Wadax Reference Dac and Server arrive

[nonesup]

ok, i give up. in for a pound, in for a.........

tried to optimize the Wadax without buying these, but caved in today and ordered 6 sets of 4. "Black Chrome"...see below...which i assume is the black anodized body with the chrome ring.

Arya Audio | RevOpod

www.arya-audio.com

the challenge is that with 8 footers under the dac and server, it's necessary to both level and equalize weight for proper decoupling. and....having enough space to actually adjust the footer too. there are plenty of quality footers to choose from, but not many that tic all these boxes, and that multiple reviews have endorsed enthusiastically with these products specifically.

will have them in about a week to 10 days. i'll comment then about what i hear.

View attachment 88736

I sincerely hope you have better luck with them than I did.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Hi Mike, I've never tried Revopods under a rack component, but have had great results with them under my Zus (which do sport on-board 350W Class D amps and down-firing subs).

 

[Mike Lavigne]

I sincerely hope you have better luck with them than I did.

thank you for the feedback. which product did you try them with? and what rack/shelf system did they sit on? floor type?

 

[djsina2]

"Black Chrome"...see below...which i assume is the black anodized body with the chrome ring.

Black chrome is a specific finish. In their pictures it’s the body of the one with the gold ring.

 

[djsina2]

Black chrome is a specific finish. In their pictures it’s the body of the one with the gold ring.

Actually I zoomed in on phone and that may be just standard black.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Black chrome is a specific finish. In their pictures it’s the body of the one with the gold ring.

i'm told that mine are called 'Black Chrome' ($1295 retail per set, all chrome plated is $1200 retail) and don't have any gold on them. whether they have a chrome ring, or black ring, i'm good. these were the last sets they had on hand.

 

[Stereophonic]

.

View attachment 88736

I never thought you would be so impressed by a picture….

 

[Mike Lavigne]

I never thought you would be so impressed by a picture….

it was right there to be grabbed to connect the idea to a picture. thank you.

 

[nonesup]

thank you for the feedback. which product did you try them with? and what rack/shelf system did they sit on? floor type?

Underneath my Kassandra DAC in a rack Artesania Audio Reference

 

[Stereophonic]

it was right there to be grabbed to connect the idea to a picture. thank you.

Arthur is a nice guy…
PM if you want to talk with him.
Be careful, Arya Airblade are killers…

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Underneath my Kassandra DAC in a rack Artesania Audio Reference

thank you. on the Artesania site i could not find any rack specifically called the Audio Reference. in general, all Artesania racks suspend the rack frame for ultimate decoupling. am i right to assume that this 'Audio Reference' rack also uses that approach?

so the RevOpods are combined with the Artesania decoupling process? a 'twin' effect?

or is this a solid shelf on top of the rack?, and not suspended? if so, what is your floor type? concrete? suspended wood?

sorry to pester you with all these questions.

 

[nonesup]

It is a discontinued model, but it is a suspended rack. The floor is marble

 

[Mike Lavigne]

It is a discontinued model, but it is a suspended rack. The floor is marble

thank you. that is helpful to understand. btw; i'm a big fan of Artesania. almost bought them multiple times.

assuming the RevOpods were used in combination with the decoupling rack effect, that would be a completely different context than how i would use them. for me the RevOpods would be resting on a solid Adona granite/wood shelf, on a solid rack, spiked to concrete. the RevOpods would essentially operate by themselves.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Mike, I auditioned the RevOpods against IsoAcoustics Gaias, and also versus Symposium Rollerblocks and some bespoke solid Lead footers I had made up.
My Rollerblocks and Lead footers had been my existing spkrs isolation methods at that time, both were easily beaten by the RevOpods and the Gaias, it wasn't even close.
I then got to work trying to sort a victor from the RevOpods and Gaias.
Initially the Gaias seemed to have it with much more prominent bass.
However, the RevOpods that seemed initially to fail in this area began to assert their authority by showing this Gaias bass to be a bit of a one trick pony, the RevOpods much more varied and nuanced in the bass in the final analysis, which then provided greater dividends in much more open mids and treble. Greater bass articulation and differentiation, and transparency and neutrality higher up were the final clinchers for me.
And they've been in my system ever since.
Caveat...I use them to isolate my Zus on a highly challenging, moderately flexy 150 year old Victorian suspended 50' X 35' total span timber floor, but I know your floor is solid.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Mike, I auditioned the RevOpods against IsoAcoustics Gaias, and also versus Symposium Rollerblocks and some bespoke solid Lead footers I had made up.
My Rollerblocks and Lead footers had been my existing spkrs isolation methods at that time, both were easily beaten by the RevOpods and the Gaias, it wasn't even close.
I then got to work trying to sort a victor from the RevOpods and Gaias.
Initially the Gaias seemed to have it with much more prominent bass.
However, the RevOpods that seemed initially to fail in this area began to assert their authority by showing this Gaias bass to be a bit of a one trick pony, the RevOpods much more varied and nuanced in the bass in the final analysis, which then provided greater dividends in much more open mids and treble. Greater bass articulation and differentiation, and transparency and neutrality higher up were the final clinchers for me.
And they've been in my system ever since.
Caveat...I use them to isolate my Zus on a highly challenging, moderately flexy 150 year old Victorian suspended 50' X 35' total span timber floor, but I know your floor is solid.

