PS Audio PerfectWave Transport User manual

Owner’s Reference
Instructions for use
PerfectWave DAC
Owner’s Reference
Perfect Wave DAC
®
4826 Sterling Drive, Boulder, CO 80301
PH: 720.406.8946 | [email protected] | www.psaudio.com
15-042-21-1 Rev A
Instruction i
©2010 PS Audio International Inc. All rights reserved.

Important Safety Information
®
4826 Sterling Drive, Boulder, CO 80301
PH: 720.406.8946 | [email protected] | www.psaudio.com
15-042-21-1 Rev A
Instruction i
©2010 PS Audio International Inc. All rights reserved.
1) Read these instructions.
2) Keep these instructions.
3) Heed all warnings.
4) Follow all instructions.
5) Do not use this apparatus near water.
6) Clean only with dry cloth.
7) Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
8) Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including
HTWSPÄLYZ[OH[WYVK\JLOLH[
9) Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades
with one wider than the other. A grounding type plug has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide
ISHKLVY[OL[OPYKWYVUNHYLWYV]PKLKMVY`V\YZHML[`0M[OLWYV]PKLKWS\NKVLZUV[Ä[PU[V`V\YV\[SL[JVUZ\S[
an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.
10) Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles,
and the point where they exit from the apparatus.
6US`\ZLH[[HJOTLU[ZHJJLZZVYPLZZWLJPÄLKI`[OLTHU\MHJ[\YLY
<ZLVUS`^P[O[OLTV\U[PUNIYHJRL[ZZWLJPÄLKI`[OLTHU\MHJ[\YLYVYZVSK^P[O[OLHWWHYH[\Z
9LMLYHSSZLY]PJPUN[VX\HSPÄLKZLY]PJLWLYZVUULS:LY]PJPUNPZYLX\PYLK^OLU[OLHWWHYH[\ZOHZILLU
damaged in any way, such as power-supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have
fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or
has been dropped.
Owner’s Reference
Perfect Wave DAC

Table of Contents
®
4826 Sterling Drive, Boulder, CO 80301
PH: 720.406.8946 | [email protected] | www.psaudio.com
15-042-21-1 Rev A
Instruction i
©2010 PS Audio International Inc. All rights reserved.
INTRODUCTION 2
GETTING STARTED 3
Unpacking the unit 3
Register the unit 3
Location 3
Stacking with a PerfectWave Transport 4
Digital Inputs 4
AC Power 4
CONNECTING THE PWD 4
Choosing the Connection Method 4
I2S 5
USB 5
AES/EBU 5
Coaxial Digital 5
Optical 5
Connecting to a Digital Source 5
Connecting PWD with Bridge to the Network 6
Ethernet Connection to Router 6
Wireless USB Dongle 6
Wireless Ethernet Adapter 6
Connecting the PWD Output 7
CONTROL AND OPERATION 7
Powering the PWD 7
ON/OFF button 8
Select the Input 8
Input Naming 8
Sample Rate 8
Filter 9
AUTO. 11
Filter 1 MP APOD 11
Filter 2 MP SOFT 11
Filter 3 LP APOD 12
Filter 4 LP SOFT 12
Filter 5 MP 1/2B 13
Phase (Polarity) 14
Remote Control 14
Dimming the Display 15
Checking the Firmware Version Number 15
Cleaning 15
NETWORK AUDIO PLAYBACK 15
The Bridge 15
Introduction to a Network Audio System 16
The PerfectWave Network 16
Building the Network 17
Understanding the Controller 17
tagNplay 17
Preparing the iDevice 17
Install tagNplay 18
Understanding the Server 18
The UPnP based server 18
Setting up the Server 19
Supported Formats 19
Installing the Bridge 20
Test by Playing Tracks 20
Controlling the PWD and Bridge with tagNplay 21
Introduction to tagNplay 21
Using tagNplay 21
Library Selection 21
Player Selection 22
Server Navigation 22
Track Selection 25
Now Playing Screen 26
Artist Info 27
Playing Internet Radio 28
Queue Management 29
Accessing Saved Playlists 31
TROUBLESHOOTING 32
WARRANTY 33
SERVICE 35
NOTES 36
Owner’s Reference
Perfect Wave DAC

Introduction
®
4826 Sterling Drive, Boulder, CO 80301
PH: 720.406.8946 | [email protected] | www.psaudio.com
15-042-21-1 Rev A
Instruction i
©2010 PS Audio International Inc. All rights reserved.
