Wadax Reference Dac and Reference Server--arrived in my room.
i debated with myself whether Audiogon was an appropriate forum to talk about these products. a certain number of Audiogon members might like to hear about them, some others might like to take some target practice that such products exist. others just like to make jokes or spout nonsense. such is the way of the ’Gon. to each their own.
http://www.wadax.eu/reference/
both the Wadax Reference Dac and Wadax Reference server arrived last week, and over the weekend i had 8 visitors through my room hearing these new products compared directly with my outgoing MSB Select 2 dac, and my resident server, the Taiko Extreme.
here is a thread with pictures of the Wadax Ref dac and Ref server in my room. scroll down for more pictures.
https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/wadax-reference-dac-and-server-arrive.34173/#post-771357
as a result of my listening this weekend, i have purchased the Wadax Reference dac, and am in the process of comparing the Wadax Reference server to my Taiko Extreme server to determine which one will remain. the MSB Select 2 is outbound on it’s way to a new owner.
the Wadax combo is the best sounding digital music reproduction i have heard, and not by a little bit. they cross thresholds of sounding analog and like good vinyl in ways i’ve never heard before. i am stunned at how digital in my room sounds, how great redbook files i’ve heard for 30 years have now come alive.
happy to answer any questions, or maybe observe a little chaos. let the fun begin.
“i would say generally a $30k-$40k (new retail price) analog system (tt, arm, cart, phono) will surpass a $100k dac such as the MSB Select II with Taiko Extreme server, or dCS Vivaldi Apex stack” Would you please consider expanding on your comments…I am genuinely interested in learning what brand of TT, cart and phono at $40K would transcends a $100K in digital setup. Looking forward to your recommendations! |
each of my 3 turntables, including arm and cartridges, are in the $75k++ range (not including my phono stage at all....just tt, arm and cart.....and my phono cables are very spendy). so i’m not living in the fully done under $40k price bracket. but i know the below gear for the most part and have either heard it myself, or know enough to recommend it and respect it for being capable of allowing a good vinyl pressing to show what it can do to surpass a $100k digital rig. and i’m just throwing examples out there; there are dozens of other examples to consider in these ranges. but these products are legit. and choosing complimentary pieces, then proper set-up is a significant portion of analog magic. it’s not plug and play. i did restrict myself to brand new gear at full list price. going used, or discounts, can lower the cost or raise the ROI. ---turntables; one at around $11k, two at around $20k, one including an arm. https://www.stereophile.com/content/technics-sl-1000r-and-sp10r-direct-drive-turntables heard great things about this turntable. https://primarycontrol.nl/Kinea_turntable.html ---tone arms; one around $6k, one around $8k https://www.artisanfidelity.com/tonearms/kuzma-4point-9-inch https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2020/09/27/glanz-mh-124s-premium-tonearm-review/ ----cartridges; one around $5k, one around 6k. ---phono preamps; one at $2500, one at $12k https://www.stereophile.com/content/ps-audio-stellar-phono-phono-preamplifier https://www.stereophile.com/content/emt-128-phono-preamplifier |
thank you for the kind words. you would be very welcome to visit if you are ever in my neighborhood. i love to have like minded visitors. i live a few miles east of Seattle. |
