Wadax Studio Player Review

[Elliot G.]

Hello Studio Player owners,

Has anyone here compared the MSB Reference with the Studio Player or moved from one to the other?
If yes, I’d appreciate hearing what you prefer about the Studio Player.

I really appreciate any help you can provide.

I have taken in trade for SP dCS Vivaldi 1, rossini and clock, CH 1.2 and MSB Select two one with and one without the director.
Make what you will of this.

 

[mxk116]

Hello Studio Player owners,

Has anyone here compared the MSB Reference with the Studio Player or moved from one to the other?
If yes, I’d appreciate hearing what you prefer about the Studio Player.

I really appreciate any help you can provide.

MSB was on my short list of DAC's to consider, along with the WADAX Studio Player.

The dealer I purchased our S5 2024 speakers from is a MSB dealer. They had the Reference, Select II and the Cascade in their showrooms (currently their pair of S5's is set up with the MSB Cascade, Boulder 1110 pre/1151 mono amps, and Nordost Odin 2 cables). My comments are based on extended listening sessions with the MSB Reference and Cascade, at the dealer, not in my home, so there are alot of variables at play. Regardless, I felt confident that my time spent with the Reference and Cascade allowed me adequate insight to their sonic qualities and how they would work in the context of our home system.

Regarding my experience with the MSB Reference at the dealers showroom, all of my listening was done with the new (at the time) Magico S3 2023 paired with Boulder 1110 pre and the previous generation Boulder amps, the 1160. I also had a chance to hear the Boulder 2160 with the S3's but the majority of my listening was with the 1160 amp.

Long story short, the MSB Reference could not hold its own with the Studio Player (SP). The SP is simply more musical to my ear, with dynamics and tonal density that, with the proper recording, is more akin to a live performance. As you know, the Magico S5 (more so than the S3) will reveal everything up stream, and the SP has partnered beautifully with the S5.

However, when the Cascade entered the discussion, it wasn't so straightforward at all. Yes, the Cascade is twice the price of the SP and does not include the streaming capability nor optical disc transport. Both major considerations for me.

The Cascade, to my ear, is an immediately and significantly different presentation than the SP. Yet both sound right and beautifully musical. To simplify a very complicated experience for me, the Cascade presentation is luxurious, detailed and presents the performance slightly further from the listener. The SP is more present, engaging, immersive and puts the listener closer to the performance. But incredibly, having heard both, I could without hesitation live with either. It's hard to believe that these devices could sound so distinctly different from each other, yet both be so satisfying, engaging and utterly effortless.

Unfortunately, the price (and form factor) of the Cascade was the disqualifier for me. Fortunately, from a sonic perspective, I ultimately preferred the SP because it matched my personal preferences more closely. Both the Cascade and the SP have that wonderful quality that is often characterized as "more space around the notes." But in my system, the SP also provides more space around the space, if that makes sense.

As always, there is no substitute for hearing the Studio Player first hand, and, whether the budget permits or not, the Cascade as well. It was a real education for me.

 

[Ron Resnick]

MSB was on my short list of DAC's to consider, along with the WADAX Studio Player.

The dealer I purchased our S5 2024 speakers from is a MSB dealer. They had the Reference, Select II and the Cascade in their showrooms (currently their pair of S5's is set up with the MSB Cascade, Boulder 1110 pre/1151 mono amps, and Nordost Odin 2 cables). My comments are based on extended listening sessions with the MSB Reference and Cascade, at the dealer, not in my home, so there are alot of variables at play. Regardless, I felt confident that my time spent with the Reference and Cascade allowed me adequate insight to their sonic qualities and how they would work in the context of our home system.

Regarding my experience with the MSB Reference at the dealers showroom, all of my listening was done with the new (at the time) Magico S3 2023 paired with Boulder 1110 pre and the previous generation Boulder amps, the 1160. I also had a chance to hear the Boulder 2160 with the S3's but the majority of my listening was with the 1160 amp.

Long story short, the MSB Reference could not hold its own with the Studio Player (SP). The SP is simply more musical to my ear, with dynamics and tonal density that, with the proper recording, is more akin to a live performance. As you know, the Magico S5 (more so than the S3) will reveal everything up stream, and the SP has partnered beautifully with the S5.

However, when the Cascade entered the discussion, it wasn't so straightforward at all. Yes, the Cascade is twice the price of the SP and does not include the streaming capability nor optical disc transport. Both major considerations for me.

The Cascade, to my ear, is an immediately and significantly different presentation than the SP. Yet both sound right and beautifully musical. To simplify a very complicated experience for me, the Cascade presentation is luxurious, detailed and presents the performance slightly further from the listener. The SP is more present, engaging, immersive and puts the listener closer to the performance. But incredibly, having heard both, I could without hesitation live with either. It's hard to believe that these devices could sound so distinctly different from each other, yet both be so satisfying, engaging and utterly effortless.

Unfortunately, the price (and form factor) of the Cascade was the disqualifier for me. Fortunately, from a sonic perspective, I ultimately preferred the SP because it matched my personal preferences more closely. Both the Cascade and the SP have that wonderful quality that is often characterized as "more space around the notes." But in my system, there the SP provides more space around the space, if that makes sense.

As always, there is no substitute for hearing the Studio Player first hand, and, whether the budget permits or not, the Cascade as well. It was a real education for me.

Thank you for this interesting and directly comparative report!

 

[Mike Lavigne]

MSB was on my short list of DAC's to consider, along with the WADAX Studio Player.

