BOW ZZ8 mk3 vs WADIA S7i GNSC

[egidius]

This is actually a short comment on use of two phenomenal players:

BOW ZZ8 mk3 vs. WADIA S7i sc GNSC




I feel strongly i should write about those two players, as I have used both of them for a bit more than a year (the Bow since 2000, and again since january 2012, the WADIA GNSC since 2010, updated also january 2012, hence the sc monniker)

But first: I am a musician, who as much likes to listen as to perform, and I actually like recording, even though at the same time I know it is never the same as actually standing on stage.
I have no financial or other hidden connection to either of those companies.

I use two systems: A studio system with Stella opus/novus speakers driven by Audio Consulting Battery gear, and a home Merlin VSM MXM driven by Berning ZH230 and an Audiopax Pre M5.
(The speed of the Berning and the colours of the Audiopax go well with the very exquisitely straightforward Merlin)

As sources I have used the Bow ZZ 8 for many years. A few years ago, it had its day, and the transport failed. I happened to get a good offer on a Wadia 781i.

I later changed this to a S7i, both had come from GNSC; I still commend Steve Huntley for his support, even though he does not need the credit, him working for RA now ;-)

As it was possible, I had updated the Bow ZZ to the very most recent Mark III state. And now it gets very interesting:

The Bow is somewhat a non nonsense (is that the equivalent of non-oversampling ;-) design, whereas the Wadia is cutting edge digital.

First the sonic advantages of the Wadia: It is a real window, you seem to hear everything, very colourful, bass, treble, piano attack, you name it all there. I like it very much.

Enter Bow: Here you feel sound is heavier, maybe slower, but you are being carried, it never looses the physical touch.

For me very interesting, as one seems to allow you to hear through right to the other side, the other allows you to feel the sound from within.

My fortunate choice: keep them both!!!

As aside: My Metric Halo ULN2 is somewhere in between, but right up there with those two as well.

I feel the Wadia is really impressive, whereas the Bow is unique. Utterly useless, I know, but there it is.

PS I don't know which one is more Analog (I use very happily a Thorens TD124), but it is not the Wadia ;-)

PPS Both have a USB connection which i do find even more useful than the firewire of the Metric Halo, which might sound better, but there are so many non-FW devices. The Bow has the edge, as the Wadia still stumbles over more than 96/24 - even though we might never notice the sound difference, we do notice when it does NOT sound ;-)

 

[LL21]

very cool! Thanks for that. Also nice to read coming from someone who is a musician...violin if i recall correctly? what other digital have you heard? Emm, Audio Research, DCS, Krell, Metronome (Kalista), Weiss, Zanden?

 

[flez007]

Reading your impressions confirmed my bias towards Accuphase digital gear, I am now "fighting" with the Mytek sound (great so far, extremely analitical thou - no DSD yet).

 

[egidius]

comparisons

very cool! Thanks for that. Also nice to read coming from someone who is a musician...violin if i recall correctly? what other digital have you heard? Emm, Audio Research, DCS, Krell, Metronome (Kalista), Weiss, Zanden?

I had heard Audio Research CD3, Accuphase DP67, both of which failed in comparison to the Bow, and dCS only the P8i, with which i simply did not know what the fuss was about.
Later I heard a Puccini and a Weiss vs Wadia 781, hence my decision for the Wadia.
Never heard Emm or PD nor BADA. But of course Metric Halo, which is my daily workhorse when I do my own control recording.

That much for background..

 

[LL21]

I had heard Audio Research CD3, Accuphase DP67, both of which failed in comparison to the Bow, and dCS only the P8i, with which i simply did not know what the fuss was about.
Later I heard a Puccini and a Weiss vs Wadia 781, hence my decision for the Wadia.
Never heard Emm or PD nor BADA. But of course Metric Halo, which is my daily workhorse when I do my own control recording.

That much for background..

Thanks! Good to know.

 

[egidius]

fighting ;-)

...I am now "fighting" with the Mytek sound (great so far, extremely analitical thou - no DSD yet).

I actually work with a wonderful sound engineer, who does not really go for the infinite ballooning of numbers, he says 88.2/24 is the maximum he can really hear the hardware difference, otherwise it's all in the technicians art.. So no DSD in my own recordings either, though higher resolutions might come downloadable.


And I can commiserate with your fighting - that's how the Metric Halo or even sometimes the Wadia can feel. But it is really great, nevertheless.