dCS Varese short review

[pk_LA]

most interior designers would absolutely choose the dCS, and most previous dCS chassis, over almost any other digital chassis. my question might be what would an F1 aero designer in 2025 say to a CEO wanting to make their race car look like a 57' Ferrari Testa Rossa.

maybe.....'how fast do you want it to be?

i wholeheartedly agree that the dCS Varese fits your domestic aesthetic to a 'T'. dCS dealers i'm sure take that to the bank. and no doubt that Level 4 Wadax is a beast. hard to hide it in plain sight. if it even fit.......it would not fit in.

Your question is flawed. It implies that the industrial design of the dac is connected to the performance. It is not. Despite what nonsense anyone tries to sell you.

 

[Al M.]

Actually, I read the front facade shape was intentional to mimic a Formula One steering wheel. Don't think it's a contender for any design awards. I like the aesthetics of the Studio Player a bit more.

Problem is, once you have to explain art, and it's not self-evident -- it isn't here -- art is already in trouble.

I agree with pk_LA, it's "engineers attempting art".

Like you, I like the aesthetics of the studio player a bit more.

 

[nirodha]

I think the big enemy of the sound quality is AC power because of the main source of noise/distortion comes from AC power.

I guess the Wadax secrets are in power supply design and lowering noise approaches not feed forward error correction.

I do not think dCS could compete in this regard

We don’t guess here, we know ! Or in this case, we don’t

 

[andromedaaudio]

Aesthetically, the Wadax looks somewhat like an amateur ham radio. Adorned with chrome accents. In the business I am in we sometimes refer to this as engineers attempting art.

The Varese looks fantastic.

Oh, and the remote is pretty awesome, too. I don't think there is much debate about looks and interface between these two dacs.

I think its completely the other way .
DCS looking boring .
They are basically rectangular boxes with a frontplate with some curves .

The latest Wadax products look special / sleek /daring with beautifull colour shades.
Looking very.thoughtful /well made .

 

[Audiocrack]

Your question is flawed. It implies that the industrial design of the dac is connected to the performance. It is not. Despite what nonsense anyone tries to sell you.

I (partly) disagree. Although I am not really ‘a fan’ of the looks of the Wadax reference dac, its ‘three department design’ is very well thought out (from an engineering point of view) and performance driven.

 

[Stereophonic]

Wadax Reference line is most disruptive product in every way digital history.

 

[andromedaaudio]

Wadax Reference line is most disruptive product in every way digital history.

Not sure

The mark levinson 30 .6 31.5 combo was also a game changer back in the day.
My 360S is still a special dac after a day on the juice.

 

[Stereophonic]

Not sure

The mark levinson 30 .6 31.5 combo was also a game changer back in the day.
My 360S is still a very special dac after a day on the juice

Yes. It was back in 1992. When digital was still at the begining...
But now, when digital has reached a level of maturity and Status Quo in every brand position,
Wadax has shacked the industry with a line difficult to equal.

 

[rDin]

...I don't use vinyl, but don't all the different carts and designs have a similar varied effect to sound?

They do, but this is a false equivalence. Vinyl never claimed to be perfect, nor was it designed to be so, whereas digital claimed to be perfect from the outset. Based on proven theory. Quantitative. Measurable. And yet, nearly 50 years on and we’re still not there. That vinyl sounds so good and continues to improve is wonderful. That digital still has room to improve is disappointing.

 

[andromedaaudio]

Thats the problem with digital in general .
Its to smooth / polished.
Its more to show off , it often lacks the organic musical connection good tape can produce

 

[Thundersnow]

On that subject, imo, digital was never about being “better” than analogue — I doubt there are many audiophiles who want to be honest with themselves and claim they enjoy hearing the violin more on digital than on analogue. Analogue (forget known and quantifiable measurements) wins hands down in being more truthful to the real thing.

Digital is about accessibility, lack of physical medium (so less clutter) and the ability to listen to more music without getting up and/or finding new music easily through the very useful digital services.

That’s why I at least “try” to get it as close to analogue as I possibly can.

And in that sense, any solid state design (especially one with op amps) has me wondering (again objective non audible noise levels and the rest of the theory aside) no matter how many boxes, no matter the measurements, no matter the price — how it can ever sound better than tube buffered digital with no op amps in the path.

