What SPECIFICALLY is better or different about the Wadax Design? How do these design choices manifest in better sound?

Sampajanna

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The moment links to ASR show up, the thread is ruined….
 

sbo6

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Audio forums are for learning and discussion. That’s all. Just want to discuss and perhaps, myself and others will learn a thing or two. That’s all, no agenda besides education and discovery.
Your goal is admirable, but to be frank it's the tone you chose that's off putting.

Also, I believe others have stated - while understanding the technical implementation and specs may be of interest to some, ultimately it's the fruits of the companies' tech labor via sonic goodness that we care about. I could care less about up sampling, filters, DSD - PCM conversions, clock rates, etc., what I care about is how it sounds. From what I've read Wadax seems to be amongst if not the very best digital, that reality trumps all else. And as always, enjoy the music!
 
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Carlos269

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Your goal is admirable, but to be frank it's the tone you chose that's off putting.

Also, I believe others have stated - while understanding the technical implementation and specs may be of interest to some, ultimately it's the fruits of the companies' tech labor via sonic goodness that we care about. I could care less about up sampling, filters, DSD - PCM conversions, clock rates, etc., what I care about is how it sounds. From what I've read Wadax seems to be amongst if not the very best digital, that reality that trumps all else. And as always, enjoy the music!

Some of us are not built like that. For some of us exploration is relentless. Sure there is listening, but for some of us that’s not enough. I don’t want to hear tape-like saturation and pass it off as “smoothness” and ”not like other digital”, if dynamic compression is all it is. No, I can’t let it go, you and others might be able to stop at listening but not me. If something is being presented and heralded as “different to other digital to analog converters”, I want to know why that is.

If Wadax, or Mike or Elliot, would offer a review sample to John Atkinson for measurements & assessments, it would put most of this to bed. What is there to hide? Any independent measurements & analysis of the Wadax Reference Dac available out there? That doesn’t make you wonder why?
 
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Steve Vu

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Some of us are not built like that. For some of us exploration is relentless. Sure there is listening, but for some of us that’s not enough. I don’t want to hear tape-like saturation and pass it off as “smoothness” and ”not like other digital”, if dynamic compression is all it is. No, I can’t let it go, you and others might be able to stop at listening but not me. If something is being presented and heralded as “different to other digital to analog converters”, I want to know why that is.

If Wadax, or Mike or Elliot, would offer a review sample to John Atkinson for measurements & assessments, it would put most of this to bed. What is there to hide? Any independent measurements & analysis of the Wadax Reference Dac available out there? That doesn’t make you wonder why?
If you take care of the measurements, let's buy Topping products. Your idol Amir admired them so much.
 
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sbo6

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Some of us are not built like that. For some of us exploration is relentless. Sure there is listening, but for some of us that’s not enough. I don’t want to hear tape-like saturation and pass it off as “smoothness” and ”not like other digital”, if dynamic compression is all it is. No, I can’t let it go, you and others might be able to stop at listening but not me. If something is being presented and heralded as “different to other digital to analog converters”, I want to know why that is.

If Wadax, or Mike or Elliot, would offer a review sample to John Atkinson for measurements & assessments, it would put most of this to bed. What is there to hide? Any independent measurements & analysis of the Wadax Reference Dac available out there? That doesn’t make you wonder why?
Understood and completely fair. We all have our likes and dislikes and cares and don't cares.

With regard to measurements & assessment and a review sample, again, for me, I'm not going to stare at the specs and graphs while I listen. I'm going to listen and enjoy. Again, to each his own. Enjoy Carlos!
 

Audiocrack

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Caesar opened the Pandora box with the thread tittle and Wadax owners you could not resist going inside the tornado ...

IMHO the real point is that no one really knows what "feedforward" means in the context of the Wadax. Consequently it is being used mainly as a marketing term, and the WADAX people are not interested in technical discussions.

Although I have an idea from the few dCS explanations, I also do not know exactly what has been done in the APEX Vivaldi. But I now know how it sounds, it is what matters most, although I am curious to see the measurements someday. ;)
Box of Pandora and tornado? What on earth are you talking about? The bottom line is quite simple: two ‘new’ audio components being praised by three reviewers as belonging to ‘the very best’ money currently can buy while being at the same time very expensive and - notwithstanding the high prices - very successful in the market place (and consequently being praised by various owners who go ‘public’ on sites like WBF) always draw a. negative reactions and b.inquiries with the intention to acquire relevant (inside) information in order to able to ….
 

Elliot G.

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Some of us are not built like that. For some of us exploration is relentless. Sure there is listening, but for some of us that’s not enough. I don’t want to hear tape-like saturation and pass it off as “smoothness” and ”not like other digital”, if dynamic compression is all it is. No, I can’t let it go, you and others might be able to stop at listening but not me. If something is being presented and heralded as “different to other digital to analog converters”, I want to know why that is.

