Wadax Studio Player Review

[Jambo]

The Wadax Studio Player: - Gy8

Light in the darkness?

gy8.eu

 

[Elliot G.]

Perfect sense​

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WADAX Studio Player | A tribute to a new reference ☆
We usually try not to exaggerate our impressions of new products as most superlatives often feel overused and cliché. Not least when we highlight our own assortment. But when something new reaches us which sets a (completely) new standard within its segment, it becomes very difficult to keep the enthusiasm back.
If you have ever listened to a well-intimate roller player in a finer facility, you know that the experience of live music in all its dimensions is difficult to beat compared to all other sources. Music becomes limitless in its scope where realistic dynamics and natural sound richness create an experience that is more vivid and authentic than most of us are used to. All this from a hopelessly old, outdated and impractical technology where the range of music is limited, to say the least.
With this noisy ideal as a starting point, the digital world has struggled for decades to get as close as possible. At the same time, there are obvious advantages to digital technology that the analogue cannot match.
This unfolding brings us back to the theme of this post, namely a new product from one of the hi-fi world's most respected and mythical manufacturers.
More than any other digital source, WADAX Studio Player has brought us closer to the experience of live music. It doesn't take many seconds to intuitively not only understand but above all feel that this is something completely different from what we usually hear from digital sources - regardless of manufacture and level. We are met here by a sound image with substance, energy, life and nerves on a level that approaches reality. It's a presentation where all the typical hi-fi parameters are in place, but where the constantly nagging feeling of listening to a digital playback is like blown away. Only the music that's left.
Regardless of how you look at it, (nearly) half a million Swedish krónur is a lot of money. With that being said, we very carefully stick out the chin and mean that this is an affordable product. In relation to competitors' alternatives, but also the Reference series from WADAX which costs many times more and is out of reach for most people.
When you combine everything that WADAX Studio Player can do - CD playback / SACD and streaming via Tidal Connect, Jplay and Roon and a serious starting step with variable volume and the ability to impedance matching to any end step - then we get a complete and all through fantastic product.
Finally, the sense of quality of the construction is also impeccable - which one should of course also expect at this high level. During the year, they also launch an external clock and power supply for further expansion of the system for those who want to take everything another one or two levels.
This is as we see it a revolutionary product that gives us lots of joy on a daily basis while being the ultimate source in relation to demonstrations of amplifiers and speakers from our range.
In less than three weeks, it's time for High End-Mässan Stockholm when we'll be playing on the WADAX Studio Player for you. We are very much looking forward to that.

 

[Stereophonic]

Lovely system Elliot !!!!

 

[Elliot G.]

Lovely system Elliot !!!!

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Thank you my client and I had a great time doing this and his choices of colors etc worked out incredibly well.
The system sounds incredible too!!!

 

[exupgh12]

Wadex makes great products, no doubt about it. But reading page two of RG’s review left me stunned—the latter half is about 70-80% marketing fluff. RG’s writing is more poetry than engineering, crafted to impress enthusiasts who are eager to spend big on audio gear by wrapping it in an aura of exclusivity and technical mystique.

Some key examples:
- Vague, pseudo-scientific language (“shape and pattern”)
- Grandiose claims without concrete technical explanations
- Emotional, subjective descriptors disguised as technical analysis

If someone needs 14 pages to describe a product, they should write novels, not reviews.

 

[mxk116]

Wadex makes great products, no doubt about it. But reading page two of RG’s review left me stunned—the latter half is about 70-80% marketing fluff. RG’s writing is more poetry than engineering, crafted to impress enthusiasts who are eager to spend big on audio gear by wrapping it in an aura of exclusivity and technical mystique.

Some key examples:
- Vague, pseudo-scientific language (“shape and pattern”)
- Grandiose claims without concrete technical explanations
- Emotional, subjective descriptors disguised as technical analysis

If someone needs 14 pages to describe a product, they should write novels, not reviews.

Agreed, with the proviso that the technical innovation of a product merits a more lengthy discussion.

 

[micro13]

From my experience with RG's reviews he's quite a fan of Nordost, CH Precision and Wadax. So I guess it's difficult to point out a preference between Wadax and CH Precision. So maybe that's the reason for all his poetry.
With the comparison between the Wadax Studio Player and the CH Precision D1.5 (as full CD/SACD player and not transport) I was hoping for a more distinct outcome. My system consists of the CH Precision D1.5 CD/SACD transport, the 3-box C1.2 Mono dac and 2x X1 PSUs. The C1.2 Mono goes directly into two M1.1 in mono mode. It's really an amazing system even without a dedicated preamp. But with 6 boxes just for playing CDs my desire grows for a smaller setup. Now the new Studio Player comes into play (no pun intended).
So the big question is how good the single box Studio Player would be in comparison to my 6-box CH Precision setup? Maybe in addition with the forthcoming Wadax Studio PSU (and the clock) this comparison could be very interesting.

