help me with a DAC decision please

Well I'd counter that, by saying if Wadia went to the trouble of doing extra circuitry for an absolute max configurable output setting when it uses the ESS ES9018S then they have measured "bit stripping" if the volume is below around 75% of full output. And they have stated it as so.

Also Thorsten Losche from AMR has also has stated this even more so.

Quote: " Turn down the volume even the tiniest bit using the digital volume control and the sound quality to a massive hit."  

Cheers George 

FROM ABSOLUTE SOUNDS
Every digital volume control will truncate bit-length (and musical data) if it is used at its very lowest settings. To reduce this effect the Wadia’s maximum output level can be adjusted from 4.0V down to 2.0V or even 1.0V, so that at normal listening levels the volume control can be set near its maximum level. 

Very important you done this, have you set this max level  dpm2340 on your Wadia 121 yet, so you use it's digital domain volume control near full level for lound listening and go direct into your power amp.
As if you don't you could be "bit stripping" or as Absolute Sounds calls it (truncate bit-length)

Cheers George

dpm2340

whitestix70 posts10-10-2016 8:35am I must ask why you sense a need to get a new DAC? Wadia gear is tip-top. I sure hope you have a chance to audition before you buy because is is very possible that any replacement for your Wadia will be a pricey side-ways move.

I’m 100% with whitestix there

Your going to find it hard (impossible) to beat your wadia 121 (delta sigma) based DAC with it’s own output level control, that can be set to match your system gain, don’t even bother, with another (delta Sigma) based dac.

BTW: your Wadia has the ESS ES9018S Saber (Delta Sigma) D/A converter so it may do DSD if you like it.

Unless your not liking the sound of Delta Sigma conversion with Red book which is in the Wadia, then this is another story, a "good" Multibit dac will sound better doing PCM Redbook.

From MoJo Sound
" When a PCM file is played on a Delta Sigma, DSD or Bit Stream converter, the DAC chip has to convert the PCM to DSD in real time. This is one of the major reasons people claim DSD sounds better than PCM, when in fact, it is just that the chip in most modern single-bit/Delta Sigma DACs do a poor job of decoding PCM."

Question is all you want is just a better sound from Redbook (PCM) and forget about DSD?

Cheers George