Wadia S7i direct to amp

just out of curiosity, as this thread is about the s7i, i am wondering if you any of you compared the s7i and the 381. from what i can tell, the main difference (aside from some cosmetic differences in the display) is that the s7i adds additional regulated power supplies so that more subcircuits have their own regulated power supply whereas in the 381 more subcircuits share a common power supply. i'm wondering how much that design change affected subjective impressions of the 2 units.

Even when volume is matched, there is unacceptable loss of dynamics when the digital volume attenuator is used. It is a flaw of the technology, and is not dependent upon the number of power supplies. Apparently, those last couple of bits really matter. Luckily, it can be bypassed. The series 9 has six independent power supplies per channel, and suffers the same fate with volume.

If people like their unit without a preamp, then great. They also should know that they may like it even better with a good preamp.

02-01-11: Rtn1
Even when volume is matched, there is unacceptable loss of dynamics when the digital volume attenuator is used.

first, the comparison that you suggest is highly unreliable; it's just hard to listen to one configuration, change the configuration and then try to get the same volume level from memory.

second, i agree that listen to a wadia in a direct connect configuration is likely to sound different from that of a through-the-preamp configuration. to that extent, if you prefer the sound of the through-the-preamp configuration, then you are going to prefer the "dynamics" because you just like the configuration better. that's not a matter of any "flaw in the technology" it's just a matter of your own preferences.

i'm not suggesting that there is anything wrong if you say that you prefer the sound of the wadia through a preamplifier. for my own part, for some recordings i sometimes find that i prefer the sound of the through-the-preamp configuration, other times i prefer the sound when going direct to the amplifier. from my observation, the preamplifier acts as a kind of tone control that does change the sound character of the musical presentation.

hi rtn et al.

of course, the ongoing presumption is, that I am indeed missing something when going direct.

I wanted to make a point in saying I cannot hear it.

Of course I hear that it sounds different with a pre, but better? (I use a new Berning tube pre (ZOTL), too rare to be widely known, and an Audiopax M5, highly regarded in its public days).
And luckily, I am not yet deaf: as a violinist I live by hearing and acting on it - this is not too scare anybody away from disagreeing with me ;-)

If i lower the level at the Continuum (amplifier) and highten it at the Wadia, or lower level at Wadia and highten it at Continuum,.. there is a clear difference. No matter what physics say. It is very very obvious. The effect is as stated above.
I listen at nearfield, and yes my room is measured and acoustics has been reworked. It is no placebo, i care less (not at all is more correct) for placebo upgrades. All upgrades and changes must be heard and i will not change a thing in my system if i don't find it needed, or, in anyway bettering some key aspects.
I think, that if you buy a Wadia and can afford a stand alone pre amp. Maybe just to try it for yourself, you will find it yourself. If i would buy a more expensive Wadia, like S7i or even separates, i would be sad if i find a pre amp is better, but could not afford it.
Personally i dream of S7i reworked by GNS and the JRDG Corus and 625. But i can never buy those,.. sadly.
Also, i find Wadia very picky when it come down to matching powerchord with a platform. I noticed very big changes from trying different PC's and isolation/damping devices. More so than on any other audio device i have used myself.
I always try to get the best depth and relation between micro and macro dynamics.
Many of you at Audiogon have really expensive systems. Some of us can't afford that. I believe it is quite relevant if buying a Wadia, it is needed to know, one might find a need to also buy a separate pre amp. That is, if using pre/power combo instead of any integrated unit.
If anything, i think it might be a mistake to rule out that a pre amp will not be needed when calculating over what is possible to buy.