Boy, that’s a tough one. Honestly, the magnitude of difference between the BHK pre and the PMG pre is the size of the Grand Canyon, while the MKII to 512 difference is crazy big but not Grand Canyon sized.
Without question biggest bang for the buck is upgrading the preamplifier. I cannot adequately express how big the difference is. The barriers and fences put up by the BHK pre were never noticeable to me—it just sounds amazing—until you hear them removed. Hard to put into words but some sonic barriers never reveal themselves until you hear them removed, which is what happens when you put in the PMG preamp. Holy f*ck!
No, not a digital input but a single stereo pair of single ended analog inputs to allow hookup of a turntable. Seems to me that would be a simple thing to add to the PMG DACs analog volume control. That would turn it into a simple DAC preamp combo. All I would need is a way to add a single phono stage. The whole DAC or preamp discussion could go away and, unfortunately for audio manufacturers, the preamp market would vanish. Of course the fact remains that the sonic results of using all that constitutes the PMG pre wouldn’t be there anymore.
R, I know it’s probably not a high enough level phono preamp for many here, but the long discontinued NuWave Phono Converter would allow you to send DSD from it to the DAC via HDMI/i2s. I have one (two actually, one in reserve) and used it that way and the DSD output decoded via the DAC is not really noticeably different from the analog output from the Converter–for me very good sound.
That was the idea behind the NuWave Phono Converter, converting to digital to allow DACs with digital volume control (such as the DS 1 and 2) to do the same thing as you suggest.
Is the volume control on the new PSA DAC analogue or digital in function?
Unfortunately it seems the majority of the HiFi population collectively said “huh?”
and the idea didn’t take off (i.e. PSA had to stop making them and no one else started), I think because folks got in to preamps again (or never stopped using them).
You could always get e.g. an RME ADI ADC/DAC* (700 quid ish) and use the ADC to send the output of your phono stage via coax or TOSLINK to the PMG DAC…
…certainly a lot cheaper than buying a posh preamp just so you can hook the turntable up!
* I do similar, but the RME was too dear for me so I use a different ADC.
Many think subjecting an analog signal to any kind of digital processing is sacrilegious. Just look at the uproar a couple of years back when it came to light that Mobile Fidelity had used digital mastering in some of their one step vinyl releases. I don’t know if there is anything to that but I think there is something to the sound that analog vinyl playback offers the digital doesn’t. Probably enough to strive for a pure analog chain when playing records.
I talked to Caleb yesterday about the delay in shipping my 512 DAC. Last week he said that my DAC was built and being tested and he expected it to ship on Friday (Oct. 3). As of yesterday it had still not shipped and could be a few more days to a week. He said that he had not been able to get an answer yet as to why the shipping schedule has been delayed. It sounded like shipment of new DACs has been slowed down. The only items I can think of is going back to put in the longer ribbon cable, or maybe a new software issue that needs to be resolved. Or maybe the bench testing after assembly has been extended to check for more things.
My order was finalized on 9/29 and posted to my credit card on 10/1. Perhaps Paul can comment on why the shipment of new DACs has slowed down. Caleb just said that they want to make sure that everything is perfect before they go out.
BTW: I was considering the PMG Preamp until I realized that I need Record Out jacks to feed my headphone amp. If one set of the preamp Out jacks was or could be repurposed as Record out instead of a volume controlled output, then I would consider getting a PMG preamp.
May be best to give ample time for the PSA Team to sort out the gremlins. Nothing worse than having to troubleshoot a new unit upon receipt, except possibly for the need to return it to resolve problems.
I think you are on to something - extra time for Quality Assurance - IMO the delay is a good thing. It beats shipping the unit back and forth for fixes.
Had the same issue until I realized I could feed my headphone amp out of my DAC rca’s (balanced feeds the preamp) and then I mute the preamp when I use the headphones. Precludes vinyl but then I don’t like using headphones when I am into my vinyl mood.
aye they may have a point, but with no analogue inputs on the dac, the options are either additional analogue components in line with all sources, or a adcdac conversion only on vinyl.
horses for courses
I agree with Joma. My system uses a digital crossover. I have two different crossovers, one with Burr Brown (I think) ADC and the other with an ESS ADC and vinyl still sounds like vinyl IMO. I can input my home cinema L/R pre outs into the ADCs and it works fine.
Actually, that might work for me. My current headphone amp has two sets of RCA inputs, so I think I could use the Stellar Phono and 512 DACs RCA outputs to feed the headphone amp, while using their XLR outputs to feed the Preamp. I’ll have to try this once I get my 512 DAC as proof of concept. Thanks for the suggestion.
Excellent! That’s one of the reasons we decided to add an actual analog volume control to the PMG 512 so those who did not want to invest in the PMG preamplifier would not be compromising the digital data stream at all. Though I prefer the step up in performance when the PMG Pre is added to the chain, it’s a BIG investment and now not a compromise to go directly into the power amp. Thanks for the update!
So with the new PMG DAC it matters less in terms of sound quality going directly into the amp compared to using the DSD MkI and MKII?
But if one is considering upgrading from a BHK pre and DSD DAC MkI or MII, and could only choose one, upgrading to the PMG pre would make a bigger difference?
Boy, that’s a tough one. Honestly, the magnitude of difference between the BHK pre and the PMG pre is the size of the Grand Canyon, while the MKII to 512 difference is crazy big but not Grand Canyon sized.
Without question biggest bang for the buck is upgrading the preamplifier. I cannot adequately express how big the difference is. The barriers and fences put up by the BHK pre were never noticeable to me—it just sounds amazing—until you hear them removed. Hard to put into words but some sonic barriers never reveal themselves until you hear them removed, which is what happens when you put in the PMG preamp. Holy f*ck!
I talked to Caleb yesterday about the delay in shipping my 512 DAC. Last week he said that my DAC was built and being tested and he expected it to ship on Friday (Oct. 3). As of yesterday it had still not shipped and could be a few more days to a week. He said that he had not been able to get an answer yet as to why the shipping schedule has been delayed. It sounded like shipment of new DACs has been slowed down. The only items I can think of is going back to put in the longer ribbon cable, or maybe a new software issue that needs to be resolved. Or maybe the bench testing after assembly has been extended to check for more things.