Wadax Reference Dac and Server arrive

[spiritofmusic]

One of my tests for Mike would be Rush/Moving Pictures from 1981. One of the first DDD albums, yet I've never heard it on digital anywhere near as good as vinyl.
Will the Wadax demonstrate this all-digital mastering finally better than the LP?

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Mike, more ammunition for your theory that at the very peak of playback, it's the mastering provenance that prevails.
My guess is you won't listen to anything AAA other than on vinyl, DDD on the Wadax.
1983 the cut off date.

you are mixing ideas that i'm not sure mix. but i mostly agree with you.

what i think is that for digital, i want to hear the source format file. if it's a digital recording, give me the earliest mix in that source format. if it's a tape transfer, then give me the raw digital transfer not re-sampled. forget any messing around. i want as native as possible. it's rare that my listening does not fit into that perspective.

with vinyl yes we want the originals of analog sourced recordings. or dtd. after that it's a complicated thing to define. so many shades of grey. lots of excellent modern digital sourced vinyl, where it's a great performance and recording, and well mastered vinyl. then you have later vinyl versions of analog recordings, 45rpm reissues, and all types of vinyl.

i have 3000 classical records upstairs i'm just beginning to sample, with a good amount (15% + or - ) of early digital sourced vinyl, some of which sounds great. it will be years before i have a feel for all that.

digital is simple, vinyl not so simple if you are not just fixated on original pressings.

 

[Elliot G.]

right now the answer is no. the 'solid analog based' vinyl is better. i don't prefer the Wadax on any of those pressings i can think of.

there are a few 352/24 tape transfers i have not directly compared to the vinyl yet. that could be interesting when i get around to that. they have blown me away.

but.......ask me in 3-4 months. i'm in the Wadax glow right now and have not done much vinyl in the last 3-4 weeks. when i pull out my big vinyl guns on the CS Port or Saskia there is a clear step up (although less by degrees than before) in the musical experience. but while listening to the Wadax i'm not feeling the vinyl pull or any sense that i need to do that at all. which is new ground. and after a few weeks i'm not losing that sense of another digital listening level. it's not just sameo sameo now. it's still this higher level. but i've just got my files, so they are fresh to me. that's new.

i'm am working on some vinyl stuff right now too, which i'm excited about. but also still have a few 'more' steps to go, optimizing the Wadax into my system.

Mike I think you will find that the controls on the server will allow you to go further down the rabbit hole. Your system is good enough to hear anything that you do and at the same time enjoyable enough to not do anything
I have said a few times that the Wadax combo just makes you want to listen and not fiddle around. That has lasted for me over six months.

 

[Stereophonic]

i'm using my Absolute Fidelity power cords on the Wadax Ref dac and sever (same that i used for the MSB and Extreme). Absolute Fidelity is made by Gary Koh (WBF member) of Genesis Loudspeakers. i have the Furutech NCF plugs on them. right now i think i have 13 of these power cords in my system. my perspective is that they are synergistic and get out of the way. if you read the website or reviews they explain that there are three types of power cords; for sources, for motors, and for amps. i do use two big Evolution Acoustic TRPC's on my dart monos. otherwise almost all of my power cords are the AF.

Cables & Interfaces | Genesis Advanced Technologies | Seattle

Genesis Cables and Interfaces - enhancing the enjoyment of all Genesis loudspeaker and component systems.

www.genesisloudspeakers.com

right now i'm using an Evolution Acoustics XLR set of interconnects from the dac to my darTZeel preamp. i have a set of XLR's inbound (in fedex hell at the moment) to me to try in that spot. if i end up preferring them i will talk about it.

no changes in my room or speaker set-up. seems like a great fit with the Wadax presentation. in fact, a perfect fit.

Thank you Mike.
Did you check if you have Dartzeel XLR input with -6db on?
If you have it on, a very easy test changing to pro mode and 1V dac output would be surprising for you. I’m sure….

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Thank you Mike.
Did you check if you have Dartzeel XLR input with -6db on?
If you have it on, a very easy test changing to pro mode and 1V dac output would be surprising for you. I’m sure….

i have it in the Pro mode with the 1V dac output turned on. earlier when you asked me about it, i thought i was in the 2V setting, but i actually had been on the 1V setting. Elliot and i got our wires crossed. later when i looked i saw it.

so good call.

 

[Stereophonic]

i have it in the Pro mode with the 1V dac output turned on. earlier when you asked me about it, i thought i was in the 2V setting, but i actually had been on the 1V setting. Elliot and i got our wires crossed. later when i looked i saw it.

so good call.

I’m glad to read you have best settings to get best sound.
Enjoy !!!

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Mike I think you will find that the controls on the server will allow you to go further down the rabbit hole. Your system is good enough to hear anything that you do and at the same time enjoyable enough to not do anything
I have said a few times that the Wadax combo just makes you want to listen and not fiddle around. That has lasted for me over six months.

i will get to those knobs at some point. i need to be in a very contented head space to do that sort of tweaking. like dialing in a cartridge. i don't mess with stuff like that unless things are pretty chill.

not yet there.

