I just listened to it last weekend as I was very interested in it after reading a glowing review, but I didn't care for it. It was hooked up to Devore Super 8 speakers with a Supernait amp. I thought it was somewhat bright sounding, with a definite digital sound. It was detailed though, and if your system would sound better with a detailed, bright sound then maybe you would like it. It definitely didn't have a warm side to it which is what I was looking for. Sandra |
Kbarkamian, when you hook up a dac or cd player to the Wadia iTransport via spdif, isn't it using the cd players dac or the dac itself even if using the iPod? I'm not exactly sure how the iTransport works, that's why I'm asking. Sandra |
JR, Thanks for your reply, now I understand. Scott, I can't believe I didn't get the transport they were using but all the other equipment was Naim. I have never heard the DeVores before but I am a firm believer in matching the right equipment to each other and maybe this system would have sounded better with other equipment matching. I have heard the Naim cd players before (a long time ago) and never thought they were bright sounding, so I'm not sure what the problem was. I just didn't like the sound, I think it would have been very fatigueing after awhile. I can call the store and ask what they were using as a transport if you're really curious, I can't believe I didn't get that. Anyway, the Devore's were very pretty speakers and very detailed, they would probably sound better with a warmer system. I actually got on the Naim forum and some of the comments about the dac were the same as mine, some digitalitis from this dac. Sandra |
Scott, I will call the store tomorrow and find out what transport they were using. I have listened to Naim in the past and never heard any brightness, maybe the dac was too new or not broken in, I never really asked. Maybe the DeVore speakers were not the best choice for them, they said they were waiting for some new Naim speakers to arrive but hadn't got them in yet. If you get on the Naim-Audio forum, there is quite a bit of talk about the new dac, some of it good, some heard what I heard. And because I didn't care for it doesn't mean that somebody else might not, individual tastes vary greatly and it was just my opinion. |
Hello all. Scott, when I demoed the Naim dac it was used with a Cambridge 840 cd player as the transport. I thought it was a very detailed open, airy sound, but again, was on the bright side. I listened to this combination for approx. 15-20 minutes and it was already becoming fatiguing to me. This combination would never work with my speakers as they are very revealing and crystal clear, making it too much of a good thing. Someone else might enjoy this sound though depending on the rest of your equipment. Sandra |
I don't know if you're interested in just the Naim dac or not, but last weekend I spent 2 days in Seattle just listening to cd players and the one I liked the best was the Simaudio 300D dac for $1600. It was warm, rich, detailed, had excellent bass. I had listened to the McIntosh MCD500, Audio research CD8 and their new USB based dac, Ayre QB9, Naim dac, Meridian, Linn and a few others. The Simaudio was just what I was looking for and it was hooked up to a Wadia 170i transport with a ipod which completely surprised me. I really had no interest in listening to Simaudio products as I really don't like the looks of them and you also don't hear much about them, but I wanted to hear everything that I could in the 2 days that I was over there. It was playing through Dynaudio speakers, then I had them move it to another system that had Avalon speakers. Great sounding dac at a very reasonable price, includes USB, spdif, toslink connections and plays high resolution music. I don't know much about Itunes, I'm trying to find out if you can download high res. music from them. If not, I will just buy this dac and connect it to my windows computer.
Just thought I would mention it in case anybody is looking for a good computer based dac. Sandra |
Yes, that is what is keeping me from buying the Wadia/Ipod, it's a shame because it's such a great setup with an external dac. I'm searching for a really good digital coax cable, you like the Synergistic D2? I hate to have to start auditioning digital cables but I may try 2-3 for starters. I think I'll start off with a cheap one (Blue Jeans?) and go to a few more expensive ones to see if there is a difference. I'm really interested in the MIT offerings but it's mucho money. Sandra |
Hi JR, I really wanted to listen to the Bryston cdp or dac but didn't run into any in Seattle. I was only there for 2 days and had to keep a close watch on my time.
I would like to hear the Naim dac with other equipment, it may sound completely different, although if you get on the Naim forums there are a few others that say the same thing I heard, somewhat digital sounding. I didn't hear anything digital about the Simaudio dac, it was smooth, warm, rich, with plenty of detail, just what I like.
I'm finding out that the ipod will not play high res. material, so it and the Wadia's out. I really don't listen with earbuds anyway, I don't think it's good for your hearing. I guess I'll just hook up the dac to my windows computer via USB, and if I really like the sound, will work on getting a pc with spdif coax. I talked to Simaudio today and that's what they recommend-coax. USB doesn't do high resolution, but apparently the Wadia/ipod doesn't either and it sounded very good.
What was the Naim dac hooked up to when you heard it, and what speakers? |
Scott, I asked on the Wadia forum if you could download hi rez from the itunes store and play it through the Wadia170i/Ipod and this is what they said
Quote
"iTunes can play back 24/96 music, but you can not purchase lossless music, let alone hi rez from iTunes. The highest you can purchase in the iTunes store is 256 AAC files.
The iPod itself can store higher resolution files as portable memory stick, but cannot play back anything higher than 16/48k. iTunes will stop anything above that from loading into the iPod.
Because of this limitation by the iPod, the 170i will not accept a sample rate higher than 16/48k. unquote
Wadia Support
KBarkamian, I agree with you at this time, high rez is very limited, but as more of us show interest in it there should be more variety becoming available. Sandra |
Hey Jr, thanks for the review link. I just read it and it seems they think a lot of it just like I did. They use a lot better audiophile terms though, I just use my own words :). I'm also going to try out different coax cables. I just bought one for $20 at Radio Shack, the auvio. After I use it for a couple of weeks, I will try another one, moving up to a more expensive one each time. I'll probably try 5-6 altogether. I want to try the SR and MIT's Oracle,I heard it's fantastic, but it should be for the money. I've decided to upgrade my amps, so I am going to do that first, then get the Simaudio. After I get it I will let everyone know what it sounds like. Sandra |