The dealer I purchased our S5 2024 speakers from is a MSB dealer. They had the Reference, Select II and the Cascade in their showrooms (currently their pair of S5's is set up with the MSB Cascade, Boulder 1110 pre/1151 mono amps, and Nordost Odin 2 cables). My comments are based on extended listening sessions with the MSB Reference and Cascade, at the dealer, not in my home, so there are alot of variables at play. Regardless, I felt confident that my time spent with the Reference and Cascade allowed me adequate insight to their sonic qualities and how they would work in the context of our home system.

Regarding my experience with the MSB Reference at the dealers showroom, all of my listening was done with the new (at the time) Magico S3 2023 paired with Boulder 1110 pre and the previous generation Boulder amps, the 1160. I also had a chance to hear the Boulder 2160 with the S3's but the majority of my listening was with the 1160 amp.

Long story short, the MSB Reference could not hold its own with the Studio Player (SP). The SP is simply more musical to my ear, with dynamics and tonal density that, with the proper recording, is more akin to a live performance. As you know, the Magico S5 (more so than the S3) will reveal everything up stream, and the SP has partnered beautifully with the S5.

However, when the Cascade entered the discussion, it wasn't so straightforward at all. Yes, the Cascade is twice the price of the SP and does not include the streaming capability nor optical disc transport. Both major considerations for me.

The Cascade, to my ear, is an immediately and significantly different presentation than the SP. Yet both sound right and beautifully musical. To simplify a very complicated experience for me, the Cascade presentation is luxurious, detailed and presents the performance slightly further from the listener. The SP is more present, engaging, immersive and puts the listener closer to the performance. But incredibly, having heard both, I could without hesitation live with either. It's hard to believe that these devices could sound so distinctly different from each other, yet both be so satisfying, engaging and utterly effortless.

Unfortunately, the price (and form factor) of the Cascade was the disqualifier for me. Fortunately, from a sonic perspective, I ultimately preferred the SP because it matched my personal preferences more closely. Both the Cascade and the SP have that wonderful quality that is often characterized as "more space around the notes." But in my system, there the SP provides more space around the space, if that makes sense.

As always, there is no substitute for hearing the Studio Player first hand, and, whether the budget permits or not, the Cascade as well. It was a real education for me.

question; are the upcoming Wadax 'Studio' separate Clock or Power Supply potential additions for you? and were those options a factor for your choice of the Studio Player?

 

[exupgh12]

MSB was on my short list of DAC's to consider, along with the WADAX Studio Player.

The dealer I purchased our S5 2024 speakers from is a MSB dealer. They had the Reference, Select II and the Cascade in their showrooms (currently their pair of S5's is set up with the MSB Cascade, Boulder 1110 pre/1151 mono amps, and Nordost Odin 2 cables). My comments are based on extended listening sessions with the MSB Reference and Cascade, at the dealer, not in my home, so there are alot of variables at play. Regardless, I felt confident that my time spent with the Reference and Cascade allowed me adequate insight to their sonic qualities and how they would work in the context of our home system.

Regarding my experience with the MSB Reference at the dealers showroom, all of my listening was done with the new (at the time) Magico S3 2023 paired with Boulder 1110 pre and the previous generation Boulder amps, the 1160. I also had a chance to hear the Boulder 2160 with the S3's but the majority of my listening was with the 1160 amp.

Long story short, the MSB Reference could not hold its own with the Studio Player (SP). The SP is simply more musical to my ear, with dynamics and tonal density that, with the proper recording, is more akin to a live performance. As you know, the Magico S5 (more so than the S3) will reveal everything up stream, and the SP has partnered beautifully with the S5.

However, when the Cascade entered the discussion, it wasn't so straightforward at all. Yes, the Cascade is twice the price of the SP and does not include the streaming capability nor optical disc transport. Both major considerations for me.

The Cascade, to my ear, is an immediately and significantly different presentation than the SP. Yet both sound right and beautifully musical. To simplify a very complicated experience for me, the Cascade presentation is luxurious, detailed and presents the performance slightly further from the listener. The SP is more present, engaging, immersive and puts the listener closer to the performance. But incredibly, having heard both, I could without hesitation live with either. It's hard to believe that these devices could sound so distinctly different from each other, yet both be so satisfying, engaging and utterly effortless.

Unfortunately, the price (and form factor) of the Cascade was the disqualifier for me. Fortunately, from a sonic perspective, I ultimately preferred the SP because it matched my personal preferences more closely. Both the Cascade and the SP have that wonderful quality that is often characterized as "more space around the notes." But in my system, there the SP provides more space around the space, if that makes sense.

As always, there is no substitute for hearing the Studio Player first hand, and, whether the budget permits or not, the Cascade as well. It was a real education for me.

Thank you for that detailed perspective from both DAC's, appreciated.

 

[mxk116]

question; are the upcoming Wadax 'Studio' separate Clock or Power Supply potential additions for you? and were those options a factor for your choice of the Studio Player?

Yes, Mike. I have had positive experience with outboard master clocks (dCS and Cybershaft specifically) in the past. IIRC, the Studio Clock and Studio PSU were announced after my commitment to the Studio Player, so they did not play a significant role in my decision. I would have kept my Cybershaft OP21A-D but was told it was incompatible with the SP. But the availability of the Studio Clock and PSU definitely has my attention.

 

[exupgh12]

I have taken in trade for SP dCS Vivaldi 1, rossini and clock, CH 1.2 and MSB Select two one with and one without the director.
Make what you will of this.

Thank you for your perspective Elliot.