New Wadax Atlantis Line

[Stereophonic]

Hi.
I've found this company that seems very popular on Asia.
http://www.wadax.eu/
I'm interested on the server. It seems to be on the same line that SGM 2015.
I've not seen any comment about Wadax here. They were on Munich with their new line.
Any experience?

[Stereophonic]

More pictures

 

 

 

[Stereophonic]

My Wadax Atlantis Sever on demo:

[Stereophonic]

Hello everyone.
I have always been a great fan of music with more than 2000 cds and sacd.
My favorite styles range comes from classical to rock, jazz, flamenco and pop.
My academic musical education is complete and I have been a trumpet player for six years in a classical orchestra.
This theoretical and practical training has allowed me to analyze each component I have heard sonically until finding in each of them the best approach between authentic musical reproduction and my personal taste. I'm not a golden ear but i know what i want. 
Two years ago I made the jump from a transport (Esoteric x-03-SE) to a server (Aurender N100H) clearly seeing that the advantages offered are superior to the drawbacks.
In this way I have been incorporating the following components to date:
TAD CR1 ( from B&W 802di)
TAC C600 ( from Darzeel cth-8550)
CLASSÉ OMEGA MONO ( from Darzeel cth-8550)
SILTECH EMPRESS II X 2 ( from Transparent Reference)
SILTECH EMPEROR II (from Mit Ma-Magnum)
SILTECH RUBY DOUBLE CROW
SILTECH OCTUPUS G7
SILTECH RUBY MOUNTAIN II ( FURUTECH NCF ) X 4
Al power cables bought after listening Shunyata, Transparent, Mit and Synergistic.
SILTECH JUMPER DOUBLE CROWN
SILTECH CLASSIC USB ( from Transparent Reference)
ESOTERIC D02X
AURENDER N100H
FURUTECH FT-SWS (R) WALL OUTLET
AUDIOQUEST VODKA ETHERNET
All the components have been increasing the musical quality in different degrees but in my experience I have verified that the most important ones are the first ones in the chain of the system.
The power wiring is the most important followed by sources, dac, preamp, amps and last speakers.
In my last purchase after listening to several DACs I opted for the Esoteric D02X. Not because I like it completely but was the best of all heard (TAD DA1000, Wadia, DCS Rossini, etc ...).
Curiously, Esoteric is the one that has made less improvement to the sound and I’m aware that the source is fundamental I knew that the improvement of the server was mandatory.
The field of servers is in continuous development and I was waiting for the Munich Show to see what news were presented to decide my next step.
The options on reference server were SGM2015 and Aurender W20. Twice are great players but for different reasons it doesn’t complete my needs.
Here is where i found the Wadax company and was really impressed by the Atlantis line.
I did read a few reviews and i discovered that Wadax has a large experience on digital audio and is really apreciatted on markets like Asia.  
I'll request a demo unit and that is my experience with it. 
First of all the construction is the best i've seen on that kind of product. Very heavy unit (35kg) with a close chasis with great spikes and upside bases to put another Wadax units above. 
I like closed chasis. I want dust far away from my components. 
It is an USB output Server. I don't like a Server with a lot of outputs that i don't have to use. I prefer one output well developed like it is on the Atlantis. 
Dual AES, BNC, Ethernet, HDMI, etc.... I have experience on every kind of output and finally my conclusion is that all that matters is the implement of it. How it really sounds. 
I don't care if it is USB, BNC or sewing thread. 
It is based on Windows but as you can see Wadax has designed a new USB line output that is far away from others servers with the typical computer output and i it is the only one that has a ground terminal (Tripoint is coming)
 
To finish about the specifications, i don't care about it. I'm worried about chips, sample rates, oversamplings vs upsamplings, etc.... It has been a lot of years reading about it but finally where is the sound?
One example. I don't like Windows, so what?
This unit sounds like angels, that's what i want. 
Great sound. I don't care about how the designer gets it. 
In this time of demo i didn't request to Javier (Wadax designer and propietary) any specification. Only the concept and the implement of Roon. 
Is it great looking? Really. Better than ugly. 
Until here the "specifications". 
Next post the sound impressions.

