bought the wadia itransport.....pics and my thoughts

[SixSigma]

Yesterday I purchased the Wadia itransport for my system and it came in today so I thought Id share my thoughts. Maybe this will provide you with some answers that you may have had about the itransport or it may provide you with some cheap entertainment. I may mention that this is my first "high-end" system. Im new into the vintage world so I might not have the best gear but this is my current system. I have my itransport hooked up to a Tandberg 3002 preamp supplying signal to a pair of 3003s running my B&W 683s through Apature wire. Since I dont have a digital preamp I am just using the analog outs through some cheap cables. Setup was easy, plug the power in, plug the RCAs in youre ready to roll. It took me a minute to get it working because I failed to press the mode button twice to get it to change from digital, which it boots to by default, to analog so I could use my outputs. This unit is pretty lifeless in the respect that there isnt even a power light. That doesnt mean anything but I just thought Id point it out. It comes with a remote that I thought was kind of cheap. Its a softer, thin plastic. Unit comes with multiple cradle bases, a single digital case, remote, and manual.

Now, onto what you all want to know, how did it sound. This past week I bought the Mal Waldron, My Dear Family album. I ripped the cd on itunes as an apple lossless file. I uploaded it to my ipod and was listening to it through a 1/8 headphone jack to R/L RCA cable prior to getting the itransport. Once I had it hooked up and playing through the itransport I was in awe. The horn, the piano, the bass, it was unreal. Everything was so well defined, I must say Im impressed the say the least. Im going to let some critical listeners hook this up to a nicer setup thats using studio reference 802s to get their opinion. I think this unit is well worth the money considering I can rip lossess cds onto my ipod and have a music server for much cheaper than traditional gear. I think this would make a believer out of any non-ipod fan.

Pics:

 

[Urizen]

Good review and a beautiful system!

I heard the Wadia at the Fest and was very impressed with it's sound.

Ken

 

[drknstrmyknight]

Considering the Ipod does not have digital output, it's basically using it as a hard drive and using the Wadia's DAC. I'm sure it's no slouch but something like a squeezebox will gove you the opportunity to use any dac you want and unlinited storage. IMHO it's a bit gimmicky and a closed system, but it's cool fer sure!

 

[ozmoid]

Good review and a beautiful system!

I heard the Wadia at the Fest and was very impressed with it's sound.

Ken

Same here. Very nice, particularly with "live" recordings. I took time to hang in NT's room a little both days.

 

[SixSigma]

Just tried out the video out feature. now im able to watch my downloaded episodes on my lcd....this thing is sweet!

 

[longwing]

The information in this thread seems to contradict much of what I have learned about the wadia device (admittedly just in the last 3 days - and I've never seen or heard one).

My understanding is that to experience all that the unit has to offer, you must connect it with an external DAC. Without the DAC, isn't this just an overpriced docking station? Might be worth something if it gives the line level a boost.

Secondly, my understanding is that if you use the analog outputs from the wadia you are essentially using the iPod DAC. There is no DAC in the wadia. The wadia either sends out a digital signal to an external DAC or it send out an analog signal that is passed through from the iPod DAC.

 

[whyaskit]

I am no expert, but my understanding is that you need to use the digital outs to get the full benifits of the itransport.

The Wadia will bypass the ipods DAC and pull the digital info off of the HD, and then send it out through the digital out. If you use the analog outputs, you are not bypassing the ipods DAC.

At least that is how I understand it to work, I am considering buying one of these, but if a seperate DAC is needed, that makes a wonderfully inexpensive (for a Wadia product) not so inexpensive.

Anybody out there know for sure?

BTW, in any event, I think it is a very nice piece!

edit - I should have read the aboe post. This is my understanding also.

 

[Vesuv1us]

Jason is correct, the entire purpose of the Wadia product is to utilize the digital output to a higher-end DAC.

Yes, if you use the analog outs, you use the iPod dac (which is basically... garbage). It is a wonderful piece of gear that gives you a digital transport to a higher end system DAC and with the video output having some external control besides just a little iPod screen.

 

[dj_AmTraX]

Found this through search. Do you have updated info for us? From what I read here, you are NOT using the iTransport's design. Through the analog out, you are using the line out of the iPod and it's internal $0.35 DAC.

