Get it Al. They say you only live once. But your on round 2 or 3 now???
Wadax Reference Dac and Server arrive
- Thread starter Mike Lavigne
- Start date
Elliot G.
Industry Expert
I agree but that wasn't the reason for my choice. I just felt that I wanted to have just the one source as it makes for a much simpler time in the room and I feel the Wadax can certainly handle the attention
And I agree here as well.I agree but that wasn't the reason for my choice. I just felt that I wanted to have just the one source as it makes for a much simpler time in the room and I feel the Wadax can certainly handle the attention
both are great and can be side by side as well. I’ll be at the show and look forward to these rooms.
i do love the wadax look
got back from Axpona Sunday night. i had a group of 6 local listening visitors scheduled for Tuesday evening. which normally would be no big deal except for i'm doing some remodeling in the barn and it was in it's last stages. it was a mess. i was hoping it would be finished enough in time that i could clean up prior to my guests arriving. so Monday and Tuesday i was mostly cleaning, and readying for the visit. got it done, had a nice session Tuesday until late. i was just tuckered....between 5 go-go days gone to Axpona, the cleaning and Tues night session.
yet the system has never sounded better; the Wadax has gone to another level of believability. all week i've noticed it, but i've been asleep on my feet half the time recovering. finally last night and this morning i've recovered enough to take it all in. is it break-in of cables and all the tweaks? maybe the Wadax? my reference from Axpona? i don't know. but i'm in another place.
just a little more liquid, a little more sure-footed, the bass a bit more jump, the highs a little sweeter, everything more real and involving. the system is really on point. maybe after some intense pursuit of digital truth, hearing through and around things at Axpona, my expectations got knocked down a bit. i've returned from shows dozens of times but never had this degree of effect, seems more than that.
yet the system has never sounded better; the Wadax has gone to another level of believability. all week i've noticed it, but i've been asleep on my feet half the time recovering. finally last night and this morning i've recovered enough to take it all in. is it break-in of cables and all the tweaks? maybe the Wadax? my reference from Axpona? i don't know. but i'm in another place.
just a little more liquid, a little more sure-footed, the bass a bit more jump, the highs a little sweeter, everything more real and involving. the system is really on point. maybe after some intense pursuit of digital truth, hearing through and around things at Axpona, my expectations got knocked down a bit. i've returned from shows dozens of times but never had this degree of effect, seems more than that.
Good to read that you are enjoying the Wadax reference combo more and more, Mike. Might it be that both units are still breaking in and are getting better and better, although now by very small steps? One of our members (with a top notch audio system) mentioned to me that he noticed small changes for the better even after a few months of continuous, that is 24/7, breaking in. Of course the spectacular improvements are happening in the beginning of this breaking in process. But according to him small but significant progress could still be experienced after months of 24/7 playing the combo.
When I got back I needed a day to clear my head no music just silence Although tv and phone calls were used
then the next day had system warming up.
it sounded good but I can hear what’s needed to be fixed more now.
i loved the wadax rooms.
i wanted to say high to Elliot but forgot to. Was at his room a few times
enjoyed it.
i think after a show when we come back to our own rooms it’s a jump to our world and your place is way above most all. So I can see how you would enjoy it so. Congrates on your sysem
then the next day had system warming up.
it sounded good but I can hear what’s needed to be fixed more now.
i loved the wadax rooms.
i wanted to say high to Elliot but forgot to. Was at his room a few times
enjoyed it.
i think after a show when we come back to our own rooms it’s a jump to our world and your place is way above most all. So I can see how you would enjoy it so. Congrates on your sysem
Hi Mike! It’s always interesting to listen to my system after hearing others whether in a home, B&M, or at a show. Mostly I appreciate what I have but sometimes the paradigm of possibility stirs my perspective, which is a great thing! My Mom long ago shared something she had read about how we will leave our home only to return and know it for the very first time. A poetic way of acknowledging the process of contrast & compare. Glad to hear you had a great time at Axpona and that your system continues to please you!
Elliot G.
Industry Expert
Mike, I got back and was totally exhausted late weds. evening . Almost 2000 miles driven in 2 days.
