Wadax Reference Dac and Server arrive

Mike Lavigne · Jan 10, 2022

Stereophonic said:
You are looking for too much combinations.
Answer is very simple.
Wadax Ref. has been developed from here…
View attachment 87875

functionally the MSB Select II has a volume control, and can be used as the hub direct to amps and accept an input from a phono or tape player. As far as i know the Wadax 'stack' cannot.

performance opinions a different matter of course.

Huy Hoang · Jan 10, 2022

Mike Lavigne said:
my view of the MSB has not changed. it's still the choice i would make of real world dacs. 5 years ago it was the clear choice, now others have come up as choices too. i wrote before that it took me 10 days after i left hearing the Wadax in Florida in early December before i was 'free' of the effects, and since then my MSB listening was fantastic. really great. at this point that is the way i would put it. if you own the MSB it's still fantastic.

and if i were to not have the Wadax Reference Dac i would have the MSB Select 2. the Wadax is just a step up in reality. forget audiophile check list stuff. it's simply more real sounding. this is a relative concept of degrees of things. it crosses a threshold. into clearer air.

at some point i will try my best to articulate a more complete (audiophile) answer.....if i'm able. give me some time.

as far as my decision; obviously i made the first decision to sell the MSB after Florida. i made the second decision to buy the Wadax after hearing it in my room on Friday. my initial interest has built up by reading all the information around and the timing of my retirement; i wanted to equip myself with the best tool for my long term listening now.

it's a huge commitment for me and lifestyle affecting. but this is important enough to me to do it.

Hi Mike, thank you for your information.
Could you share a bit more about what is your grounding wire setup for 2 Select Monobase in your system?

Stereophonic · Jan 10, 2022

Mike Lavigne said:
functionally the MSB Select II can be used as the hub direct to amps and accept an input from a phono or tape player. As far as i know the Wadax 'stack' cannot.

I was talking about micro’s question…
Anyway, Ref doesn’t have these features too…

microstrip said:
IMHO any DAC over 100k is not real world, the MSB Sellect II also goes over my threshold. In the non real world the Wadax is just a little more expensive ...

Amir · Jan 10, 2022

I will listen to Wadax reference DAC soon ,
Roy Gregory believes The best DAC in this market is Wadax reference.
The only bigger and more expensive dac than wadax was Weiss Maya if im not mistaken.
Weiss Maya never introduced to high end market.

Mike Lavigne · Jan 10, 2022

Huy Hoang said:
Hi Mike, thank you for your information.
Could you share a bit more about what is your grounding wire setup for 2 Select Monobase in your system?

Tripoint Elite -> Tripoint Thor SE cable -> MSB power supply #1 -> any (i use an extra Silver Entreq) grounding cable -> MSB power supply #2.

read the MSB manual on the proper handling of the ground lug between the two grounding posts on the rear of each power supply.

microstrip · Jan 10, 2022

Mike Lavigne said:
the MSB Select II is under $90k, dCS Vivaldi Stack territory. without needing so many cables and power cords.

People wanting less cables can just buy the dCS Vivaldi One in a single box. In Europe prices reverse - the MSB is more expensive than the dCS. The complete Vivaldi stack includes the CD/SACD, that is the more expensive item.

Mike Lavigne said:
you can add a second power supply at +$20k = under $110, but it's not essential to get the goodness of the Select II. the $90k includes a great preamp and 33 Femto clock. and 10 year warranty and upgrade policy.

Not essential, but I imagine it is mandatory for serious audiophiles. Who will accept the idea that is is compromising on the performance of such price DAC?

I have seen that dealers advertise the price with two power supplies.

BTW I must say that I can't imagine owning the dCS Vivaldi DAC without its external clock.

Mike Lavigne said:
the MSB Pro USB (under $2k) being the only needed add on (and might now be one of the standard config choices).

i view it as the ideal centerpiece of a great system.

An ideal centerpiece in this hobby? I can't figure what defines a centerpiece in an high-end system. But is looks like the Wadax Reference is an ideal DAC!

Huy Hoang · Jan 10, 2022

Mike Lavigne said:
Tripoint Elite -> Tripoint Thor SE cable -> MSB power supply #1 -> any (i use an extra Silver Entreq) grounding cable -> MSB power supply #2.

read the MSB manual on the proper handling of the ground lug between the two grounding posts on the rear of each power supply.

Many thanks, Mike.
One more question, is there any sound difference if the grounding wire setup like this: MSB power supply #1 -> Silver Entreq grounding cable -> MSB power supply #2 -> Tripoint Thor SE cable -> Tripoint Elite
Thank you.

Mike Lavigne · Jan 10, 2022

microstrip said:
People wanting less cables can just buy the dCS Vivaldi One in a single box. In Europe prices reverse - the MSB is more expensive than the dCS. The complete Vivaldi stack includes the CD/SACD, that is the more expensive item.