The PS Audio PerfectWaveTM Digital To Analog Converter
7>+PZHZ[H[LVM[OLHY[+[V(WYVJLZZVYWYLHTWSPÄLYHUK
media center. The PWD accepts PCM Digital Audio data and
converts it to high-performance analog audio that can be fed
KPYLJ[S`[VHWV^LYHTWSPÄLYVYWYLHTWSPÄLY
Your PS Audio PWD represents a major advancement in the art
of recreating the musical event. The sense of being “there” at
the original performance, hearing the warmth and immediacy of
the live performance is unmatched. From the elegant physical
appearance to its superb construction, your PS Audio DAC will
provide you with years of musical enjoyment and pleasure.
The PerfectWave series is a system – designed to be used
[VNL[OLYMVYILZ[ILULÄ[HS[OV\NOLHJOVM[OLJVTWVULU[Z
within that system can be used as standalone pieces.
The system’s philosophical beginnings centered on a somewhat
radical concept: that we could create a high-end digital audio
system that transcended the performance issues of storage,
media type and data delivery. We reasoned that all digital audio
data should provide the same level of performance regardless
of whether it was stored on optical discs, hard drives, solid
state memory or even, for that matter, over the internet.
After all, “bits-is-bits”. But we knew that “bits- aren’t- bits”
because they sounded differently; CD’s sounded different than
the same recording ripped to a hard drive, or streamed over
the internet. We knew that from a theoretical standpoint this
shouldn’t be and set out to design a system that transcended
[OLZLSPTP[H[PVUZ>LÄYZ[L_WLYPTLU[LK^P[OTVKPÄLK7*
motherboards and output cards to extract and manage the data
from both a hard drive and a ROM drive. These experiments
quickly convinced us that no PC equipment could be used as
their environments were too noisy and the peripherals (sound
cards and interfaces) measured well but relied on massive data
manipulation and sample rate conversion to achieve low jitter.
Had we stayed the course with using computer parts placed in
a nice high-end audio chassis, we would have been to market a
year earlier and competed with those manufacturers that have
chosen this route. But our goals were loftier than this and we
trudged onward from the ground-up with a custom solution
which you now are about to enjoy. No computer parts were
used in the building of this remarkable system.
;OL+(*`V\OH]LPU`V\YWVZZLZZPVUPZ[OLÄYZ[WYPTHY`
piece in that system demonstrating this concept’s successful
conclusion. Two years in design and thousands of hours of
programming later we are pleased to present the world’s best
digital audio pieces.
Owner’s Reference
Perfect Wave DAC

Getting Started
®
4826 Sterling Drive, Boulder, CO 80301
PH: 720.406.8946 | [email protected] | www.psaudio.com
15-042-21-1 Rev A
Instruction i
Unpacking the unit
Carefully unpack the unit. Your new PerfectWave DAC comes
wrapped in a soft organic cotton bag to protect its beautiful
ÄUPZO<ZL[OLPUJS\KLKJV[[VUNSV]LZ[VYLTV]L[OL\UP[HUK
place in the chosen location. The piano black top cover has a
WYV[LJ[P]LWSHZ[PJÄST9LTV]L[OPZÄST*VUULJ[[OL7>+[V
your digital sources using the appropriate connections. Connect
the AC cable into the receptacle in back and plug the unit into
your power conditioner or into the wall.
Register the Unit
PS Audio products come from the factory with a 90 day
warranty. An extended 3 year warranty is available in exchange
for registering your product with PS Audio. Registration takes
just a few minutes, helps us inform you about future upgrades
and allows us to maintain the highest standards of product
quality of any company. To register your new unit, look on
the back panel of the PWD and note the serial number. Using
any web browser, go to www.psaudio.com and click on
Register Products. Once you have completed the registration
process you can then go to the PS website and look at the My
Registered Products page. The link to this page is located at
the top right hand corner of the website. If you do not have web
HJJLZZ`V\TH`YLNPZ[LY[OL\UP[]PHTHPSVYWOVUL5V[PÄJH[PVU
of software upgrades to this product will be available only to
registered owners via the web.