If Wadax, or Mike or Elliot, would offer a review sample to John Atkinson for measurements & assessments, it would put most of this to bed. What is there to hide? Any independent measurements & analysis of the Wadax Reference Dac available out there? That doesn’t make you wonder why?
I don't speak for Wadax nor does Mike, nor do we have control over what goes to which reviewer. I do not know if JA has even asked for a Wadax to test and to be honest and I personally don't care. Wadax has a waiting list to get product so this may not be a priority to them either right now. I purchased my system, as did Mike and I want to use it and listen to it. All of these questions are ones that are being addressed to the wrong people in the wrong place. We did not design it, nor build it, nor distribute it. I think if you want some answers to you questions you might get more success addressing them to the right place. I again do not speak for Javier and have no idea what their future review plans . I am not an engineer and don't play one on TV I am just a music lover who upon listening decided that I really loved these items and bought them.

Have you offered 250k of your one of a kind gear to be measured by JA? just asking for a friend
 
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microstrip

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Box of Pandora and tornado? What on earth are you talking about? The bottom line is quite simple: two ‘new’ audio components being praised by three reviewers as belonging to ‘the very best’ money currently can buy while being at the same time very expensive and - notwithstanding the high prices - very successful in the market place (and consequently being praised by various owners who go ‘public’ on sites like WBF) always draw a. negative reactions and b.inquiries with the intention to acquire relevant (inside) information in order to able to ….

No Audiocrack, the bottom line is that this thread is entitled

"What SPECIFICALLY is better or different about the Wadax Design? How do these design choices manifest in better sound?"

and many of us expect to discuss aspects related with the tittle, nothing else. I am not interested in reviewers opinions and I do not want to discuss why - but we are interested in direct opinions of people with experience with the WADAX and answers to our questions.

All expensive components attract negative reactions - known since long, do not expect that WADAX will be different.

Looking to read from you on the thread subject. People asked the questions, it would be great to have answers. Or simply knowing that they are proprietary information that the designer does not want to publicize.
 

microstrip

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If you take care of the measurements, let's buy Topping products. Your idol Amir admired them so much.

I take care of the measurements and do not own Topping. What is the problem of looking at measurements? It is a crime? :)
 

Steve Vu

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I take care of the measurements and do not own Topping. What is the problem of looking at measurements? It is a crime? :)
What do you see the measurements for? If you rate products via measurements without listening, it is a crime ;)

Remember if measurements mean SQ, there is no an analog source or a tube amp.
 
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Audiocrack

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No Audiocrack, the bottom line is that this thread is entitled

"What SPECIFICALLY is better or different about the Wadax Design? How do these design choices manifest in better sound?"

and many of us expect to discuss aspects related with the tittle, nothing else. I am not interested in reviewers opinions and I do not want to discuss why - but we are interested in direct opinions of people with experience with the WADAX and answers to our questions.

All expensive components attract negative reactions - known since long, do not expect that WADAX will be different.

Looking to read from you on the thread subject. People asked the questions, it would be great to have answers. Or simply knowing that they are proprietary information that the designer does not want to publicize.
No Micro, it has really nothing to do with a box of Pandora or Tornado. Some or our members who own Wadax reference components are willing to share their listening experiences in all openness (I for example made various comments including a comparison with the DCS Scarlatti stack and your beloved DCS Vivaldi stack) while some of them - such as eg Mike - in addition open their houses so that really interested WBF members can listen for themselves. But everyone with a little common sense understands though that no proprietary or any inside information will be disclosed by them on a site like this (with quite some hostility (or is it envy?) towards the Wadax brand). Why on earth would they? And you - as an intelligent person - are of course fully able to understand this (although you are maybe not willing to admit it publicly).
 
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microstrip

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What do you see the measurements for? If you rate products via measurements without listening, it is a crime ;)

Well, many audiophiles are knowledgeable enough to male proper use and discussion of technical aspects. A pity that those who are not able to see value in them try to bring audio discussions to the old ridiculous fights between objectivists and subjectivists - IMHO WBF members deserve better.

Remember if measurements mean SQ, there is no an analog source or a tube amp.

Unfortunately such commentary only confirms you are superficial and clueless on the subject. Measurements do not mean sound quality, but properly used can help understanding the sound qualities of specific gear.
 

Mike Lavigne

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i keep watching for the measurement crowd to go after the Lampi Horizon like the Wadax. it's getting at least as much attention, but no push for any of that. their owners are similarly impressed.

