Wadia iTransport iPod Dock Gets Bit-Perfect Digital from iPods!

[SleepyOne]

My PC is too cold for my liking and even with quiet fan I can hear it on my AKG, thus prefer PC off. As for wadia, for me it serve as a stop gap solution until a proper stand alone harddisk/solid memory/wifi transport appear. The main problem of wadia for me is that it is limited to 16bit so no 24bit download which mean I will still have to use my PC for 24bit songs. Luckily most of my collection is just 16bit and my good songs collection aren't so big so 160GB is more than enough for me.

[pcf]

Originally Posted by Hirsch

The Wadia continues to perplex me. In order to get music onto the iPod in the first place, you need to have the music on a computer. A Roku Labs Soundbridge or SlimDevices Squeezebox 3 will allow you to access the music library on your computer directly, if you have an ethernet connection available (wired or wireless). The Slim Center software interfaces directly with iTunes, while the Roku Labs device can interface with iTunes via Firefly server, so there are no format issues. Either device has a digital output, enabling connection to whatever DAC I choose. While the Wadia unit does not require ethernet, it also restricts me to the 160 GB of music I have on my iPod, which is a fraction of the music I have on computer (which is a fraction of my entire music library, but I'm plugging away at it). So, since either the Roku Labs or the Squeezebox let me get a digital signal directly from my computer, why bother to use the iPod as a server at all, when the computer that feeds the iPod will do the job? The only reason for the Wadia I can see so far is that neither of the devices I mentioned output video, but the iPod is not going to get you a top quality video signal in any event.

So, I can get the Wadia, physically connect my iPod to it, and have access to the 160 GB of music on it. Or I can have my computer on, and have access to the embarrassingly large amount of music there at any time, without even having to get my iPod out of its carrying case.

With the ease of using a computer as a music server these days, why would you even want to use an iPod for the job? The only reason I can see would be the absence of an ethernet connection, but wireless routers are pretty cheap these days.

Color me confused.

I see your point.

I am thinking that it would be great for listening to music at work though. My music collection is at home (harddrive; cd and vinyl) which I cannot get to during the day. My 160g ipod still gives me 7000+ songs (lossless). If I have a decent amp, a DAC and some headphones, I can enjoy my music at work the same way as I could at home. Plus I can take it with me after work and use it in the car.

-paul

[sk007]

Supported models:

Nano G1: Does not support video and can only output digital audio in the "extended interface" mode. Translation: The iPod click wheel interface is not available while the Nano attached to the iTransport using digital audio out.

Nano G2: Does not support video. However, it does output digital audio without the click wheel interface being disabled.

Nano G3: Supports component video out and will allow digital audio out while still allowing the iPod click wheel interface to function normally.

iPod Video: Supports S-video out (no component video). It only outputs digital audio in its "extended interface" mode. The iPod click wheel interface is not available while the player is attached to the iTransport and using digital audio out.

iPod Classic: Supports component video out and enables digital audio out while still allowing the iPod click wheel interface to function normally.

iPod Touch: Supports component video out and enables digital audio out while still allowing the iPod click wheel interface to function normally.

iPhone: Supports component video out and enables digital audio out while still allowing the iPod click wheel interface to function normally. However, when an iPhone is docked in the iTransport, it will state that the accessory is not designed for the iPhone and will query whether or not the user wants to switch into "airplane mode" (essentially switching off the cell phone). Since the iTransport does work with the iPhone in either mode, either answer is appropriate.

Is it possible that all models above become all fully compatible with the Wadia through firmware upgrade? I have an ipod video, which according to the statements above, I can't use its click wheel while it's docked in the wadia, but I don't really want to buy a Classic just so that I can use the click wheel. anyone?

[robster]

I just got an email that MD Music shipped my Wadia 170 Ipod Transport and it arrives June 20th.. Yippee!!

Cheers,
Robert

[Mazz]

Originally Posted by pcf

I see your point.

I am thinking that it would be great for listening to music at work though. My music collection is at home (harddrive; cd and vinyl) which I cannot get to during the day. My 160g ipod still gives me 7000+ songs (lossless). If I have a decent amp, a DAC and some headphones, I can enjoy my music at work the same way as I could at home. Plus I can take it with me after work and use it in the car.

-paul

I have about 300GB of music (mostly lossless) on my media server at home, and I back it up to a portable drive. I try to keep the backup drive at the office as an off-site backup in case something catastrophic happens at home. Since I bought a USB DAC/AMP I realised I could combine the two and produce beautiful (lossless) music via any PC/laptop at work, no iPod required

I think it would be useful to have a portable device that extracts the digital data from the iPod and pumps it into some sort of DAC/AMP combo for truly mobile use, and I still need to get around to putting an iPod interface in to my car for the commute...

