PS Audio product history

Audio Components
1

Hi, is there a page that lists the PS Audio product history, especially with regard to CD/SACD transports and DACs? Due to lack of funds I plan to start with old PS Audio gear (say a Perfectwave Direcstream dac) and work my way up!

1 Like
2

Not that I am aware of…

I have a suggestion that might be the next best thing though:

Go to the Audiogon site and register for access to their “Blue Book” sale price history for used kit.

Next, search for PS Audio DACs in the Blue Book. You will be able to see all of their DACs that have been sold on Audiogon over the years.

I suspect every DAC they ever made will have made the list/will have been sold on Audiogon at some point in time.

As a bonus the original MSRP and year(s) of manufacture are usually listed as well.

Good strategy/good luck.

2 Likes
3

Thank you … it looks like it needs a subscription fee, so I’ll keep that option on the back burner.

From what I can tell, going back approx 10 years there have been:

2008 PerfectWave DAC
2014 PerfectWave DirectStream DAC
2015 PerfectWave CD Transport
2018 DirectStream Memory Player
2020 PerfectWave SACD Transport
2021/2 (ish) PerfectWave DirectStream DAC MkII
TBC TSS DAC

Have I got the approximate chronology right? I’m considering getting a DirectStream Memory player, into a cheap but decent dac, then buying a better dac later on. I believe the DirectStream DACs are getting hard to service?

Thanks

4

If you are in the market for great Hi-Fi kit at a great price, this annual fee will pay for itself with your first purchase. It really helps make sure you don’t overpay.

FWIW.

SEE

2 Likes
5

I’m almost certain the PerfectWave CD Transport (PWT) came out a little earlier than 2015, but I could be wrong. I want to say it came a little closer to 2010.

6

Thank you. I don’t expect my 2nd hand purchase will stretch that far back into the archives.

As much as I’d like the latest transport, I think I’ll have to stick to the DirectStream Memory player. I believe they’re Oppo based - will they still be serviceable for the foreseeable future?

7

And back in 2016, the DS Junior came out.

8

Yes, they aren’t always the easiest units to service, but luckily we’ll be able to service them for a while.

9

Thank you. Ok … here’s a question… £2800 dac and £200 transport, or £200 dac and £2800 transport.

10

Oooh boy, that’s a good question. If you’re asking me, I’d spend the money on the DAC. I assume most would agree me but I’d be curious. I think some would argue you should spend a little less on the DAC and get a better transport with that money saved.

11

I agree with James. I’d get the DAC first and save up for the transport.

1 Like
12

but i heard on here the DAC is getting old in the tooth and hard to service …

13

I subscribed to Audiogon’s premium service for a while, in large part to have access to their sales history “blue book.” My experience was that the blue book was nearly useless unless you wanted high production number items that traded hands frequently. If you were interested in anything other than the most common items, the number of recorded sales were so few and the prices were so skewed over a widely variable range that I seldom felt I had any meaningful data to gauge whether asking prices were in the reasonable range. I’d be interested in an item, look it up, and there’d be two or three sales over five years with a 100% price range variation. It also seemed there must have been a lot of listings that never resulted in a completed sale compared to my subjective memory of the market. (an unfortunate commentary on how much time I’ve wasted looking at Audiogon over many years. :joy:)