I managed yesterday to get my system, the same system, hooked up and back in my room. It was cold and I was tired after all the moving and lifting etc. Damn I am getting to old for this LOL, however by 5 pm it had been on for a few hours and still wasnt back to temperature and the only thing that entered my mind is "I wish I could have had this sound at the show" I know its still not where i want it but its sad that its just so difficult to make things happen like a mature system in a long term environment. I hope I can do better next year with more experience and hopefully a bigger truck and some more help.
I forced myself to watch a few of the show rap up video's and I have to honest these guys are ALL OVER THE PLACE ONES BEST IS THE OTHERS WORST. My logic them tells me that one or both have to be totally wrong and I think its the later. Insulting the show, all the vendors, all the participants, just to elevate yourself....sad just sad IMO.
Mike your system is killer and just keep doing what you are doing. I think some of these online personalities might want to check out what a real quality system ( not a rig ) can do in a great room with a lot of effort and care.
I managed yesterday to get my system, the same system, hooked up and back in my room. It was cold and I was tired after all the moving and lifting etc. Damn I am getting to old for this LOL, however by 5 pm it had been on for a few hours and still wasnt back to temperature and the only thing that entered my mind is "I wish I could have had this sound at the show" I know its still not where i want it but its sad that its just so difficult to make things happen like a mature system in a long term environment. I hope I can do better next year with more experience and hopefully a bigger truck and some more help.
I forced myself to watch a few of the show rap up video's and I have to honest these guys are ALL OVER THE PLACE ONES BEST IS THE OTHERS WORST. My logic them tells me that one or both have to be totally wrong and I think its the later. Insulting the show, all the vendors, all the participants, just to elevate yourself....sad just sad IMO.
Mike your system is killer and just keep doing what you are doing. I think some of these online personalities might want to check out what a real quality system ( not a rig ) can do in a great room with a lot of effort and care.
Did I look that bad hahaha well I feel that way when I look at myself too. I’m very close to door labeled out ! i was so glad to meet you in person you have helped me with many phone calls and truthful advice too. i meant to say hello to Elliot after all ill bet he hates me hahahah. i figured a in person its done in fun would be the least he deserves. His room was packed the few times I stoped there sounded great too. i have no idea what he looks like and wanted us to a bit alone as I told him who I was lol. this way I could step away if needed lol.
Elliot G.
Industry Expert
you should have said hello ! I don't hate you or anyone else here.
oh not so sure but its all fun. you were busy everytime i went in there . should have asked mike to describe you and me as aheads up . i respect all who sell prodcuts it dont look easy . draged mike to the aries room lol i had a blast there all rooms were fun to me . i also enjoyed the headphones too .you should have said hello ! I don't hate you or anyone else here.
Catching up on this thread and great to hear / see you went all Wadax, congrats Mike. I like them in the same rack, top and middle, very sharp looking.
thank you. as far as the visuals of the Wadax Ref dac, server and power supplies, i agree that somehow stacking the two big chassis one on top of the other, is the most powerful awesome 'look'. however; realities of my system and three great turntables, and the Wadax height issues including the RevOpods and Daiza's, eliminate that sort of visual optimization. they are simply giant. i'm forced to 'slum it' with distribution of the various Wadax chassis along the lower level of my Adona racks for optimal sonic performance, cable length realities, and location of my phono stages.
as i go along, if i do have a chance to redo my racks and gear, maybe that 'stacking' might happen. for now, pretty happy with it as it is.
Apologies for not being clear, I liked them "stacked" on separate shelves but in he same rack.
Off topic - speaking of Adona, I recently bought an Adona rack and wasn't expecting much if any difference versus my DIY baltic birch rack but boy was I wrong. The rack made a nice difference predominantly in overall clarity.
Steve
that is what i meant, i was not specific enough. with the chassis shape no way to actually stack them one on top of another, they would require separate shelves. makes for a tall rack, or a very long one with all my tt's. with power umbilicals the logistics is daunting.
been happy for years with my Adona. they are the perfect basic solid rack to allow me to use all my shelf isolation while being cost effective. yet they are just 'meh' in terms of 'look' and i'm always lusting after sexier looking racks, knowing that my individual shelf tweak approach will always surpass the whole rack isolation approach. the grass always looks greener on the other lawn.....but not always true.
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At axpona I seen these works of art in person what a concept.
I think having them side by side or even each with there own rack with psu below might be how I would like them. in any event they kept me looking and looking
the sound was amazing as well. i think what they sound like needs to be heard of time for myself to grow a better understanding. not knowing any of the devices used in the two rooms is a tough task.
