{"id":7220,"date":"2015-02-23T08:53:35","date_gmt":"2015-02-23T06:53:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/?page_id=7220"},"modified":"2019-03-04T14:14:26","modified_gmt":"2019-03-04T12:14:26","slug":"wadia-digital-dac","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wadia-digital-dac\/","title":{"rendered":"Wadia Digital – DAC"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Wadia_27GNSC_550pix<\/h2>\n

The DAC above is the 27ix with GNSC Statement Upgrade<\/a>. The costly GNSC upgrade does indeed make the DAC sound even better, without losing its Wadia signature. Steve Huntly used to work for Wadia and is considered to be a specialist who knows precisely where the products can be further improved. Alas, GNSC stopped providing their famous upgrades for Wadia components.<\/p>\n

Wadia DACs sound special in part thanks to their DigiMaster algoritm, but as later post Fine Sounds DACs show, DigiMaster itself is not necessarily responsible for classic Wadia’s typical solid and sonourous sound. It’s also not due to discrete transistors in the output stage, as Wadia have always used OpAmps, except in the very earliest DACs such as the 2000. What is it then, that creates the trademark Wadia sound? This will probably remain anyone’s guess but it must be the combination of several elements.<\/p>\n

Please note:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Unknown values are marked “xxxx”. Years with a question mark are not confirmed but likely close.\u00a0Do please drop me a line<\/a> if you have any of the missing info!<\/p>\n

\n

DAC<\/h2>\n
\n

2000\"wadia
\n<\/strong>1988-xxxx<\/p>\n

Original Retail $7.000
\nThe famous Wadia that started it all<\/p>\n

Inside pictures<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

1000\"Wadia<\/strong>
\n1988-xxxx<\/p>\n

Original Retail $5.000
\nMore “affordable” version of the 2000<\/p>\n

Inside\u00a0pictures<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

X64.4\"wadia<\/strong>
\n1988-xxxx<\/p>\n

Original Retail\u00a0xxxx
\nSuccessor of the Wadia 2000<\/p>\n

Inside\u00a0pictures<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

Pro DAC\"wadia<\/strong>
\n1990-xxxx<\/p>\n

Original Retail unknown<\/p>\n

Exterior pictures<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

X32\"wadia<\/strong>
\n1991-xxxx<\/p>\n

Original Retail $2.500
\nSuccessor of the Wadia 1000<\/p>\n

Inside pictures<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

9\"wadia<\/strong>
\n1992-2000<\/p>\n

Original Retail 19.058 euro
\nStill found by many to be the ultimate Wadia components<\/p>\n

Inside pictures<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

12\"wadia<\/strong>
\n1994-at least 1996<\/p>\n

Original Retail 2.246 euro
\nThe smallest Wadia DAC until the W121 came along
\nThe only Wadia labelled simply “DAC”, not “Decoding Computer”.<\/p>\n

Compact Review
\n<\/a>Inside pictures<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

15\"wadia15<\/strong>
\n1993-xxxx<\/p>\n

Original Retail\u00a0unknown
\nNatural partner for the W8 transport<\/p>\n

Inside pictures<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

26\"wadia<\/strong>
\n1995-1997<\/p>\n

Original Retail 3.607 euro
\nCould be seen as a more elaborate version of the W12, but sounds closer to the 25, with much more solid bass and better focus than the 12.<\/p>\n

Compact Review<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

25\"wadia<\/strong>
\n1996-1998<\/p>\n

Original Retail 6.330 euro
\nDifferent in circuitboard design from the W27, with quite a different sound.
\nVery similar, maybe even identical, to the DAC section of the W16 CD player.<\/p>\n

Extensive Review<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

27\"wadia<\/strong>
\n1997-1998<\/p>\n

Original Retail 10.210 euro
\nUnique, elaborate DAC section (not used in any Wadia CD player), with oversized power supply and fuller sound than a W861 CD player.
\nUp to 24bit 48kHz only<\/p>\n

Extensive Review of the 27ix
\n<\/a>Wadia 27ix GNSC inside pics
\n<\/a>27, 27i and 27ix inside pictures<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

27i\"wadia<\/strong>
\n1998-2003<\/p>\n

Original Retail 12.615 euro
\nUnique, elaborate DAC section (not used in any Wadia CD player), with oversized power supply and fuller sound than a W861 CD player.
\ni Upgrade adds Clocklink for slaving the W270 to the W27
\nUp to 24bit 48kHz only<\/p>\n

