PS Audio PerfectWave User manual

4826 Sterling Drive, Boulder, CO 80301
PH: 720.406.8946 [e-mail] www.psaudio.com Introduction i
®
©2008 PS Audio International Inc. All rights reserved.
Owner’s Reference
Owner’s Reference PerfectWave DAC
Instructions for use
PerfectWave DAC
15-042-21-1 Rev A

4826 Sterling Drive, Boulder, CO 80301
PH: 720.406.8946 [e-mail] www.psaudio.com
®Table Of Contents
Table Of Contens ii
©2008 PS Audio International Inc. All rights reserved.
Owner’s Reference PerfectWave DAC
Introduction
Getting Started
Quick Start Guide
- Unpacking and Connections
- Register the Unit
- Connectinog the PWD
- Control and Operation
- Sample Rate
- Filter
- Phase (Polarity)
- Remote Control
- Dimming the Display
- The Bridge
- Checking the Version Number of the
Firmware
- Cleaning
Troubleshooting
Warranty
Service
Notes
iii - iv
1
2-12
2
13
14-15
16-17
18-20
2
2
4
5
5
10
11
12
12
12
12

4826 Sterling Drive, Boulder, CO 80301
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®
©2008 PS Audio International Inc. All rights reserved.
Introduction
Owner’s Reference PerfectWave DAC
Read these instructions
Heed all warnings
Follow all instructions
WARNING. TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRICAL SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS
APPARATUS TO TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.
Clean only with a dry cloth. For the Piano Finish Top refer to the instructions on page 12 of the
Quick Start Guide.
Do not place ammable material on top of or beneath the component.
All PS Audio components require adequate ventilation at all times during operation. Rack
mounting is acceptable where appropriate.
Do not remove or bypass the ground pin on the end of the AC cord unless absolutely
necessary to reduce hum from ground loops of connected equipment. This may cause RFI
(radio frequency interference) to be induced into your playback setup. Removing or bypassing
the ground pin on any electrical component is potentially dangerous and should be avoided for
safety reasons. A polarized plug has two blades, one wider than the other. A grounding type
plug has two blades and a third grounding prong. All PS products ship with a grounding type
plug. If the provided plug does not t into your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of
the obsolete outlet.
Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience
receptacles, and the point where they exit from the apparatus. Unplug this apparatus during
lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time.
When making connections to this or any other component, make sure all components are
off. Turn off all systems’ power before connecting the PS Audio component to any other
component. Make sure all cable terminations are of the highest quality.
THERE ARE NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE ANY PS AUDIO PRODUCT. REFER ALL
SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL
Please contact your authorized dealer, distributor, or PS Audio if you have any questions not
addressed in this reference manual.
This product is manufactured in the United States of America. PS Audio® is a registered trademark of PS Audio International Inc., and is
restricted for use by PS Audio International, Inc., its subsidiaries, and authorized
agents.
Important Safety
Instructions

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®
©2008 PS Audio International Inc. All rights reserved.
Introduction
Owner’s Reference PerfectWave DAC
The PS Audio PerfectWave™ Digital To Analog Converter (PWD) is a state-of-the-art D to
A processor, preamplier and media center. The PWD accepts PCM Digital Audio data and
converts it to high-performance analog audio that can be fed directly to a power amplier or
preamplier.
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 together for best benet - although
each of the components 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 these limitations.
We rst experimented with modied PC 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.
The DAC you have in your possession is the rst primary 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.
Welcome
The System

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®Getting Started
Getting Started 1
©2008 PS Audio International Inc. All rights reserved.
Owner’s Reference PerfectWave DAC
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.
USING 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 I�S. All inputs, including USB, are capable of accepting high-denition
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 I�S 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�S format incorporated does not comply with the HDMI standards. The
HDMI connector and cable were chosen to carry the I�S 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 I�S 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.
Installation
Considerations

