Ceasar .
As far as i know , the best digital is what the local dealer has in stock at that particular moment .
As far as i know , the best digital is what the local dealer has in stock at that particular moment .
What SPECIFICALLY is better or different about the Wadax Design? How do these design choices manifest in better sound?
- Thread starter caesar
- Start date
WOW, wow, wow... Really ??
Does anyone think this conversation is helping people understand a thing ?
Can you imagine the tailspin we are putting prospective buyers in with this sword fighting babble ? Its embarrassing to me as a representative of the Audio Industry. This kind of discussion is what gives us the stigma. And yes, even those dealers that think you are above the stigma, none of us are. We are a bunch of nerds having a sissy fight. Yuck.
There is one way to handle this. We each ride into battle on our trusty steed and put it forth in a shootout. I ride Playback Designs. Created by the inventor/patent holder of Sample Rate Conversion, and creator of DSD/SACD. The guy who HIRED Ed Meitner, starting his career in High End Audio. I speculate Andreas Koch eclipses Javier in the digital arts. I speculate I bring a $45K DAC and Streamer with SACD Transport that betters any other DAC in terms of making natural (Vinyl killing)sonic. I open my doors here in ATL to anyone that wishes to bring a DAC and shoot out here, and I may be willing to drive to CAF with MPD-8 DAC and Streamer so for once we can put up and shut up.
This is not for me or the other dealers. It is our responsibility when we represent a brand to demo the gear for the BUYERS, and if we think so highly of it, we can compare it with others and see which MFG can stand up to their marketing hype. I postulate we have "show off gear" floating around there, that is nothing more than verbose marketing and overpricing of gear that is not so special. I would love nothing more than to have this overblown gear beat everything. To me then everything is right in the world. But it seems to be a different world lately. Tech spec means nothing other than for a fantasy spank. Nothing tells you but listening. We all know this but nobody wants to do it. This is an open invitation and call out to whomever thinks their DAC may potentially be among the best made. I am one, and im willing and ready to show up, gear tucked under my arm.
Does anyone think this conversation is helping people understand a thing ?
Can you imagine the tailspin we are putting prospective buyers in with this sword fighting babble ? Its embarrassing to me as a representative of the Audio Industry. This kind of discussion is what gives us the stigma. And yes, even those dealers that think you are above the stigma, none of us are. We are a bunch of nerds having a sissy fight. Yuck.
There is one way to handle this. We each ride into battle on our trusty steed and put it forth in a shootout. I ride Playback Designs. Created by the inventor/patent holder of Sample Rate Conversion, and creator of DSD/SACD. The guy who HIRED Ed Meitner, starting his career in High End Audio. I speculate Andreas Koch eclipses Javier in the digital arts. I speculate I bring a $45K DAC and Streamer with SACD Transport that betters any other DAC in terms of making natural (Vinyl killing)sonic. I open my doors here in ATL to anyone that wishes to bring a DAC and shoot out here, and I may be willing to drive to CAF with MPD-8 DAC and Streamer so for once we can put up and shut up.
This is not for me or the other dealers. It is our responsibility when we represent a brand to demo the gear for the BUYERS, and if we think so highly of it, we can compare it with others and see which MFG can stand up to their marketing hype. I postulate we have "show off gear" floating around there, that is nothing more than verbose marketing and overpricing of gear that is not so special. I would love nothing more than to have this overblown gear beat everything. To me then everything is right in the world. But it seems to be a different world lately. Tech spec means nothing other than for a fantasy spank. Nothing tells you but listening. We all know this but nobody wants to do it. This is an open invitation and call out to whomever thinks their DAC may potentially be among the best made. I am one, and im willing and ready to show up, gear tucked under my arm.
Its a noble act , but i think after 10 years discussion ( and apart from a special Golden ears group ) on WBF we have respectfully concluded everybody hears differently .
So you may win that particular " shoot out " , but in no means win the battle / declare victory
Well I listened to the Wadax Reference System with a good friend whose ears I also trust and we both agreed that its sonics left us flat. I realize that sonics are a subjective thing and some may really like its sound. But the truth is the Wadax Reference sounds just like DCS, which unfortunately also leaves me flat. They both sound mundane, no life there.
Ken
I’m not questioning your listening ability or sincerity of opinion, but can you really make a meaningful appraisal of any audio component at a show? I just can’t take any show listening reports seriously.
