One thing about PS audio is that you know the amp section is going to sound great, from Sprout to BHK…
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I see. This is interesting as I have had friends listen to my system and get really interested in higher end sound (it’s so fun to see their faces as it “hits” them). I turned one on to the Sprout100 and he loves it (with ELAC Uni5’s), but two other friends wanted something that looked and felt more “substantial”, like a rack size piece. I think the Strata could really fit thier pistol. Not sure if it will be in the price range though. It would almost be interesting to make a rack sized version of the Sprout for those wanting to “fit in” with audiophiles. The sound of the Sprout sure fits a larger unit.
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But any of those products you mention have very distinctive differences. Fully balanced design, DSD as well as PCM DAC capability’s and Gain Cell volume control distinguishes this product from its competition. Reading about the troubles one has to go through getting the cover art on a screen of high end products I have no interest paying for large color touchscreens in audio equipment, while I can use any touchpad as user interface. I prefer that the money goes into the sound processing.
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Agreed that sound quality most important for me, but user interface is also very important (gotta be stable, full featured, and just work without hiccups like Bluesound and Lumin and Heos do (three I have experience with, PlayFi not so much). Aesthetics a distant third IMO.
Well, I am not sure then that I communicated well if that’s what you take away from my message. Sorry about that. Let’s try again.
The DAC inside Strata is the same as the SGCD. It has seen some improvements that help the synergy of the system. The key word here is system. Strata is a system and the parts within Strata have been optimized to work together. An SGCD has been
optimized to work as a standalone DAC, but also, we “synergiezed” the SGCD and S300/M700 as Pairs too. Which means your combo is just fine and doing what it should. It also means that if you took the Strata’s analog outs into the S300 it might not sound as
good (I have yet to try this).
We can’t always assume that breaking the chain and culling out one piece is going to be an advantage.
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It’s interesting the psychology of this stuff. When James said the DAC chip is different in the Strata…I immediately begin to think “I want that chip in my SGCD”!. Why? My GCD sounds amazing! What is my issue? There is no issue. We do get caught up in the technical stuff a bit and forget to just listen…
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Just as PS Audio is not standing still, neither are the companies who produce the component parts that make it into PS Audio products. For example, since SGCD was introduced ESS has come out with many new dac chips, and keeps improving on the technology and the specs for those dac chips keep getting better and better.
If PS Audio wants the Strata to compete with the PS Audio competitors in the space (Naim, NAD for one-box solutions, many others if two box solutions are considered) for current technology, they can’t be hamstrung being forced to use old technology to let new products fit into their product line perfectly, or they will not be competitive with their competitors and will be left behind.
So it makes sense that they approach each new product freshly and use the best component parts they can under the budgetary constraints and get the best sounding product they can with each new product. Of course, someday there will be a replacement for the SGCD that will doubtlessly outperform the strata dac because ESS and AKM and everyone will keep innovating as well and those new dac chips will cost less than ES9016 does now.
Normal ongoing development cycles pushing the quality forward - that’s what customers want.
DAC and digital technology is probably the most rapidly advancing area of audio, so just like computers of the last 40 years, the minute you purchase something the next day there is something better. But that’s a good thing, otherwise we’d all still be using 386’s. Just enjoy the progression.
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Well said. I was looking at the Hegel 590 to compare to the Strata and I don’t know the technicals of it all, but the Hegel is what, $11,000? The Strata, which I’m betting will be sonically on par with the 590 at $3000? Yup. It’s all perspective perhaps, but PSA stuff is often quite competitively priced.
Not to be confrontational, but why would you think Strata would be on par with the Hegel 590? I’m indifferent as I don’t own either (or any pieces of either brand), but I’ve heard Hegel stuff and it’s excellent. I suspect many (perhaps not on this forum, but generally) would take the bet you propose.
As I said I recently started paying attention to PSAudio because they seem to have a following, and for me, if it is better than NAD, Naim, and the Rega/Cambridge and bel canto pairs (or others), then that’s what I’ll get. Sound quality, convenience/ease of use, and price will drive my decision, in that order.
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Well, to be honest I don’t “know” that it would be sonically on par…much like you are unsure that it is not…I’m just basing it on my experiences with PSA products and their reputation for producing high quality amplification. Much like I quizzed Paul on if replacing my $600 Sprout100 with a Stellar stack would it be 5 times better sound. It wasn’t. But it sure as hell was better and worth the cost (for me). It was a bit of a response to a bigger/better thing because it is new or costs more.
It was really just a “free thought” thing. The Strata hasn’t even been released yet, so I’m just talking speculatively.
Sure, it’s all subjective anyway so some may prefer and some may not, of course.
Would be quite an accomplishment if it was better than that level of product, that’s for sure!
Looking forward to its release, hope it stays on schedule!
I think NAD kickstarted something with these one box streaming solutions and you’ll see more and more of them in near future as more and more adopt streaming as preferred way of getting most music most of time.
Will the SGCD be getting the streaming treatment for those who would still like separates? Or will the only streaming option be in the integrated?
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Wouldn’t that be awesome? Thanks for bringing it to Paul’s attention!
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We’re not going to be able to add the streaming into the SGCD. Perhaps someday, but there’s a whole lot of engineering changes and certainly nothing field upgradeable. Long term we’d love to see streaming built into everything, but that takes time.
Well, slap my mouth and hit me upside the head! I was not paying enough attention. James is correct. The Strata has the newer ESS 9016 while the SGCD has the older 9010. I had been in many meetings where the team optimized the 9010’s output stage to better
fit the synergy of the unit. I guess in the end they found it easier to update the whole chip. I was wrong.
Too much changing here! We’ve grown so big in people - we’re now 17 engineers, programmers and support staff not counting me and it’s tough to keep up with it all.
Thanks to James for the correction.
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Oh great. NOW I want the ESS 9016 in my SGCD again! Worlds are colliding!
Well, just send me a P3 regenerator and we’ll call it even… 
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Not sure what all the hoopla is all about. Newer does not necessarily equate to better. The 9016 may make the GCD sound like crap. Just as the 9010 may make the Strata sound like crap. As Paul has said endless times, it’s about integration into a specific product.
No hoopla (my last comment was in jest, fyi…). I think most of us are asking questions because we are interested in the new technologies, upgrades, new products, and general hifi learning.
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What’s the story on the streaming side of the Strata? Is it essentially a Bridge II, though I assume not from Converse? Will the Strata work with Roon? With Audirvana?
Thanks
While waiting for this release I’m really in research mode.
A potentially worthy two box competitor is nd8006 and pm8006 from marantz, msrp for pair $2.4k. Same 9016 dac chip, dual band wireless, proven stable and slick HEOSstraming interface, Siri voice, Alexa, HEOS multiroom, AirPlay 2, native tidal Qobuzz … and a CD player to boot. Just 70 wpc but class A/B I think.
Would submit that Strata would be more competitively priced at $2.5k perhaps but just a suggestion. I still like my $2k Black Friday promotion suggestion - I’ll take one! Haha