I look forward to hearing these more.
I think having them side by side or even each with there own rack with psu below might be how I would like them. in any event they kept me looking and looking
the sound was amazing as well. i think what they sound like needs to be heard of time for myself to grow a better understanding. not knowing any of the devices used in the two rooms is a tough task.
I look forward to hearing these more.
i wanted to talk about my own Wadax listening, so i'm returning to my own Wadax thread. recently i had the Akasa optical software update done, which is done remotely by Wadax in a 2 step process. first they do the server with the permanent ethernet connection. then step 2 is connecting two additional ethernet cables to 2 service inputs on the dac and it takes about an hour to complete the upgrade. mine was completed late last week.
i do not know what they did.
over a few days and 4-5 hours of listening i was pretty impressed by the up tic in performance. these were subtle changes that had significant benefits. what i heard immediately was more body and greater tonal density and timbre, along with more micro dynamics. over time my sense was just more realism and rightness. and my Wadax listening this past weekend was awesome.
these last weeks i've also been listening to a new tonearm i got in June, but now am spending a lot of time with, the Primary Control FCL field coil loaded tone arm.
www.whatsbestforum.com
i bring this tonearm experience up because what it's doing compared to other tone arms, reminds me of what the Wadax Ref Dac and Ref Server do compared to other digital. yet the Wadax does this 'thing' to a much more dramatic degree compared to the FCL tone arm advantage. the Wadax combo fix digital artifacts and add many higher degrees of realism. the FCL arm also cleans up arm distortions compared to other arms and makes things more real. or more 'right'. the FCL does not have it's own sound or character, neither does the Wadax.
what has always bothered me about feedback i read about the Wadax is that no one ever brings this lack of digital artifacts up. yes; mostly they like the Wadax that it sounds better, but i don't read about specifics of this aspect of cleaning up distortions i heard so clearly when i compared it to both the MSB Select II and the Taiko Extreme server. why did i hear this so obviously, as did others in my room, yet it's not part of the narrative of feedback?
i can only guess about this. one guess is that the compares that have been done have not been done carefully enough. could be a system context thing, or a warm up thing, and a listening care thing. i don't know. there have not been many direct compares. the other guess is that much of the Wadax demos have been alone, without any other dac to directly compare. or at shows. no way for this lack of distortions to be anything one would notice. yet experientially this lack of distortions is really everything. it's the 800 pound gorilla in the room of musical experience. it's why the Wadax sounds like my vinyl. why i can listen for hours and hours.
with the FCL arm this 'rightness' is a profound separator. and with the Wadax it's the same thing. but you need to hear it and realize what is going on. which might take some work to get the proper opportunity with your mind and ears open.
once you hear digital without those distortions......you can't unhear it.
i do not know what they did.
over a few days and 4-5 hours of listening i was pretty impressed by the up tic in performance. these were subtle changes that had significant benefits. what i heard immediately was more body and greater tonal density and timbre, along with more micro dynamics. over time my sense was just more realism and rightness. and my Wadax listening this past weekend was awesome.
these last weeks i've also been listening to a new tonearm i got in June, but now am spending a lot of time with, the Primary Control FCL field coil loaded tone arm.
Primary Control FCL 12"----field coil loaded unipivot tone arm.
There is of course the technology, in this case magnetically stabilized uni pivot, yet just like with all audio gear ( especially transducers - carts and drivers ) the results can be hard to attribute to a simple tech or material. It's the craft person / designer balancing everything and...
www.whatsbestforum.com
i bring this tonearm experience up because what it's doing compared to other tone arms, reminds me of what the Wadax Ref Dac and Ref Server do compared to other digital. yet the Wadax does this 'thing' to a much more dramatic degree compared to the FCL tone arm advantage. the Wadax combo fix digital artifacts and add many higher degrees of realism. the FCL arm also cleans up arm distortions compared to other arms and makes things more real. or more 'right'. the FCL does not have it's own sound or character, neither does the Wadax.
what has always bothered me about feedback i read about the Wadax is that no one ever brings this lack of digital artifacts up. yes; mostly they like the Wadax that it sounds better, but i don't read about specifics of this aspect of cleaning up distortions i heard so clearly when i compared it to both the MSB Select II and the Taiko Extreme server. why did i hear this so obviously, as did others in my room, yet it's not part of the narrative of feedback?
