I owned both the Wadia 830 and the XA7ES. I spent about 20 hours comparing them, and I seriously could not tell them apart sonically. I felt the Sony had some nice practical features such as one touch track selection and the way-cool remote door open. I also loved the sony's aesthetics and build quality. It just made me feel special. The Wadias build quality was quite good too.
ML no39, Wadia 850, Classe 1.0, or Sony?
I would like to hear comments regarding the sound characteristics of the following 4 players: ML 39, Wadia 850, Classe 1.0, and Sony Xa7ES. I am looking for a player with lots of bass, very dynamic, with lots of air. I listen to popular music so I would like a player that rocks. A polite sounding Naim or EMC1 is not my cup of tea. I listened to them both and found them to be far too polite. Of course I need to find the right balance so that I don't introduce a harsh digital sound either. Thanks Tom