Location
A good location for your DAC is in a cabinet or on a shelf at
an easily accessible height. The receiver for the remote is
located to the left of the Touch Screen. A direct line of sight
will ensure optimum operation, as the IR receiver in the PWD
has a relatively narrow range of view. If the PWD is to be in a
visually restricted space it might make sense to add an optional
IR booster near the PWD to increase the range of the remote
control.
Stacking with a PerfectWave Transport
The PWD and PWT were designed to stack on top of each other
if they are not placed on separate shelves. To do this, remove
the feet from the unit you wish to place on top of the stack.
Carefully place the top unit so it rests on the bottom unit. You
will note that the bottom of the corners of each PerfectWave
piece is specially designed to mate with the top corners of
another PerfectWave.
Digital Inputs
The PWD offers multiple digital input choices including: XLR
(AES/EBU), RCA and TOSLINK (S/ PDIF), USB as well as I2S. All
PUW\[ZPUJS\KPUN<:)HYLJHWHISLVMHJJLW[PUNOPNOKLÄUP[PVU
digital audio signals. The USB and TOSLINK are capable of
96kHz, 24 bit audio and the other inputs are all capable of
handling up to 192kHz 32 bit data.
The PWD uses an HDMI cable to transfer I2S data. This
data can only be used with another compatible PS Audio
component, such as the PerfectWave transport, and will not
work in other HDMI equipment as the I I2S format incorporated
does not comply with the HDMI standards. The HDMI connector
and cable were chosen to carry the I2S signal because of their
superior high- speed data transmission capabilities for multiple
clocks and data lines.
As in all high performance audio applications, the quality
of the cable is important to the overall sound, although any
manufacturer’s cables can be used. PS Audio manufactures two
models of approved I2S ready HDMI cables, either of which are
highly recommended for this application.
No HDMI cable was included with the PWD and to get started it
is OK to use an off-the-shelf HDMI cable.
AC Power
Your new PS Audio DAC is supplied with a removable AC
Power cord. While the supplied cord is of good quality, it
is recommended that you replace it with one of PS Audio’s
matching PerfectWave AC power cords for optimum
performance. It is also recommended that you connect your
new PWD to one of PS Audio’s award-winning AC power
products such as the Power Plant Premier.
©2010 PS Audio International Inc. All rights reserved.
Owner’s Reference
Perfect Wave DAC

Connecting the Pwd
®
4826 Sterling Drive, Boulder, CO 80301
PH: 720.406.8946 | [email protected] | www.psaudio.com
15-042-21-1 Rev A
Instruction i
©2010 PS Audio International Inc. All rights reserved.
Choosing the Connection Method
The PWD has multiple digital inputs and accommodates
multiple products connected to it. For best performance it
is advisable to use the highest performance inputs for the
products you use most. In order of preference, from a high-
performance standpoint, here are the recommendations for
connecting the PWD to your source equipment.
I2S
(Pronounced “I squared S”) This is the best performance
option. This connection method will only work with a
similarly equipped I2S input using the HDMI connection.
This will not work into a standard HDMI connection and
must go into a PS approved type such as that found on the
PerfectWave Transport. This input is capable of 192kHz 32
bit data.
USB
Universal Serial Bus. This is used when connecting directly
to a computer. The computer will automatically recognize
the PWD and install the appropriate driver. This USB input is
capable of 96kHz 24 bit data.
AES/EBU
This is a balanced, or XLR type, S/PDIF encoded input
that complies with standards set by the AES/EBU (Audio
Engineering Society/European Broadcasting Union). This
input is capable of 192kHz 32 bit data.
Coaxial Digital
Coaxial single ended, or RCA typs, S/PDIF encoded input.
This input is capable of 192kHz 32 bit data.
