Wadax Reference Dac and Server arrive

[dan31]

Nice layout. I was just thinking how difficult it would be to keep the Aesthetix Io in your system. So many components and the various connections to power supplies, etc.

Enjoy the Wadax and all that it brings.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Dear Mike,

I am out-of-town with no cell or internet service for a mere two (2) days, and you get a fourth (4th) turntable?

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Dear Mike,

I am out-of-town with no cell or internet service for a mere two (2) days, and you get a fourth (4th) turntable?

i've had that EMT 948/Durand Kairos since August 2020. i purchased it for my second Miyajima Infinity Mono cartridge, the 0.7mil stylus.

please pay better attention. and btw; i've decided to sell this tt/arm combo in consideration of other vinyl upgrades in process. so not sure how much longer it will be resident. can't justify the real estate in my system for the limited use. retasking the assets elsewhere.

Miyajima Labs 1.0 mil Infinity Mono

Option for the second arm would be a viv labs. Can sit on the plinth or some pillar to the back left. that option briefly flashed across my mind. but the 180+ pound Saskia slate plinth covers almost the whole shelf surface. i'm sure there are engineering solutions i might have considered, but...

www.whatsbestforum.com

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Nice layout. I was just thinking how difficult it would be to keep the Aesthetix Io in your system. So many components and the various connections to power supplies, etc.

Enjoy the Wadax and all that it brings.

hi Dan, thanks.

my time with the Aesthetix was well spent. i learned alot from that and it is a strong influence on my future plans. glad i did it and i realize the huge upside of the Aesthetix. space and the looming arrival the Wadax left me no choice but to move on from it. when i had originally purchased it the Wadax was not a thought.

 

[bonzo75]

hi Dan, thanks.

my time with the Aesthetix was well spent. i learned alot from that and it is a strong influence on my future plans. glad i did it and i realize the huge upside of the Aesthetix. space and the looming arrival the Wadax left me no choice but to move on from it. when i had originally purchased it the Wadax was not a thought.

You need to build a small equipment shed behind the barn

 

[Ron Resnick]

i've had that EMT 948/Durand Kairos since August 2020. i purchased it for my second Miyajima Infinity Mono cartridge, the 0.7mil stylus.

please pay better attention. and btw; i've decided to sell this tt/arm combo in consideration of other vinyl upgrades in process. so not sure how much longer it will be resident. can't justify the real estate in my system for the limited use. retasking the assets elsewhere.

Miyajima Labs 1.0 mil Infinity Mono

Option for the second arm would be a viv labs. Can sit on the plinth or some pillar to the back left. that option briefly flashed across my mind. but the 180+ pound Saskia slate plinth covers almost the whole shelf surface. i'm sure there are engineering solutions i might have considered, but...

www.whatsbestforum.com

I am almost old enough to be able to claim Alzheimer's -- or at least Partzheimer's! So sorry I forgot about that! I will endeavor to pay better attention in the future!

 

[Mike Lavigne]

You need to build a small equipment shed behind the barn

hey; my wife has her 5200 sq ft house (and has to fit my home theater in her space), i get my 1800 sq ft barn all to myself. got to make it work. can't afford to heat any more space all winter.

i'm at my peak point of gear right now, and i think a year from now i will have fewer pieces in my system. i've spent 3 years now with multiple tt's and realize my vinyl listening priorities. now just have to execute my end game plan.

 

[Lagonda]

hi Dan, thanks.

my time with the Aesthetix was well spent. i learned alot from that and it is a strong influence on my future plans. glad i did it and i realize the huge upside of the Aesthetix. space and the looming arrival the Wadax left me no choice but to move on from it. when i had originally purchased it the Wadax was not a thought.

You are always so diplomatic Mike, you liked your other phono stages better, the Io is a little on the noisy side and takes up to much space in your system.

 

[Rhapsody]

View attachment 88675

Hi Stereophonic, is Rainer a WADAX dealer? Or is he a private WADAX owner/user?....thx

 

[battles]

Hi Mike,

Have really been enjoying your Wadax updates…I continue to believe that competition is great for our hobby, and even though some of us who no longer own the absolute SOTA or can’t afford it might be disappointed in the near term, in the long run we’ll all be better off for it as Wadax’s advancements should spur greater innovation by the other industry players.

When you have a free moment, would you kindly summarize the differential between the total cost of ownership (in retail $s) between what you’ve invested in your Wadax stack (preamplifier, cables, cords, isolation, rack space, tweaks, etc) vs your former MSB stack including the Taiko? Since it’s debatable that one gains much sonic improvement by utilizing a preamp with the MSB Select, let’s assume that cost is not reflected in the MSB cost of ownership.

Understanding this *total* cost of ownership differential would very helpful for many of us, as even if the Wadax is the indisputable sonic champion, I suspect many of us would be fine owning the second best (Porsche Turbo vs the Turbo S) to the extent the cost differential is overwhelming.

Thanks,
Blake

 

[Rhapsody]

Hi Stereophonic, is Rainer a WADAX dealer? Or is he a private WADAX owner/user?....thx

Sorry, never mind, I answered my own question. I thought that I had heard that Rainer was now the Wadax representative in Germany. (Congrat's Rainer, very cool!)

