Has anyone listen to the new wadia 381

I just bought a 381i after auditioning it and a 581i for a few eeks each. These machines use conpletely different mechanisms and the better, more expensive one used in the new 381 certainly shows its pedigree. Although the 381 is Red Book CD only, it shows a clean pair of heals to the 581 on CD replay and is only ever so very slightly behind SACD replay on the 581. The 381's CD performance is nothing short of extraordinary, especially at the price! I traded a dCS Verdi LaScala and Elgar Plus for my 381 and I could not be happier. Believe it or not, my dCS kit (and I also auditioned dCS's 3 new pieces of digital kit - viz.: Scarlatti, Paganinni and Puccini) and not one of them even came close to the musicality of the 381. Sure, the dCS kit is technically very clever and 3-dimensional, and has superb clarity, but it just doesn't come close to the tonal excellence of the 381. The 381 sound is richer, fuller, has more micro and macro dynamics and, put simply, doesn't sound like any digital product I have EVER heard before. To put my views in to perspective, the rest of my kit is Spectral 30/150, Spectral/MIT Reference cabling and Verity Parsifal Encore speakers, if that helps. I hope you find what you are looking for in a digital fron-end and I sincerely urge not to make any decisions until you have auditioned a well run-in Wadia 381 for a few days - it is simply sublime.

Jbrien,
Thank you for your thoughts on the 381, by chance have you given a listen to the Ayon CD-1 or 2? Just curious as to your thoughts on them if you have.

Regards,
John

Hi Johngp, I haven't had the pleasure of auditioning the Ayon CD-1 (nor 2) but, now that I have the 381i, I am enjoying re-discovering my entire CD collection (about 800 in all) and won't be doing any more looking or audioning for quite a while. The 381 is unbelievable and is truly amazing in its presentation of music on Red Book CD. For me, I don't miss SACD at all - expecially as it was reproduced on my dCS kit; it just sounded the same as CD and was lifeless and 2-dimensional compared to the 381. Have a good life and do try out the 381. Best regards, John.

05-30-09: Chris10an
I have not heard it - yet. But the 381 is almost the same as a Red Book 581se, and this machine is _much_ better than the 861 model.

Can you substantiate your opinion with some evidence? Merely making an open-ended statement like this is useless on a forum where people are trying to learn the pros & cons of various hi-end gear & make an educated decision for their impending purchase.
Also when you write 861 model you mean the 861b, the 861 or the 861SE or all 3 models?? All them have to be stock, of course, since we are taking about the 381 stock.

When i posted this question i really wanted someone who has had a wadia 861 and now has the 381. If the 381 was better if so details.