Optical
TOSLINK optically connected S/PDIF encoded input. This
input is capable of 96kHz 24 bit data. Whatever input you
use, ensure the connecting cable is of the highest quality
and shortest distance.
Connecting to a Digital Source
There are three methods of connecting the digital inputs of the
PWD: SPDIF, USB and I2S. SPDIF is a serial digital interface
available as an optical source (TOSLINK), coaxial source (RCA)
or balanced source (XLR).
Connect to your digital sources with any of these three
cable types.USB is the preferred method of connection for a
computer or computer type equipment and the PWD is capable
of processing up to 96kHz 24 bit USB data. Most DAC’s are
capable of only 48kHz, 16 bit data over USB. Connect the PWD
to your computer using a standard USB cable and make sure
to set the output of your computer to the higher 96kHz 24 bit
standard. Once connected, your computer (Windows or MAC)
should automatically install the PWD as a new device. The
device will read “PS Audio 24/96 USB Audio Link.” If the device
is not recognized or your are unable to obtain output through
[OL7>+P[PZWVZZPISL[OH[[OLYLPZHKYP]LYJVUÅPJ[VU`V\Y
computer. Please see the Troubleshooting section for further
assistance on playback issues via USB. I2S is available (at the
point of this writing) only through other PS Audio equipment
such as the PerfectWave Transport or the upcoming PS Audio
Digital Lens. I2S is a parallel data connection with separate
clocks and data and transferred via an HDMI cable. I2S will
always provide a better performance standard than any serial
data stream such as S/PDIF or AES/EBU.
You can connect one or all four inputs at the same time. For
instance, you can connect the USB input to your computer and
the coax input to your CD player. Then you can simply choose
which one to listen to from the front panel touch screen (or the
remote) that selects the input. The USB does not need a driver
but it does need to install it’s own driver. If you are using USB,
make sure both the computer and the PWD are connected and
powered up. The computer should recognize the new hardware
and self install the necessary drivers.
Connecting the PWD with Bridge to the Network
;OL7>+^OLUV\[Ä[[LK^P[O[OL7LYMLJ[>H]L5L[^VYR)YPKNL
will connect directly to your Network to allow playback of Digital
(\KPVÄSLZZ[VYLKVUOHYKKYP]LZ^P[OPU[OLUL[^VYR;OLYL
are three methods for connecting the PWD with Bridge to the
Network, each is listed below in order of preference;
Ethernet Connection to Router
Using a Category 5 or higher cable to connect the Ethernet
connection of the Bridge directly to the Router. This is the
most reliable solution and allows for the highest level of
bandwidth between the router and the Bridge.
Owner’s Reference
Perfect Wave DAC

Connecting the Pwd
®
4826 Sterling Drive, Boulder, CO 80301
PH: 720.406.8946 | [email protected] | www.psaudio.com
15-042-21-1 Rev A
Instruction i
©2010 PS Audio International Inc. All rights reserved.
Wireless USB Dongle
Available sometime in late 2010, from any PS Audio Dealer,
the USB Wireless Dongle will allow you to connect your
Bridge to your Wireless Network. Insert the USB Wireless
Dongle into the USB host input on the Bridge at the rear
of the PWD, then follow the instructions included with
the USB Wireless Dongle. This Wireless solution has
been specially designed to ensure extremely low latency
network connectivity and is second in preference to a wired
connection.
Wireless Ethernet Adapter
Wireless Ethernet Adapters connect to your Wireless
Network and provide a Ethernet connection to the
Bridge. Such devices are available from a wide range of
manufacturers. Setup of the device is usually performed on a
computer prior to connecting it to the Bridge via a Category
5, or higher, Ethernet cable.
More details on the Network setup can be found in the
Network Audio section of this user guide.
Connecting the PWD Output
;OL7>+PZKLZPNULK[VKYP]LHWV^LYHTWSPÄLYVYWYLHTWSPÄLY
directly. The outputs of the PWD are high-performance, high
current outputs that can drive long lengths of interconnect cable
without degradation.