[Stereophonic]

 

[Stereophonic]

First of all, i’ll try to explain it the best possible because english isn’t my first language.

Audio reproduction is a very difficult task as we all know. There are a lot of factors that are involved to:
Room, speakers, cables, ac noise, jitter, etc… But i’m going to begin from a well balanced system with a good room interaction.
I think audio master recordings are the key to understand the sound character of each component.
We don’t listen real sound, we listen the sound that the engineer thinks it’s the best posible to obtain with the record equipment and the engineer criterion.
So there are a lot of points that are very important to clarify before valore a reproduction.
Here I mention some of them:

• Acoustic impact of the situation of the orchestra, band, etc…Ex: Isn’t the same a live arena show that a quartet on a church.
• Performance’s level of each orchestra, director, etc… Ex: Claudio Abbado sounds different than Kubelic.
• Impact of the microphones and record equipment quality. Ex: DG sounds different than Decca.
• Impact of our own systems.
• Our taste of music. That’s the most important point. As we think we would heard the music we listen.

There are a lot of final sound tastes, somebody wants warm one, others direct one, we could summarize it with there are so many tastes as listeners.
I’ve been following my personal taste looking for the music reproduction as i think it would be.

Viewing the imposibility to obtain the perfect sound, i always try to listen my Reference System.



The Palau de la música of Valencia is one of the best acoustical places around the world. Not so often that i would like, the Musikverein is another great one i’ve been.
With the reception of the Wadax Server i listened the San Petersburg Philarmonic Orchestra playing Shostakovich and 5th Tchaikovsky symphony on my Reference System.
That was great because i had the oportunity to compare a violin solo performance and a big symphony like 5th one on a single concert.
At the same time, i went to a pop concert with a great equipment on an open place. Very good sound too.

Why i write this prelude? To go directly to the Wadax Server Sound.

The Wadax Server has been the only component on my home system able to jump all the factors mentioned before, to put me on the real sound nature.

After break in time, my previous hi-end experience has changed 180 degrees.

I’m not listening DG label, engineer taste, etc… Wadax is able to go througth the record to the background, to the primary level of sound.
The Server seems an excavator, it extracts the sound that are behind the record to extract the sound that the engineer isn’t able to control.
The primary sound. The sound that the microphones records and it is still on the master.

It sounds fast when required, open when required, big when required, etc, etc, etc,…. It sounds like the sound is, not like i want it sounds.
And i told you, the sound like it is, is better that i wanted.

More on next post…..

[toetapaudio]

@Stereophonic thanks for the information. I would be interested to have your comparisons with other servers.

[seeteeyou]

https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/wadax-reference-dac-and-server-arrive.34173/page-16#post-773661

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/wadax-reference-dac-and-reference-server-arrived-in-my-room/post?postid=2322367#2322367

Quote

my Extreme is going to a new happy owner. i'm buying the Wadax Reference Server.

on Friday night my friend Victor, who owns is an MSB Select 2 and is an Extreme owner, came over to assist with the compare. Victor also brought a Gigaswitch and LPS to optimize the copper Ethernet that both the Wadax and Extreme would use. both the Extreme and Wadax server were sitting on Dazia's. we used TAS for the Extreme, and Roon obviously for the Wadax. Emile had optimized the USB driver for the Wadax Reference dac.

we did the compare, first three tracks with the Wadax Server, then those same three with the Extreme. i'm not going to speak on behalf of Victor. but it was a clear choice. we move on. synergy? Akasa Optical link? hard to know cause and effect exactly.

the Extreme/Wadax Ref dac is awesome in every way. the Wadax combo is better.