Not essential, but I imagine it is mandatory for serious audiophiles. Who will accept the idea that is is compromising on the performance of such price DAC? I have seen that dealers advertise the price with two power supplies.

BTW I must say that I can't imagine owning the dCS Vivaldi DAC without its external clock.

An ideal centerpiece in this hobby? I can't figure what defines a centerpiece in an high-end system. But is looks like the Wadax Reference is an ideal DAC!

Kingrex · Jan 10, 2022

Stereophonic said:
You are looking for too much combinations.
Answer is very simple.
Wadax Ref. has been developed from here…
View attachment 87875

I have found brands usually have a house sound. I bet the Atlantas DAC and Server get you a long way towards what the Reference does.

Mike Lavigne · Jan 10, 2022

Huy Hoang said:
Many thanks, Mike.
One more question, is there any sound difference if the grounding wire setup like this: MSB power supply #1 -> Silver Entreq grounding cable -> MSB power supply #2 -> Tripoint Thor SE cable -> Tripoint Elite
Thank you.

your sequence is the same as mine. the grounding cables are two way, except that for Tripoint their grounding cables have a blue strip on the Ground Box end for reference.

K3RMIT · Jan 10, 2022

djsina2 said:
Funny how when the MSB came out all we heard was how it sounds like vinyl but now it doesn’t?

Maybe something happened to his vinyl rig lol.

K3RMIT · Jan 10, 2022

dminches said:
I think I made it very clear it was just my opinion.

I disagree that the Roon dependency is crazy. I don’t know if you use Roon but the sound quality has wavered over time. How would you feel if you turned on your system one day and it sounded worse than the day before because the software vendor decided to make changes which degraded the sound? I pick equipment based on how it sounds and that’s why I don’t use Roon anymore.

You can’t go against the roon squad even if your right and many say the same. Roon has the best interface no doubt I just wish they put some time into great sound instead of headphone and eq settings

Mike Lavigne · Jan 10, 2022

Kingrex said:
I have found brands usually have a house sound. I bet the Atlantas DAC and Server get you a long way towards what the Reference does.

some HK enthusiasts did a dac shoot out a few years back including the Wadax dac (don't recall the exact model). contact member @CKKeung about it. i could not find the link to his comments.

i do not want to characterize the results from memory.

Mike Lavigne · Jan 10, 2022

K3RMIT said:
Maybe something happened to his vinyl rig lol.

degrees.......verses other current dacs at that time. the goal posts move.

now it's another time.

my tt's move too. now i have better cartridges and arms. better phono and phono cables.

microstrip · Jan 10, 2022

Mike Lavigne said:
degrees.......verses other current dacs at that time. the goal posts move.

now it's another time.

my tt's move too. now i have better cartridges and arms. better phono and phono cables.

Yes, your vinyl rig is permanently evolving and tuning your preferences - you now even have three turntables. However you have a solid analog reference - your Studer A820. I am not a believer in A/B comparisons but I hope to read in a few weeks your opinion about the relative sonic attributes of tape and the Wadax in a longer term.

Cyrus · Jan 10, 2022

@microstrip Can you expand on this:

I am not a believer in A/B comparisons

Thanks.

Mike Lavigne · Jan 10, 2022

microstrip said:
Yes, your vinyl rig is permanently evolving and tuning your preferences - you now even have three turntables. However you have a solid analog reference - your Studer A820. I am not a believer in A/B comparisons but I hope to read in a few weeks your opinion about the relative sonic attributes of tape and the Wadax in a longer term.

we will get there at some point. right now i just want to listen. i expended all my investigative juices this past weekend.

and i expect that the absence of playback artifacts compared to vinyl might align the Wadax combo closer to tape than vinyl. which i guess you are also expecting.

it is like super-quiet slightly more focused vinyl = tape.

KeithR · Jan 10, 2022

So did Elliot also convince you to try the new reference CH gear?

KeithR · Jan 10, 2022

Mike Lavigne said:
the MSB Select II is under $90k, dCS Vivaldi Stack territory. without needing so many cables and power cords.

you can add a second power supply at +$20k = under $110, but it's not essential to get the goodness of the Select II. the $90k includes a great preamp and 33 Femto clock. and 10 year warranty and upgrade policy.

the MSB Pro USB (under $2k) being the only needed add on (and might now be one of the standard config choices).

i view it as the ideal centerpiece of a great system.

MSB is now $105k + USB/renderer. Standard mono supplies, preamp, etc.

Mike Lavigne · Jan 10, 2022

KeithR said:
MSB is now $105k + USB/renderer. Standard mono supplies, preamp, etc.

so $5k less than my last info.

Standard mono supplies = "2" mono supplies.

i realize what you are saying, but not everyone will.

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