Our recommendation is to use the PWD directly into your power
HTWSPÄLYHUKI`WHZZ[OLWYLHTWSPÄLY¸;OLYL»ZUVWYLHTWSPÄLY
SPRLUVWYLHTWSPÄLY¹*LY[HPUS`[OPZPZ`V\YJOVPJLI\[^L
believe the fewer pieces of equipment in the chain the better
performance of the system.
The PWD has two types of analog outputs, balanced XLR or
single ended RCA. You may use one or both outputs at the
ZHTL[PTL)LH^HYL[OH[TVZ[HTWSPÄLYZHUKWYLHTWSPÄLYZ^PSS
produce 6dB more level with the balanced outputs as opposed
to the single ended outputs. If you are using both outputs be
advised they will be at different levels.
0M[OL7>+OHZHNHPUTPZTH[JO^P[O`V\YWV^LYHTWSPÄLY`V\
can use the balanced outputs and achieve 6dB more gain or
choose the single ended RCA outputs for lower gain.
RCA or single ended inputs will be the typical inputs as many
WYLHTWSPÄLYZZ\YYV\UKWYVJLZZVYZYLJLP]LYZPU[LNYH[LK
HTWSPÄLYZHUKWV^LYHTWSPÄLYZOH]LVUS`[OPZZ[HUKHYK[`WLVM
input.
Plug either the RCA or the XLR outputs of the PWD into a line
SL]LSPUW\[VU[OLWYLHTWPU[LNYH[LK(TWSPÄLYVY9LJLP]LY+V
NOT plug the output of the PWD into a phono or equalized input
of any type.
Once everything has been connected, use a high quality AC
cable to power the PWD. DAC’s in particular are quite sensitive
to AC power and produce a bit of line noise themselves. Make
sure you have a high quality shielded power cable to power the
PWD.
PS Audio produces an entire line of high quality shielded power
cables that are generally accepted as being one of the best in
the industry.
Owner’s Reference
Perfect Wave DAC

Powering the PWD
Turn the AC power switch in the rear of the PWD to the ON
position. The power switch is located just above the AC inlet.
As soon as the switch is activated the front panel touch screen
will display the initializing screen. This screen shows when the
7>+»ZPU[LYUHS¸LUNPUL¹PZILPUNSVHKLK^P[O[OLÄYT^HYL[OH[
runs the PWD.
After the INITIALIZING SCREEN, you will see the main screen of
the PWD.
ON/OFF button
The front panel PS logo, located on the far left hand corner of
the unit, is the on/off standby control for the PWD. Press this
button to turn the unit on/off. This is a “soft” power button.
When pressed, the display as well as the outputs are turned off.
All the unit’s internal circuitry remains active and ready for play.
Press the PS logo button to activate the unit when you wish to
play music.
Select the Input
;OLÄYZ[Z[LWPZ[VZLSLJ[[OLPUW\[`V\^PZO[VWSH`;OLPUW\[
select is on the far right hand side of the touch screen. Touch
the input selector icon (or use the remote) and the input
selection list appears. Scroll through the list and touch the
input you wish to play. The screen reverts back to the main
screen and the selected input is displayed. Each input, with the
exception of USB and Media Bridge, has a lock light associated
with it. The lock light has two states: connected (green) and not
connected (red). This lock light indicator is located in the upper
right hand corner of the input icon.
Input Naming
For greater convenience it is possible to assign a custom name
to each input such as PerfectWave Transport, Apple TV, etc. To
name each input, touch the input icon from the main screen.
The input list appears. Touch the small edit icon of the input you
wish to name and the edit screen appears. Type in the name of
the product and touch “SUBMIT”. If you wish to return to
the default input name, go to the second keyboard screen
(accessed by pressing the numeric key labeled 123/.!) and touch
“Restore Default”.
Sample Rate
The PWD offers both NATIVE as well as multiple up and down
sample rate options through the Sample Rate Converter (SRC)
icon. Touch the SRC ICON or use the remote keys labeled
SR- and SR+ to change the sample rate. NATIVE is the original
untouched sample rate as transferred from the digital source.