[Hirsch]

Originally Posted by Mazz

I think it would be useful to have a portable device that extracts the digital data from the iPod and pumps it into some sort of DAC/AMP combo for truly mobile use, and I still need to get around to putting an iPod interface in to my car for the commute...

Yes. I'm contemplating a car interface for the iPod also. However, that also illustrates the real use of the iPod: portability. Once you've got a fixed location, there are almost always better ways of getting music to a DAC.

The two comments I found useful were the noisy computer issue (not a problem for me, as my music server is tucked in another room, but could be an issue in a dorm room situation) and the office use idea.

The Wadia might be a useful interface in my office if I felt like putting a DAC there also. I don't like leaving audio gear in my office overnight, so I try and keep my office rig easily transportable (iPod->Stax SRM-X Pro->HE60). Sonically, a good DAC in front of the Stax amp makes sense to me. So, I get the Wadia, and a reasonably small DAC...and it all works if it fits into my audio bag...Hmmm...I still won't have a home use for it though. And the traditional Wadia look, complete with spiked feet, does not appear amenable to being carried around a lot.

[pcf]

Talking about ipod in the car-

I recently changed my car stereo to accommodate my ipod!
My old car stereo wasn't up to much anyway and it hadn't got an Aux input nor a cassette player. The only way I could listen to my ipod in the car was using one of those that uses the FM and cigarette lighter. I tried one and it was worse a AM radio with bad reception. They cost between $25 to $95. I ended up getting a JVC car stereo from FRY's that has ipod input which has a line in cable in the glove compartment. I just plugg my ipod in and control the volume; choose album and songs from the dashboard. It has blue tooth as well so I can have hand free phone at the same time. The whole thing with installation and tax costed me less than $200. It sounds pretty good too.

-Paul

[Golden Ears]

I owned a Wadia 860 cd player (8 grand) and you can hear a difference between coaxial and optical.. You would think optical is better...but somehow coaxial gives better fine definition and harmonics. With ever higher bandwidth available in new digital formats... coaxial seems to work well.

I wish I never sold my Wadia 860.. Wadia cured digititis for me. The 860 series was the best in Digital Sound IMHO but I have not heard the 7 series yet.

So now... I have until Friday at 5pm to decide on my new audio set ups and I hope the iTransporter will be a part of it.

So who has them in stock??Or who is seling them?? I used to watch high end dealers drop Wadia as they had financial issues... I always knew the company could make it.. and I have even spoken to Apple about trying to get then to license the Digimaster algorithum...which ultimately would be the death of the physical Cd.

[sk007]

Golden Ears,

Music Direct is selling the iTransport, and is already shipping some orders according to some folks here.

Link: MUSICDIRECT - WADIA - iTRANSPORT Digital iPod Dock

[pcf]

So now... I have until Friday at 5pm to decide on my new audio set ups and I hope the iTransporter will be a part of it.



Hi Golden ears,

Just curious-

How come you give yourself such a tight deadline for a decision that will cost you thousands?

Hope you get the right gears.

Happy listening!

[wavoman]

Several of us have discussed the computer fan problem in another thread; if you have to be in the same room check out Hush (hushcomputers.net) of Germany, or Stealth (stealth computers) in Canada. No fan, and with a solid state drive, absolutlely no moving parts, 0 db.

There's no need to ever power the computer down, nor e.g. the Benchmark USB1 DAC (no power switch), and leave your home cans plugged in too so why bother docking the iPod ... 0 to super SQ in one second and you have your choice of many UI's (including iTunes).

Except for price, PC beats Music Server beats Dock, IMO.

[Golden Ears]

Originally Posted by pcf

So now... I have until Friday at 5pm to decide on my new audio set ups and I hope the iTransporter will be a part of it.



Hi Golden ears,

Just curious-

How come you give yourself such a tight deadline for a decision that will cost you thousands?

Hope you get the right gears.

Happy listening!

Well, Its either give up a list now so things can arrive for my 45th birthday... or just get mundane things..

Oh... and I am HEAVILY supplementing the cost. lol.

I did pick up this special MIDI Mixer that they only sell here today- and decided on a sound card.. I even saw a vinyl cutting lathe for sale at the VESTAX company store so you can cut your own vinyl- not negatives- but MASTERS! And it wasn't that expensive.

