msb Ilink vs. wadia 170i ipd docks

Nice post Nrostov! I have the Wadia 170i and without knowing the exact jitter figure, I can state that with the addition of a jitter buster in the shape of a Monarchy DIP Classic ($250), there was a night and day difference - everything from bass taughtness to resolution and a quieter background was immediately noticeable. Full details of the comparisons I did are in my review of the 170i here on Audiogon.

I have not heard the MSB so cannot make any comment on that comparison.

I'm also very interested to see the jitter figure which is quoted by Wadia. I have no doubt that it will be significantly higher than the MSB as otherwise I would not have expected the Monarchy DIP jitter reduction box would have had such an impact. For the Wadia, I've seen one review in a UK publication (Hi-Fi News, I think) publish a figure of 115ps and other references online stating jitter in the realm of 3000ps - will be interested to see the manufacturer figure. I would prefer to see an independent measurement but not sure if this is likely.

Regardless, a low jitter figure doesn't guarantee better sound, it is just one of a number of factors and the bottom line is that if you have a DAC that can reclock the signal and eliminate most of the jitter, this is an even less significant factor. So just like most hi-fi, it comes down, not to measurements, but to our subjective listening preferences. As long as we're enjoying what we've got we can stop thinking about upgrades for a while and enjoy the music.

Thanks Justin for going to the effort to get the information from Wadia - much appreciated.

Bombaywalla, I had come accross this information and it was actually Gordon Rankin's figures which were in my mind when I stated earlier in this thread that some online sources had jitter in the Wadia at aound 3000ps. It doesn't change the fact that Hi-Fi News published a figure of 115ps! Nevertheless, I go back to my earlier point that if your DAC has good jitter reduction processing, this could be largely irrelevant.

Personally, I've never heard the MSB, nor would I ever look at modifying my iPod for that sort of cost. For me, the Wadia is now the equal of my (admittedly not high-end) Musical Fidelity A5 plus all the convenience that the CD player doesn't provide. That's good enough for me. But for those that are enjoying their MSB IMods, I say good luck to them - this hobby is all about enjoying our music and our systems and their's more than one way to skin a cat!