PS Audio PWT software bugs


I purchased a PS Audio PWT about a year ago and have had some strange transport/software bugs since new.

If I put in a CD and then let it sit for more than about 10 minutes, the transport will refuse to play the disc when "play" is entered. The Icons on the front panel will change as if the disc is playing but no output. I am using the AES/EBU digital output to a Brystom BDA-1. The unit will freeze and I can "skip" to the next track but still no output. Often I cannot even eject the disk. I have to do a hard power shut down and cycle. After power up, it recognizes the disc and plays normally.

Same thing happens if I start a track, then stop it and go away for more than about ten minutes. When I try to resume the mode changes to icons showining "play" but no sound and the track will be frozen. Almost no response from any input after that.

When I contacted PS Audio (Marcus Iezzi), he replied in an email:
"There is a bug in the firmware that is causing this issue and our software team is working on fixing it."

Has anyone else had this problem and do you know if a firmware version has been released to fix the issue?
dhl93449
Dhl93449, dump your transport and build yourself a music server. Only tedious part is ripping your music but only ONCE. Always rip to lossless.
Knghifi:

Timely suggestion. Got a Bryston BDP-1 and ripped some CDs with dbpoweramp to FLAC. Loaded the file in the BDP-1 and the identical CD in the PWT. Compared to the two A/B both feeding my Bryston BDA-1 and was blown away by the FLAC ripped source. Absolutely amazing, even compared to the extremely good sound of the PWT. Not ever going back to real time CD replay, even in a memory player. Bit perfect lossless ripping really makes a difference. Burst ripping via Win MP to wav sounded about the same as the PWT.

BUT, you have to be a network administrator and part time software geek to get the Bryston functioning from anything but the useless front panel. And their manuals are so out of date it is not funny with respect to the browser/software that works for control. Had to spend for a wireless laptop PC for control (lot cheaper than any tablet), router, ethernet cables. Luckily Bryston tech support is exemplary and getting things working is a matter of time.

And now I can PAUSE a track and come back, it plays!
WARNING: The PS Audio PWT Memory Player has serious bugs in the logic. Mine malfunctioned brand new out of the box with all sorts of weird behavior like freezing up so it doesn't respond to the remote or manual input if you leave a CD sitting in it for any significant length of time. It doesn't matter if it's on Stop or Pause, and it even freezes up if you just put a CD in and don't push any buttons. Come back an hour later and it won't do anything unless you cycle the power. Mine also spooled the CD when turned off (on Standby)!

The service department was not at all accommodating or helpful. They didn't offer to pay shipping back to the factory despite the obviously defective unit out of the box. They did not answer email in a timely fashion - I eventually had to contact the President of the company to get a wholly inadequate and unsatisfying response. When they sent it back they kept the SD card so I had to chase after that, too.

The last straw was when they told me that they have no timeline for a fix of the logic bugs in this unit. That is inexcusable for a $4000 transport. Shame on PS Audio! I will never buy another of their products.
I had a similar problem very recetnly - mine malfunctioned brand new out of the box with all sorts of weird behavior like freezing up so it doesn't respond to the remote or manual input if you leave a CD sitting in it for any significant length of time whether it's on Stop or Pause. It even freezes up if you insert a CD push no buttons. Come back an hour later and it won't do anything unless you cycle the power. Mine also noisily spooled the CD endlessly when turned off (on Standby)!

The service department was not at all accommodating or helpful. They didn't offer to pay shipping back to the factory despite the obviously defective unit out of the box. They did not answer email in a timely fashion - I eventually had to contact the President of the company to get a wholly inadequate and unsatisfying response. When they sent it back they kept the SD card so I had to chase after that, too.

The last straw was when they told me that they have no timeline for a fix of the logic bugs in this unit. That is inexcusable for a $4000 transport with known defects. Shame on PS Audio! I will never buy another of their products.