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®Quick Start Guide
©2008 PS Audio International Inc. All rights reserved.
Owner’s Reference PerfectWave DAC
•Carefully unpack the unit.Your new PerfectWave DAC comes wrapped in a soft organic
cotton bag to protect its beautiful nish. Use the included cotton gloves to remove the
unit and place in the chosen location.
• The piano black top cover has a protective plastic lm. Remove this lm.
•Connect the PWD to 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.
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 access you may register the unit via mail or phone. Notication
of software upgrades to this product will be available only to registered owners via the web.
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.
1. I�S. (Pronounced “I squared S”) This is the best performance option. This connection
method will only work with a similarly equipped I�S 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.
2. USB. Universal Serial Bus. This is used when connecting a computer. The computer will
automatically recognize the PWD and install the appropriate driver. This USB input is
capable of 96kHz 24 bit data.
3. XLR. This is a balanced 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.
4. RCA. Coaxial single ended S/PDIF encoded input.This input is capable of 192kHz 32 bit data.
5. Optical. TOSLINK optically connected S/PDIF encoded input. This input is capable of
96kHz 24 bit data.
Whatever input you use, make sure the connecting cable is of the highest quality and shortest
distance.
Unpacking and
Connections
Register the Unit
Connecting the
PWD

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®Quick Start Guide
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Owner’s Reference PerfectWave DAC
CONNECTING TO A DIGITAL SOURCE
There are three methods of connecting the digital inputs of the PWD: SPDIF, USB and I�S.
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 the PWD it is possible that there is a driver conict
on your computer. Please see the Troubleshooting section for further assistance on playback
issues via USB.
I�S 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. I�S is a parallel data connection
with separate clocks and data and transferred via an HDMI cable. I�S 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 OUTPUT
The PWD is designed to drive a power amplier or preamplier 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 amplier and bypass the
preamplier. “There’s no preamplier like no preamplier”. Certainly this is your choice but we
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 same time. Be aware that most ampliers and preampliers will
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.
If the PWD has a gain mismatch with your power amplier, you 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 preampliers, surround processors
receivers, integrated ampliers and power ampliers have only this standard type of input.

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®Quick Start Guide
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Owner’s Reference PerfectWave DAC
Plug either the RCA or the XLR outputs of the PWD into a line level input on the preamp,
integrated, Amplier or Receiver. Do 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.
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 PWD’s internal “engine” is being loaded with the rmware that 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
The rst step is to select the input you wish to play. The input 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 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.
Control and
Operation

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®Quick Start Guide
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Owner’s Reference PerfectWave DAC
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”.
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 I�S input, a high-resolution audio le or, as your listening
experience would 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 I�S2 and 192kHz for RCA, the SRC will automatically switch to
that setting when you change inputs.
The PWD offers a wide assortment of digital lters. Digital lters are necessary and used in
all modern DACS but few are as sophisticated as those in the PWD. The problems with any
lter, 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, phase and ripple errors. Some
lters minimize phase and group delay errors while others minimize ripple errors. Each error is
minimized at the expense of the other; thus, there is no such thing as a perfect lter and, as with
many things in electronics, each is a tradeoff with good and bad points.
Sample Rate
Filter

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Owner’s Reference PerfectWave DAC
The PWD has two basic types of lters with several combinations of the two available. The two
lter types are: Linear Phase and Minimum Phase as well as Recursive Non-Half Band (which
is basically a combination of the rst two). Within these two main lter types (Linear phase and
Minimum) there are several variations to choose from on each lter, including Apodising and Soft
Knee Filters.
From a user perspective, we recommend choosing whichever lter sounds the best to you
without being overly concerned about understanding these extraordinarily complicated subjects.
Our favorite on the PS system is Minimum Phase Apodising “MP Apod” on the touch screen.
A brief explanation of each lter type appears below.
Linear Phase and Minimum Phase lters
Linear phase lters have been widely used in DACS for over 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. Conversely minimum phase lters have some group-
delay distortion, some minimal phase shift with frequency but little pre-ringing.
Most DAC digital lter designs tend to focus on the frequency response and neglect the time
domain response. However there is now an increasing interest in the effect that time-domain
properties of these lters have on the perceived audio quality, thus the PWD offers a choice
between 5 different lter types described in this section.
Generally speaking, linear phase lters are focused on maximizing the frequency domain while
minimum phase lters are designed to maximize the time-domain performance.
Group delay is a time domain issue where different frequencies arrive slightly out of time with the
other frequencies. A lter with no group delay (such as a linear lter) means that all frequencies
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 minimum phase lter designed for 44.1kHz the group delay distortion up
to 10kHz is under 2 samples (less then 46μs) and may be inaudible. The minimum phase lters
used in the PWD 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 phase
FIR digital lters. The ear appears to be very sensitive to 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.