I felt that as Rainer being new to WBF and had not yet had time to disclose that he was a Wadax dealer in his signature, that it was good for all to know. Maybe someone in Germany wants to be Rainer's first Wadax customer!

From Rainer's FB page- (another great testimonial to the prowess of WADAX!)

Rainer Weber
We will represent Wadax in Germany. The last two days have shifted my perception what digital can achieve. Think about old Linn statement that source is most important and then listen to Ref Dac. I am quite some time in this audio business but this is a new world. Thx to Javier!

 

[matakana]

Sorry, never mind, I answered my own question. I thought that I had heard that Rainer was now the Wadax representative in Germany. (Congrat's Rainer, very cool!)

I felt that as Rainer being new to WBF and had not yet had time to disclose that he was a Wadax dealer in his signature, that it was good for all to know. Maybe someone in Germany wants to be Rainer's first Wadax customer!

From Rainer's FB page- (another great testimonial to the prowess of WADAX!)

Rainer Weber
We will represent Wadax in Germany. The last two days have shifted my perception what digital can achieve. Think about old Linn statement that source is most important and then listen to Ref Dac. I am quite some time in this audio business but this is a new world. Thx to Javier!

Was that “ garbage in garbage out “ ?

 

[Rhapsody]

Was that “ garbage in garbage out “ ?

It depends on one's perspective I guess.

 

[Kawero]

I have updated my signature. I represent Pilium, Wadax, Taiko, Waycables and Acrolink in Germany

Regarding my findings on the Wadax Ref DAC:

I think sometimes it is quite difficult to find words to describe a sonic perception especially when English is not your native language, However I will try my best.

When I first listen to Wadax (with APL streamer) the impression of much more span in dynamics (Makro to micro dynamics) were so obvious. A field where analog rules very often.
2nd observation was the extreme natural tone and pitch of the Wadax performance. No edginess; superb details and so much more layers in the depth of the soundstage compared to what I was used to.

Also the width of the soundstage is a bit wider and more holographic. More 3 D. I can listen to much higher volume without fatigue - even more now with the Taiko extreme.

3rd observation: Even with 44-16 redbook recordings you do not miss a thing.
4th: on low volumes also no miss of details. The range of volume (loudness) where you think it sound incredible is more than on the frontends I have.

I played also with output volume and prefer 4V for very dynamic pieces, but listen mostly to 2V now. Of course this is a question of your amps involved. I am mostly listening to 0 Ohm output impedance. Higher values make critical recordings rounder. But I usually don´t need it.

That said, my analog is relative pale in the midrange compared to Wadax. But I might not have the best analog out there. Usually analog vs digital is that analog opens up in the treble without beeing on the bright and lean (edgy and hard) side. This is exactly what Wadax does. This openess from top analog without any constrains you might be familiar with digital.

But of course your milage might vary. I can just say give Wadax a try. Best at home because it takes some days that the DAC is at optimum temperature.

Br

Rainer

 

[Stereophonic]

Hi Stereophonic, is Rainer a WADAX dealer? Or is he a private WADAX owner/user?....thx

Are you talking to me?

I am very surprised that the moderators are letting this troll/Wadax fan boy to come into this thread with his nonsensical attacks and have ruined a stunningly great announcement that was made by Emile today.

Moderators, please wake up and at least ban this troll from this thread. He has never once contributed one positive comment in this thread. Although if you go back over the last two years, he has tried to disrupt the Extreme synergy that exists by the Extreme/Taiko community on many different occasions.

You don't see any of the happy Extreme users going into the Wadax thread and trolling just for the fun of it.

It's disappointing that this meaningless trolling is allowed to happen in this thread and definitely brings the Wadax name down several notches in the type of company that many people would choose to be associated with, regardless of how good the product might be, with representation from Wadax being presented in this manner.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Are you talking to me?

Stereophonic aka Travis Bickle lol.

 

[Rhapsody]

Are you talking to me?

Yes, I was talking to you. You had presented text/messages from Rainer and did not mention that he was a Wadax dealer. It's normal at WBF to show that one is a dealer, which Rainer has now done.

I was not insulting or trolling. I was asking a question, that Rainer has now answered. Good for Rainer and good for Wadax!

 

[Stereophonic]

Stereophonic aka Travis Bickle lol.

 

[matakana]

It depends on one's perspective I guess.

That was the phrase Ivor Tiefenbrun of Linn Products used over 40 some years ago now when promoting his LP12 , He also endorsed the single speaker Demo room approach.

 

[Stereophonic]

Yes, I was talking to you. You had presented text/messages from Rainer and did not mention that he was a Wadax dealer. It's normal at WBF to show that one is a dealer, which Rainer has now done.

I was not insulting or trolling. I was asking a question, that Rainer has now answered. Good for Rainer and good for Wadax!

Could you tell me why i have to know it?
You called me a troll and now you ask me?
Take it easy…. Germany isn’t your area of work.