Hey folks
I’d dearly love a PST, but to achieve that I would need to feed it into a integrated amp/dac (due to the need to sell my existing pre & power)… would a PST into a Stellar Strata be lunacy!!! Thanks
That’s going to depend on your goals, your budget and your listening preferences. A matter of personal preference and priorities. If you have a large CD/SACD collection and the funds why not take PS Audio up on their trial offer?
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Ok, I’ll rephrase it … would it be a waste of money because the PWT would be severely bottlenecked by the Strata? This set up would be for a few years, i.e. not just a couple of months.
If I understand you correctly I wouldn’t opt for a used PWT, or used transport in general. Down the road should a repair be necessary parts availability could be a concern. Regarding the PST, it depends. I’m not familiar with the Stellar Strata. If your long range goal is to upgrade DAC, amplifier and preamp, then yes it makes sense. Otherwise personally I’d give it a try and keep the PST if you hear a considerable improvement with playback in your existing system.
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Sorry you completely misunderstand me. I have a non PS cd>pre>power. My future plans are unknown. I don’t have and will never buy a PWT.
So… Is a PST into a Stellar Strata a bad idea?
I was responding to what you said, referring to a PWT, thus my confusion.
I say BUY it, the PST that is.
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Sorry the reference to PWT was a fat thumb typo (S being next to W and all!). PWT not being considered just a PST. To fund that I’d need to sell my cd/pre/power and buy an integrated amp with built in dac.
I’m currently running PST through a GSD and a pair of M700s. You don’t know how close I was to a Strata - Very. PSA put that IIS on the Strata for a reason. Get the PST while it’s on sale. That was the tipping point for me and I haven’t looked back. Last night I listened to my very first SACD (ever) on it. It’s on another level, my friend.
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Do you have or anticipate buying a large collection of SACD’s that would warrant owning the PST or any SACD transport sale aside?
My mediocre record collection is 95% cd and 5% hybrid SACD.
With that collection breakdown then I would pass on the PST and look at the Jay’s or the Project transports and put the difference towards a much better integrated amp/DAC combo. Seems like with the two pieces you proposed you budget is around $7-7500. If you just buy a transport that fits your collection you then have plenty for the integrated. Buy the gear that fits your needs regardless of the brand name.
Hmmm, you’re probably right! Which dacs would take the i2s feed in my budget?
Why would you need a DAC that takes an I2S input if your not trying to output DSD from an SACD? My “silver disc” collection of about a 1000 after years of thinning has a similar breakdown as yours. I own a transport that outputs via I2S to the PSA standard and have tried it into both the DS Sr. and Holo May KTE using all four of the available outputs and contrary to the common mantra here have never found the I2S to be superior. Other than the Strata I’m not aware of another integrated/DAC combo that takes I2S. Again forget sales and trade-in deals and buy what fits your needs and your collection. Based on what you have said a PST and a Strata are not it and that’s without knowing what speakers you are intending to drive with this gear.
Sorry I didn’t explain fully … I saw the Jay’s audio outputs via I2S so was intrigued to know which dacs (not in the stratosphere price wise hopefully!) could receive that signal.
I should add although my SACDs are minimal, they are formed by the Octave records back catalogue, so I feel an urge (and loyalty to Paul!) to try and hear them in all their glory 
I might just get an SACD player and forget the idea of transport/DAC
Your I2S findings are intriguing … its the kind of experiment I’d like to try, but getting the gear is time consuming and costly.
If your main priority is to play that handful of Octave discs in “all their glory” plus have an integrated amp then look at the 30 series from Marantz. $6000 list price and probably less from Underwood HiFi. That gets you SACD, streamer, DAC and integrated.
I’ve ended up getting a high end denon sacd player. I’ll compare it’s redbook CD performance to my existing CD player.
My remarks about the integrated amp, was simply a way to free up funds for a PS Audio Transport. I was trying to decide between:
- PST>Stellar Strata
- Existing CD>£5k pre/power combo.
I hear the PST is great with redbook, so don’t want to see it as just a SACD player.
Which model please?
dcd-2500
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Excellent one. Congratulations!