Wadia I170 transport with IPod for digital streaming

[tony_s_newman]

I am a Newbie here, so please excuse me if this has been covered before...

 

I have been looking at ways to setup a digital streaming system, as I am tired of swapping CDs - I want to pick and mix my own tracks as I please (you all know the story). Anyway, initially I was going to use my PC with an SPDIF or Toslink connection to a DAC and go from there. Then I found out about the Wadia I170 transport.

 

I bought one and have it playing now. WOW. Just WOW. This thing does exactly what it says it will - rip the digital stream right out of an IPod bypassing the rubbish DAC that comes standard. I am getting sound as good as a mid-range CD player would deliver, together with the convenience of an IPod storage device. This frees up my PC for other duties. I just love this thing. The Wadia is the Bollox.

 

Now that I am getting digital streaming from an IPod, is there any advantage to hooking up my PC up to my system? My 160GB IPod is all the storage I need (using M4A format).

 

Here is my system:

 

Wadia I170 transport -> SPDIF -> Moon 100D DAC -> Cambridge Audio 650A Amp -> Monitor Audio BR5 speakers.

 

The weakest link in this setup is probably the CA Amp - it is a tad bright in the treble, but is otherwise excellent. After that the speakers could be upgraded perhaps. Anyway, the point is that I am getting sound out of this system that I never thought would be possible using an IPod as the source.

 

Anyone else out there using the Wadia I170? Any comments on the results?

 

[mwheelerk]

Truthfully I think that is a pretty solid little system. Of course your ears are the defining line but I am surprised the 650A sounds bright but then if I remember correctly MA speakers have metal dome tweeters and that could be the factor. I think it is a solid amp along with the Monitor Audio Bronze speakers.

 

I tried the Wadia but the space limitation of the iPod was a problem for me otherwise it is a good device.

 

[Nikos]

i170 is ok if your dac can handle jitter.

hiface is a lot better.

I have both.

 

 

[tony_s_newman]

The Moon 100D DAC seems to cope very well with whatever the i170 throws at it. I really can't compare it to another DAC as I have only used the 100D. The 100D is very new to market so there aren't many reviews around for it. It's big brother, the 300D, has been around longer and has a great reputation as far I can tell.

 

What I am sure about is the quality of sound coming from the i170 transport + Moon 100D DAC combo - it rocks. I am very happy with it.

 

I am totally ignorant on the hiface. From I can find on the web it is a USB transport for streaming digital audio from a PC(?). I will eventually try streaming from my PC directly to the Moon DAC, but I really like the convenience of the IPod via the Wadia.