Performance opinion of Wadia 850???

I'm not an expert on digital machines, but I used the 850 for a number of months (it was a loaner) and was very favorably impressed. It's not the most transparent sounding product, but it has a way of getting at the spirit of the music. One negative, the metal remote is very user unfriendly.

Great player, well made. Fine if you like solid-state sound.
Now discontinued so should be priced right on the used market. I had one home to demo but I kept my BAT VKD5.

Paul

great player but sounds best through a
tube preamp. just my 2 cents worth.

I've owned a Wadia 850 about 8 months now and the only reason I would get rid of it is to upgrade to another Wadia product. I first owned a Wadia 23 and was very pleased. I then thought that owning a tube-based unit would be more fulfilling, particularly in the midrange. I bought a BAT DK D5 and really didn't care for that totally laid back sound with my electronics. The Wadia 850 sounds like "real" music to me. It's very up front in presentation, it goes low and it goes high, and while there are probably some other units out there that sound better in some systems, I don't think you can buy a better product for the money. Yes, the remote is very directional, but it will probably last longer than the player. Now that Wadia is back up and running, I feel very confident that they'll be there to provide products and service for the long term. If I keep my Wadia 850 rather than trade up to another, I'll probably send it up for upgrading in the future. There are some currently on the used market, and should you buy one and not be happy, you shouldn't have any problem selling it right here on Audiogon and will probably get close to what you paid for it. Good luck!!

I've had an 850 for several years. I have no intention of selling it. In my system it sounds best thru its balanced outputs. I use goertz silver micropurls. One strength is its spatial and imaging qualities. If the effect is recorded on the CD, it can wrap the image around you. The only alternative today is one of the combo CD/SACD players, IMHO.

I had a Wadia 850 for about 7 months and thought it was the best player I had heard in its price range. I recently upgraded to an 860x and yes it is a more refined player but I would still highly recommend an 850. I agree w/ Ivanj, to get the absolute best perfomance take advantage of the Wadia's fully balanced design. I can't imagine you being disapointed with the 850. Give it a listen and you be the judge.

i've owned my 850 for a bit more than a year now and i agree with what ucmgr wrote and what jla did--i would only trade up for another wadia product. i compared and contrasted the 850 to a number of machines (see my 850 review at audioreview.com), was suitably impressed and absoultely swear by its warmth, detail and musicality. i run it directly into a pair of tube monoblocks. good luck.