Any heard/heard of Whest DAP.10 R processor?


I read about this intriguing "processor" in July '04 issue of Hi-Fi World. The reviewer seemed fairly impressed by it's effect.

Anyone out there have any experience with this device?
denf

Showing 1 response by amperidian

Who's this Boa anyway? ... crying and turning because he got a bad unit? Get over it. Is your car perfect? Let's be serious here.

I bought a DAP.10 in June this year I think and did not receive a fully functional one until September (which was the third unit of its kind). Despite this experience I cannot criticize this unit in any way, it is stunning ... I really mean it! ... took my system to a new level! I see all these people here discussing how many bad units they received .... have you ever heard it? ... thought people were supposed to share audio impressions in addition to customer service ... seems to me like some people go sour because their latest toy has a ploblem and start bad mouthing whest audio and james because the DAP they got from their dealer did not work ... it's the dealer's responsability to replace the defective unit with a functional one (yeah, the dealer is supposed to test it in a system before he sends it out because of the experience they should be trying to remmedy). I think james is a great person and I'm sure that just like all great audio designers, he will continue to improve and hone his products, and of course raise his prices.

My system is very simple:

Audio Aero Capitole MKII SE
YBA passion integre
Revelation Audio Mistral S6 with Sub6 speakers
and of course the Whest Audio DAP.10
...powerconditioning provided by a Shunyata Hydra 4
...power cords are:
1. 20-amp Revelation Audio Labs Precept to the Hydra
2. 15-amp Shunyata Anaconda Vx on the Capitole
3. 15-amp RAL Precept to the DAP.10
4. 15-amp RAL Precept II to the YBA (to be eventually upgraded to either another anaconda alpha or an elrod statement)

note that only the amp section of the YBA is used ( YBA pre bypassed in favour of the Capitole preamp which sounds more natural with more extension in the highs and less bass bloom in the lows, albeit much better articulation and depth here so an easy sacrifice). I also use the separate high/low amping ability of the YBA amp stage, with 2 runs of speaker cable to my speaker top units.

interconnects are cardas golden reference RCA throughout (I wish James made an XLR version of the DAP).

speaker cables are monster sigma retro gold throughout (one run from the YBA to the highs, another from the YBA to the lows and a third run from the lows of the speaker inputs to the passive stage of the isobaric subs inside my Sub6 units.

... and most important of all I use symposium rollerblocks throughout the entire setup (double stacked series 2+ rollerblocks on the Capitole and the YBA and a single set under the DAP, with the grade 3 superballs under the Capitole) ... this system tweak equals the contributions from Whest Audio and Shunyata ... a true eye-opener.

This current digital setup sounds as good as any system I've heard so far ... besides perhaps Mike Lavigne's system or Mike and Neli's Reference system here on audiogon which I've never heard, but I've come across some pretty nice other systems that included YBA passion amps, reference Boulder amps, Nagra gear, Dynaudio Masters, Acapella Campanille's, Audio Aero Prestige, dCS combo, Linn CD-12, Simaudio Andromeda, Sonus Faber Stradivari's, Ayre's new gear, VTL reference monos. The 2 above mentioned systems are in a league of their own.

The normal system sounds very nicely balanced and detailed, yet non-fatiguing, with huge soundstage and tremendous musicality. With the DAP in the chain, the system's presence increases tenfold in the room with more detail and improved decays as well as lower and tighter bass ... so it affects THE ENTIRE SPECTRUM!

My impressions about the DAP to James following my third (and only functional unit):

"Hi James,

Just want to say thanks, again :)

The DAP is fantastic. The difference is unbelievable!!!!!

Trying out an Audioquest NRG-5 powercord on it now and will also try a Revelation Audio Precept II and Precept today... will soon be isolated by symposium rollerblocks and an alluminum plate. And hopefully, I will be able to upgrade the Cardas Golden Reference pc to a Shunyata Anaconda VX
for my AA Capitole MKII SE.

Anyways, many thanks for this little masterpiece, it's a revelation to rediscover music with the DAP in the system. IT WAS WORTH IT! I have a new reference."

and this is how james summarized his attitude towards it:

"I really love music and get a real thrill when I can get others in to it... and not thinking about the electronics. I hope the DAP.10 does this for you."

There are some reliability issues with the DAP's out there, but I'm sure james is trying to improve the situation. As long as people realize what it does and the benefits it offers, james will not only make more reliable units but also better sounding DAP's.

...all said and done, I want to thank Rob here, because it was through his thread on audioreview that I discovered the DAP.10 and considered it for my own system. I can now recommend to everyone interested in the whest audio DAP.10 not only an AA Prima player but also an AA Capitole MKII player. The results have redefined reference digital sound for me.