 

[skids929]

On 1/25/2022 at 2:06 AM, seeteeyou said:

https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/wadax-reference-dac-and-server-arrive.34173/page-16#post-773661

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/wadax-reference-dac-and-reference-server-arrived-in-my-room/post?postid=2322367#2322367

 

 

 

Don't think for a second Mike doesn't get gear for free or for a SIGNIFICANT discount from dealers. To me that's a huge reason to move from the gear he moved from and basically advertise about it being the next best thing he's listened to all over WBF. 

 

Maybe it is better (subjective), I haven't had the chance to A/B and personally wouldn't want to drive myself batsh*t making those comparisons, too much hassle. I can say I listened to the Atlantis DAC extensively on CH precision gear, it was nice, but to my ear not for me, wasn't impressed at all quite honestly. Maybe it's the awful look of it shaping my minds-ear. 

[Priaptor]

4 hours ago, skids929 said:

 

 

Don't think for a second Mike doesn't get gear for free or for a SIGNIFICANT discount from dealers. To me that's a huge reason to move from the gear he moved from and basically advertise about it being the next best thing he's listened to all over WBF. 

 

Maybe it is better (subjective), I haven't had the chance to A/B and personally wouldn't want to drive myself batsh*t making those comparisons, too much hassle. I can say I listened to the Atlantis DAC extensively on CH precision gear, it was nice, but to my ear not for me, wasn't impressed at all quite honestly. Maybe it's the awful look of it shaping my minds-ear. 

I know the dealer who dealt with Mike regarding the WADAX and there was no freebie involved. As to a discount, I am not sure what he paid, but products with this kind of a price tag are obviously amenable to a bigger discount than lower priced items. I really don't know anyone who pays full retail for most of these high priced products. Additionally, there is always the issue of trade-in value of equipment. Just like buying a car when trading in another, it is not about what you get for the trade or what you pay for the new car but what the delta is as that is what is coming out of pocket and that number needs to meet the needs of both retailer and buyer. 

 

As an owner of an MSB Select who has not at this time heard a WADAX in "MY" system, I can't claim if it is better or worse, to my ears. However, the little I know of Mike, he is legitimate, he does his leg work and actually listens to music rather than just the equipment and I trust him when he has an opinion and wouldn't be so quick to assign motives behind his decisions, which you are doing. 

 

[skids929]

Everyone knows the dealer he got it from, no surprise you do as well...And yes I am absolutely assigning motives. Any other observations you'd like to share? 

[Priaptor]

33 minutes ago, skids929 said:

Everyone knows the dealer he got it from, no surprise you do as well...And yes I am absolutely assigning motives. Any other observations you'd like to share? 

Yeah that your talking out of your rear end and casting aspersions and making petulant observations to prop up your system and supposed knowledge for whatever sophomoric reasons. 
 

how is that. More direct?

 

If you love your MSB or whatever it is you own so much WTF do you care what Mike likes or doesn’t like or what he chooses to buy or not. 

[skids929]

30 minutes ago, Priaptor said:

Yeah that your talking out of your rear end and casting aspersions and making petulant observations to prop up your system and supposed knowledge for whatever sophomoric reasons. 
 

how is that. More direct?

 

If you love your MSB or whatever it is you own so much WTF do you care what Mike likes or doesn’t like or what he chooses to buy or not. 

🤣

 

Rationalize much? Prop up my own system that is clearly inferior to anything like what he has? Makes alot sense genius..I think not, but again..Rationalize much? Difference is I don't have a micro penis and need to run around showing off my system, and then run around stating how it's the best thing going. 

 

Why do you care so much what I care where he gets it and the opinions he gives on it? You sound like your butthurt. I am just pointing out, as you all kiss his ring, that these reviews and opinions aren't exactly uncolored. Some of us who have been around a long time know the deal.. Guy rants all over the internet that whatever he has is suddenly the best thing. Who really gives a sh*t what someone who get's free and deeply discounted CNO gear thinks. You seem too though. Sorry if touched a button with you. 

