I just thought I'd post a quick update. I haven't done a lot of listening in the new basement, primarily because I've been spending what little free time I've had to listen at the helm of my main rig... But also because I had not dialed in the basement rig well.
I'm running a very simple setup consisting of a HP netbook > Wadia PowerDAC > Joseph Audio RM25XL. As with most basement systems, I thought bass would be my nemesis, especially with the Joseph's which in my main room his 25hz convincingly... But oddly enough I had very little problems dialing in the speakers to have very flat bass response. The trouble is, the sound was also very flat and uninvolving. I gave the Wadia plenty of time/use to break in, got sick in the meantime (ears not working well), and finally got better enough to hear and dial it in this weekend. Unfortunately, I could NOT get it dialed in to my satisfaction. No matter what I did, I couldn't get the center image solid and stable while also avoiding the harshness of the Joseph's when heavily toed in (they sound best with no to very little toe). The sound was simply flat and uninvolving. I dropped a pair of standmounters in their place (Almarro M1A, usually in my office), and... Ahhh, there we do.
After some optimization, I'm pretty well floored by what this Wadia can do. I need some more time to flesh out the tonal characteristics, but there is a sonic richness and supple presentation that really makes listening fun. I haven't detected any huge negatives, I'm sure I'll lock into some small negatives with time. That being said... This is a HUGE slice of the hifi pie for a pretty reasonable outlay. Yes, moving up to my main listening room stuffed with equipment the cost of a nice family car reveals quite a bit more... Everything. But for 1/10th the price you definitely get more than 1/10th the sound and enjoyment.
Digital is getting REALLY good..!
Topic: Wadia PowerDAC "First Look" (Read 2153 times)