Use this mode whenever you are using an I2S input, a high-
YLZVS\[PVUH\KPVÄSLVYHZ`V\YSPZ[LUPUNL_WLYPLUJL^V\SK
suggest. Many people feel that NATIVE is a cleaner and more
natural presentation of audio that does not rely on the digital
manipulation found in the SRC. Nearly all DACS use sample rate
converters (SRC’s) for elimination of jitter inherent in the S/PDIF
conversion process as well as to help the audio sound better.
When using the PWT alongside the PWD, there is very little to
no jitter to be concerned with so it is questionable whether you
might want the SRC in the picture at all. Thus we added, on the
touch screen of the PWD, Native mode. Native simply means
that there is no sample rate converter used and we receive
whatever the source is producing natively.
If you are playing a CD, native gives you 44.1kHz (the native
sample rate of a CD). Playing a high-resolution audio disc, you
get that sample rate (96kHz to 192kHz). Native mode is one of
the stronger features of the PWD and experimenting with the
system will show off its qualities. Increasing or decreasing the
sample rate is a matter of personal preference and these setting
should be determined through listening. The NATIVE sample
rate for CD’s is 44.1kHz. Sample rates for computer audio is
either 48kHz or 96kHz depending on your computer setup and
source material. You probably do not want to down-sample
for any reason. Therefore, choose at least the native sample
rate for any input. The PWD will memorize the last setting
chosen for the input you are on. So, for instance, if you choose
NATIVE while on input I2S2 and 192kHz for RCA, the SRC will
automatically switch to that setting when you change inputs.
Filter
;OL7>+VMMLYZH^PKLHZZVY[TLU[VMKPNP[HSÄS[LYZ+PNP[HSÄS[LYZ
are necessary and used in all modern DACS but few are as
ZVWOPZ[PJH[LKHZ[OVZLPU[OL7>+;OLWYVISLTZ^P[OHU`ÄS[LY
whether it is analog or digital, are the effects they have on the
passband (usable audio frequencies).
Filters leave several types of negative artifacts: group delay,
WOHZLHUKYPWWSLLYYVYZ:VTLÄS[LYZTPUPTPaLWOHZLHUKNYV\W
delay errors while others minimize ripple errors. Each error is
minimized at the expense of the other; thus, there is no such
[OPUNHZHWLYMLJ[ÄS[LYHUKHZ^P[OTHU`[OPUNZPULSLJ[YVUPJZ
each is a tradeoff with good and bad points.
Control & Operation
®
4826 Sterling Drive, Boulder, CO 80301
PH: 720.406.8946 | [email protected] | www.psaudio.com
15-042-21-1 Rev A
Instruction i
©2010 PS Audio International Inc. All rights reserved.
Owner’s Reference
Perfect Wave DAC

Control & Operation
®
4826 Sterling Drive, Boulder, CO 80301
PH: 720.406.8946 | [email protected] | www.psaudio.com
15-042-21-1 Rev A
Instruction i
©2010 PS Audio International Inc. All rights reserved.
;OL7>+OHZ[^VIHZPJ[`WLZVMÄS[LYZ^P[OZL]LYHS
JVTIPUH[PVUZVM[OL[^VH]HPSHISL;OL[^VÄS[LY[`WLZHYL!
Linear Phase and Minimum Phase as well as Recursive Non-
/HSM)HUK^OPJOPZIHZPJHSS`HJVTIPUH[PVUVM[OLÄYZ[[^V
>P[OPU[OLZL[^VTHPUÄS[LY[`WLZ3PULHYWOHZLHUK4PUPT\T
[OLYLHYLZL]LYHS]HYPH[PVUZ[VJOVVZLMYVTVULHJOÄS[LY
including Apodising and Soft Knee Filters.
From a user perspective, we recommend choosing whichever
ÄS[LYZV\UKZ[OLILZ[[V`V\^P[OV\[ILPUNV]LYS`JVUJLYULK
about understanding these extraordinarily complicated subjects.
Our favorite on the PS system is Minimum Phase Apodising
“MP Apod” on the touch screen.
