bene said
I am in Germany and the DS is 6500 Euro here, which equals 8500 USD...when I see, it can be purchased in the US for 4000 USD (market price), then there is something wrong with the international pricing of the units. Would love to upgrade my PWD MKII for 1500 USD as well, if that is the current "upgrade price" in the US.
Although I'm living in Germany, I see things a bit different.
The DSL sells officially for 5995€ list price. I’ve got a 5% discount on my kit, so I believe you can get about 10% for the complete unit from an official dealer. So let’s assume at least 5.500€ for the DS. If you want to compare with US prices, you have to deduct the VAT and the customs, which makes another 25%. That brings us down to 4.400€. If you take the fright into account, we will end up at roughly 4.300€ net price. At the current rate, this makes it 5.650$.
Now we can discuss certain “trade in” offers, which are also not unusual at an authorized dealer. They don’t offer 2000€ for any device, that’s for sure. But for a used unit, they will make you an offer you can’t refuse…
So, all in all, we are not treated extremely unfair here in Germany. And know what? We still have the best beer…
I have been for about twenty five years visiting Germany two or three times a year. From my experience the micro brewries in the USA are for the most part brewing beer at least equal to or I may say in many instances to my taste even better than what I used to look forward to drinking in Germay. When friends from Germany visit they do not care for our better beers. They are satified with our mid fi beer.
Sorry for redirecting this thread in a complete new direction. I didn’t respect the fact, that alcohol seems to be even more emotional than HiFi. Let’s close that sidestep by compromising, that every country has beer that some believe to be the best. Same as in HiFi, I guess.
@Elk: it’s quite normal that the figures of the US prices in $ before tax are the same in € for German customers, but than including tax and duties. And yes, we still stick to the purity law here in Germany, but you are allowed to sell e.g. Belgium brewed beer, although that’s not brewed according to that law.
JA observed that the DirectStream "measures superbly well" in many ways, but was troubled by its poor linearity at low frequencies and its "ultimate lack of resolution" with hi-rez files. But he admits that its "sound quality is still very satisfying".
Can anyone explain about any relation between "measures superbly well", "ultimate lack of resolution", "sound quality is still very satisfying" and Class A+ ?
You need to consider the entire review. For example:
"the DirectStream distinguished itself as a superbly musical source component with excellent pacing, flow, correctness of pitch relationships . . . "
“‘Pharaoh’s Dance,’ from the 40th-anniversary reissue of Miles Davis’s Bitches Brew (AIFF from CD, Columbia/Legacy 88697 702742), was a delight: the most rhythmically insistent reproduction I’ve heard of this PCM file.”
“I was already impressed by the DirectStream’s ability to play music more compellingly than most D/A converters of my experience; here was the refinement that put its sonic presentation in the first rank, as well.”
“. . . today, for those who’ve waited for a computer-friendly DAC that offers, with every type of music file, the best musicality of which DSD is capable, the PerfectWave DirectStream may be in a class by itself.”
The reviewer writes his review of the piece based on his overall assessment and grades it accordingly (in this case A+). JA in this instance could measure and write anything, he’s not the one grading it. The extent to which the measurements have any bearing on the grade are up to the reviewer. So a piece which measures well might not review well, and vice versa. Anyway, that’s my understanding of the review process (measurements might have little or no bearing on the grade given).
I bought my DS before the Stereophile review was published. Had I read the JA comments in the review when contemplating whether to buy I wouldn’t have bought it. It’s just that I like pieces to review and measure well. In any event I’m happy with DS and glad I bought it before reading the review.
Reviews in high end audio magazines are basically one person’s opinion of a product. We buy these products with high expectations and we take them home and listen to them, we have high expectations. One thing we forget, is you will not hear the same results in your system unless your room is identical to the reviewers. High end audio is always subjective. What one person hears on his or her system is not the same another listener raved about on a completely different system. This brings me back to the Direct Stream Dac and resale value. You take it home and listen to it and decide it doesn’t fulfill your expectations. You decide to resell it hoping to get your as much of your money back as you possibly can. Once you open the box and listen to the product, you have to sell it as used. I have never in my 40 years of audio, seen a product that holds 100% of its retail value. Most of the used pieces that I have seen on Audiogon, are from audiophiles that have listened to the DAC and decided it wasn’t for them. On the used market you can expect a 30 - 40 percent loss of your investment in the first year. This is especially true with digital products. I have never heard the DSD dac, but can’t wait to listen to it. I will patiently wait until the price on the used market comes down to around $3200 or the upgrade kit around $2000. I have the PWD MK.II and truly enjoy it, so I am in no hurry to upgrade. High end audio just as automobiles (excluding collectors cars) are a bad investment. Oh by the way, I have less than the retail of the DSD DAC invested in my entire system. (Sonic Frontiers Power 2 - $1800, Martin Logan Ascent i’s - $1300, Sony DVP-9000ES - $150, PS Audio PWK Mk.II - $1300.
Looking at the current prices in the US I am very concerned about the resale value of the DS too.
It´s down to 3.450,- USD DS ob Ebay whereas in Germany/Europe the streetprice is still around 5.500,- €.
The difference is really not acceptable.
Cheers
Kai