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Owner’s Reference PerfectWave DAC
Apodising and slow roll off response
The PWD offers both linear and minimum phase lter choices, along with a Recursive Non-Half
Band type, which is a combination of both. Within each choice of linear and minimum phase
lters the user has the ability to choose either Apodising or Soft Knee choices.
An Apodising lter is one that can be used to control the time smear of a whole recording
and reproducing chain. This type of lter can reduce the pre- and post-ringing of the impulse
response in both linear as well as a minimum phase lter choices.
Soft Knee lters take advantage of the larger transition band to reduce the dispersion and delay
through the lter. Instead of the classic “Brick wall” lter approach of cutting everything above
the passband off very sharply, a soft knee lter does this in a gentler fashion, thus minimizing
group delay problems.
Three of the lters (LP Apod, MP 1/2B, LP Soft) will have a slight 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 response of every lter for you to see.
The audible effects of this roll off are minimal at best. The most extreme roll off in the series of
lters is LP Apodising, which is -0.2dB down at 19kHz and -3dB down at 20kHz.
All 3 lters will display ruler at frequency response to 20kHz, 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 deviations with different lters at the lower sample rates have very
minimal impact on performance.
The lter choices
1. AUTO. This will automatically choose lter MP Soft for 44.1kHz and LP Soft for any
higher sample rates. These are the choices we believe work best.
2. Filter 1 MP APOD. Minimum phase Apodising lter. Low pre-ringing, minimal group
delay, minimized post ringing, good phase vs. frequency, sharper lter cutoff.
3. Filter 2 MP SOFT. Minimum phase soft knee lter. Low pre-ringing, minimal group delay,
minimized post ringing, good phase vs. frequency, soft cutoff.
4. Filter 3 LP APOD. Linear phase Apodising lter. No group delay, perfect phase vs.
frequency, minimal post ringing, some pre-ringing, sharper lter cutoff.
5. Filter 4 LP SOFT. Linear phase soft knee lter. No group delay, perfect phase vs.
frequency, minimal post ringing, some pre-ringing, softer lter cutoff.
6. Filter 5 MP 1/2B. Minimum phase recursive Half Band symmetrical lter. Minimized pre
and post ringing, good group delay, good phase vs. frequency response, sharp cutoff.

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Owner’s Reference PerfectWave DAC
Filter 1 MP Apodising
Filter 2 MP Soft

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Owner’s Reference PerfectWave DAC
Filter 3 LP Apod
Filter 4 LP Soft

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Owner’s Reference PerfectWave DAC
Filter 5 MP 1/2B
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.
Phase (Polarity)

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The “ON” and “OFF” buttons are at the top of the remote. Use them to turn the PWD ON and
OFF. The rear panel AC power switch must be on for this to work.
Right below the section labeled “DAC” is a numeric keypad. This is used for controlling the PWT.
The top of the large center ring is for VOLUME UP and the bottom is for VOLUME DOWN.
Remote Control

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The unit will automatically dim to adjust to light levels in the room. The display can be turned off
by pressing the button labeled “DIM” located at bottom right of the remote. When you are in the
DIM mode, the screen will come back on when you touch it or press a remote key. To turn the
DIM feature off, press "ON."
The PWD can become far more than a high-performance stereo DAC. An optional network
Bridge can be added that connects the PWD to any home network. The Bridge allows playback
data from a source not directly connected to the PWD.
The network Bridge incorporates the exact same Digital Lens™ technology found in the PWT –
without the input to the Lens being from a connected source. Instead, the input to the internal
Lens of the Bridge is over a network: addressable through an Ethernet connection. Music stored
on a hard drive or even an Internet radio service are all accessible via this network Bridge. Once
installed, the Bridge will be accessed as another input.
There will be no quality or performance issues on the Bridge for the same reason as the PWT:
the built in Digital Lens and output asynchronous clocks of both devices ensure bit-perfect
performance.
The Bridge will slip right into the slot on the back of the PWD and can be added in less than 30
seconds by the owner. Simply remove the rear cover plate, insert the Bridge and you are done.
The front panel touch screen software will be updated at the same time as the Bridge installation
allowing full access to music stored on a Network Attached Storage Device (NAS hard drive).
Availability of the optional Bridge is scheduled for the early 2010.
These units operate from sophisticated software that is built in to the device, but upgradable
by the user through the rear panel mounted SD card. To check for the current rmware version
follow these steps. First, turn off the rear panel power switch. Wait for 10 seconds, then turn the
rear panel switch back on. As soon as the touch screen displays the “Initializing” screen, touch
the PS logo in the middle of the initializing screen until the version screen appears.
The PWD does need some care and is appreciative of being fed proper AC power. A Power
Plant Premier is recommended for this task.
Should minor scratches occur, simply purchase any type of high quality automotive scratch
removal polish such as Kit’s Scratch Out or McGuire’s products. Car nish polish and wax can
both be used on this surface for a beautiful luster.
The top cover is a beautiful piano black painted surface over MDF (wood).
The front panel touch screen can be cleaned with Windex or similar spray on glass cleaners.
To clean, spray the cleaner on a soft lint free towel and carefully clean. Do not spray cleaner
directly on the unit.
Dimming the
Display
The Bridge
Cleaning
Checking the
Version Number
of the Firmware

