Is there a volume bypass on the Wadia 121?
According to Wadia, the 121 has no volume-control bypass and no need for one. Digital inputs are upsampled to 32-bit/1.4MHz, then processed with Wadia’s proprietary DigiMaster interpolation filtering algorithm, which, they claim, maintains resolution at all volume settings.
What are the design elements of the Wadia 121?
Four design elements in the 121 Decoding Computer that most computer audiophiles should understand are ClockLink, filtering & D to A conversion, volume control, and the power supply. ClockLink, as opposed to Wadia’s ClockLock, pertains only to the 121’s asynchronous USB input.
How does the Wadia 121 decoding computer work?
The 121 can attenuate a 24-bit signal from a computer by 48dB without losing any of the original information according to Wadia. After setting the output voltage of the 121 all subsequent volume adjustments are done in the digital domain at 0.5 dB increments. The Wadia 121 Decoding Computer uses a switching power supply.
Which is better Wadia 25 or Wadia 121?
Firstly the 121 is far more affordable than any of the classic Wadias ever were. Secondly it has quite a different sonic signature. The Wadia 25 can be quite dry in the treble but also has rock-solid bass, lots of power and excellent drive in return.
Is the Wadia 121 DAC a good DAC?
The 121 strikes a very good balance between classic Wadia virtues and newfound smoothness, and this makes the DAC very engaging and very easy to listen to. There are cleaner and more detailed DACs around, but at this price level, I think the 121 has little competition when you are after a Wadia-typical robust delivery.
What’s the price of a Wadia 121decoding computer?
At $1299, the Wadia 121decoding computer is more in line with M2Tech’s Young DAC ($1499, May 2013 ), which I’ve also been listening to recently—though the Young lacks a volume control, and adding its Palmer battery power supply ($1249) bumps it out of the Wadia’s price range.
Which is better Wadia 121 or Wadia 861?
The 121 was blamed and substituted with the brilliantly transparent EC Designs Mosaic but that only shifted the balance. Finally a Wadia 861 CD player was brought in and although this player sounded better, most notably in bass articulation and heft and dynamic expression, the 121 was not exactly declassified.