"why don't they give one to Atkinson?"

tube rolling maybe scares them off.:rolleyes:
 
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microstrip

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No Micro, it has really nothing to do with a box of Pandora or Tornado. Some or our members that own Wadax reference components are willing to share their listening experiences in all openness (I for example made various comments including a comparison with the DCS Scarlatti stack and your beloved DCS Vivaldi stack) while some of them - such as eg Mike - in addition open their houses so that really interested WBF members can listen for themselves. But everyone with a little common sense understands though that no proprietary or any inside information will be disclosed by them on a site like this (with quite some hostility (or is it envy?) towards the Wadax brand). Why on earth would they? And you - as an intelligent person - are of course fully able to understand this (although you are maybe not willing to admit it publicly).

Oh, the old argument that only those who are ignorant or do not have common sense raise questions. George Orwell dealt with the the argument in a famous book, I will skip it.

And next the childish argument that the information is not shared because of hostility ...

In fact I have raised similar critical questions about gear such as the Trinity DAC and the Taiko server in this forum. I was happy that owners and the designers give answers to my questions and we established a dialogue. They answered to my points and in the case of the Taiko server I bought it after I understood the designer motivations and aims.

What seems bizarre to me is that in AudioScienceReview, a really hostile forum to the high-end, there is much more technical discussion and exposition of specific aspects about the Wadax Reference than in this forum.

And no, I have no secrets in audio, except how much I spend in it. But knowledgeable audiophiles can figure it easily. :)

This is an hobby of preference and probably next week I will listen to the WADAX Reference at our distributor, an enthusiast from whom I have often bough (and even sold...) gear. But IMHO we participate in forums to learn and share information about gear, not just to say what we prefer is the best.
 

microstrip

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i keep watching for the measurement crowd to go after the Lampi Horizon like the Wadax. it's getting at least as much attention, but no push for any of that. their owners are similarly impressed.

"why don't they give one to Atkinson?"

tube rolling maybe scares them off.:rolleyes:

Mike,
We addressed the subject in previous Lampizator threads and people understood why it was not relevant. No fights and no more questions. Should I remember you the Wadax is a solid state DAC and the designer claims?
 

Audiocrack

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Oh, the old argument that only those who are ignorant or do not have common sense raise questions. George Orwell dealt with the the argument in a famous book, I will skip it.

And next the childish argument that the information is not shared because of hostility ...

In fact I have raised similar critical questions about gear such as the Trinity DAC and the Taiko server in this forum. I was happy that owners and the designers give answers to my questions and we established a dialogue. They answered to my points and in the case of the Taiko server I bought it after I understood the designer motivations and aims.

What seems bizarre to me is that in AudioScienceReview, a really hostile forum to the high-end, there is much more technical discussion and exposition of specific aspects about the Wadax Reference than in this forum.

And no, I have no secrets in audio, except how much I spend in it. But knowledgeable audiophiles can figure it easily. :)

This is an hobby of preference and probably next week I will listen to the WADAX Reference at our distributor, an enthusiast from whom I have often bough (and even sold...) gear. But IMHO we participate in forums to learn and share information about gear, not just to say what we prefer is the best.
Come on Micro, you can do much better than this infantile reaction in your first two paragraphs. Do I really need to spell it out to you what the main reason is for not sharing inside information? Come on, you must be kidding me.
 
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Audiophile Bill

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Oh, the old argument that only those who are ignorant or do not have common sense raise questions. George Orwell dealt with the the argument in a famous book, I will skip it.

And next the childish argument that the information is not shared because of hostility ...

In fact I have raised similar critical questions about gear such as the Trinity DAC and the Taiko server in this forum. I was happy that owners and the designers give answers to my questions and we established a dialogue. They answered to my points and in the case of the Taiko server I bought it after I understood the designer motivations and aims.

What seems bizarre to me is that in AudioScienceReview, a really hostile forum to the high-end, there is much more technical discussion and exposition of specific aspects about the Wadax Reference than in this forum.

And no, I have no secrets in audio, except how much I spend in it. But knowledgeable audiophiles can figure it easily. :)

This is an hobby of preference and probably next week I will listen to the WADAX Reference at our distributor, an enthusiast from whom I have often bough (and even sold...) gear. But IMHO we participate in forums to learn and share information about gear, not just to say what we prefer is the best.

> No manufacturer has any requirement to provide any of this content to you. I suggest you get over your own massive ego.

> Heaven forbid this forum becomes like AudioScienceReview - why don’t you clear off there if that is your preference…
 

microstrip

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Come on Micro, you can do much better than this infantile reaction in your first two paragraphs. Do I really need to spell it out to you what the main reason is for not sharing inside information? Come on, you must be kidding me.

I see you are not able to share anything other than your subjective opinion and parroting reviewers, now trying to move subjects under the carpet. Nothing to add, I hope others will be able to do better.
 

Audiocrack

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I see you are not able to share anything other than your subjective opinion and parroting reviewers, now trying to move subjects under the carpet. Nothing to add, I hope others will be able to do better.
Parroting reviewers? Man oh man, this is getting really pathetic. So indeed, let’s stop here.
 

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