New Wadax Atlantis Line

Stereophonic

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Jun 9, 2013
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Strange, there seems to be a mini PC inside the Wadax box.
There isn’t anything strange. Atlantis Server is based on Windows 10.
From the Wadax site:
“The operating system chosen for Atlantis Server is an extensively modified Windows 10. Custom software elements have been developed for Atlantis Server.
Atlantis Server is a sealed and fan-less design. A detailed thermal study was done to optimize and minimize thermal gradient within the product. A custom aluminum machined cooler was created for the purpose.
The choice of the hardware platform is very special. More than 50 different platform combinations (microprocessor, RAM, motherboard,..) were measured for key parameters and ONE combination delivered better results over the rest, which is the lucky number inside Atlantis Server.”

What you see is the motherboard inside the aluminum machined cooler to dissipate the Intel processor heat...
 

CKKeung

Well-Known Member
Jun 17, 2011
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Strange, there seems to be a mini PC inside the Wadax box.

Nothing strange for a server to contain a computer motherboard.
That inside Atlantis Server is probably a 4"x4" industrial or NUC mobo.
 

nonesup

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Of course, if you manage network and have operating system, you have to have a computer board. What I found curious, is that this motherboard is "encapsulated" as in a mini PC, I had never seen it like this in any other server. By the way the SSD no, it seems to be in sight, is within the structure that contains the PC motherboard?
 

nonesup

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This is the mini PC i7 / 16 Gb of RAM without fan, that I bought to intact Roon Core and to prove if I liked the sound. If you unscrew the front plate, the resemblance to what is inside the Wadax, is amazing.

C259EAF6-968C-47A3-BAB1-B7C17F06E4B3.jpg
 

Kris

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Mar 4, 2019
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So is Wadax equiped with havy modified rock or nucleus like computer
with good power supply and other mods ..?

Are you going to test it against SGM extreme some day ?
 

nonesup

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Any server is inevitably a small computer, with processor, memory and operating system. The Wadax has a Windows 10-based Operating System modified by them. The processor is an x86 (necessary to run Roon Core) and I do not know if it has SSD or M2 type disks, because they are not seen in the photo. I would love to be able to try an Extreme later, but I do not know if that will be possible.
 

Legolas

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Dec 27, 2015
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So is Wadax equiped with havy modified rock or nucleus like computer
with good power supply and other mods ..?

Are you going to test it against SGM extreme some day ?
Thing is, the Roon Nucleus is 1.5K, the Wadax 10x that?
 

nonesup

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Well I do not have any interest in Wadax, it's more its commercial policy I dislike it a lot, but I suppose in an audition to have a clear difference in favor of Wadax. The Nucleus do not forget it is not more than a commercial NUC Intel, that Roon sells you with the Roon OS pre-installed. Wadax is a product aimed at a much smaller market and certainly with a cost in parts and chassis much higher.
 

Legolas

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Agree 100%. The Nucleus with a good LPS could possibly pitch against there higher priced servers. This is my interest in this subject. I would love to hear of a review that does just that. My humble Mac Mini with the DC mod and SSD, LPS, it sounds really good. Each time I modded it a bit more, the sound improved. If the Wadax and tier top servers are indeed 'just' a PC with nice quality power supply and noise suppression via good design techniques, it makes me wonder if the cost is justified in the sonics?
 
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nonesup

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I'm afraid Julian, if in this crazy hobby of ours, we try to see if the price justifies the sound ...... we would all end up listening to music on the IPhone
 

Legolas

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I'm afraid Julian, if in this crazy hobby of ours, we try to see if the price justifies the sound ...... we would all end up listening to music on the IPhone
That is true. My worry with servers is the parts count is so cheap, you can built a mighty good server with off the shelf parts for less than 5K. That is not so easy with a DAC. Look at the Kassandra for example. It is a really well built tube pre-amplifier PLUS the 16 chip digital board which is quite complex PLUS huge transformers. I have built various tube NOS kit DACs that cost for the parts circa 5K+ and they were well behind the Kassandra.

So I need to be educated why a server needs to cost 20K to sound excellent. I will try and get some tests to try out my theory.
 

nonesup

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Feb 15, 2017
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Well, you already have it. If the server costs you € 5,000 in pieces, at the retailer it would easily be € 20,000.
This hobby of ours is out of control, but almost all of us accept this game.
 

morricab

Well-Known Member
Apr 25, 2014
9,391
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That is true. My worry with servers is the parts count is so cheap, you can built a mighty good server with off the shelf parts for less than 5K. That is not so easy with a DAC. Look at the Kassandra for example. It is a really well built tube pre-amplifier PLUS the 16 chip digital board which is quite complex PLUS huge transformers. I have built various tube NOS kit DACs that cost for the parts circa 5K+ and they were well behind the Kassandra.

So I need to be educated why a server needs to cost 20K to sound excellent. I will try and get some tests to try out my theory.
You can build a very good server with linear power supply for < 2k. I priced one out for about $1400 with 200 watt linear supply. You don’t need an I7 with top graphic card. But I got a Bluesound vault, which is a Linux based dedicated server with hard drive and its own operating system and ap. Works really well and I am powering it with a 50K mAh monster battery pack, which improved its sound considerably. I run optical out into a Monarchy DIP and coax out to the DAC.
 

Legolas

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Dec 27, 2015
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You can build a very good server with linear power supply for < 2k. I priced one out for about $1400 with 200 watt linear supply. You don’t need an I7 with top graphic card. But I got a Bluesound vault, which is a Linux based dedicated server with hard drive and its own operating system and ap. Works really well and I am powering it with a 50K mAh monster battery pack, which improved its sound considerably. I run optical out into a Monarchy DIP and coax out to the DAC.
Agree. I don't think these 20K+ servers are a good idea TBH. Unless you have money to burn. I think you can get to the same level for 1/5 the price.

Interesting on the battery power. It can be good but has it's own problems. I read many have tried that route with DACs. I'll dig around for the articles. DC battery power is not 100% pure or so they reckon.
 

morricab

Well-Known Member
Apr 25, 2014
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Agree. I don't think these 20K+ servers are a good idea TBH. Unless you have money to burn. I think you can get to the same level for 1/5 the price.

Interesting on the battery power. It can be good but has it's own problems. I read many have tried that route with DACs. I'll dig around for the articles. DC battery power is not 100% pure or so they reckon.
Well the built in Dac on the Bluesound was dreadfully boring on ac power. Put it on a huge Li ion pack and it is worlds better.
 

Kris

Well-Known Member
Mar 4, 2019
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There is zero new info in regards to top Wadax server?
Is everyone already selling it to get Pinkfaun or Taiko ?
 

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