From what I've seen and read, the remote look/feel cheap. They should have packaged it with the Apple remote. Or can you use the Apple remote?

I would buy it without a thought if it were a straight passthru (no volume control) and a smaller footprint. There is no reason for it to be that big. I found that the Apple Universal Dock & remote is sexier looking. Too bad there is no digital out.

 

[soundhd]

I think that the IPOD (and other MP3 Players) have their place in the world of High End Audio but my opinion is that it does not "belong" everywhere........
I own a 80GB Ipod........I like it very much. I am only using wave files on it now......tried all the different types & sizes of MP3 Files and was not happy with the way they sounded....I only have my very best/favorite music on it...kind of like my greatest hits....a very wide range of music...it's pretty full now (over 1600 songs on it) so am going to have to get a 120GB model soon...anyway....I do not use the IPOD in my main music listening room (The "Hideaway")..that is reserved for my vinyl, CD's and SACD's...I use it in my cars, trucks, personal listening with a set of Audio-Technica ATH-EW9 head/ear phones, on our back sun room and deck, and with my Bose Acoustic Wave System that I take with me when we go a classic car show, cruise night or at a party....it does sound very good using the wave files and I get alot of people saying how well it sounds at the car shows, etc......and in my cars & trucks (I have Infinity Reference Speakers) in most of them (Vette has the Factory Bose system) and in the Ranger I was able to install the JBL Power Series speakers (had enough room in the two doors) and they all sound just great with the IPOD and the wave files (I also installed IPOD interfaces in the vehicles in order to try and get the best sound possible from the IPOD).......so my opinion is that the IPOD's place is on the go...........

 

[dj_AmTraX]

You should get the 160gb iPod Classic while you still can.

 

[Fisherdude]

You should get the 160gb iPod Classic while you still can.

I'm on my second iPod, and I'm thinking you're on the money. The big ones are going to disappear in place of the spiffy video models. Since I have no intention of watching movies on a 2" screen, I better jump quick.

 

[soundhd]

There must be a reason why they stopped making the 160GB model.......I have read users have had problems with them...........and I would have to get all new cases, etc......the 160GB is thicker then the 120gb model and for my uses the 120GB will be just fine............

 

[soundhd]

By passing the internal DAC?

By the way, I did read in this posting (a copy of part of that reply is below)about "by passing" the IPOD's internal DAC......

My understanding is that to experience all that the unit has to offer, you must connect it with an external DAC. Without the DAC, isn't this just an overpriced docking station? Might be worth something if it gives the line level a boost.


How do you do about "by passing" the internal DAC? I would like to try that just to see if it changes the way the audio sounds...the only time I use the "analog" output is when I use my ear/head phones.........so does this mean that when you connect to the 30 pin connector on the bottom of the IPOD with either a docking connector or an interface you are not using the internal DAC...if so then the dock has an internal DAC as well as the interfaces? (I have interfaces in my cars & truck...)......I thought I read somewhere the output in the 30pin connector is a digital output....did I read that part incorrectly?......

 

[soundhd]

More on the Wadia Transport........

I just did a search on the net and found a review on the Wadia by Stereophile Mag...(among others)....one of the things it says is you have to use the digital output of the Wadia to get the "true' full sound of the IPOD.....it sounds like all (all? I guess it is something that needs to be done in order to get the best audio out of the IPOD....) the Wadia does is somehow it by passes the internal DAC, sends the audio out of the digital output in a digital form that can be used to feed and external DAC and from that DAC then you can feed it to your audio system.........I do not have a seperate DAC so if I wanted to try the Wadia ($379 and change) and hear it in its best form, I would also have to invest in an external DAC...........getting pretty expensive now..........so I guess if your an audiophile like I am just use your vinyl and cd's when listening to your main system and use the IPOD for on the go....BUT...if the IPOD is your only music source then I would say (for now anyway) maybe the Wadia is the best way to go along with an external DAC......

PS: just my opinion...I am sure one of many

 

[soundhd]

Well, I have been searching the net and reading the reviews for the Wadia 170I and they are all very good...........kind of puts a new "twist' on where to use a IPOD.....(reminding you that you really should use either Wav or apple lossless files to get the full worth of the Wadia 170I......plus an external DAC..............