Wadia 171 follow-up review

BlueFox
BlueFox Posts: 15,251
edited July 2011 in 2 Channel Audio
Just a quick update of my earlier review of the Wadia 171 iTransport.

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=112423&highlight=wadia

All I can say is this thing continues to amaze me with its ability to extract the slightest detail from an iPod file encoded in Apple Lossless. Of course, I have tweaked it by adding an upgraded power supply, an MIT Magnum digital IC, brass weights from Mapleshade, and other vibration elimination enhancements, but even stock it is great.

I have two iPod Classics at this time; one for classical, and the other for Lady Gaga. On Gaga I just added a new playlist for female pop and jazz singers ( so far Diana Krall, Nora Jones, Joss Stone, Adele, Sade, Tierney Sutton, Jane Monheit, and Robin McKelle). Both iPods are using Apple Lossless, and the end result is fantastic. My CD player is a Sony XA-5400ES SACD, and it is not a slouch, but the iPod/Wadia, with all its tweaks and through the Bryston BDA-1 DAC, is slightly better in the CD realm.

The only negatives are iPod negatives. First, while iTunes works, it also sucks. For me, the biggest iTune gripe is that when you import a CD if there are tracks on it which are done with other artists then dumb-a$$ iTunes will create multiple CD files instead of a single CD file. This happens a lot with classical music, and it is a pain in the butt having to move multiple files of the same CD to the playlist. Second, searching for a song on the iPod is tedious. However, these gripes are truly minor when compared to the absolute stellar sound that comes from this music server.

Two thumbs up for the iPod Classic/Wadia music server.

The Lossless iPod/Wadia in action.
Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
Three 20 amp circuits.
Post edited by BlueFox on
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Comments

  • Ern Dog
    Ern Dog Posts: 2,237
    edited July 2011
    Looks like you want to shoot your Ipod :confused:
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,649
    edited July 2011
    Seems like a lot of money to accommodate digital media when you could simply buy a nicer CDP and obtain the same thing! ;):p

    JK - lookin good!
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    edited July 2011
    Ern Dog wrote: »
    Looks like you want to shoot your Ipod :confused:

    No, never.

    If you have not touched an iPod Classic you will be surprised at how well made it is. Even though it is aluminum, it is pretty solid and heavy. If need be you could club somebody with it, especially if they disparage it. :wink:

    Anyway, one point I did not mention about the Wadia is that it is not very heavy. After I put it up on the brass footers, the MIT cable torques it to the left or right, depending upon the cable's orientation. I was messing around one day trying to find a way to keep it in place when I did what you see. It was kind of surreal so I took a picture. Anyway, while it worked, it obviously is not permanent. So, the 'fire extinguisher' went back into its secret, but easily accessible, hiding place.
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.
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  • megasat16
    megasat16 Posts: 3,521
    edited July 2011
    Don't touch my iPod or else. :biggrin:
    Trying out Different Audio Cables is a Religious Affair. You don't discuss it with anyone. :redface::biggrin:
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  • headrott
    headrott Posts: 5,496
    edited July 2011
    Ern Dog wrote: »
    Looks like you want to shoot your Ipod :confused:

    Not sure he was actually going to SHOOT the ipod. I think the gun was just more of an intimidation factor to eek out as much fidelity as he could from the ipod/wadia combo.:biggrin:

    Greg
    Relayer-Big-O-Poster.jpg
    Taken from a recent Audioholics reply regarding "Club Polk" and Polk speakers:
    "I'm yet to hear a Polk speaker that merits more than a sentence and 60 seconds discussion." :\
    My response is: If you need 60 seconds to respond in one sentence, you probably should't be evaluating Polk speakers.....

    "Green leaves reveal the heart spoken Khatru"- Jon Anderson

    "Have A Little Faith! And Everything You'll Face, Will Jump From Out Right On Into Place! Yeah! Take A Little Time! And Everything You'll Find, Will Move From Gloom Right On Into Shine!"- Arthur Lee
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