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WADIA / dCS / AA Capitole - the ultimate CD ??? .


Hello!

The question is: what is the current ultimate digital front end?

We have Wadia 861 and 270/27ix combo. Very engaging, full & dynamic sound. Some sceptics say it is a bit "upfront" and probably "overblown in mid/upper bass region", more than it should be compared with live music. Not bad, of course, but still not delicate and sophisticated enough, that is. And maybe slightly "grainy", isn't it(?) .

We have the excellent dCS digital gear. Very detailed, with perfect space recreation and untamed dynamics. Some think it is a bit "cold" and "mechanical", though.

O.k. - so we have the Audio Aero Capitole! The new "king of the hill". Analog sounding and very seductive. But there is also a considerable drawback to it... Dynamics and bass weight could well be questioned.

What is your experince with these three units?
Have you, by chance, heard them all?
What would you choose as your ultimate CD source for the years to come..?
mrgigi
myoussif
81 posts
 
Well, I didn't listen to the Wadia or the AA, but when I listened to the dCS (Verdi, Purcell, Delius) I that that is what I was looking for. of course one must consider the while route. i.e. cables, amps, speakers, and finally the room.

I use the dCS gear with Sonic Frontiers Power 3 mono tube amps and Genesis 350 speakers. That and a mix of Transparent XL and Synergistic Research Resolution Reference cabling, I really feel very satisfied now and should be for some time to come. (OK, may be upgrading all my cabling to Transparent XL).

I guess after many years of upgrade, changes, and so on, I realized that one must start with the best front-end that one can afford. I find the dCS gear to be very musical and yes I confirm that they are very detailed, with perfect space recreation and untamed dynamics.
turnaround's avatar
turnaround
52 posts
 
Mrgigi,

There is a game where children sit in a circle. One person whispers a story into the ear of the person to their right. That person then whispers the story to the person to their right. The last person in the circle tells aloud the story as he heard it, and everyone has a good laugh at how the story changed from their version as it was passed around the circle. There is a danger to digging through the threads for "generalizations" about these units.
jtinn
1,123 posts
 
Are you running these units all through a preamp or direct?

My experience with all of them, which has been quite extensive, is that the Audio Aero was the only digital front-end that I could listen to continuously in place of my vinyl setup.

As a dealer for Audio Aero I have had the opportunity to do the comparisons prior to committing to the line. The Wadia was never a factor at all. I was about to take on dCS, but when I put them head to head with the Capitole, I could no longer enjoy listening to the dCS gear. It is like a choice between Roseanne Barr and Shannon Elizabeth. :)
aida_w
308 posts
 
There is no such thing as THE BEST.
It always depends not only on your system (cables, pre-yes/no, amp-tube/ss) but also on your room(!) and first of all on your preferences in listening to music. Like in a concert hall - as the late Glenn Gould stated there are only up to 5 seats where he could reach the listener in a way he wanted to and subsequently stopped playing in public - all the mentioned solutions have their pros and cons and they all are sure AMONG the best available. Beware of the hype around so called "new" solutions, though. Some of thenm are pretty old yet still valid. So if you listen to one of the mentioned units and feel: "that's it"! then stop looking further and be happy ever after. I have listened to all these units extensively and my real "high end" choice is the Wadia 270/27ix.
Good luck!
rdouglas
1 posts
 
I would suggest you also give the Sim Audio Eclipse a listen.

I had originally decided on the Wadia 861 and placed an order with my local dealer. While I was waiting for the Wadia to arrive, I came across a number of strong reviews for the Sim Audio player and decided to give it a listen (also carried by the same dealer).

The Sim Audio player has stunning resolution and rhythm and also has an attractive industrial design. It is about 50% less expensive than the Wadia and would appear to be very upgradeable as future technology develops. It also has the same transport as the Oracle.

While I have not heard either the dcs or AA Capitole, I bought the Sim Audio last month and have been very pleased with it.
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