Review on the Rockna Audio Wavelight Pre/DAC just went up on Stereo Times

Hey redwoodaudio,

If you are shopping for a pure DAC, not a streamer with a DAC, and your budget is around 5K, the Wavelight is sonicly right there with all the other top rated DACs. Can't comment on its level of performance through the USB input, did not drive it that way in my auditioning process.

I had just shared with a reader that I have had in-house some of the most highly regarded and expensive DACs on the market, such as DCS, MSB, Chord, EMM Labs and found them to be good, but not really better for the up cost of another 10K to 20K more. These days you can get a great sounding DAC and not have to spend more then 6K and sleep well knowing you have a level of performance that as good as far more expensive pieces without breaking the bank.

Hey tonnesen & rja,

1) If your system is single ended and you don’t have any desire to eliminate your preamplifier, then the Audio Mirror DAC saves you a lot of money and still competes regarding it’s overall sonic performance.

2) I have heard the Sonnet DAC in another system and agree, it’s an excellent piece of gear. Enjoy your M3, it’s another great sounding DAC along with providing a reference level volume control. It’s also the first Sigma Delta single chip DAC that I would want to own because of its musicality. Hope you feel the upswing in price was worth it regarding your purchase of the M3 in your system’s performance. I have two more DACs to write reviews on, the Mhdt lab’s Balanced Pagoda and the Audio Note (England) Balanced 3.1, so I’m still continuing the process of reviewing DACs at different price points.

Hey milpai,

Hum, if it is a bit shorter and succinct that's just the way I wrote it. It had nothing to do with the length of time I spent getting my take on it. 

As far as the overall performance of the Wavelight and the M3 both are superlative at making music. The Wavelight for my taste is very slightly  warmer sounding with a touch more "meat on the bones" imaging. However, some listener's would say the M3 is slightly more accurate at how it presents the music. Which do you like better, great solid state or tubes? Neither is right or wrong it depends on personal taste and system synergy. Both have killer analog volume controls that allow you to drive your amp directly and save a bundle not needing a preamplifier.

Rockna Audio does not believe in having a streaming device in the same chassis as its DACs. The M3's new streaming board is world class, yes it costs you an upgrade if you order the M3 with the built-in streamer, but still is less costly then Rockna Audio's Wavelight plus their separate streamer. If you only stream the M3 might be a better choice for you.

Hey redwoodaudio,

If you read the review you would see that based on build quality, innovative technology, and most importantly the Wavelight DAC’s performance I thought it was superlative and gave it a big thumbs-up. No short comings heard or reported by me in the review.

I have now in a year and a half have reviewed five different DACs ranging in price from $1000 to $6500, all of them are superlative performers at their different price points. There is no "BEST" of anything in high-end audio. Today, for very reasonable amounts of money there are many excellent DACs that offer higher levels of performance with slight differences between them in actuality.

Hey Rixthetrick,

Yes, I'm using the Ground Master device with the PSM 156 conditioner and to quote myself from my review it produced "Audio Alchemy" in my system. The change was not subtle, but a qualitative shift in spatial dimensions, utter transparency, and a sense that my room had disappeared from the equation. The Ground Master, including the cost of the seven foot grounding rod and copper wire cost me around $350 and was one of the best investments I have ever made based on cost vs. improvement.  

My dear friend and fellow staff reviewer, Micheal Wright, just had his follow-up review on the Wavelight posted on the website Stereo Times tonight. Very well written, and another listener with a very different system, who comes to very positive conclusions regarding it's  performance.