Problems with PMG 512 DAC?

Audio Components DACs
42

Good to hear, but was hoping to hear from many others as well, that everything was working as expected.

43

any luck?

44

no bueno, still the same - would attach a photo but the dang AI button is in the way.

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45

Hereā€™s an anomaly I found while running the latest 2.7.2 firmware.

I switched inputs to the USB port, to which nothing is attached, and after listening to relays clicking for a bit and watching the spinning wheel and the red dot, the clicking stopped, the wheel stopped spinning, the display showed the volume, and the active dot turned green. Odd, since thereā€™s nothing plugged into the USB port. I wonder what all the relay activity signified. Or the green dot, for that matter.

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46

Thatā€™s a bug for sure. Should be one click and red one would think.

47

I get the feeling the multiple relay clicks happen when it is having trouble completing something. This happened for me when doing a power recycle (rear switch). It was worse when new, maybe 3 to 5 recycles before it would successfully reboot. Now just 1 or 2.

I recently updated to 2.7.2 and it took 2 power recycles to boot up. There were several relay clicks and I got the ā€œspinning wheelā€ also.

48

Interesting, I had zero issues with that. Once that was done, the streamer update went much smoother too.

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49

Actually I dropped back to 2.5.4 and then up to 2.7.2 and on one of these I got relay clicks and the spinning screen, but I donā€™t remember which one. Also these were just DAC firmware updates, not streamer updates; I donā€™t use the streamer.

50

same here. no problem with the firmware or streamer update. All seems good now. Just waiting on the Roon certification.

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51

I had no issues with my PMG 512 DAC until Paul mentioned 2.7.2 was available. The display started acting up in weird ways. I upgraded to 2.7.2. and the display gremlins were exercised. All is well so far :raised_fist: on wood.

52

seems many have display issues and it also seems firmware fixed most if not all of them. What could that be and why does not everyone see themā€¦weird.

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53

still having spinning-click issues when switching to unused inputs, more importantly, still losing the rate display when switching out of USB to anything else and backā€¦

streamer works well with Qobuz now tho

54

Wonder why you would feed a $9000 DAC with USB.

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55

what do you mean? is there a better way to connect my streamer?

56

Didnā€™t Paul state that USB on the MKII and PMG DACs are about as good as i2S in SQ?

I asked Paulā€™s new AI, it said:

For the PMG Signature 512 DAC, we recommend using IĀ²S for the highest sonic performance, especially if youā€™re connecting to a compatible source like our SACD Transport. IĀ²S also allows you to access the locked DSD layer of SACD discs, which USB canā€™t do.

57

thanks, thatā€™s helpful, but specific for SACD

for my streamer there is no other option so wondering what the original ā€˜questionā€™ about using a USB wasā€¦ less of a question than a snarky comment which has no place on this forum

58

With the DSD Mk1 DAC, the consensus was quite clear that USB sounded inferior to I2S. With the Mk2 and, apparently, the PMG DAC, there is very little difference if any between USB and I2S. So there is no longer any reason to avoid USB if you need it.

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59

and the PMG DAC paired with the Innuos Zen Mk3, my system does sound great via USB, the only optionā€¦ although the PMG streamer is fantastic with Qobuzā€¦

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60

I should have left the AI response out as my intent was to emphasize that USB has been nearly equal in SQ to i2S in the last two iterations of PS Audio DACs.

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61

thanks - and I have to say, as regards the PMG DAC Qobuz via the streamer really gives my ā€˜oldā€™ Innuos Zen Mk3 a run for the moneyā€¦ although the Innuos is amazingly detailed when playing the DSD i ripped and stored on it or streaming hi-res

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