Installation Notes (and a first impression)…
By Roy Gregory
Widely trailed and a long time coming, the Wadax Studio Player is perhaps one of the most eagerly awaited audio products in many a year. The Wadax Reference components are nearly unanimously accepted as the de facto standard to which other digital replay systems must aspire, the nearest thing we’ve ever had to a universally accepted digital benchmark. Nearly unanimously? Well, you can’t expect the competition (or those heavily invested in it) to go down gracefully. But to those whose only interest is in performance, whether they can or (far more likely) can’t afford it, the Wadax Reference DAC and Server (and the Atlantis Reference Transport) are one of the most emphatic audio slam-dunks they’ve ever experienced. But despite the size, despite the weight and despite the enormous price-tag, the most impressive thing about the Wadax Reference kit is that it succeeds in banishing its rivals on purely musical grounds. It sounds more like life and makes more sense of the music than any other digital equipment out there… by a considerable margin.
Which explains exactly why the idea of a product that offers rather more than just a slice of ‘Reference-level’ performance, but at a more real-world price point, is so enticing. Enter then, the Studio Player, harbinger of a new line of Wadax products, a collection that will eventually expand to offer end-users a more modular, separates approach to digital replay. Projected to include a standalone DAC/streamer, a separate, universal DC power supply, an external master clock and a pre-conditioning AC supply, the plan is to offer owners the ability to start with the product that delivers those facilities they require while having the opportunity to upgrade as and when they choose. In passing, it is worth noting that the clock will be a true Master, as opposed to a Word, clock. That means it will run at multiples of the data sampling frequency, so 22.5792MHz or 24.576MHz, so unless that external clock you already have lying around can do that, it won’t be compatible. Meanwhile, first down the ramp is the all-singing, all-dancing Studio Player, a CD/SACD player, streamer and DAC built into a single, substantial chassis and offering fixed or variable output.
The burning question is, just how much of the Wadax Reference components’ performance is built into this single box? It might be big, but there’s no escaping the fact that at €35,000/$39,800 (both plus local sales tax) it is still physically smaller than a single Reference unit and, rather less than a tenth of the price being asked for a full Reference rig.
The Studio Player arrived in the same heavy-duty, wheeled Pelican case as the other Wadax components. When it comes to electronics, if you want something that at least looks higher-zoot and matches the performance of a well-engineered cardboard carton, this is pretty much the only sensible option. In comparison, wooden crates are just dumb and so ‘last century’ – apart from which, in many cases and circumstances they aren’t even that effective. Unlatch the hinged lid on the carry case and the first thing you see is a high-density foam layer with one of the ultra-slim Wadax remote controls nestled in its surface (the design hasn’t changed since Pre 1 days – and is still sleek, stylish and effective). Beneath that, sunk in the body of the case is the Player itself, shrouded in a silver/grey fabric cover. Wells at each end allow you to reach down and lift the unit out. Just be careful: at 32kg/70lbs it’s heavy enough to demand respect, the case hangs on to its charge and the whole operation can be awkward enough to cause difficulty. If in doubt – get help.