(IYPLML_WSHUH[PVUVMLHJOÄS[LY[`WLHWWLHYZILSV^
3PULHY7OHZLHUK4PUPT\T7OHZLÄS[LYZ
3PULHYWOHZLÄS[LYZOH]LILLU^PKLS`\ZLKPU+(*:MVYV]LY
20 years because they introduce no group-delay distortion,
minimize post ringing and have a phase response that is
the same for all frequencies but at the cost of pre-ringing.
*VU]LYZLS`TPUPT\TWOHZLÄS[LYZOH]LZVTLNYV\WKLSH`
distortion, some minimal phase shift with frequency but little
pre-ringing.
4VZ[+(*KPNP[HSÄS[LYKLZPNUZ[LUK[VMVJ\ZVU[OLMYLX\LUJ`
response and neglect the time domain response. However there
is now an increasing interest in the effect that time-domain
WYVWLY[PLZVM[OLZLÄS[LYZOH]LVU[OLWLYJLP]LKH\KPVX\HSP[`
[O\Z[OL7>+VMMLYZHJOVPJLIL[^LLUKPMMLYLU[ÄS[LY[`WLZ
described in this section.
.LULYHSS`ZWLHRPUNSPULHYWOHZLÄS[LYZHYLMVJ\ZLKVU
TH_PTPaPUN[OLMYLX\LUJ`KVTHPU^OPSLTPUPT\TWOHZLÄS[LYZ
are designed to maximize the time-domain performance.
Group delay is a time domain issue where different frequencies
HYYP]LZSPNO[S`V\[VM[PTL^P[O[OLV[OLYMYLX\LUJPLZ(ÄS[LY^P[O
UVNYV\WKLSH`Z\JOHZHSPULHYÄS[LYTLHUZ[OH[HSSMYLX\LUJPLZ
arrive at the same time). The issue from an audibility standpoint
is then how much group delay is audible and acceptable?
Research has shown the ear is relatively insensitive to group
delay distortion of several milliseconds for low frequencies (less
than1kHz) and insensitive to +/-0.5ms over the 1-5kHz band.
Other work shows that the sensitivity to group delay distortion
falls after 4kHz and therefore group delay distortion in the upper
regions of the audio band is much less audible. For a typical
TPUPT\TWOHZLÄS[LYKLZPNULKMVYR/a[OLNYV\WKLSH`
distortion up to 10kHz is under 2 samples (less then 46μs) and
TH`ILPUH\KPISL;OLTPUPT\TWOHZLÄS[LYZ\ZLKPU[OL7>+
have group delay that we feel is inaudible.
Pre-ringing (or Pre-echo) is an interesting type of distortion.
It is a type of additive distortion to the waveform that occurs
before the actual event (sound) occurs and is a product of linear
WOHZL-09KPNP[HSÄS[LYZ;OLLHYHWWLHYZ[VIL]LY`ZLUZP[P]L[V
this type of pre-echo because re-ringing rarely occurs naturally.
As you can imagine it is very rare to hear the artifacts of the
distortion before the originating sound reaches the listener.
Apodising and slow roll off response
;OL7>+VMMLYZIV[OSPULHYHUKTPUPT\TWOHZLÄS[LYJOVPJLZ
along with a Recursive Non-Half Band type, which is a
combination of both. Within each choice of linear and minimum
WOHZLÄS[LYZ[OL\ZLYOHZ[OLHIPSP[`[VJOVVZLLP[OLY(WVKPZPUN
or Soft Knee choices.
(U(WVKPZPUNÄS[LYPZVUL[OH[JHUIL\ZLK[VJVU[YVS[OL[PTL
smear of a whole recording and reproducing chain. This type
VMÄS[LYJHUYLK\JL[OLWYLHUKWVZ[YPUNPUNVM[OLPTW\SZL
YLZWVUZLPUIV[OSPULHYHZ^LSSHZHTPUPT\TWOHZLÄS[LY
choices.
