Too easy Elliot. In a perfect world, the best word I can think of for all 3 of these would be...inexpensive!
Wadax Reference Dac and Server arrive
- Thread starter Mike Lavigne
- Start date
Mikes setup and Howards in VA are the only 2 systems I have heard where the sound actually became emersive. Howards put me on the stage where I felt the need to look left to realize Paul Simon was right there next to me.
Mikes does this buy not quite as deep. Mikes was still more a, I'm on a bar stool and the band is right there. Mikes is way, way way more clean and accurate.
Both systems are near field. Both have massive volumes of air movement. They both step beyone remembering or imagining a live performance. They fully trick your mind into interpreting the band is there with you.
I'm a little bummed as Howard sold his big bass cabinets for a steal. My wife and I are making an offer on 10 acres this weekend. I would have the agility to create a room to place them on my land.
Mikes does this buy not quite as deep. Mikes was still more a, I'm on a bar stool and the band is right there. Mikes is way, way way more clean and accurate.
Both systems are near field. Both have massive volumes of air movement. They both step beyone remembering or imagining a live performance. They fully trick your mind into interpreting the band is there with you.
I'm a little bummed as Howard sold his big bass cabinets for a steal. My wife and I are making an offer on 10 acres this weekend. I would have the agility to create a room to place them on my land.
Elliot G.
Industry Expert
I think the best words I can hear Marty is they are on you!!! LOL
Mike your writing skills surpass both your digital and analog. to read your posts is like a new bistro menu. I’m not sure what it all means but I want to hear it.
My setup is both near field and a more typical seating , but I also enjoy some 25 feet back as well. each location is very different but enjoyed.
for me a near field is more genre dependent in liking it.
at 25 to 30 feet it’s another genre fine.
i am sure this is in part due to my setup not being optimal.
for me a near field is more genre dependent in liking it.
at 25 to 30 feet it’s another genre fine.
i am sure this is in part due to my setup not being optimal.
Al, i appreciate the compliment, thank you.
i suppose a bistro menu should make you smile, make your mouth water. and......not beat around the bush about it. that fits where i'm coming from. "fun only".
i'm into joy through consuming, not as much the why or the how.
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I had family over tonight. My nephew is into stereo and cars. Nice to see. I let him drive the Porsche. My brother in law wanted to hear a record. I put on Peter Frampton. He was shocked how clean and clear it was. He sat on the edge of his seat the whole song. He was much more engaged by the vinyl than digital.
I always feel digital is very much like sausages. They can taste very good but I really don't want to know how they are made.....Peter, you never ask easy questions.
1---copper LAN in my house and barn, broadband cable into my home.
2---2 Synology mirroring 'file backup' NAS's, 30tb each, one in the house, one upstairs in the barn--same for MSB and Wadax. neither of these is in my signal path, as my files are resident on my Wadax server, as well as were resident on the Extreme server.
3---Netgear ethernet switch upstairs----with the MSB i also used fiber optic interface (with 2m Sablon Ethernet cable) which plugged downstairs into my Extreme server until the last few weeks when (Emile then suggested) i used copper CAT6 to go directly to both the Extreme and Wadax servers from the upstairs switch.
4---now with the Wadax'--Nordost QNET switch with Qsource power cable and Qsource LPS, Sablon 1.5m Ethernet Cable + brand ??? Ethernet cable also being demo'd, this now into the Wadax server.
5----Wadax Ref Server and Wadax Ref dac w/dual power supplies + the Akasa Optical interface; all this sitting on RevOpod footers + Taiko Daiza's. using Stage III Gorgon XLR interconnects from the dac to the dart pre.
6----Nordost Qpoint synergy devices + power cables plugged into the Nordost LPS under each Wadax chassis.
i do have 4 power cords plugged into my 'clean' Equi=tech power related to my digital; two for the power supplies of the dac, one for the server, and one for the Nordost LPS.
the music management software (Roon) resides inside the server, as do the streaming sources, in my case, Tidal and Quboz.
an i-pad or phone is typically used to navigate the music management software. analogous to a CD player remote.
objectively step by step.
broadband---->modem---->switch----->in-home network---->switch--->ethernet cable--->maybe another switch + linear power supply --->ethernet cable---server---> interface cable (USB/Optical/?)--->dac---->interconnects--->analog preamp.
some people use wifi to source their ethernet, it's not hard wired.....many steps above can be skipped. OTOH some people 'stack' network switches to increase the effect.
keep in mind most network stuff is cheap, cheap. even nice switches are modestly priced relative to our analog gear. it's only dacs and servers where 5 figure price tags come into play.
not sure all that helped with clarity.