4826 Sterling Drive, Boulder, CO 80301
PH: 720.406.8946 [e-mail] www.psaudio.com Troubleshooting 13
®Troubleshooting
©2008 PS Audio International Inc. All rights reserved.
Owner’s Reference PerfectWave DAC
USB – PWD not recognized, or no sound via USB
If you are unable to obtain sound via USB on a Windows based device it is most likely the result
of a partial or incorrect driver installation.You may have also experienced a pop-up window
asking you to provide the correct Driver. In any of these cases the remedy is quite simple.
We will removed the device and force Windows to reinstall the Device. On a Windows based
machine right click on MY COMPUTER and select PROPERTIES. This will populate a window
titled “System Properties”. From “System Properties” selects “Hardware” -> “Device Manager”.
Once in “Device Manager” look for “Sound, Video and game controllers”. If the PWD is correctly
installed you will see a Device labels “PS Audio 24/96 USB AudioLink” if you do not see this
instead you will see a warning symbol next to a device with an incorrect or missing Driver. Right
click on the symbol and select “Uninstall”. Once complete you can unplug the USB connection
for 10 seconds and then reconnect. The Driver should now install correctly.

4826 Sterling Drive, Boulder, CO 80301
PH: 720.406.8946 [e-mail] www.psaudio.com Warranty 14
®Warranty
©2008 PS Audio International Inc. All rights reserved.
Owner’s Reference PerfectWave DAC
PS Audio provides a 90 day manufacturer’s warranty on all new PS Audio components.
PS Audio offers an optional extended 3 year warranty in exchange for completing a valid
product registration. This optional extended warranty is available for new products,
when that product is registered through PS Audio with the serial number and name of
the authorized dealer or distributor that sold it to you.
This optional extended 3 year warranty is available only under the above terms and
conditions. The extended warranty is optional and sold worldwide in exchange for your
registration information. Failure to register your product will preclude PS Audio from
selling you its extended warranty. Products can be registered either on the web at www.
psaudio.com, via the mail, or by calling PS Audio directly with the information.
This Warranty is subject to the following conditions and limitations: the Warranty is void
and inapplicable if the product has been used or handled other than in accordance with
the instructions in the owner’s manual, abused, or misused, damaged by accident or
neglect or in being transported, or the defect is due to the product being repaired or
tampered with by anyone other than PS Audio or an authorized PS Audio repair center.
a. The product must be packaged and returned to PS Audio or an authorized PS
Audio repair center by the customer at his or her sole expense in the original
packing material. PS Audio will pay return freight of its choice for original
purchasers.
b. Return Authorization Number (RA Number) is required before any product
is returned to our factory for any reason. This number must be visible on the
exterior of the shipping container for PS Audio to accept the return. Units
shipped to us without a Return Authorization Number or without a visible RA
Number on the exterior of the shipping container will be returned to the sender,
freight collect.
c. RETURNED PRODUCT MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY A WRITTEN
DESCRIPTION OF THE DEFECT.
PS Audio reserves the right to modify the design of any product without obligation
to purchasers of previously manufactured products and to change the prices or
specications of any product without notice or obligation to any person.
In the event the product fails to meet this Warranty and the above conditions have been
met, the purchaser’s sole remedy under this Limited Warranty shall be to return the
product to PS Audio or an authorized PS Audio repair center where the defect will be
repaired without charge for parts or labor.
TERMS AND
CONDITIONS
Conditions
Remedy