Not that this is remotely practical , but since your reference is MSB, if you could have inserted your dac in the Wadax system for a direct compare, it would have given you a much better idea. Who knows, maybe the MSB would have come across flat as well in the same environment?
Seriously guys, please address the title of the thread. Some people may be put off by the price, sure, but many people who are passionate about the hobby are wadax agnostic. This is a tough business, a winner take-all market. Only way to success is to differentiate one self. Here's the opportunity.
And regarding comments about marketing, everyone is a marketer in today's world. Everyone is trying to influence someone. Everyone is pushing their taste. Basic influence principles working. Check out the book by Cialdini.
And regarding comments about marketing, everyone is a marketer in today's world. Everyone is trying to influence someone. Everyone is pushing their taste. Basic influence principles working. Check out the book by Cialdini.
I cannot make sense of these comments. In a side-by-side comparison in the same system neither the Apex nor the Wadax sounded at all "flat," "mundane" or "no life" to me. And, to me, the Apex and the Wadax did not sound the same.
Hi Ron,
I wasn’t referring to the Apex, which is new and I haven’t listened to yet. But I have listened to many DCS Stacks over the years and I stand by my comments.
Ken
another viewpoint from an MSB Select II owner;
MSB Select II and Ideon (head to head) interesting comment on dynamics.
www.whatsbestforum.com
Wadax, MSB and Ideon--also here on dynamics.
www.whatsbestforum.com
different people hear things differently.
MSB Select II and Ideon (head to head) interesting comment on dynamics.
Ideon Absolute epsilon In The House
If the guy has typical audiophile box speakers, it will be like comparing a SET amp and CH Precision - polar opposites. Now if the guys says, say a horn driven by Kondo Ongaku, this comparison will be much more interesting Your analogy is incorrect. As for what the guy has, he introduced me to...
www.whatsbestforum.com
Wadax, MSB and Ideon--also here on dynamics.
Ideon Absolute epsilon In The House
Erik and I had set up Scaena 3.2 yesterday. I appreciate his help a lot. After assembly of Scaena, we had done brief comparison between Ideon and Dave. Now the difference is substantial. Scaena 3.2 give very wide and deep holographic images. Ideon give more stable images and dynamics than...
www.whatsbestforum.com
different people hear things differently.
Of course it is totally fine that you and your friend were not not impressed with the Wadax reference but I really cannot understand your statement that it sounds the same as DCS (the Vivaldi?). The DCS sound is to my ears something (totally) different.
Hi Rudolf!
I posted the modest comment that they don’t sound the same. Do you really mean that they sound “totally” different? Honestly, that comment doesn’t make any more sense to me than Alpinist’s comment.
I think they sound far more similar than they sound different. How could they not?
It’s dopey to try to quantify these things but 5% different, 10% different, maybe 15% different, something like that sounds about right to me. How can they be “totally” different?
Totally agree with you Ron. And claiming that the Wadax reference and DCS sound the same is something that I - even with all due respect - cannot comprehend.
Hello Ron,
I listened extensively to various DCS stacks in my own system as well as (currently) to the Wadax reference. To my ears DCS has always sounded rather technical without the natural fluidity and purity of unamplified live music (in my case that means mostly classical music). With my Scarlatti four stack I did my utmost to ‘tame’ it with inter alia (ic and clock) cables, footers (in particular Shun Mook), pc’s, grounding, etc. The Wadax reference on the contrary represents a very serene, fluid and continuous sound without digital artifacts while sounding at the same time extremely dynamic, dense and transparent , something that I find of the utmost importance in order to be able to listen to music for many hours without any fatigue. On the contrary the Wadax does not need to be ‘tamed’ at all, albeit that it - of course also - benefits from top notch grounding, decoupling, etc. To me DCS and Wadax represent two different worlds. One caveat: I have not heard yet the DCS Vivaldi apex.
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Accurate description. To summarize, unnatural sound.
100% agree. No resemblance of actual music - just artificial noise.
Actually if you suffer from digititis, it is likely to cause a rapid onset of it
As is with loudspeakers amps etc.
which is really saying nothing. You just listened with a friend who shares your opinion. Nothing wrong with that but do not say “whose ears I also trust” because who can tell me you can trust your own ears
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