I have always hoped that some day state of the art digital would sound in certain key aspects as good as or even better than state of the art analog. In particular in top notch audio systems with an extremely low noise floor the inherent ‘noise’ of analog replay - I suppose created by the stylus in the groove - is not ‘ideal’. One of the interesting aspects in the review of RH in TAS is that he explicitly mentions that the Wadax reference combo with Akasa cable recreates a bass performance that he has never heard before from any format, digital or analog. That is real progress imho.
you can always buy a stand alone CD/SACD player; which can sound superb. super simple. silver discs. but multi-millions of files are then not at your fingertips. the degree of complication is a choice.I always feel digital is very much like sausages. They can taste very good but I really don't want to know how they are made.....
I made that decision many eons ago. Haven't had a CDP for more than 10 years.
Still spinning.
CD transport > Reclocker > DAC.
Have seen over the years the complication and drama of computer audio and the sonic vulnerability to minor changes in the chain, which can ruin it, in friends' systems and have zero appetite. Everyone makes the decision that suits them.
I am though interested in a small portable player with great headphones. That can sound really, really good; a friend has it. And it's simple. But it does not have multi millions of files at your fingertips. Nice to have, but I don't need that.
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Ok. I was considering buying a Wadax server to work with my MSB Ref DAC. I guess this is a bad idea and I will pass since you also think that one either needs to buy both together or not bother.
You might wanna read RH’s review in TAS of the Wadax reference server. Although he is quite clear that using the Akasa cable brings the performance to an altogether different / much higher level, he is also very explicit that the Wadax reference server with an usb-cable is the best server he has experienced. Actually he is of the opinion that the Wadax reference server is an even more impressive achievement than the Wadax reference dac.
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I disagree…
Server has USB output for a reason and most important, 3 dials that haven’t been discussed here.
Forgiving Akasa connection, Wadax Ref. Server is recommended to every Dac available…
I don’t know any Server that can adjust voltaje, gain and speed as Ref. does.
This key is unique and you can dial your Server to every Dac needs…
i tried both the Taiko Extreme server and Wadax server with the Wadax dac with USB. there is no reason that the Wadax server would not 'work' with the MSB Select II or Reference dac with USB.
if you did not already have an excellent server and owned an MSB Reference dac, and intended to move eventually to the Wadax Ref dac but knew you wanted a great server, then a good case could be made to acquire the Wadax Ref server before you stepped up to the Wadax Ref dac. a gentleman who i was corresponding with did own the Wadax Reference server with a Soulution 760 dac and liked it. he has a Wadax Reference dac now incoming. it's a solid way to go. happy to connect you to him if you have questions about that.
the Wadax Ref server is less than half the price of the dac (without the about to be introduced added power supply), so it's logical to do that first.
if you are building your files then adding the Wadax Ref server would allow you to load new files onto the SSD cards now.
there is no doubt that the Wadax Ref server has capabilities that could not be fully used without the Wadax Ref dac......true. but it's a step up over anything else IMHO. the only decision you would need to make would be whether you invested in the Akasa interface at point of server purchase, or wait until you get the Wadax Ref dac. there is an optical receiving unit on the dac that is part of the Akasa package, so maybe doing it ahead of time is not an option.
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Two min reasons why I have no CDP. Firstly streaming files or from a streaming service is good enough for me compared to spinning CDs. More importantly only space to keep one solid medium and Vinyl definitely has the edge with regards to SQ, ownership, artwork etc.
I definitely can agree on the artwork. Miss those large LP covers, just beautiful.
i almost forgot......ah yes, those 3 dials......
i had a business trip last week to Las Vegas, this next week gone to another one in Napa Valley. now that my optimizations are just about behind me, once i return those 3 dials will get my attention. it's time.
after that......mid April my vinyl upgrades will start rolling in......
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