Extensive Review of the 27ix GNSC
\n<\/a>Wadia 27ix GNSC inside pics
\n<\/a>27, 27i and 27ix inside pictures<\/a>
\n<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

27ix\"wadia<\/strong>
\n2003-2011?<\/p>\n

Original Retail 12.900 euro
\nUnique, elaborate DAC section (not used in any Wadia CD player), with oversized power supply and fuller sound than a W861 CD player.
\nx Upgrade adds 24\/96 capability<\/p>\n

Extensive Review of the 27ix GNSC
\n<\/a>Wadia 27ix GNSC inside pics
\n<\/a>27, 27i and 27ix inside pictures<\/a>
\n<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

931\"wadia<\/strong>
\n2005-2011?<\/p>\n

Complete set (931 + 2x 922)
\nOriginal Retail 39.990 euro
\nController for the 921 and 922 mono DACs<\/p>\n

\n

921\"wadia<\/strong>
\n2005-2009<\/p>\n

Only available together with 931
\nMono (single channel)
\nMust be paired with the 931 controller<\/p>\n

\n

922\"wadia<\/strong>
\n2009-2011?<\/p>\n

Only available together with 931
\nMono (single channel)
\nMust be paired with the 931 controller
\nImproved power supply and analog section<\/p>\n

\n

521\"wadia<\/strong>
\n2007-2014<\/p>\n

Original Retail in the Netherlands 7.490 euro
\nSuccessor to the W27
\nMore or less comparable to the DAC section of the S7i
\n24\/96 max
\nNo USB input (but rumoured clocklinked USB upgrade)
\nNo Clocklink<\/p>\n

Extensive Review<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

121\"wadia<\/strong>
\n2011-2014<\/p>\n

Original Retail 1.399 euro
\nUSB input (excellent implementation)
\nEarly 121’s had both 3,6mm and 6,3mm headphone jacks, older units had the small one replaced with a lamp.<\/p>\n

There were apparently plans for two versions: $999 for the basic unit and $1,499 for the base unit plus a built-in headphone amp designed by Ray Samuals.<\/p>\n

Extensive Review<\/a>
\n121 reviewed in context of a computer setup with Genelec 8050s<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

321\"wadia_321_1<\/strong>
\n2014-2015<\/p>\n

Original Retail 3.699 euro
\nSuccessor to the W521 but with entirely different electronics
\nSabre ES9018S DAC
\nUSB input
\n24\/192 max
\nPart of new range of products under ownership of Fine Sounds since 2011.
\nNew enclosure of extruded aluminium and smoked glass, built by McIntosh.
\nEquivalent of the McIntosh D100 but using different versions of ESS Saber chips and different digital filters, resulting in different sound.<\/p>\n

\n

di122\"wadia<\/strong>
\n2014-present<\/p>\n

Original Retail $1.500
\nSuccessor to the W121
\nUSB
\nSPDIF max 24\/192
\nUSB max DSD64\/DXD384kHz<\/p>\n

\n

322\"Wadiadi322Front_167pix\"<\/strong>
\n2015-present<\/p>\n

Original Retail 4.390\u00a0euro
\nSuccessor to the W321
\nSabre ES9016S DAC
\nHeadphone\u00a0connection
\nUSB input
\nPCM 24\/192 max
\nDSD64\/128\/256<\/p>\n

\n

 <\/p>\n

More Wadia Company Special<\/h3>\n

Wadia Digital Main Page<\/a><\/p>\n

Wadia History<\/a><\/p>\n

Wadia Upgrades<\/a><\/p>\n

(SA)CD Transport<\/a><\/p>\n

(SA)CD Player<\/a><\/p>\n

DAC<\/a><\/p>\n

AD Converter<\/a><\/p>\n

Glass \/ Optical Interface<\/a><\/p>\n

iPod \/ iPad Transport<\/a><\/p>\n

Digital Amplifier<\/a><\/p>\n

Media Server<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The DAC above is the 27ix with GNSC Statement Upgrade. The costly GNSC upgrade does indeed make the DAC sound even better, without losing its Wadia signature. Steve Huntly used to work for Wadia and is considered to be a specialist who knows precisely where the products can be further improved. Alas, GNSC stopped providing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7173,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-7220","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7220","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7220"}],"version-history":[{"count":54,"href":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7220\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11151,"href":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7220\/revisions\/11151"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7173"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7220"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}