i can only guess about this. one guess is that the compares that have been done have not been done carefully enough. could be a system context thing, or a warm up thing, and a listening care thing. i don't know. there have not been many direct compares. the other guess is that much of the Wadax demos have been alone, without any other dac to directly compare. or at shows. no way for this lack of distortions to be anything one would notice. yet experientially this lack of distortions is really everything. it's the 800 pound gorilla in the room of musical experience. it's why the Wadax sounds like my vinyl. why i can listen for hours and hours.
with the FCL arm this 'rightness' is a profound separator. and with the Wadax it's the same thing. but you need to hear it and realize what is going on. which might take some work to get the proper opportunity with your mind and ears open.
once you hear digital without those distortions......you can't unhear it.
i wanted to talk about my own Wadax listening, so i'm returning to my own Wadax thread. recently i had the Akasa optical software update done, which is done remotely by Wadax in a 2 step process. first they do the server with the permanent ethernet connection. then step 2 is connecting two additional ethernet cables to 2 service inputs on the dac and it takes about an hour to complete the upgrade. mine was completed late last week.
i do not know what they did.
over a few days and 4-5 hours of listening i was pretty impressed by the up tic in performance. these were subtle changes that had significant benefits. what i heard immediately was more body and greater tonal density and timbre, along with more micro dynamics. over time my sense was just more realism and rightness. and my Wadax listening this past weekend was awesome.
these last weeks i've also been listening to a new tonearm i got in June, but now am spending a lot of time with, the Primary Control FCL field coil loaded tone arm.
Primary Control FCL 12"----field coil loaded unipivot tone arm.
There is of course the technology, in this case magnetically stabilized uni pivot, yet just like with all audio gear ( especially transducers - carts and drivers ) the results can be hard to attribute to a simple tech or material. It's the craft person / designer balancing everything and...
i bring this tonearm experience up because what it's doing compared to other tone arms, reminds me of what the Wadax Ref Dac and Ref Server do compared to other digital. yet the Wadax does this 'thing' to a much more dramatic degree compared to the FCL tone arm advantage. the Wadax combo fix digital artifacts and add many higher degrees of realism. the FCL arm also cleans up arm distortions compared to other arms and makes things more real. or more 'right'. the FCL does not have it's own sound or character, neither does the Wadax.
what has always bothered me about feedback i read about the Wadax is that no one ever brings this lack of digital artifacts up. yes; mostly they like the Wadax that it sounds better, but i don't read about specifics of this aspect of cleaning up distortions i heard so clearly when i compared it to both the MSB Select II and the Taiko Extreme server. why did i hear this so obviously, as did others in my room, yet it's not part of the narrative of feedback?
i can only guess about this. one guess is that the compares that have been done have not been done carefully enough. could be a system context thing, or a warm up thing, and a listening care thing. i don't know. there have not been many direct compares. the other guess is that much of the Wadax demos have been alone, without any other dac to directly compare. or at shows. no way for this lack of distortions to be anything one would notice. yet experientially this lack of distortions is really everything. it's the 800 pound gorilla in the room of musical experience. it's why the Wadax sounds like my vinyl. why i can listen for hours and hours.
with the FCL arm this 'rightness' is a profound separator. and with the Wadax it's the same thing. but you need to hear it and realize what is going on. which might take some work to get the proper opportunity with your mind and ears open.
once you hear digital without those distortions......you can't unhear it
i wanted to talk about my own Wadax listening, so i'm returning to my own Wadax thread. recently i had the Akasa optical software update done, which is done remotely by Wadax in a 2 step process. first they do the server with the permanent ethernet connection. then step 2 is connecting two additional ethernet cables to 2 service inputs on the dac and it takes about an hour to complete the upgrade. mine was completed late last week.
i do not know what they did.
over a few days and 4-5 hours of listening i was pretty impressed by the up tic in performance. these were subtle changes that had significant benefits. what i heard immediately was more body and greater tonal density and timbre, along with more micro dynamics. over time my sense was just more realism and rightness. and my Wadax listening this past weekend was awesome.
these last weeks i've also been listening to a new tonearm i got in June, but now am spending a lot of time with, the Primary Control FCL field coil loaded tone arm.
Primary Control FCL 12"----field coil loaded unipivot tone arm.
