025-08-10T15:24:00Z")
More importantly, he mentioned that it improves the sound of some of his poor recordings, which other types of DAC’s, like ladder DAC’s, made those recordings sound worse. That’s a meaningful and important bit of info IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Audioholic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f14d63/32.png) [@Audioholic](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/Audioholic)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2025, 3:45pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/jays-review-of-pmg-dac/42440/14 "2025-08-10T15:45:31Z")
> [@roninaudio](#): > > ( I guess I don’t get why you would compare the dac to another brand. The other brand is a unknown to 99.9% of the folks reading the review I’ve personally never heard a Meitner DAC, but I have heard of them, and know they are expensive and highly regarded. The fact that Jay thought the PMG DAC held its own and in some ways sounded better, bolsters the idea that although the PMG DAC is expensive, it’s a good deal compared to other DAC’s costing much more, with similar sound quality. ---
**Author:** ![roninaudio](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/roninaudio/32/262996_2.png) [@roninaudio](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/roninaudio)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2025, 3:50pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/jays-review-of-pmg-dac/42440/15 "2025-08-10T15:50:19Z")
“Improves” is somewhat subjective imho. Changes maybe, but improves a recording or source file? My Cary DSM is similar. Streamer, DAC and pre. It can upsample to 768 or dsd 512. It definitely changes the sound between bypass and dsd64 (which I use). The change seems to benefit in some cases and not so much in others independent of file quality. Overall the PMG may be better suited for this type of conversion as its designed around it…… ---
**Author:** ![roninaudio](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/roninaudio/32/262996_2.png) [@roninaudio](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/roninaudio)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2025, 3:52pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/jays-review-of-pmg-dac/42440/16 "2025-08-10T15:52:41Z")
From a value proposition, I agree with you 💯 % I was thinking in terms of sound/fidelity. Good point ---
**Author:** ![dchang05](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/dchang05/32/294697_2.png) [@dchang05](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/dchang05)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2025, 4:09pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/jays-review-of-pmg-dac/42440/17 "2025-08-10T16:09:52Z")
I thought the review on sound quality was quite positive. Jay’s only complaint was about the price point. But DS MK2 was not cheap either. The trade-in factor plays a part too. I know for buyers outside of US there is no deal that can be made, but we are paying higher prices buying components outside of US too (more with tariffs now). ---
**Author:** ![msaladino22](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/msaladino22/32/127421_2.png) [@msaladino22](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/msaladino22)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2025, 4:13pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/jays-review-of-pmg-dac/42440/18 "2025-08-10T16:13:49Z")
That was not a very exciting review from Jay. He may have received and early model before final tweaking was done as the $8499 price tag gave that away. ---
**Author:** ![RonP](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/ronp/32/213555_2.png) [@RonP](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/RonP)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2025, 4:29pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/jays-review-of-pmg-dac/42440/19 "2025-08-10T16:29:52Z")
I doubt PS Audio would send a demo to a reviewer that was not fully sorted. ---
**Author:** ![Hoku](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/hoku/32/262999_2.png) [@Hoku](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/Hoku)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2025, 5:17pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/jays-review-of-pmg-dac/42440/20 "2025-08-10T17:17:14Z")
tbh, i am chomping at the bit to hear the PMG DAC in my system regardless of what a reviewer will say - since transitioning from 90% analogue listening to all digital sources, PSA has never let me down and always punched above its price point (my DSD DAC Mk1 blew my mind vs previous DACs that cost more). I overpayed for an Innuous but paired with the Mk1 it now seems a fair deal… excited to hear what the PMG DAC will do…. [Next page](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/jays-review-of-pmg-dac/42440.md?page=2)