Just my 2c.

 

[bonzo75]

Digital is about accessibility, lack of physical medium (so less clutter) and the ability to listen to more music without getting up and/or finding new music easily through the very useful digital services.

Logically true but on audiophiles forums except for a couple of exceptions most of the guys splitting music are into vinyl. On classical music forums or Hoffman forum they are into both. Digital people here are more into audiophile tracks and style of listening

 

[Thundersnow]

Logically true but on audiophiles forums except for a couple of exceptions most of the guys splitting music are into vinyl. On classical music forums or Hoffman forum they are into both

Fair enough, just how I view things. I never have the full suspension of disbelief hearing a symphony on digital no matter how hard I try. To me Horizon gets me there the most, but it’s still not vinyl, let alone a master tape.

Annnyhow… gonna refrain from delving deeper into the subject. After all, I wish all Varese users to enjoy their digital to the full extent. Haven’t heard it but I’m sure that much attention to detail yields great results.

 

[bonzo75]

Fair enough, just how I view things. I never have the full suspension of disbelief hearing a symphony on digital no matter how hard I try. To me Horizon gets me there the most, but it’s still not vinyl, let alone a master tape.

That’s because of the recordings.

 

[PeterA]

Peter; do you still feel there was a concerted effort to change the subject? or just normal type reactions and re-reactions? we are all sensitive to things we care about.

evidence? i went to some trouble to explain how it looked to me.

Mike, this thread seems a bit beyond the normal organic migration and flow of discussions away from original topics. The thread started being about a new flagship DAC. It became about another one. Not just some side discussion but about the direct competitor. How many other Wadax threads already exist? It is like a new Magico speaker thread morphing into a discussion about Wilson speakers supported by Wilson owners and dealers. That is how it looks to me from here. Like an effort. The evidence is in the number of posts and the shift from one brand to another.

I directly addressed your sighting of my post #180. You did give my the opportunity to ask my question again. Thanks for that. I see a couple of responses. I asked another question about how the two DACs sound when playing a string quartet. Perhaps there have simply not been enough comparisons made.

I understand that it is a sensitive issue, it seems for you especially. I get it. Requests from readers to get back on topic in a number of threads lately have had similar pushback and justifications.

 

[wil]

Digital people here are more into audiophile tracks and style of listening

…said with typical self-invented authority.

 

[bonzo75]

…said with typical self-invented authority.

I say that based on the participation of discussion and videos shared by digital listeners, including you

 

[Stereophonic]

Mike, this thread seems a bit beyond the normal organic migration and flow of discussions away from original topics. The thread started being about a new flagship DAC. It became about another one. Not just some side discussion but about the direct competitor. How many other Wadax threads already exist? It is like a new Magico speaker thread morphing into a discussion about Wilson speakers supported by Wilson owners and dealers. That is how it looks to me from here. Like an effort. The evidence is in the number of posts and the shift from one brand to another.

I directly addressed your sighting of my post #180. You did give my the opportunity to ask my question again. Thanks for that. I see a couple of responses. I asked another question about how the two DACs sound when playing a string quartet. Perhaps there have simply not been enough comparisons made.

I understand that it is a sensitive issue, it seems for you especially. I get it. Requests from readers to get back on topic in a number of threads lately have had similar pushback and justifications.

It is normal it becames about Wadax. Before or later, Wadax appears in every Dac thread. Except Taiko Olympus one, where you will be banned as i am if you express an opinion that Emile (H. Simpson) doesn't like.
For now, it is the reference for both costumers and brands.

 

[MarkusBarkus]

That vinyl sounds so good and continues to improve is wonderful. That digital still has room to improve is disappointing.

...this must make sense to you, since you wrote it. The premise seems to be since vinyl was not introduced as "perfect" its continuing improvement gets categorized as "wonderful," whereas the marketing pitch: "perfect sound forever" becomes a millstone and a standard to which digital has not lived up to, which you find disappointing.

Both technologies continue to evolve, and one hopes, the sound *quality* car is hitched to that train. Seems so to me, anyway.

 

[MarkusBarkus]

Except Taiko Olympus one, where you will be banned as i am if you express an opinion that Emile (H. Simpson) doesn't like.

...you think that is why you were removed from a sponsored thread? You seem to look for any opportunity to bring this up, this time in a dCS thread.