Wadia 170i Ipod Dock Vs Onkyo ND S1 Ipod Dock

I purchased the Onkyo dock off ebay. I am dubious that the sound through the USB adapter will sound as good and the digital signal of this dock.

The new Onkyo ND S1 idock is a good replacement for the Wadia 170 (takes direct digital info like the Wadia) and appears to a tad better at half the price. It can be purchased from a seller in Japan on ebay (where I got mine). It holds an apple ipod/itouch (has inserts for different models), has a better remote control, is smaller, has an on switch, doesn't stop working from light current transients like the Wadia.

It also offers usb input for optional computer input, as well as optical and coaxial audio outputs, and a optional video output.

And did I mention, it sounds beautiful. By the way, the Monarchy classic DIP which I put in line with it, improved the sound even more.

There is no problem adapting the Japanese 110V ipod dock as it uses a variable power adapter which plugs into our standard sockets. The DC current that comes out of it is identical to US current and does not affect the sound in any way.

As a side note, my Onky Ipod Dock produced much better soundstage and seperation of instruments and less compressed sound than my Squeezebox Touch. I really wanted the touch to sound better as it would relieve space considerations coming off my computer through my wireless router. However, the sound from the touch is still very good and I probably wouldn't have noticed much if I didn't have the two to compare. However, having heard them both, I had to stay with the iPod feeding into a digital iDock like the Onkyo or Wadia.

Got my Onkyo ND-S1 iDock upgraded by Talking Dog Transducer company in Tucson. The sound was already better to me than the Wadia iDock, and now it sounded dramatically better than the stock unit. It even made the stock unit sound dull in comparison. Kudos to Steve Sank. Didn't cost much at all either.

A guy from Japan on ebay sells them and they work fine with the switching power supply with USA 120V/60Z current. No import problem.

Mine right out of the box sounded better to me than the Wadia. And, with some reasonably priced mods by Steve Sank of Talking Dog Transducer Co, Tucson, my itouch/Onkyo ND-S1 combo into a Kora Hermes DAC managed to best a friend of mines reference CD player.

It is only a matter of time before someone comes out with a good flash memory player which will best all but the very best CD players.

Although it sounds a little better than the squeezebox Duet, I just sold my Onkyo ND S1 because I wanted access to my computer which offers more music than what was on my iPod.I had Steve Sank, of Talking Dog Transducer Company in Tucson (30 years experience) mod both my Onkyo and my Duet. The Duet modified, sounds a little less dynamic and detailed although a touch warmer than the Onkyo (which is also warm but has better seperation of instruments). I improved the sound even more with a laboratory grade lambda regulated linear power supply purchased cheaply on ebay.

The person who bought my Onkyo idock confirmed what I already knew, and said the Onkyo ND S1 kicked the teeth out of the Wadia sound wise. He was pleasantly surprised. I also had the Cambridge idock and it sounded rather lackluster in comparison to the Onkyo also - unless you like a very soft non distinct sound.

Again, you can purchase an Onkyo idock at half the price and twice the sound of the Wadia idock on ebay from Japan with a universal power supply that works fine in the USA for around $200.

Forgot to mention, a Monarchy DIP will improve the sound of the Onkyo ND S1 iDock even more, which is already stock far superior sounding than the Wadia or Cambridge idock offerings. As mentioned, The Onkyo ND S1 can be purchased from a seller on ebay from Japan with universal power supply that works perfect in the US for around $200. Again, half the price, twice the sound of the Wadia iDock. Wadia appropriately scratched the names of the internal parts off and are using their high end name on an apparently mediocre product.