Wadia 121 Decoding Computer Digital to Analog Converter

During the past year I've had several DAC's in my system. This includes an HRT Streamer II. The Moon Audio 100 and 300 and the REGA DAC. With the WADIA recently introduced into my system I've had more listening pleasure than any time in recent memory. I'm using it as a DAC/Preamp. The well made, substantial feeling remote offers great convenience, including volume control, mute, mode and input switching. Well recorded high resolution digital music sounds fabulous with the WADIA. Excellent soundstage, resolution and highly musical. No harshness at all. If you are in the market for a new DAC in this price range do yourself a favor and audition the Wadia. The Wadia supports up to 24/192 on all inputs with no driver required on recent Mac OSx releases. I'm using the USB input in accordance with WADIA recommendations. My system flow; Netgear READYNAS SAN (Music Library, FLAC & AIFF) > Mac Mini (Music Server) > Wadia 121 (DAC) > Classe DR10 (Amp) > Focal 1007BE (Speakers). The music player in use is Audirvana Beta in integer mode. Update: 7/27/2012 Although I very much enjoyed the sound and performance of this DAC I returned it because I never received a response from Wadia either from several emails to differing departments and a phone call. Abysmal customer support. I will not have a relationship with a company that ignores their customers inquiries. Unfortunate because it really is a lovely, full featured DAC.

Very good product at a great price. This product replaced a line drive (passive preamp), and a Wadia CD player at my vacation home. It's connected to an amp, with inputs -- Apple TV (works nicely with iTunes Match) and Directv. Very nice clicker that controls inputs / volume. Sound quality and functionality is excellent at a reasonable price -- particularly for Wadia. Wadia makes good stuff -- have one of their processors in my primary home that's 25 years old, and working great. Price of this functionality has come down dramatically. Sold my old components on eBay -- very quickly at great prices.

This DAC has great sound and I would have rated it a five star if only Wadia had included a Windows 8 USB driver for it. They don't have one but conveniently do not tell the customers of that flaw until after you have purchased it and try to use the USB input with a computer that has Windows 8 installed. They simply state that they are working on the driver and expect to release it soon. I returned mine since I could not use it with my Windows 8 computer.

At $799.00 this DAC is a steal. I've directly compared this to a 1 year old Emotiva Reciever and the new Marantz HD-DAC. The Wadia stands head and shoulders above both on sound quality. The unit is a light weight when you pull it out of the box. It doesn't feel like there is much to it, but once you start listening this thing is amazing. It is a very neutral DAC with no colorations. Both the highs and lows are extended and not at all harsh. Music sounds like real music coming from the Wadia and has my highest recommendation.

excellent

I've been using a TC Konnect 6 as an external D/A for my Mac laptop for the past few years, it sounded superb, especially at 24/192 via Pure Music. Got this Wadia today and oh man what a HUGE improvement. I'm hearing things I never heard before in my favorite records, the soundstage is wide and deep, it just sounds superb via my Mackie 624 MK II's or via the headphone output on Sennheiser HD600s. For the price, this is just a great piece. It looks very cool, doesn't take up to much room on my desktop, and is the perfect upgrade if you want hi-end computer audio without nosebleed prices. I listen to AIFF files almost exclusively and you can easily hear the difference against Lossless with the Wadia. Well worth the money...