Wadia 581i using as a pre any good



I am in the market for a new player and this unit has peaked my interest mainly because being able to remove a pre-amp out of my set-up. This is a second system so I only have two sources, the actual cd source and a McIntosh 300 Music Server that I make use of for back ground music which could be connected into the Wadia via digital. This would be a very simple set-up but my concern is what am I going to loose in sound quality over all doing this. I have experimented in the past with other units and have always gone back to using a good pre. usually tube.

I am after the best sound possible over all, stage, dynamics,vocals, holographic presence and I can go on.

What I seem to mainly loose when not using a good pre is that feeling of a actual holographic presence with body and flesh tone which just involves me.

Presently in this set-up is a ARC Ref3 pre, ARC cd3 MK2, McIntosh 300, McIntosh 501 mono blocks, Eggleston Andra 2 speakers, cable Virtual Dynamics balanced.

I do have coming a Supratek Sauvigon line stage which I have been told is suppose to be better than the ARC Ref3 pre.in many ways, I will find out for myself if it's all hype or an actual fact.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.
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Showing 1 response by ranperry

From my experience, each amp I tried, added different signature to the sound, whether is was SS or Tubes.
Once you get used to it, driving the amps directly is the way to go (for my ears). Wadia has done an exceptional job with their volume control and adding a preamp just doesn't cut it for me.