[IPodPJ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by guzziguy /img/forum/go_quote.gif You can always put aluminum foil over the Linksys. Of course, it would work best if you do it in the form of a pyramid.

Can you use the Linksys to stream uncompressed CD digital audio, as a WAV or AIFF?

 

[manaox2]

I hope I'm like you in 5 years. I want one badly. Is there a USB DAC that can possibly closely match this?

 

[velogreg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by markl /img/forum/go_quote.gif Congrats, Tom. Welcome to the wonderful world of modified players.

Congrats Tom, glad you took the leap the Wadia is a fine player.

I wish somehow there could be a Marantz/Wadia shootout to settle the source issue for me once and for all. I am still leaning towards the SA7s1 but if it is better I wonder to what degree.

 

[wower]

One word: S.W.E.E.T.

 

[krmathis]

Congratulations!
Seems like a fine product.

 

[randerson3024]

Congratulations! I have heard other GNC modded Wadias that were great.

 

[elrod-tom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpelg /img/forum/go_quote.gif Congrats on the new player, Tom. Looks pretty sweet!What are the mods?

The mods are replacement of stock parts in the power supply and the analog out (mostly diodes, resistors and caps) and modification of the transport section with extra dampening. My certificate from GNSC doesn't say a whole lot more than that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpelg /img/forum/go_quote.gif Any way to compare the DVD-A layer from your hi-rez player to the redbook out of the Wadia?

I'm doing so mostly from memory...it sounds pretty close, but there's a lot more headroom in the DVD-A source material. My old source (MSB Gold w/ MSB Network enabled) was able to extract the source at its bitrate, all the way up to 24/192, so it did a very nice job on stuff like that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by markl /img/forum/go_quote.gif Congrats, Tom. Welcome to the wonderful world of modified players.

Thanks Mark. One thing that I wish is that I had a stock 830 to compare it to. I'm not sure how much of what I'm hearing is Wadia and how much is GNSC. I just know that I really like what I'm hearing!!

The midrange on this player is enourmous. It doesn't have a ton of bass slam, but that's listening right off the balanced analog outs...might be different with an amp. It's a very tight, very quick player...the bass has pop, but is not boomy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chesebert /img/forum/go_quote.gif does the player provide clock out along with digital in (in the future board)?

I don't know for sure, but I'm going to say no. I'm not too concerned, as I'm pretty secure in how Wadia does digital. I'm thinking the need for external clocking is pretty low.

Quote:

Originally Posted by IPodPJ /img/forum/go_quote.gif Can you use the Linksys to stream uncompressed CD digital audio, as a WAV or AIFF?

Actually, I can even play a CD in my drive and it comes out the Wireless Music Bridge as it plays. I don't know a ton about whether or not other wireless sources do that, but I've heard that it's fairly unique. Or not...dunno for sure.

Quote:

Originally Posted by manaox2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I hope I'm like you in 5 years. I want one badly. Is there a USB DAC that can possibly closely match this?

I am thinking that in 5 years we'll see all sorts of stuff like that. In the mean time, check out this link...Jude swears by this thing:

The Trends Audio UD-10.1 Gets Me A Little Deeper Into Computer Audio - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio

Quote:

Originally Posted by velogreg /img/forum/go_quote.gif Congrats Tom, glad you took the leap the Wadia is a fine player. I wish somehow there could be a Marantz/Wadia shootout to settle the source issue for me once and for all. I am still leaning towards the SA7s1 but if it is better I wonder to what degree.

Thanks, I've been wanting one for a long time. I do like what I've heard of the upper end Meridians and Marantzs a lot, but I've always felt like there was something really special to my ears about the Wadias. I don't know that we can really go wrong either way.

Quote:

Originally Posted by randerson3024 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Congratulations! I have heard other GNC modded Wadias that were great.

As I said to Markl, I really wish that I had a stock 830 to compare it to...the fellow I bought it from swears by their mods (he's had several pieces modded by them, and is VERY happy with the results).

I'm just now finally getting it hooked up to my speakers, and it sounds wonderful. The accoustic guitars on Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds Live at Radio City sound wonderfully lifelike, and the entire range of the music is presented in a very natural way. I'm surprised at how full the bottom end seems to be on speakers, as opposed to with headphones off of the XLR outs. Maybe I need to trade my HD600's in for some HD650's??

Oh, as an aside, one can run both sets of analog outs simultaneously on pretty much all Wadia products. The digital volume control is a nice plus too...in addition to making it a much more than passable balanced headphone amp, it also functions as a digital pre-amp, making it possible to run the Wadia right off of my power amp ins. I guess I'll have to see how hot this thing runs hooked up directly sometime soon.

I'm really looking forward to adding the digital ins, as it will be very interesting to see how computer audio translates in the Wadia DAC. I've heard from some other folks that you don't lose much, if anything. I'll look forward to making that judgment for myself wrt the 830, though when I was at Wadia last and listening to a Squeezebox/Wadia 9000, it sounded VERY nice indeed.

Wow...I really am floored at how full the soundstaging is, and without a bit of harshness. Nice...anyone who has not had a chance to listen to a Wadia, I recommend it highly. Though be warned, you won't be nearly so happy with what you had before...I know I wasn't. But I am now.

I'll report back when I've done the following:

1 - Get the digital input board installed

2 - Hook it up direct to my power amp

3 - Have the opportunity to listen to it on a good balanced headphone amp

4 - If I feel like jabbering some more about this thing

 

[panda]

wadia has a very clean pinpoint house sound. i especially like the 861. for headphones i like a little bit more richness in the sound, save for the grado hp1, those mate extremely well with wadias. it's amazing how big of a difference a hi-fi front end makes.

 

[blem]

I am now planning on having digital inputs installed also so I can hook it up to my TV/DVD and Computer.

I have been using Kharma MP150 amplifiers connected directly without a preamp and the sound is very "natural" (close your eyes and you are in a concert hall) .... The Wadia really shines with very good amplification.

 

[elrod-tom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by blem /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am now planning on having digital inputs installed also so I can hook it up to my TV/DVD and Computer. I have been using Kharma MP150 amplifiers connected directly without a preamp and the sound is very "natural" (close your eyes and you are in a concert hall) .... The Wadia really shines with very good amplification.

I would tend to agree...I've heard the Wadia (not mine, unfortunately) with some very nice amplification at their HQ (Power DACs, etc...). My amplification is sort of middling (NAD), but decent. I'm looking forward to hearing how it sounds. It sure sounds great coming out of the preamp section.

 

[manaox2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by elrod-tom /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am thinking that in 5 years we'll see all sorts of stuff like that. In the mean time, check out this link...Jude swears by this thing: The Trends Audio UD-10.1 Gets Me A Little Deeper Into Computer Audio - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio

Thanks for the heads-up. I looked into it a bit. Right now I'm staring into getting an E-mu 0404, I have heard great things and the specs seem impressive until I can afford a benchmark. I wish it had RCA output however.

I'll keep reading your impressions of the Wadia, it looked like a beast, even the remote weighs a pound.

 

[boodi]

Tom , I owned the Wadia 301 for more then a while which has taken the place of the 830 in the Wadia line , and found it a very natural sounding player , with great sense of space and of musical micro and macro events ; and preferred it to the g08 . Among the top and winners for me on his category of price .
just 2c , a power cord upgrade and revealing IC were the good plus to open up the highs , which imho hardly sound any harsh on Wadias whatever the recordings

 

[philodox]

Congrats Tom! I hope to start a similar thread sometime in the future. I've loved Wadia ever since I made my first trip to their factory. Thanks for the ride btw.