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msb Ilink vs. wadia 170i ipd docks

I have finally gotten a weeks worth of critical listening of the msb ilink and the wadia ipod docks and I must say that the msb is truely better in every way and it's not subtle. I am running them both directly to the benchmark dac/pre and through atc scm20-2 active speakers running balanced with an analysis plus gold coax cable. The detail is much higher in the msb, the bass is not as tubby, and it's almost like a blanket was lifted off the speakers after I switched to the msb. I know there is a huge difference in price but I know alot of people were on the fence about this one so I wanted to help them put and give my 2 cents worth. This ipod dock is pretty killer and I can't even imagine what it's going to be like when I hook it up to a great dac.
billyg1
billyg1 OP
81 posts
 
RW what's "an elevated playing you're playing on" mean
robertbrown
151 posts
 
I have two ilinks one for my main system an other for my second system. I purchased the second one because the first
one sounded so good I wanted the same sound on my second system. It's sound superior over any Cd Player and I have over 150 cd's at my finger tips. I spoke to someone from the CES and the told me that the wadia is having some preformance issues both connection and sound quality
docmark
21 posts
 
That's good to know. I've been considering getting the MSB iLink. However, once the iPod has been modified, will it only work with the MSB unit? Currently I listen to my iPod connected via a dock connector from ALO, to a Ray Samuels Audio Predator headphone amp. Great sound. With the modification, can I still listen to my iPod on-the-go using my current set-up? Or is audio out, via the dock, disabled entirely on the iPod?

With regard to the Benchmark, it's a good DAC for the money, but not as good as the DAC I use in my main system (EMM Labs DAC2).
flg2001's avatar
flg2001
543 posts
 
1,- AFAIK the MSB is an ADAC (it is fed passing thru the iPOD's DAC - such as Krell's KID) - not good. The Wadia should be better IF you connect it thru its coaxial digital OUT connector to a good DAC.

2,- The Benchmark is a good DAC for the money, one of the best options at that price range, I have my 170i connected to a Reimyo DAC and sounded, at keast, equal to my Reimyo CDP777 CDP, if not better with some musical material.

Hope this helps.
jorge311
1 posts
 
any feedback on the wadia 170i transport and using the cambridge 840cd as dac
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