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Wadax Reference Server
- Thread starter CKKeung
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As i have said before this product needs to be experienced. It is the sound you are paying for and they have it Most people that have come through here or at CAPFEST said the same thing. That was that they liked the look better in person.
I personally think it is a very well made product and finished like a high end watch. It is beautifully packed with boxes , custom wrapping, and flight cases. It has been extremely well thought out. I have sold or seen just about everything in my audio career and very few items check all the boxes. This company does a terrific job. You may not like the look, your opinion is valid, but if you listen then you might change your view point. I have seen and heard some really odd looking products and either they do it sonically or not, If they don't do it sound wise they fall into the who cares category for me.
I personally think it is a very well made product and finished like a high end watch. It is beautifully packed with boxes , custom wrapping, and flight cases. It has been extremely well thought out. I have sold or seen just about everything in my audio career and very few items check all the boxes. This company does a terrific job. You may not like the look, your opinion is valid, but if you listen then you might change your view point. I have seen and heard some really odd looking products and either they do it sonically or not, If they don't do it sound wise they fall into the who cares category for me.
Elliot, if there was the same level of criticism over other fussy, decorative designs like AF0, Kronos, Vyger, DAgostino (especially Relentless), Wilson WAMM Chronosonic, then I'd understand more the downer on Wadax Ref industrial aesthetic.
But there isn't. So I don't.
My take is that maybe Chris of AE has encouraged the Wadax team to go a little further with the industrial design than they might have done without his market, looking at the Divin Project uber showroom in HK, the Wadax Ref sits proportionately amongst the other hefty designs there like the Zanden Choukou, Jinpu and Kaun, and critically the Divin Majestic.
Wadax Ref rig will not look out of place next to a Kronos Discovery or AF0, alongside DAgostino Relentless monos, between Wilson WAMM Master Chronosonics.
But there isn't. So I don't.
My take is that maybe Chris of AE has encouraged the Wadax team to go a little further with the industrial design than they might have done without his market, looking at the Divin Project uber showroom in HK, the Wadax Ref sits proportionately amongst the other hefty designs there like the Zanden Choukou, Jinpu and Kaun, and critically the Divin Majestic.
Wadax Ref rig will not look out of place next to a Kronos Discovery or AF0, alongside DAgostino Relentless monos, between Wilson WAMM Master Chronosonics.
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I don't care about looks as I said I don't buy gear because of the way it looks. I think most of the items you mentioned are really blingy but I do understand that many people really care about the looks and the fact that they are spending big money and want fancy stuff. I don't understand however why there is so much of it directed at Wadax. Form follows function in many products and its done done here.
I think many dislike the looks of the products you mentioned whether it bothers them enough to bitch about it here is another story. I think you should keep in mind that what people like in Asia seems to differ greatly from what people like in other parts of the world.
The basic form of their stuff isnt too out there, imho its the finish of the face plate with the extra 'chrome lines' thats all...
well, i can only say as a person who is voting with their pocketbook, the looks are beside the point. i owned a Linn CD-12, and sold it to buy an EMM Labs dac. then i had a ML #32 preamp, and sold it for a Placette RVC.
looks never is a part of my equation.
although it's maybe the only thing most people will be exposed to. so the issue has legs for sure.
i prefer pretty verses ugly. but not very much.
looks never is a part of my equation.
although it's maybe the only thing most people will be exposed to. so the issue has legs for sure.
i prefer pretty verses ugly. but not very much.
BTW they do custom finishes. It could be all black for example if you ordered it that way.
True, there are many notable audio products whose aesthetic forms are grossly overcooked. And in most cases, I don’t think it’s due to function dictating form. It’s mostly extraneous, superfluous bling bling. The “Less is More” ethos seems lost on many of these designers.
Personally, this kind of visual aesthetic is a 100% deal killer. I don’t care how good it may sound— there is usually something comparable to go with instead.
Well, I must say this chunky funky looking DAC/Server combo earned my respect at AXPONA. GOOD, it better do so for how imposing the look is. Im interested to hear more if it to see if its doing what I thought I could hear which was to mimic the sound of Vinyl playback. To me it was not a transparent sound. It had texture in a way Ive never heard a DAC portray. (is there a name for the sonic background Vinyl has from the needle in the groove, like tape hiss is to tape ?) I listened to several songs all streamed and they all had this textured sonic flavor to them. I actually enjoyed listening to it as it was pleasing. Im stuck on the value proposition in which the jury is still out for me. I believe there are settings on the streamer to tweak sonic which we did not change or listen to. I did notice that the knobs on the server had some play in them that did not feel reassuring for an $80K computer, however in my opinion this is a one of a kind unique sound and its novel in its analog-ness. I am curious to find out more. Listening tests coming up at Mike Lavignes place will be very interesting and Im looking forward to it.
I have the Humboldt for its sound quality but I would not have hesitated if it had the Wadax look
. One can love two thingsVery interesting. I would think that at the highest level, separating power supplies and dac design innovations would be more in line with 'removing' all the additive sound coming from both the digital and electrical circuits. It seems you heard a type of 'watermark' on the music.
May I ask why do think the texture you identified was actually caused by the Wadax combo and not by of any of the other components of the audio set or some kind of interaction of the whole set up with the room?
Kudos to you sir, you are the master of hidden slights delivered in halfhearted compliments !
But lets say Verastarr admits the Wadax is better/ more favourable then the equipment he sells .
(First of all it wouldn t make much business sense to admit that .)
(I wouldnt do it even at gunpoint if i were a dealer )
Luckily dealers / distributors have a few escape clausules ....
Interconnects / speaker cables didnt match .
Powercords were..... too short
Speakers weren t optimally placed .
Room was a mismatch .
Excessive room treatment was used .
Seating position was not optimal .
Music format favours a certain digital combination and vice versa .
Weather conditions were not optimal
Impedance characterics of the speakers didnt match
Source material was not of high quality .
Music that was played favoured the other combination.
Amps were not powerfull enough to show what the set up is really capable off .
Room dimensions were just plain wrong .
This digital set up can only show its true potential in combination with transparent transducers like horns so the whole comparison is not valid .
The equipment can only live up to its true potential if mated with tubes
(First of all it wouldn t make much business sense to admit that .)
(I wouldnt do it even at gunpoint if i were a dealer )
Luckily dealers / distributors have a few escape clausules ....
Interconnects / speaker cables didnt match .
Powercords were.....
Speakers weren t optimally placed .
Room was a mismatch .
Excessive room treatment was used .
Seating position was not optimal .
Music format favours a certain digital combination and vice versa .
Impedance characterics of the speakers didnt match
Source material was not of high quality .
Music that was played favoured the other combination.
Amps were not powerfull enough to show what the set up is really capable off .
Room dimensions were just plain wrong .
This digital set up can only show its true potential in combination with transparent transducers like horns so the whole comparison is not valid .
The equipment can only live up to its true potential if mated with tubes
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Just my best guess. Ive not heard that texture before from a digital rig, and Ive been in many rooms to know what room interactions sound like. I never said i did not like the sound..
Yes, youre right...I have not formed an opinion on the piece yet.. Im just feeding back what I thought..Kudos to you sir, you are the master of hidden slights delivered in halfhearted compliments !
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