Wadia vs. Eera

[Pierre]

Hello


The thing is, that i for about 2 years ago switched my Eera DL2 and Pass Labs XP10 out for a Wadia 381. At that point i did`nt like my XP10, but couldnt find any preamp that i liked. The Wadia did it better than the Eera DL2/XP10, using the digital volumcontrol. But i dont think that the Wadia sounded better than the Eera, but it was not possible for me to hear that, because of the XP10 (the XP10 was my problem, i did`nt like the sound from it).........

Now i have a Hovland HP200p preamp and thinking about the Eera Tentation. It is not possible to demo it in my cuntry, so i would like to hear from anyone who has heard it, and even better, who have heard Wadia and Eera side by side.

I would like to have a cdplayer that can match my analouge setup. I know it is near impossible, but the Wadia dos`nt come close. It is to "digital" in it`s sound.
So will the Eera be a better match or is i not worth the money.


Thanks,
Pierre - Denmark

 

[amirm]

I don't have experience with either but have you read this review? http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue58/eera.htm

I personally am a fan of getting a good DAC to go with a transport especially if longer term you may migrate to music servers (highly recommend doing it now ). $12K for a new CD player seems too high of a cost in this day and age given the evolution of digital music.

 

[Pierre]

Yes i have read that review ;-)

I`m not fan of server music, for serveral reasons.
First of all, i`m an idiot when i comes to computers, so just to have it all set up would be near impossible for me.
Then it would take me about 5-10 years to rip all my cd`s. I have had a movie server for over a year, and i have only riped about 100 movies down to it and still missing the last 800.....
So with over 2000 cd`s, i know i would newer be done ;-)

Then i like to have the oppunity to have the music in my hand, and not on a ipod or so.
And last, i have only heard 2 systems, where the server sounded better than the cdplayer. And there were to expencife for me

So i`m not planing on getting on the dac wave. I like the cdplayer, so $12K for a good cdplayer dos`nt seems to high for me, if it`s better than my Wadia.

 

[rblnr]

Don't know the Wadia, but here's a review I did of the Tentation awhile ago:

http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue58/eera.htm

 

[egidius]

I use a Wadia s7i modded by GNSC - stunning.
Just recently I received back my updated BOW technologies ZZ8 mk 3, essentially a ZZ9. Now I cannot decide which one to let go -
the BOW is stunning in every aspect, so i guess you could buy my wadia
(btw this machine is imo not digital sounding)
or as you are in Denmark you could easily opt for a new ZZ9 when it is out, even though it might get expensive..good luck.

 

[JackD201]

Hi Pierre,

Sorry I can't help much about the EERA vs Wadia question because I never had them side by side. To make things worse, I had them 4 years apart.

I do however have experience with the DL2 now called the Integral since it is my bedroom player, as well as the Tentation which is my player in my dedicated room. The Tentation is better than the Integral in every way but perhaps most in terms of what Bob calls "density" in his review.

Like you, I listen mostly to vinyl and for years have been trying to find a player that would allow me to switch back and forth between mediums without having to make too drastic mental adjustments. In the past, I had to start with digital and end with analog because if I did it the other way around, the soundstage would not really shrink but more like flatten out. That was the case for all my players and DACs, and it's a long list. I'd come to associate the lack of dimensionality and deficiency in layering and shaping with the medium itself. The EERAs dispelled this for me. The DL2/Integral hints at this, the Tentation makes it obvious. Still not as airy as vinyl, and not as dense as Tape, better bass than vinyl. I can switch between formats very easily now. In my experience, the fullest if not the most extended redbook without sacrificing low level detail or smoothening out transients in the process.

I must have at least 2000 hours on my unit by now and have not had a single hiccup. I can think of 3 other Tentation guys here on WBF, jimmy,ceedee and mullard88 with whom we had a fun time comparing the Tentation with the Flatfish/Berkeley Alpha and E.A.R player recently. Make that 4. There's Adil M too but he doesn't post much. I'm not sure what his username is.

ceedee is Cor Decker of Musical Reality in the Netherlands, I think that would be the closest audition for you.

 

[Pierre]

I can inform you, that i have just put an order in for a Tentation.

So now i hope that it will be "better" than my Wadia. It will defentli be different

 

[JackD201]

I hope it works out as well for you as it has for me Pierre

 

[vassago]

Hello

I can say Eera is one off the bedst you can get.

I have sold a lot off wadias Audio Aero DCS, but the Eera just play the music like the music have to be.