4826 Sterling Drive, Boulder, CO 80301
PH: 720.406.8946 [e-mail] www.psaudio.com Warranty 15
®Warranty
©2008 PS Audio International Inc. All rights reserved.
Owner’s Reference PerfectWave DAC
This Warranty is for the benet of the original purchaser of the covered product and may be
transfered to a subsequent purchaser of the product.
Extended warranty policies:
1. By registering this product, via mail or internet, within 90 days of purchase, the warranty
period will be extended to 3-years from the date of purchase.
2. To qualify for the extended warranty the Product must be purchased through an authorized
PS Audio dealer or distributor.
3. All of the policies of the extended warranty are the same as the limited warranty
This warranty does not cover the cost of custom installation, customer instruction, setup
adjustments or signal reception problems.
This warranty does not cover cosmetic damage or any damage due to accident, misuse,
abuse, negligence or modication of, or to any part of the Product, without initial express
consent from PS Audio. This warranty does not cover damage due to improper operation
or maintenance, connection to improper voltage supply, or attempted repair by anyone
other than a facility authorized by PS Audio to service the Product.
This warranty is invalid if the factory applied serial number has been altered or removed
from the Product.
To locate the servicer or dealer nearest you, or for service assistance or resolution of a
service problem, or for product information or operation, call or email PS Audio.
ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES RELATING TO THE ABOVE PRODUCT SHALL BE LIMITED
TO THE DURATION OF THIS WARRANTY. THE WARRANTY DOES NOT EXTEND TO ANY
INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL COSTS OR DAMAGES TO THE PURCHASER. Some
states do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts or an exclusion or
limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitations or exclusions may
not apply to you. This Warranty gives you specic legal rights, and you may also have other
rights that vary from state to state.
Inquiries regarding the above Limited Warranty may be sent to the following address: PS
Audio International, Inc., 4826 Sterling Drive, Boulder, Colorado 80301 ATTN: Customer
Service; Email: [email protected]; Voice 720-406-8946; FAX: [phone].
PS Audio has authorized distribution in many countries of the world. In each country, the authorized
importing retailer or distributor has accepted the responsibility for warranty of products sold by that retailer
or distributor. Warranty service should normally be obtained from the importing retailer or distributor from
whom you purchased your product. In the unlikely event of service required beyond the capability of the
importer, PS Audio will fulll the conditions of the warranty. Such product must be returned at the owner’s
expense to the PS Audio factory, together with a photocopy of the bill of sale for that product, a detailed
description of the problem, and any information necessary for return shipment.
Outside the US
Miscellaneous
Transfer of
Warranty

4826 Sterling Drive, Boulder, CO 80301
PH: 720.406.8946 [e-mail] www.psaudio.com Service 16
®Service
©2008 PS Audio International Inc. All rights reserved.
Owner’s Reference PerfectWave DAC
In the unlikely event there is a problem with your PS Audio component, please contact your
dealer, distributor, or the PS Audio corporate research center to discuss the problem before you
return the component to our facilities for repair. Products shipped to the corporate research
facilities will be refused and returned freight collect if not accompanied by a PS Audio Service
Department issued return authorization number (RA Number).
Return authorization numbers must be prominently displayed on the outside of the box and an
accompanying letter describing the problem and re-listing the RA number must be inside the
box to qualify for service.
If you are transferring your warranty, you must rst contact PS Audio or your dealer or distributor
for details.
To contact the PS Audio Service Department:
TELEPHONE [phone]
HOURS Monday-Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm MST
FAX [phone]
E-MAIL [e-mail]
WEBSITE http://www.psaudio.com
If you are in the United States use the following procedure:
1. Obtain a Return Authorization Number (R/A number) and shipping address from the PS
Audio Service Department.
2. Insure and accept all liability for loss or damage to the product during shipment to the PS
Audio factory and ensure all freight (shipping) charges are prepaid.
The product may also be hand delivered to the California or Colorado facilities if arrangements
with the Service Department have been made in advance. Proof of purchase will be required for
warranty validation at the time of hand delivery.
Use the original packaging to ensure the safe transit of the product to the factory, dealer, or
distributor. PS Audio may, at its discretion, return a product in new packaging and bill the owner
for such packaging if the product received by PS Audio was boxed in nonstandard packaging or
if the original packaging was so damaged to the point it was unusable. If PS Audio determines
that new packaging is required, the owner will be notied before the product is returned.
To purchase additional packaging, please contact your authorized PS Audio dealer, distributor, or
the PS Audio Service Department for assistance.
If you are outside the United States and require service you must contact your country’s
dealer or distributor for instructions. PS Audio warranties its products (see warranty section)
If you require
service in North
America
Obtain an RA
number
Contact
information
If you are in the
United States
Use original
packing
If you are outside
the US