hmmmm....good question! i did notice that the physical appearance has changed. they will be showing it off @ CES/THE 2006 starting in just a few days. Bet that there'll be some press on it. Keep your eyes peeled..... |
Wow. A 3-piece DAC. That's exactly what everyone needs. Forget the question of separates, the magic number is 4 with the transport.
I'm sure it sounds exactly like if someone told the smartest digital playback engineers to make something with absolutely no constraints, including cost or future marketability. I'm sure the price will be staggering. I'm not sure all it does just yet, but it is on their website including the instruction booklet. I also wonder how many they plan on selling.
Rob |
They had a prototype at CES a few years ago, I guess this is the finished product.
Without any accounting for different rooms, speakers, electronics, etc., at the time I fould the sound produced by the Meitner system to be superior. They would have to be placed in the same system, of course, for a true test. |
If the current Wadia system is better than the Meitner, then how is the new, and as-yet unheard Wadia worse than the Meitner? Did they take a step backwards after 10 years? |
I believe that I qualified my statement by saying "Without any accounting for different rooms ... " Surely that states that I am only giving an opinion of complete systems, and an opinion that was shared by the majority of the people that I spoke with.
As for my own personal opinion? I've never heard the Meitner in a system that I'm familiar with, but I have A/B'ed the Wadia 861se against an ARC CD3 and, according to my ears, the ARC beat the Wadia in every way imaginable. As far as I'm concerned, Wadia is an effort of great design and poor engineering. |
themadmilkman said
"Wadia is an effort of great design and poor engineering."
please elaborate? |
I'm quite certain that not all audio components are liked by everyone & it seems that Wadia gear generates a lot of controversy. However, I've not read this one before as stated by Themadmilkman: "As far as I'm concerned, Wadia is an effort of great design and poor engineering."
Like Mejames, I'm curious, too, for an explanation. |
>>As far as I'm concerned, Wadia is an effort of great design and poor engineering.
In a computer forum we use to say to statements like the above: "Don't feed the trolls". |
OK
So we take eddie van halen (room and space) and we take several guitars of different makes and models. Acoustic to electric and everything in between.
Now replace eddie with you.and keep on changing the combo's ....this is A/B comparisons. How do we by placing a component into a chain, allow for a judgement or experience ,,sense or measure of the final phenomenon |
I have seen one at CES. the retail is US$27k. The matching transport will follow. They also introduced 2 new SACD players, that look similar to 861. |
I´ve compared 861 to my former AA Capitole MK II and to my current DV-50 S - the Wadia is the only of the three which combines superb craftmanship, musicality and reliability. AND: the ARC is inferior in every aspect to the AA. Could Themadmilkman please explain what exactly he´s heard???
My current system: Jeff Rowland Synergy II i / Ayre V-5xe / Ayon Seagull Ceramique / DV-50 S (modded). I guess good enough to judge that the 861 is still a remarkable product. |
Maybe Meitner sounds better in the milk truck. |
Could Themadmilkman please explain what exactly he´s heard??? Simple. I find the Arc to be sublime, inviting, and a pleasure to listen to. I find the Wadia to be flat, uninvolving, and overpriced. But this is simply an opinion based on my listening preferences. I certainly have no concern for what anyone else likes or purchases. But in the test system (ARC Ref3 --> Theta Dreadnaught --> Vandersteen 5A) switching from the CD3 to the 861SE seemed to pull the life and passion out of the music. Was it a question of synergy, listening bias, etc.? Who knows, I can only comment on what I heard, and in my mind the CD3, at least in the system used, is superior. I do admit, however, that Wadia makes some of the best looking gear in the industry. I wish that more companies would try and imitate that aspect. |
According to Steve from GNSC the new dual mono dac is a improved version of the 790.Wadia has pulled out all the stops and has even improved the technology from the 790 and made the whole package more affordable. I still find 27000.00 just a hair over my budget, but I hope that the technology will filter down into lesser models that mere mortals can afford!!!If you have the dough,I would go all the way !!Have fun drooling-Dennis
P.S.apparently this unit is already modded by the factory and uses the best parts. |
$27,000 is alot of money but it will cost even more to find optimal interconnects to hook everything together. Scary! |
The new Buggati is a cool 1.25 million and it doesn't come with insurance or road side assistance.If you can afford the 250mph at three miles to the gallon, then the tickets ,tires, and fun make it all worth it!! For the few and only the few.I only hope that Wadia's technology is able to trickle a long ways down. Besides a DCS combo or a Mietner set is more expensive ( I never thought the wadia was such a bargain ). Anyway, I still like my 8&15i as well as my old 95 E420.Cheers-Dennis |