There is of course the technology, in this case magnetically stabilized uni pivot, yet just like with all audio gear ( especially transducers - carts and drivers ) the results can be hard to attribute to a simple tech or material. It's the craft person / designer balancing everything and...
i bring this tonearm experience up because what it's doing compared to other tone arms, reminds me of what the Wadax Ref Dac and Ref Server do compared to other digital. yet the Wadax does this 'thing' to a much more dramatic degree compared to the FCL tone arm advantage. the Wadax combo fix digital artifacts and add many higher degrees of realism. the FCL arm also cleans up arm distortions compared to other arms and makes things more real. or more 'right'. the FCL does not have it's own sound or character, neither does the Wadax.
what has always bothered me about feedback i read about the Wadax is that no one ever brings this lack of digital artifacts up. yes; mostly they like the Wadax that it sounds better, but i don't read about specifics of this aspect of cleaning up distortions i heard so clearly when i compared it to both the MSB Select II and the Taiko Extreme server. why did i hear this so obviously, as did others in my room, yet it's not part of the narrative of feedback?
i can only guess about this. one guess is that the compares that have been done have not been done carefully enough. could be a system context thing, or a warm up thing, and a listening care thing. i don't know. there have not been many direct compares. the other guess is that much of the Wadax demos have been alone, without any other dac to directly compare. or at shows. no way for this lack of distortions to be anything one would notice. yet experientially this lack of distortions is really everything. it's the 800 pound gorilla in the room of musical experience. it's why the Wadax sounds like my vinyl. why i can listen for hours and hours.
with the FCL arm this 'rightness' is a profound separator. and with the Wadax it's the same thing. but you need to hear it and realize what is going on. which might take some work to get the proper opportunity with your mind and ears open.
once you hear digital without those distortions......you can't unhear it.
i wanted to talk about my own Wadax listening, so i'm returning to my own Wadax thread. recently i had the Akasa optical software update done, which is done remotely by Wadax in a 2 step process. first they do the server with the permanent ethernet connection. then step 2 is connecting two additional ethernet cables to 2 service inputs on the dac and it takes about an hour to complete the upgrade. mine was completed late last week.
i do not know what they did.
over a few days and 4-5 hours of listening i was pretty impressed by the up tic in performance. these were subtle changes that had significant benefits. what i heard immediately was more body and greater tonal density and timbre, along with more micro dynamics. over time my sense was just more realism and rightness. and my Wadax listening this past weekend was awesome.
these last weeks i've also been listening to a new tonearm i got in June, but now am spending a lot of time with, the Primary Control FCL field coil loaded tone arm.
Primary Control FCL 12"----field coil loaded unipivot tone arm.
There is of course the technology, in this case magnetically stabilized uni pivot, yet just like with all audio gear ( especially transducers - carts and drivers ) the results can be hard to attribute to a simple tech or material. It's the craft person / designer balancing everything and...
i bring this tonearm experience up because what it's doing compared to other tone arms, reminds me of what the Wadax Ref Dac and Ref Server do compared to other digital. yet the Wadax does this 'thing' to a much more dramatic degree compared to the FCL tone arm advantage. the Wadax combo fix digital artifacts and add many higher degrees of realism. the FCL arm also cleans up arm distortions compared to other arms and makes things more real. or more 'right'. the FCL does not have it's own sound or character, neither does the Wadax.
what has always bothered me about feedback i read about the Wadax is that no one ever brings this lack of digital artifacts up. yes; mostly they like the Wadax that it sounds better, but i don't read about specifics of this aspect of cleaning up distortions i heard so clearly when i compared it to both the MSB Select II and the Taiko Extreme server. why did i hear this so obviously, as did others in my room, yet it's not part of the narrative of feedback?
i can only guess about this. one guess is that the compares that have been done have not been done carefully enough. could be a system context thing, or a warm up thing, and a listening care thing. i don't know. there have not been many direct compares. the other guess is that much of the Wadax demos have been alone, without any other dac to directly compare. or at shows. no way for this lack of distortions to be anything one would notice. yet experientially this lack of distortions is really everything. it's the 800 pound gorilla in the room of musical experience. it's why the Wadax sounds like my vinyl. why i can listen for hours and hours.
with the FCL arm this 'rightness' is a profound separator. and with the Wadax it's the same thing. but you need to hear it and realize what is going on. which might take some work to get the proper opportunity with your mind and ears open.
once you hear digital without those distortions......you can't unhear it.
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