 

[microstrip]

(...) I have said a few times that the Wadax combo just makes you want to listen and not fiddle around.(...)

I bet you will not be able to keep Mike away from his great tweaks for a such long time ...

 

[Elliot G.]

I bet you will not be able to keep Mike away from his great tweaks for a such long time ...

Why would I want to LOL It belongs to him and who am I to deny him FUN

 

[Audiophile Bill]

I can imagine active isolation has crossed Mike’s mind.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

I can imagine active isolation has crossed Mike’s mind.

yes. but it's complicated.

at the moment the Wadax Ref dac is sitting on a Tana active platform. but my turntable direction includes the NVS returning to that perch, and the Wadax Ref dac being moved to the rack bottom shelf where the Wadax power supplies now reside, the power supplies moved to the left on the bottom of the next rack where the Tripoint Elite is now, and the Elite moved left where the Extreme had resided.

the dac and power supplies will then be on double Daiza's, as will the Tripoint Elite. the Wadax units are so tall that considering having them on Tana's down low is not workable. and i need the top shelves for my three turntables. i'm waiting for an able bodied visitor to appear to do this musical chairs rotation. my NVS waits in my barn kitchenette to re-join the fun.

unlikely active isolation for the digital at this point. i am going to try to use the HiFiStay Trinia footers (i have 4 sets of them and they are very good) under the Wadax Ref server as i don't have the height in that spot for double Daiza's. the Trinia's are height adjustable so we will see if i can manage to use eight of them and float the 106 pound server (i'll have to somehow suspend the Akasa cable to do it). i like the server to my direct left (dart pre below, Tana + NVS above) to see the cover art from the media. and i like a challenge. my big concern is getting the server into the tight space and the Trinia's under it without damage.

 

[fbhifi]

Mike, you may want to try the NVS on the stock isolation platform, set up with 1/32” or so clearance above the plane of the top rack shelf. I think the stock base is a winner and it’s use with the NVS would free up the Taiko Tana for the Wadax.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Mike, you may want to try the NVS on the stock isolation platform, set up with 1/32” or so clearance above the plane of the top rack shelf. I think the stock base is a winner and it’s use with the NVS would free up the Taiko Tana for the Wadax.

thanks Franz,

i know the passive stock platform is a winner. and no one should think that the NVS needs active. but my situation is not typical. unless typical is bass output -3db at 7hz, and -6db at 3hz....6 feet away.

the original reason to acquire the Herzan, 9 years ago, was that the proximity (6 feet just to the side) of my bass tower to the NVS was giving me feedback distortion. too much driver energy too close. the Herzan fixed that.

it's possible that my room tweaking and speaker adjustments 5 years ago might now make the active less relevant than it was. my bass is quite a bit more linear now than back then. and maybe my passive platform adjustment was not spot on (i know jtinn always suspected that ).

the other issue is that Tana active platform is the TS-140, which only fits on a top shelf. so it's not a candidate to be used where my digital will be as long as i own 3 turntables.

 

[fbhifi]

One should never be hamstrung by too few audio racks.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

One should never be hamstrung by too few audio racks.

i actually have plenty of racks. but......well.......er......hummm......there is also length of cables involved. and performance issues with longer ones. lots of cutting and fitting involved to make it all work.

and crazy people with too many turntables. and playing music at realistic levels.

headphones and an i-phone are always an option. we choose our battles. no one is holding a gun to my head.

 

[fbhifi]

I certainly would never suggest that you get rid of a turntable. Heaven forbid!

 

[spiritofmusic]

Actually, I thought the "digital best in class" nature of the Wadax might lead to Mike reconciling his analog down to one TT plus a choice of carts. If anything would demonstrate that the Wadax truly breaks the glass ceiling it would be Mike bunkering down to the most definitive analog choice.

 

[Alpinist]

right now the answer is no. the 'solid analog based' vinyl is better. i don't prefer the Wadax on any of those pressings i can think of.

Hi Mike,

Didn’t you used to say that the MSB Select II DAC was very close to your best vinyl pressings? I remember reading this numerous times with your posts on your MSB thread. If that’s the case, then what conclusion are we to draw about the Wadax Reference DAC?

Ken

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Actually, I thought the "digital best in class" nature of the Wadax might lead to Mike reconciling his analog down to one TT plus a choice of carts. If anything would demonstrate that the Wadax truly breaks the glass ceiling it would be Mike bunkering down to the most definitive analog choice.

my plans are about finding the most special ways to hear vinyl. once those plans are "in place" down the road, then it's possible my conclusion might be to reduce my vinyl footprint. note i just bought 3000 classical Lps. part of that buy is learning about classical music parts i currently don't know......not just the vinyl part. give me a year to see where it all goes and then who knows. if multiple tt's continues to be fun then it's not going anywhere. in a year i'll also be about ready to retire.

a year ago i was more thinking i might sell my house and downsize my system in a new place. not any more.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Mike, I know you have to wryly smile at those like me who aim to spend your money. Now I'm talking about moving your gear about. Sorry, can you ever forgive me? Lol.