I am ordering a Wadia iTransporter as we speak.. just thinking about putting it in a car- and wondering if with the way Wadia typically reclocks things... if it would sound better than the signal out of a computer or the same. (Who will do the first A/B?)

As a former Wadia 860 owner... I can assure you that if your speakers are truly cutting edge with excellent Midrange and HF transducers (Preferably ribbons or planar magnetics) and clean tight bottom end...you would be blown away by it. IMHO most CD players don't sound as different from each other as say...Phono cartridges. Also you can spend HUGE money for a DAC and have it sound like Crud.. I was sunned when I heard a highly touted DCS Elgar DAC which I felt wasn't much better than any $1500 CD player.

Bu Wadia Products...mind you their top line Products from the 1990's onward are a whole different Animal.

Look you really can't build a budget Bugatti Veyron for 20% less and expect it to perform about 20% less because when you start trying to do that- the whole thing looses its Gestalt. Its like taking a great bottle of wine and marking it down 20% and filling it with a lesser wine. It ruins it.. But this is a different paradigm than trying to stabilize a optical disc that was cut off center, warped and covered with smudges.. I bet Wadia might be able to get as "bit clear" as the transport within the Wadia 860 and its brethren.

So Wadia's lower end CD products... just weren't there- they were still good- but nothing like the 860 and on players. It was almost like they were a different brand. They looked similar but sounded nothing like the big brothers. Lucky for us this is a hard drive transport....and since it is the ONLY hard drive transport... that makes it by default their "top of the line" hard drive transport. And Wadia's first product is typically amazing (though typically expensive) anyone remember the cost of the first Wadia Digital Amplifiers? They were incredible...

So what I will say is this (pause... Deep breath) ...and this is probably exactly what Wadia wants to hear...... is that I KNOW that no one does Digital like Wadia and if I have this nice little Dock........I'm going to want to feed that digital signal into .err...you guessed it...a WADIA CD PLAYER ...and now - its that gateway drug all over... and I've been sucked right back into it.

So I have to go out and audition the new Wadia stuff- compare it to my Old 860 who I sold to a friend with Apogee Diva's (Fantastic speakers BTW) and I'll have to go out and buy another Infinity Reference System and have these huge Stone Henge Towers parade ito my house again. But At least- when friends come over with cool new music (as they always begged to hear stuff on my systems)... I can pop their Ipod in and it will sound great (Provided they use lossless) hey its better than in the 1970's and 80's when I would cringe when someone would ask me to play some filthy record with my $2000 cartridge.

I sort of got out of music for a while because in the 1990's its like the recording engineers gave into the marketing Department and RUINED recordings- remastered them horribly, the Grundge wave was a freeding frenzy and so many bands that probably should not have been signed ...got signed ..and the radio stations playlists were just one big loop.
Vinyl started disappearing (except for DJ's), and the trend towards tiny bookshelf monitors killed complex music because ... you can't get a whole symphony out of a shoe box... and I tell you what... You can't even get White Zombie's More Human than Human out of it either... You NEED the ability to move tons of air and to tightly control your drivers in the peak of the magnetic field.. Taking a small cone and asking to drive its excursion out 2 inches and expecting it to be pistonic well its not sensible and it simply doesn't work.

But now- with internet radio, "music giants", and Moores Law... it will sound better again- and with Indie labels popping up all over there will be newer better music...and Pro Tools (Which always sounded emotionless to me unless done very carefully- is being replaced by far better software...The emotion is returning to music.

So My hope- is that this iTransporter will lure some people into Wadia's mind set.. (there is something better than white ear buds)
and that at some point someone who buys this Wadia will buy a big rig (And frankly anything that was really good as a "Top of the Line Super system" in the mid 1980's is plenty good enough.

For those empty Nesters... maybe they can have a large system again. I just got hooked all over again.

[SleepyOne]

Got mine today Running both iTransport & stereovox xv2 in now. Will update as soon as they are run in properly.

[jude]

Originally Posted by SleepyOne

Got mine today Running both iTransport & stereovox xv2 in now. Will update as soon as they are run in properly.

I drove over to Wadia HQ today, and picked mine up, too!

On top of that, I had a great time there, listening to the new Wadia 780i (more on that in another post), and hanging out with Team Wadia for a while.

Here are some photos of my first look at the packaging and contents of the shipping-version iTransport--this one's mine, baby!

A closeup of the goodies that come packed with the Wadia 170 iTransport: a surprisingly robust and nice coaxial digital cable, a groovy little Wadia wireless remote, a variety of iPod dock inserts that should accommodate most of us, and the power supply.

[penger]

Do they have plans to make one in black? Or is it silver only?