PS Audio PWD MkII vs W4S DAC2

I own a W4S Dac1 and a PWD.. The W4S was very close to the PWD.. not as refined, as dimensional.. close but not quite as good, the Dac 1 is 90% of the Dac 2.. The big story here is the PWD MK2.. it is substanially better than the PWD Mk1, and is most likley as close to a SOTA Dac as you'll find at anywhere near the price.. I'll go out on a limb and say that unless you plan on spending five figures there isn't a better Dac than the PWD MK2.. and just an opinion is that even the multi kilo buck Dac's aren't going to be nessarily better than the PS Audio but different.

given that the price increase for the PWD Mk II puts it closer to the price territory of the berkeley alpha dac 2 and resolution audio cantata, it'd be great to hear if anyone has compared them. with the optional bridge and potential for I2S connection to the PWT, the PWD seems to take the cake as far as features, but purely based on sound, i wonder how the three compare.

I don't have the dac, but a friend does(want to edit the system, but can't since the site update). If you didn't write the review, you shouldn't be upset. I can tell by the way he writes that he doesn't have much experience writing or reviewing.

Neal,

My friend is using RCA with my digital cable and also uses the Bridge.

Neal, you're right. I didn't write it, and have my own doubts as to the article's assertions, so it is really is a non-issue. Sorry for getting huffy. Aside from any issue with writing or reviewing, I could not fathom owning a PWT and not getting the PWD.

I own the PWD MKII and it is in a completely different league than the MKI. It's critical that if anyone compares this DAC with anything else that they have the 2.02 or 2.03 firmware installed. It's the most musical DAC I've ever heard, beating the Super modded Meitner BiDat as well as the latest T + A and Bel Canto gear. I know someone who's compared it extensively to the Berkeley (which it beats) but he says it doesn't quite reach the heights of the Meitner and dCs flagships. If a person buys the PWD MKI used and installs the MKII upgrade board (which you can do yourself) ..that's quite a good deal in my book.