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Wadia iTransport - which amp/DAC? Corda Opera?

post #1 of 21
9/15/08 at 10:00am
Thread Starter 
I want to use my Ipod (using ALAC files) as the basis of my system. I have seen rave reviews for the Wadia iTransport but it has to link into a DAC and then amp. As usual in the UK we are being ripped off (paying the same amount in £s as the US Dollar price) for the Wadia but I am contemplating buying it.

This then raises the question of which headphone amp/DAC to pair it with? I am a bit of a noobie so don't really know what is compatible with what. As I live in Europe and given the feedback I am contemplating buying a second hand Corda Opera (obviously with the DAC) to pair with the Wadia. Given the arrival of the Corda Symphony I figure that there may be a few coming up for sale. I would go for the Corda Symphony but a VAT inclusive price of 1,200 Euros is a bit steep.

Is this a good pairing or should I be looking at another combined amp/DAC? Feedback greatly received as I really don't undferstand all the technical stuff!
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post #2 of 21
9/15/08 at 10:15am
Quote:
I want to use my Ipod (using ALAC files) as the basis of my system.
Bad decision.
Get yourself a nice cd player\dac.
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post #3 of 21
9/15/08 at 10:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by QQQ View Post
Bad decision.
Get yourself a nice cd player\dac.
X2
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post #4 of 21
9/15/08 at 1:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by QQQ View Post
Bad decision.
Get yourself a nice cd player\dac.
I'd be interested in knowing why you think this...
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post #5 of 21
9/15/08 at 1:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by XXII View Post
I'd be interested in knowing why you think this...
x2
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post #6 of 21
9/15/08 at 1:31pm
Ipod is ipod, serious system is serious system.
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post #7 of 21
9/15/08 at 1:43pm
I am lost.

I understood the OP asking for info about a system that he can enjoy. I am curious about Waida iTransport also, so was looking for info/opinion.

May I ask what a system being 'serious' or not has to do with this thread?
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post #8 of 21
9/15/08 at 2:15pm
It seems like op want to put together a nice setup and i just wanted to share my opinion on the matter.
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post #9 of 21
9/15/08 at 2:18pm
I see, sorry if I missed your point.
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post #10 of 21
9/15/08 at 9:05pm
But SQ-wise, if you spend your money on a comparable DAC surely you are not losing out?
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post #11 of 21
9/15/08 at 9:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by QQQ View Post
Bad decision.
Get yourself a nice cd player\dac.
Lets not get into the whole CD vs iPod debate. As far as i am aware, the iTransport allows for a purely digital extraction from the ipod, so in terms of sq, it shouldnt matter whether or not the DAC is bieng fed from a computer or the iTransport.
As a result, we are not really comparing CD to iPod, but rather a CD system to a computer (or digital) system. Each have their own pros and cons, and the OP has chosen the latter.
Sorry if any of my understandings are wrong.

Anyway, another one to consider is the Benchmark DAC1
DAC1 PRE - Benchmark Media Systems, Inc. (i think this is right link).
I am sure there is a huge thread around here somewhere about this.

G-man
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post #12 of 21
9/15/08 at 9:18pm
The future is clearly massive storage units and sweet DACs. My advice is get the iPod/itransport and get yourself a nice tube DAC to use. The DAC will grow with your system even when the iPod dies.

As for nice CD players, a CD player is really only as good as its DAC. If a stand alone DAC is better, it stands that the Stand alone DAC, so long as it is being fed a pure lossless signal, will sound better. iPod/iTransport w/ ALAC to a DAC meets those requirements.
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post #13 of 21
9/15/08 at 9:22pm
At the end of the day, as much as we may hate to admit it, there is more involved in the equation than squeezing the last 3-4% (or whatever the number may be) of sound quality out of a rig.

I, for one, am pretty sure I can never go back to a standalone CDP in my rig. Regardless of SQ, the convenience factor provided by some of the other options out there carries a lot of value, at least to me. I have used an iMod as a source for a long time and while I do have qualms with the output voltage (need a powerful amp to really drive some cans) overall I have been thrilled with this little device. The convenience of holding thousands and thousands of songs (all Lossless for what its worth) in my hand is something I won't be able to give up anytime soon. In fact, I'm moving on to a Squeezebox Duet (should be here in a day or two) paired with on outboard DAC. Not having mountains of discs sitting arounnd and having to pull one out, put another one in, over and over is, as they say... "priceless".

Now, back to the OP, what headphones are you planning on using? That might help solicit some more responses. Also, in the dedicated source forum there is a ton of info on the Wadia and I'm sure lots of recs to go along with it.
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post #14 of 21
9/16/08 at 8:11am
Thread Starter 
I was planning to use either:

1. Sennheiser HD600s or

2. Alessandro MS-1s

How does that change things if at all?

I do agree with the comments on usability and having all my music in one place and playlists etc. That is the beauty of the Ipod - the other side is the SQ. I want to squeeze as much as poss out of my Ipod.

BTW, there is a new DAC coming out from Cambridge Audio (DacMagic) in October which will retail for circa £200 - not sure whether this is a runner at all. I will wait until some people have reviewed it.
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post #15 of 21
9/16/08 at 9:23am
The reason I ask about you cans is that certain cans mate well with certain amps and some absolutely do not. If I'm not mistaken, the Senns are relatively high impedence (roughly 300 ohms?) and the Alessandros are pretty low impedence. An amp that will drive one of them well, may not drive the other to the same level.

I've used my Yulong DAH1 with my HD650s out of my laptop and have been really impressed. Now, admittedly, this little 300 dollar DAC/amp is not in the same league as the 1200+ dollar Meier you mentioned in your OP but some of the Chinese stuff is really a great value.

I have yet to try my Yulong with a coax or optical out (been using the USB) but I've heard it gets better using one of those digital inputs.
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