Marc, that is very helpful and i think your feedback aligns with the Wadax Ref dac review feedback from Harley and Gregory. i know Wadax recommends them too. so feeling positive about this direction.

the one downside is that i will have to move the Wadax server away from my field of view for the cover art, to get the height on all the Wadax rack spots for the RevOpods to be useable. oh well, such is the cost of multiple sources. if i have multiple visitors sitting on the sofa or behind at least they will have a good view.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

i might see if i can stack the RevOpods and one layer of Daiza. i think i have the height to try it. if i have the proper assistance on hand to A/B that i'll give it a go. it seems like the approach of the two systems might be complimentary. worth checking out. i have all these Daiza's now idle.

a good read, RevOpod review by Roy Gregory.....

Arya Audio RevOpods - The Audio Beat - www.TheAudioBeat.com

read audio reviews, ratings, and user opinions on audio equipment before you buy an audio system

www.theaudiobeat.com

 

[Derekw14]

Sometimes, really precious music making is not available in the best resolution that I would like. I am personally more that happy to accept lower resolution, but Wadax is able to allow that sense of "being there" in the concert hall, its a feeling, a sense of occasion, rather than simply "Air", "soundstage", "image depth",.. these Hi Fi vocabulary and analysis is there, just that it doesn't present it in front of your face...

Here's another example of find pianism in really terrible resolution...I think I may risk being kicked out of Whatsbestforum for being so ridiculous, but I hope you may be able to appreciate
the exquisite pianism.....

What an exceptional piece of music. THANK YOU for sharing it.

 

[Nevillekapadia]

Hi Mike,

What a fabulous journey it has been and a thrill to hear all your changes since we last visited your place in '15.

I just wished that Washington State was more around the corner, rather than the 8K miles it actually is away from Down Under.

But you never know, a visit one day hopefully turns up in the future, as an opportunity where we can sit and have a listen and chat about the journey.

Till then keep enjoying the music, as it certainly give me a thrill reading about it.

Best
Neville
P.S. - Glad that the Voodoo LP still is on your list of reference cuts. Best regards to Pam too.

 

[rando]

i might see if i can stack the RevOpods and one layer of Daiza. i think i have the height to try it. if i have the proper assistance on hand to A/B that i'll give it a go

By loose count this is fast approaching (over?) a handful of times these four new boxes have moved with two more power supply foreseeable in the coming months. Plus open ended question of Wadax Transport that would require a valuable top shelf.

Small misgivings over placement are starting to creep in that don't seem sustainable based on your past behavior. Having initially suggested interest in how the physical, spatial, arrangement of a mature well sorted rack solution would need to evolve. I'll ask if this is still topically relevant or something you'd rather not take focus away from the ongoing discussion.

Thanks.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

By loose count this is fast approaching (over?) a handful of times these four new boxes have moved with two more power supply foreseeable in the coming months. Plus open ended question of Wadax Transport that would require a valuable top shelf.

Small misgivings over placement are starting to creep in that don't seem sustainable based on your past behavior. Having initially suggested interest in how the physical, spatial, arrangement of a mature well sorted rack solution would need to evolve. I'll ask if this is still topically relevant or something you'd rather not take focus away from the ongoing discussion.

Thanks.

sure. it's boring mundane stuff. but it is my own ongoing Wadax integration related process that is part of the picture. agree it does not provide as many thrills and chills as other parts.

as far as misgivings, my blessed chaos does have it's warts.