:VM[2ULLÄS[LYZ[HRLHK]HU[HNLVM[OLSHYNLY[YHUZP[PVUIHUK[V
YLK\JL[OLKPZWLYZPVUHUKKLSH`[OYV\NO[OLÄS[LY0UZ[LHKVM[OL
JSHZZPJ¸)YPJR^HSS¹ÄS[LYHWWYVHJOVMJ\[[PUNL]LY`[OPUNHIV]L
[OLWHZZIHUKVMM]LY`ZOHYWS`HZVM[RULLÄS[LYKVLZ[OPZPUH
gentler fashion, thus minimizing group delay problems.
;OYLLVM[OLÄS[LYZ37(WVK47)37:VM[^PSSOH]LHZSPNO[
high frequency roll off within the audio band (20kHz) when you
are using 44.1kHz modes (Native and 44.1) and playing 44.1kHz
material (CD’s). We have included graphs of the frequency
YLZWVUZLVML]LY`ÄS[LYMVY`V\[VZLL;OLH\KPISLLMMLJ[ZVM
this roll off are minimal at best. The most extreme roll off in the
ZLYPLZVMÄS[LYZPZ37(WVKPZPUN^OPJOPZK)KV^UH[ R/a
and -3dB down at 20kHz.
(SSÄS[LYZ^PSSKPZWSH`Y\SLYÅH[MYLX\LUJ`YLZWVUZL[VR/a
while playing 44.1kHz material if you increase the sample rate
to a minimum of 48kHz although we do not believe this is
necessary or warranted.
While no Audiophile wants to hear that there is anything lost
in the music, the facts are pretty clear: these small frequency
KL]PH[PVUZ^P[OKPMMLYLU[ÄS[LYZH[[OLSV^LYZHTWSLYH[LZOH]L
very minimal impact on performance.
;OLÄS[LYJOVPJLZ!
AUTO.
;OPZ^PSSH\[VTH[PJHSS`JOVVZLÄS[LY47:VM[MVYR/aHUK
LP Soft for any higher sample rates. These are the choices we
believe work best.
Owner’s Reference
Perfect Wave DAC

Control & Operation
®
4826 Sterling Drive, Boulder, CO 80301
PH: 720.406.8946 | [email protected] | www.psaudio.com
15-042-21-1 Rev A
Instruction i
©2010 PS Audio International Inc. All rights reserved.
Filter 1 MP APOD
4PUPT\TWOHZL(WVKPZPUNÄS[LY3V^WYLYPUNPUNTPUPTHS
group delay, minimized post ringing, good phase vs. frequency,
ZOHYWLYÄS[LYJ\[VMM
Filter 2 MP SOFT
4PUPT\TWOHZLZVM[RULLÄS[LY3V^WYLYPUNPUNTPUPTHSNYV\W
delay, minimized post ringing, good phase vs. frequency, soft
cutoff.
Filter 3 LP APOD
3PULHYWOHZL(WVKPZPUNÄS[LY5VNYV\WKLSH`WLYMLJ[WOHZL]Z
MYLX\LUJ`TPUPTHSWVZ[YPUNPUNZVTLWYLYPUNPUNZOHYWLYÄS[LY
cutoff.
Filter 4 LP SOFT
3PULHYWOHZLZVM[RULLÄS[LY5VNYV\WKLSH`WLYMLJ[WOHZL]Z
MYLX\LUJ`TPUPTHSWVZ[YPUNPUNZVTLWYLYPUNPUNZVM[LYÄS[LY
cutoff.
Filter 5 MP 1/2B
4PUPT\TWOHZLYLJ\YZP]L/HSM)HUKZ`TTL[YPJHSÄS[LY
Minimized pre and post ringing, good group delay, good phase
vs. frequency response, sharp cutoff.
Phase (Polarity)
Touching this control on the front panel touch screen (or the
remote) will invert the absolute phase (polarity) of the audio
signal. This is the same thing as reversing the loudspeaker
inputs, placing + to – and – to +. Phase reversal happens on
many recordings, sometimes even within the same CD or DVD.
If the track sounds a little “off” try reversing the phase with this
control to see if the CD track gains a bit of proper perspective. If
it does, chances are good that it was recorded out of polarity.
Fi
Fi
ltlt
erer
33
LL
P
P
O
Owner’s Reference
Perfect Wave DAC