[Priaptor]

13 minutes ago, skids929 said:

🤣

 

Rationalize much? Prop up my own system that is clearly inferior to anything like what he has? I think not, but again..Rationalize much? Difference is I don't have a micro penis and need to run around showing off my system, and then run around stating how it's the best thing going. 

 

Why do you care so much what I care where he gets it and the opinions he gives on it? You sound like your butthurt. I am just pointing out, as you all kiss his ring, that these reviews and opinions aren't exactly uncolored. Some of us who have been around a long time know the deal.. Guy rants all over the internet that whatever he has is suddenly the best thing. Who really gives a sh*t what someone who get's free and deeply discounted CNO gear thinks. You seem too though. Sorry if touched a button with you. 

I could care less what the guy has and what he listens to and to a certain extent share your perspective about people kissing his ring but I could care less

 

However, to my knowledge he never posted here and his observations both solicited and unsolicited were copy and pasted here. 

 

[skids929]

4 minutes ago, Priaptor said:

I could care less what the guy has and what he listens to and to a certain extent share your perspective about people kissing his ring but I could care less

 

However, to my knowledge he never posted here and his observations both solicited and unsolicited were copy and pasted here. 

 

 

 

Correct, I was mainly responding to the link to the WBF link to his latest link..It's all over AG as well. Enough already, we get it you're awesome Lavigne. I generally don't care, but I do know for a fact he gets the DEEP hook on gear and it just frames my perspective on those rants differently. 

 

Your point is sound, to each their own. I am done with my rant. 

[PYP]

It seems very unlikely that someone would purchase a piece of gear at any substantial price, let alone north of $140k, without a home demo.   Assuming that is true, Mike, along with several other owners on that thread who think the reference Wadax is a game changer, are simply several points on the graph.  Meaning, don't draw a trend line.  And then there are "professional" reviews that are rather over the top.  But reading about the technology in these same reviews is interesting.

 

What I don't get is why some folks who have other DACs (MSB in particular) get upset by Mike's opinion about how great the Wadax is.   He seems to be a careful consumer who has an amazing listening environment and a love for all kinds of music (as well as being generous towards much of the weirdness his posts elicit).  Sure, the dealer he purchased from is happy to get attention for his new product in what appears to be the perfect market for him -- a website devoted to folks who can afford it and want the "best."  Seems like capitalism to me.  

[AudioDoctor]

At first, I thought this thread was an attempt at a stealthy ad, then I saw the MQA and lost all interest in the DAC. I'd rather be stuck listening to a bluetooth speaker for the rest of my life than support MQA in any way.

[skids929]

7 hours ago, PYP said:

It seems very unlikely that someone would purchase a piece of gear at any substantial price, let alone north of $140k, without a home demo.   Assuming that is true, Mike, along with several other owners on that thread who think the reference Wadax is a game changer, are simply several points on the graph.  Meaning, don't draw a trend line.  And then there are "professional" reviews that are rather over the top.  But reading about the technology in these same reviews is interesting.

 

What I don't get is why some folks who have other DACs (MSB in particular) get upset by Mike's opinion about how great the Wadax is.   He seems to be a careful consumer who has an amazing listening environment and a love for all kinds of music (as well as being generous towards much of the weirdness his posts elicit).  Sure, the dealer he purchased from is happy to get attention for his new product in what appears to be the perfect market for him -- a website devoted to folks who can afford it and want the "best."  Seems like capitalism to me.  

 

Way off the mark...I own MSB, and I felt the same way when he espoused his opinions on MSB.  Although I agree with some of what you said above, my point isn't related to the dealer, mainly why does anyone give a sh*t what he thinks when he gets the gear at a massive discount (or for free). He doesn't purchase anywhere close to full price. Yet everyone oooohs, and ahhhhhs when he gets the next best thing and runs around telling everyone it's the best. No one cares, just listen to your gear and enjoy it rather than try and passively convince the world what you have is the best.