Wadax Reference Dac and Server arrive

[andromedaaudio]

I think that for many of us measurements are an important aspect in this hobby.

That doesnt account for digital micro , you know all dacs measure well .
You as a digital lover should give the wadax a chance , if it is as good as mike says it is .

 

[microstrip]

That doesnt account for digital micro you know all dacs measure well .

No, some measure a lot better than others ...

You as a digital lover should give the wadax a chance , if it is as good as mike says it is .

I hope do listen sometime when it is accessible in our local distributor. Audiophiles are a curious species ...

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Congrats, Mike. Enjoy the new digital combo. Very jealous! Your description sounds like this is end game digital.

Best.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Congrats, Mike. Enjoy the new digital combo. Very jealous! Your description sounds like this is end game digital.

Best.

thank you Bill.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Quick Q, Mike. Was the compare both on Roon, or Roon on Wadax and TAS on Extreme?

 

[matthias]

Quick Q, Mike. Was the compare both on Roon, or Roon on Wadax and TAS on Extreme?

He answered in post #310.

Matt

 

[spiritofmusic]

He answered in post #310.

Matt

Indeed.

 

[bryans]

my Extreme is going to a new happy owner. i'm buying the Wadax Reference Server.

on Friday night my friend Victor, who owns is an MSB Select 2 and is an Extreme owner, came over to assist with the compare. Victor also brought a Gigaswitch and LPS to optimize the copper Ethernet that both the Wadax and Extreme would use. both the Extreme and Wadax server were sitting on Dazia's. we used TAS for the Extreme, and Roon obviously for the Wadax. Emile had optimized the USB driver for the Wadax Reference dac.

we did the compare, first three tracks with the Wadax Server, then those same three with the Extreme. i'm not going to speak on behalf of Victor. but it was a clear choice. we move on. synergy? Akasa Optical link? hard to know cause and effect exactly.

the Extreme/Wadax Ref dac is awesome in every way. the Wadax combo is better.

below is how my system looks today.

View attachment 88160
View attachment 88159

Sounds like you found the right combo for you. I'm sure the Wadax Reference gear is outstanding. I have heard some of their "lesser" gear which also was outstanding. Congrats. Of course some of their "lesser" gear is still some of the best IMO.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

MSB Select II was the best Dac I had listened seriously.


If Mike think that Wadax is another level above,

Mike does.

then I am tempted to listen to it myself visiting Mike's home.

......and you are welcome to visit anytime.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Sounds like you found the right combo for you. I'm sure the Wadax Reference gear is outstanding. I have heard some of their "lesser" gear which also was outstanding. Congrats. Of course some of their "lesser" gear is still some of the best IMO.

not yet heard other Wadax (that i recall). but i would expect it to be awesome sounding.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Mike, from what you know, are Wadax working on their own equivalent of TAS, or is the performance delta w Roon to Extreme/TAS simply good enough from your POV to render that unimportant?

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Mike, from what you know, are Wadax working on their own equivalent of TAS, or is the performance delta w Roon to Extreme/TAS simply good enough from your POV to render that unimportant?

i'm a Wadax newbie. the only things i've heard is about their belief in Roon. but nothing not public knowledge. if they have different plans i am not aware. i only know my ears are happy. and i enjoy the Roon interface.

 

[LL21]

Hi Mike...if you have a moment, I PM'd you for some advice. Thanks...appreciate you are incredibly busy for all the very best reasons!

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Hi Mike...if you have a moment, I PM'd you for some advice. Thanks...appreciate you are incredibly busy for all the very best reasons!

got it!

 

[Stereophonic]

Mike, from what you know, are Wadax working on their own equivalent of TAS, or is the performance delta w Roon to Extreme/TAS simply good enough from your POV to render that unimportant?

Hi Spirit.
No. They aren’t developing any own player.
They did it seven years ago and they learned that creating a custom server software, at best with just a fraction of the features of Roon, would be utopic and an unefficient use of resources.

 

[Stereophonic]

my Extreme is going to a new happy owner. i'm buying the Wadax Reference Server.

Congratulations Mike.
Welcome to Wadax’s owners club !!!

 

[Cyrus]

you don't see MSB Select in many tubed systems either

Mike, can you shed more light on what the reasons for this are / might be? Thanks.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Mike, can you shed more light on what the reasons for this are / might be? Thanks.

it's just what i tend to see. likely a combination of what MSB dealers are pushing, MSB sells solid state amps, that the MSB has a great volume control so is ideal for single source system with an active preamp, and tube based system owners might tend to prefer a tube dac. they might be more concerned about covering up the expected digital signature with tubes.

and maybe the type of performance that the MSB Select II has does lend itself to solid state linearity.....IMHO. YMMV.

it's an observation from living in the MSB family for 5 years.

 

[Cyrus]

Mike, Thank You. I suppose I'm an outlier in pairing a multi- single SS component to tube amplification.

 

[bryans]

Mike, Thank You. I suppose I'm an outlier in pairing a multi- single SS component to tube amplification.

No you found the magic combination that works for you. I'm sure the T+A SDV 3100 HV paired with Tube or SS sounds amazing.