@Elliot G. From your own experiences with the CH Precision gear and especially with the C1 Mono dac and also Wadax do you think I could live with the Studio Player instead of the 6-box CH Precision setup? I'm convinced that the 6-box setup is in its own league but the question is how big is the downgrade if I switch to the Studio Player?

 

[matthias]

From my experience with RG's reviews he's quite a fan of Nordost, CH Precision and Wadax.

His wife works as a marketing consultant and her clients currently include CH Precision. She worked in the past with both Nordost and Wadax.

 

[nonesup]

Wow! And if that is true, doesn't RG consider that there is a conflict of interest?

 

[matthias]

Wow! And if that is true, doesn't RG consider that there is a conflict of interest?

It is true, it is directly quoted from his gy8.eu
Click on READ MORE and scroll down...

 

[andromedaaudio]

His wife works as a marketing consultant and her clients currently include CH Precision. She worked in the past with both Nordost and Wadax.

Just the speaker brand is missing , ..... to complete the " best system" money can buy lol

 

[andromedaaudio]

Its time for

DOGME .

 

[matthias]

Just the speaker brand is missing , ..... to complete the " best system" money can buy lol

Maybe she will work in the future for the speaker brand?

 

[JiminGa]

His wife works as a marketing consultant and her clients currently include CH Precision. She worked in the past with both Nordost and Wadax.

I universally dislike the sound of both CH Precision and Nordost. I hope his praise of the Studio comes from a different "place"

 

[andromedaaudio]

The WADAX is good , Roy is right about that one
If my goldmining stocks werent doing so great i d have one by now

 

[wil]

His wife works as a marketing consultant and her clients currently include CH Precision. She worked in the past with both Nordost and Wadax.

His reviews can be an entertaining read, but given the conflict of interest, I’d have a hard time trusting his opinion and conclusions. But that goes for other reviewers as well— Mono and Stereo being the most egregious example of infomercial reviewing.

 

[micro13]

At least I can relate to RG's findings regarding CH Precisison, I really enjoy my CH setup.

 

[matthias]

His reviews can be an entertaining read, but given the conflict of interest, I’d have a hard time trusting his opinion and conclusions. But that goes for other reviewers as well— Mono and Stereo being the most egregious example of infomercial reviewing.

Agree,
I will ask them to play one of my favorite tracks at High End Munich in May...to get a certain impression

 

[matthias]

At least I can relate to RG's findings regarding CH Precisison, I really enjoy my CH setup.

In the review he prefers the sound signature of Wadax over CH.

 

[Elliot G.]

From my experience with RG's reviews he's quite a fan of Nordost, CH Precision and Wadax. So I guess it's difficult to point out a preference between Wadax and CH Precision. So maybe that's the reason for all his poetry.
With the comparison between the Wadax Studio Player and the CH Precision D1.5 (as full CD/SACD player and not transport) I was hoping for a more distinct outcome. My system consists of the CH Precision D1.5 CD/SACD transport, the 3-box C1.2 Mono dac and 2x X1 PSUs. The C1.2 Mono goes directly into two M1.1 in mono mode. It's really an amazing system even without a dedicated preamp. But with 6 boxes just for playing CDs my desire grows for a smaller setup. Now the new Studio Player comes into play (no pun intended).
So the big question is how good the single box Studio Player would be in comparison to my 6-box CH Precision setup? Maybe in addition with the forthcoming Wadax Studio PSU (and the clock) this comparison could be very interesting.

@Elliot G. From your own experiences with the CH Precision gear and especially with the C1 Mono dac and also Wadax do you think I could live with the Studio Player instead of the 6-box CH Precision setup? I'm convinced that the 6-box setup is in its own league but the question is how big is the downgrade if I switch to the Studio Player?

Yes and I don’t believe it’s even close. We just did a comparison with the newer CH Dac in my clients home and he bought the Studio player . I have a CH 1.2 for sale.lol
Btw using the CH directly into an amp is ImO a huge compromise versus using their preamps . This however is quite different with the studio player that sounds great driving an amp directly .I may prefer my Riviera preamp in my system but driving direct is excellent
I posted my clients comments earlier and they are in the testimonial section of the Bending Wave website