I visited Mike Lavigne's house on Feb 17, 2024.
The main purpose is to compare the sound through top digital and vinyl sound.
Mike has Esoteric T1 turntable which sounds very nice with magnetic gravitaion and option of external clock to control servo motor.
I had listened to Goebel Marquis speaker driven by Esoteric Amps and T1 turntabl during Seoul Audio Show 2023 which was very musical.
On the other hand, Goebel Divin speaker driven by Ch Dac and amps sounded rather cold and dry.
I quit vinyl on 1988.
But during three audio shows that I attended recently ( Pacific Audiofest 2022, 2023, Seoul Audio show 2023), I found rooms playsing vinyl tend to give more natural and musical sounds.
Mike also has Wadax Dac and servers whose retail price is more than 300k$.
I had listened to Wadax Dac and server twice before.
First encounter was at dealer's show room (Ed Devitto).
After doing home audition of Ideon Absolute Dac, we did side by side comparison of Ideon and Wadax over there using Magico M2 speaker drivn by Constellation amps.
I got very favorable opinion on Ideon Absolute Dac after home auditon for one week, but Wadax is clearly in another league with natural but somewhat mystical tonality.
I had another chance to listen to Wadax during Pacific Audiofest 2022.
Goebel Divin speaker driven by Wadax Dac and CH amps sounded very musical and dynamic.
About five years ago, I had done comparison between MSB Select II and Kronus turntable at dealer's showroom.
YG Sonja speaker was driven by Viola amps.
The results showed that MSB Select II could match the musicality of vinyl playback.
As good as MSB Select II is, I got the impression that Wadax is another league above MSB Select II .
MIke also upgraded from MSB Select II to Wadax around 2 years ago.
We played vinyl Beethoven Symphony No 9 directed by Solti through Esoteric T1 first.
It sounds very musical and dynamic through his Evolution MM 7 speakers driven by Dartzell pre and main amps.
No limitation of dynamics and bass with pure tonality.
As well known among audiophile community around Seattle, Mike's system is top notch.
Then we searched same recording through Roon and played through Wadax.
Wadax could match vinyl in every respect. without suface noise.
We also played Misty sung by Ella Fitzerald thorugh vinyl and Wadex.
The result is more or less same.
It seems that vinyl gave slightly more depth but the difference is rather minor.
We also played Chopin piano concerto played by Marth Argerich thorugh vinyl and Wadex..
This time suface noise bothered me slighty but not enough to enjoy music.
We also played Liberty by Anette Askvik thorugh vinyl and Wadex.
To conclude, Wadax match themusicality of th vinyls played throudh Esoteric T1 without surface noise.
Liberty Wadax
youtu.be
On the other hand, it did not overwhelm the sound of vinyl.
Vinyl played throudh Esoteric T1 sounds almost equal to Wadax and sometimes with little bit more of soundstage depth.
Overall I enloyed 2 hours at Mike's dedicated listening room.
His system gave unlimited and natural bass and dynamics with pure tonality.
The only nitpick is that the soundstage depth coud be more if speaker could breath in larger space.
I had got similar impression when I auditioned Magico M9 at Seoul Korea last November.
The dealer's showroom happened to be almost same size as Mikes( 20ft w 29ft d 11ft h)
But I would not down size speakers if I were Mike.
He will miss unlimited bass and dynamics.
The bass was very clean with no overhang.
Thanks Mike for his hospitality as friendly guest.
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I did an edit.
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