Why do Asian looks for old Wadia CDP at high price?

There are current manufacturers that use very old DAC chipsets because they sound better.  These include Naim, Zanden and Audio Note, among others.   Some of these old chips are expensive because they are coveted.  The priority for modern chips is to be very small and use very little power for use in mobile devices, and sound quality is not much of a consideration.  I have an older CD player (still in production) that utilizes the 1704 chip and it still sounds really good.

I also like a number of DACs that use resistor ladder multi-bit conversion, but, I don't know if this is the reason they sound good.  I owned a Wadia a long time ago and it sounded good and worked flawlessly.  Still, I am not certain I would get one unless I knew the transport was in really good shape or replacement parts are still available.  

I also wonder if there is such a thing as a different, "vintage" sound to DACs.  I know a dealer who hates the sound of most modern DACs, particularly when utilizing USB connection.  He thinks most sound to analytical, and while detailed sounding, that is accomplished by sounding bright and tizzy.  I have not looked into this myself to any great extent, but, I do know from my own experience that some highly regarded DACs, players and streamers are not to my particular taste.

Good point larryi and I guess I use a vintage DAC myself an Audio Note DAC-3 Signature circa 1995 which used the Burr Brown PCM-63K with is a multibit R2R chip. Sounds great to me but I'll admit to not having spent much time auditioning more modern DACs.

Jond,
You made an excellent choice.  I came oh so close to buying a used AN DAC 3 or 4 level at one time.  I am certain that I'd been very happy with it. Personally I don't find many of the newer generation DACs necessarily  better sounding,  just more of an emphasis on "detail" but not particularly natural or musically engaging. My 2 cents worth. 
Charles 

@charles1dad great point. I have experienced with my Berkerley DAC alpha at the beginning too. However, it’s turn out that I used the low quality USB and didn’t stream lossless music through any audiophile player software.

The dealer recomended me to use Mac Mini with Audirvana Plus software, and lent me a Light Harmonic USB cable to try out. Things turned out completely different as my old setup. It was surprised at extremely quiet background, soundstage depth, and imaging precision clearly, and very natural overall. It also produced an amazingly pure sound as listening to live performance which could see the musicians position, no bright or harshness of digital in a very musical sound. My system would have never been like that before though I tried to upgrade all cables around many times.

Maybe I was lucky than others on DAC but I have learned that be patience with this new technology involved with computer since I'm not a tech-savvy. However, you can get to the point if in the right direction for the digital solution setup.

My 27i went to Hong Kong.