Wadia 9xx series

wizard

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Oct 17, 2010
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wizard-highend.blogspot.com


931 Digital Controller



On the left side of the back panel are the digital inputs, which consist of 1 AES/EBU (XLR), 1 optical, 2 SPDIF (BNC) and 2 ST glass fibre optic
At the centre is a ST glass fibre optic connection for clock output to the transport
On the right side are eight configurable clock and digital outputs to go to the DACs
 

wizard

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Oct 17, 2010
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wizard-highend.blogspot.com




922 mono Decoding Computer. The analogue outputs consist of 1 RCA and 1 XLR.
The digital inputs consists of 2 fibre optic, 1 for digital clock and the other for the digital music stream
 

wadiabias

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Dec 6, 2011
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S7i vs. series 9

The S7i is a great one box CD player and DAC. The S7i up-samples to 1.4MHz at 24 bit and uses 4 Burr-Brown 1704 DAC chips. The series 9 up-samples to 2.8 MHz at 26 bit and uses 8 Burr-Brown in each mono DAC. The power supply in the 9 is very extensive and helps the 9 sound effortless.

The series 9 can give the best Analog systems a run for sound stage and presence. Once Wadia finally added the matching 971 to the system, the complete system really pushes the boundary on how information can be extracted from the silver disc. I have heard the complete series 9 system take a CD to a level above the same recording in high resolution format.

The S7i will sound incredible and keep most people happy for a very long time. But if your budget can afford the series 9, then you should find a way to listen to one.
 

LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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S9 is 49K over here. i think s7i is roughly 15K.
 

Orb

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Sep 8, 2010
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Takes up a lot more space :)
I thought the S9 at 49k was a complete solution though; transport-dac-clock.

Cheers
Orb
 

LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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could not say...though i believe the s9 is a 4-box player (ie, not just a transport, but individual transport, controller and L and R channel dacs or something.) The s7 is a 1-box. i suppose S9 is akin to the Scarlatti (also 50K). i guess the question is what does anything digital at 50K do better than at 15K...and so on. The Stahl-Tek Opus (2-box, 70K) is by some accounts even better. I have heard the Vekian and Scarlatti full-stack...both incredible. But i still prefer the less clean, less incredibly articulated musicality of Zanden. I have been told the Opus is another matter.
 

LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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one can buy complete solutions for way less than $49K

there is always something that costs less, and often something that costs more...the only question i ask is whether it is truly better...or just truly more expensive. Considering the Zanden is now 5+ years old and still my favorite says something to me. (fortunately, i got my Zanden DAC second hand steeply discounted, and still cannot find a reasonably priced Zanden transport)...but in any event, i have to admit i prefer the Zanden to any digital i have heard to date, including later, more expensive models. does that make the price of Zanden "worth it"?..i have no desire to look elsewhere. i suppose, for me, that says the premium on Zanden is worth something.
 
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wadiabias

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Dec 6, 2011
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While the complete series 9 is a bit below 50k, the series 9 consists of the following pieces: 971 - CD transport, 931 - Digital Controller (acts as a digital pre-amp in some ways - has your volume control, inputs and master clock ), 922 - mono-dac ( you need 2 of them ). No single box is over 20k in the whole system.

It would be great to be able compare all of the top digital playback systems against each other. It would be a fun contest with all opinions with no absolute.
 

egidius

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Feb 13, 2011
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While the complete series 9 is a bit below 50k, the series 9 consists of the following pieces: 971 - CD transport, 931 - Digital Controller (acts as a digital pre-amp in some ways - has your volume control, inputs and master clock ), 922 - mono-dac ( you need 2 of them ). No single box is over 20k in the whole system.

It would be great to be able compare all of the top digital playback systems against each other. It would be a fun contest with all opinions with no absolute.

..may I add another variable: My S7i is modded by Great Northern Sound. It sounds truly great.
In another site a senior member (Rtn) states "a GNS modded S7 is probably getting you further than an unmodded S9".
My big question mark there is: If these mods are good (I only heard two 861 to hear it, later I owned only GNS modded Wadias) - why are they not incorporated into the original design, since you cannot really hold cost against it at this level ;-)

And though I would be really interested to attend or hear about a top comparison, I fear will only be sensible up to apoint: My own reactions tend to cristallise over days or even weeks, when I actually understand something about a sound difference, right out of the box, things only sound different, never "better or worse"..
 

LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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Hi Egidius,

I have often asked the same question...mainly on the mods that apparently dont cost much relative to the cost of the original unit. Then again, lets face it...the whole point of audio is that it can ALWAYS be improved, upgraded, etc. So i supposed one could argue that with enough effort, money and time...ANY component could be modd'd to be better.

Yes, certain components (Boulder amps, for example) are extremely well thought out from top to bottom...and as a result, i hear very little if any modd'ing of certain components...and i read lots about others. I have to admit, i dont think i've ever come across a DCS mod...but i have heard of Esoteric, Wadia, Krell, and other major makes being modd'd.

I have heard great things about GNS...i have heard they mod the S9!!!! now THAT would be something to hear, i bet! ;)
 

wadiabias

New Member
Dec 6, 2011
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Ann Arbor MI
Mods

Wadia chooses parts that our engineers select for performance. The GNS mods take what our engineers design a step further. Some of the mods are not logical for normal production, like the extra wiring by hand needed for them.

It is kind of like a Ford Mustang Cobra. It really kicks, but it still can be improved with some custom mods. Ford made the car as fast as they could as far as normal production facilities permit.

Our S7i is built with the best parts we can for the price and production guidelines.

It would be very hard to modify the 922 mono-DAC. It is already packed to where there is no extra room to add large caps.

It would be interesting to hear what GNS does to the series 9, to see how Steve improved on them.
 

krell_man

New Member
Dec 16, 2011
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How far do you think the S7i could go if you allowed it to be modified where the time wasn't a factor and there wasn't a ceiling on the cost? I'm asking because I had mine taken to that limit. I just received it back Dec. 2, and can't believe that it's the same machine.

Chuck
 

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