Article: Wadia 121 Decoding Computer DAC Review

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hi Chris,

thanks for the review.

you can cancel the pre-amp section and volume of this DAC Wadia 121?

I ask because I want to connect it to my preamp Jeff Rowland Concerto

Thank you.

 

Yes. Simply turn the volume up to 100% and you're good.

[bobbmd]

chris-great review-will this DACWadia 121 work with equipement logarithms less expensive than yours and a pc thats ancient with music played through a yamaha a/v receiver? i also use a yamaha cd/dvd-a/sacd changer. will it really make streaming music from MOG @325kbps sound more expansive with bigger sound stage etc.? and finally this unit seems to incorporate all the external features of cambridge audio's dacmagic plus ie acts like a preamp,has volume control& headphone output and the same inputs.is it worth double the price(aside from the fact its an american company)? thanks bobbmd

[bobbmd]

chris how come you never responded to my 10-04-2012 thread/response to your review on the wadia-121?bobbmd

[dmagnus1]

Chris - very interesting review. I wonder what you thought of the Wadia in comparison to the Bel Canto 1.5 (on the C.A.S.H. list). They're both about the same price but very different from a tech standpoint. Can you make any generalizations about the sound from these high-quality but affordable pieces? They both benefit from trickle down technology from great companies that are on the cutting edge of digital. My interest is that I am putting together a system that includes the DeVore Gibbon 3XL loudspeakers. One option is to put all sources straight through a SuperNait into the speakers, and the other is to go with a Line Magnetic tube integrated - in which case I need a DAC. As you can see by the equipment, my tastes run slightly to the warm, or analog, side - although I don't want to give up any of the resolution and detail available from digital sources. I expect most of my listening will be file based. Any thoughts? Thanks...

[njetty]

Can anyone including Chris chime in? I have two choices... 1) Used Ayre QB-9 or 2) New Wadia 121. Both come in at roughly the same price. Which would you choose? Features aside. Which has the better sound?

 

Thanks!

[dmagnus1]

Can anyone including Chris chime in? I have two choices... 1) Used Ayre QB-9 or 2) New Wadia 121. Both come in at roughly the same price. Which would you choose? Features aside. Which has the better sound?

 

Thanks!

 

No such thing as "better sound"...but you know that.

 

Am I right in assuming the Ayre only has USB input? If so, and you need to plug in more than one source (computer, Sonos, CD, etc) then the Wadia might be the choice. I have heard the Ayre and thought it nice but not exceptional. Frankly, I think most current DACs in a given price range sound more alike than different. I was recently considering a stand-alone DAC for a home office system but decided to go with a DAC/integrated amp (SuperNait) instead. Before I made the decision, I thought seriously about the Wadia - the technology is truly unique and the jitter-rejection very extensive. From the listening I have done, the only things that really changed the sound between DACs for me were unwanted coloration (apparently quite absent on the Wadia) and jitter-rejection (apparently quite good for all incoming signal types on the Wadia). Faced with the same choice as you, and I guess I was, I think the Wadia would be a more interesting route to go. Ultimately, your choice of amplification and speakers will have a lot more of an impact on your sound. Most DACs with good reputations will serve your purposes equally well. My two cents...

[The Computer Audiophile]

Can anyone including Chris chime in? I have two choices... 1) Used Ayre QB-9 or 2) New Wadia 121. Both come in at roughly the same price. Which would you choose? Features aside. Which has the better sound?

 

Thanks!

 

Hi njetty - You're kind of comparing two types of apples here, as opposed to apples and oranges. The QB-9 requires a preamp whereas the 121 can power an amplifier directly. The quality of your preamp and ability of your amp to be driven directly should definitely be considered in this equation. I know you mentioned "features aside" but in this case it makes much more sense to at least consider this feature or lack there of.

[dmagnus1]

Hi njetty - You're kind of comparing two types of apples here, as opposed to apples and oranges. The QB-9 requires a preamp whereas the 121 can power an amplifier directly. The quality of your preamp and ability of your amp to be driven directly should definitely be considered in this equation. I know you mentioned "features aside" but in this case it makes much more sense to at least consider this feature or lack there of.

 

Chris - although i am probably not going with a separate DAC for my own needs, I am still interested if you had an opinion regarding the Wadia vs the Bel Canto 1.5 (C.A.S.H. list) - just using the Wadia as a DAC only. If I am not mistaken, they're both from excellent companies up there with you in Lake Wobegon. Thanks.

[The Computer Audiophile]

Chris - although i am probably not going with a separate DAC for my own needs, I am still interested if you had an opinion regarding the Wadia vs the Bel Canto 1.5 (C.A.S.H. list) - just using the Wadia as a DAC only. If I am not mistaken, they're both from excellent companies up there with you in Lake Wobegon. Thanks.

 

Both have very different approaches to digital to analog conversion and the sound of each is quite different. It's really a matter of taste and how well each component works with your existing equipment. Both companies offer excellent service.

[njetty]

Hi Chris. I think I speak for dmanus1 when I ask...If you had $1,500 to shell out on a new DAC for a desktop system... would you choose the Bel Canto 1.5 or Wadia 121? Since the 121 is not on the cash list I have to think you would lean toward the Bel Canto. I realize everything is dependent on components and the listener. Both DACs are great but people still want to know which would you choose if you were offered both for free but could only select one.

 

Thanks.