First off Srz888, beware of any comments that uses the phrase "crushes the competition". The EE and W4S are different but alike in the sense that they both use the Saber 32 bit processor and along with the Oppo 95, retrieve detail better than anything I am aware of at this price point. I own the EE Minimax Plus and Oppo 95 and a friend has the W4S which I recently heard extensively in my system and he the Plus in his. In addition we both listened extensively to each other's system with both DAC's. Our systems are quite different but the differences in the presentation of the DACs remained the same in both.
First off it seems that Meiwan might not have heard the W4S. I'm not sure what he means when he uses the word "neutral" and describes a completely different DAC, the original EE and giving sonic impressions of that one. After speaking with Bill at Morningstar and reading other comments concerning the original, it is evident that the Plus is sufficiently different. If I were you don't take into consideration any comments regarding the original and read into it that the Plus will be the same or similar. I haven't heard the original so have no personal opinion one way or the other but only from what others that have noted.
I find the sound of the W4S organic with a full, believable tonality to instruments with a natural pace to the presentation that lends to long listening sessions without fatigue. In this regard it is preferable to the Plus in both systems. The Plus is a bit lighter and airer from the upper midrange on up and not quite as full or rich in the midrange although it sure is no slouch in this area for sure. If you heard either for the first time I'm sure you'd be more than a little impressed. They both do detail and extract ambient information and delineate instrument and vocals equally well. It is in tonality that the differ. The bass in the W4S is more solid and a bit more visceral, at least in both systems, although I wouldn't say deeper. When I first received the Oppo 95 I was just amazed at the sound of piano especially the retrieval of ambient space and the weight of the instrument. I never heard this reproduced so well before from digital, a living breathing piano reproduced in my living room minus the live dynamics that only the real instrument has. I have a 6' Chickering Grand in an adjacent space so can compare. When I received the EE it improved in all paramenters over the Oppo. What the W4S did was offer greater weight and density of tone over the Plus. I suspect that some of these differences may be related to the differences in the power supply. Also the W4S uses a discrete regulated FET output and the Plus two separate outputs, tube and op amp and two separate power supplies for each offering many different options for fine tuning the presentation. Some will enjoy the presentation of the tube output others might prefer to keep it simple and go with the op-amp output but in any case the Plus gives you two options not to mention the ability to fine tune by using different tubes which will really allow you to do just that.
The consideration in choosing one over the other will probably come down to your system and taste more than anything else. If you have a system that is warm and on the forgiving side the Plus might prove a better fit. If you have a somewhat leaner system that highlights the midrange and upper frequencies the W4S will fill in on the weight and offer a denser tonality. In any case neither of these DAC's are bright, cool, etc. but may seem that way if introduced into a system if there is anything wrong downstream. A case of the messenger being shot for telling the truth. It would be best to audition both if you can, really only you can decide which might work best for you in your system and fit your taste. I doubt you will find a better all around performer than either of these two for the price that delivers it all, particularly detail. One more thing, if you read somewhere words to the effect of "not overwhelming you with detail" take it with a grain of salt, there is no such thing as too much detail as long as it doesn't highlight problems in the rest of your system. Less detail often equates to more forgiving as well. In the case of both these DACs it will only highlight a system issue. Good luck and Happy Hunting!
First off it seems that Meiwan might not have heard the W4S. I'm not sure what he means when he uses the word "neutral" and describes a completely different DAC, the original EE and giving sonic impressions of that one. After speaking with Bill at Morningstar and reading other comments concerning the original, it is evident that the Plus is sufficiently different. If I were you don't take into consideration any comments regarding the original and read into it that the Plus will be the same or similar. I haven't heard the original so have no personal opinion one way or the other but only from what others that have noted.
I find the sound of the W4S organic with a full, believable tonality to instruments with a natural pace to the presentation that lends to long listening sessions without fatigue. In this regard it is preferable to the Plus in both systems. The Plus is a bit lighter and airer from the upper midrange on up and not quite as full or rich in the midrange although it sure is no slouch in this area for sure. If you heard either for the first time I'm sure you'd be more than a little impressed. They both do detail and extract ambient information and delineate instrument and vocals equally well. It is in tonality that the differ. The bass in the W4S is more solid and a bit more visceral, at least in both systems, although I wouldn't say deeper. When I first received the Oppo 95 I was just amazed at the sound of piano especially the retrieval of ambient space and the weight of the instrument. I never heard this reproduced so well before from digital, a living breathing piano reproduced in my living room minus the live dynamics that only the real instrument has. I have a 6' Chickering Grand in an adjacent space so can compare. When I received the EE it improved in all paramenters over the Oppo. What the W4S did was offer greater weight and density of tone over the Plus. I suspect that some of these differences may be related to the differences in the power supply. Also the W4S uses a discrete regulated FET output and the Plus two separate outputs, tube and op amp and two separate power supplies for each offering many different options for fine tuning the presentation. Some will enjoy the presentation of the tube output others might prefer to keep it simple and go with the op-amp output but in any case the Plus gives you two options not to mention the ability to fine tune by using different tubes which will really allow you to do just that.
The consideration in choosing one over the other will probably come down to your system and taste more than anything else. If you have a system that is warm and on the forgiving side the Plus might prove a better fit. If you have a somewhat leaner system that highlights the midrange and upper frequencies the W4S will fill in on the weight and offer a denser tonality. In any case neither of these DAC's are bright, cool, etc. but may seem that way if introduced into a system if there is anything wrong downstream. A case of the messenger being shot for telling the truth. It would be best to audition both if you can, really only you can decide which might work best for you in your system and fit your taste. I doubt you will find a better all around performer than either of these two for the price that delivers it all, particularly detail. One more thing, if you read somewhere words to the effect of "not overwhelming you with detail" take it with a grain of salt, there is no such thing as too much detail as long as it doesn't highlight problems in the rest of your system. Less detail often equates to more forgiving as well. In the case of both these DACs it will only highlight a system issue. Good luck and Happy Hunting!