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ESOTERIC, WADIA -- How do they really sound?

I have read and heard that upgrading your source to the highest level possible will make the greatest difference. This makes sense, in that once information is lost or poorly decoded, it cannot be regained.

BUT, I am dumbfounded at the opinion of expensive digital players out there. I did an exhaustive search on the forums on Esoteric and Wadia, and was shocked to find some very strong criticisms of deficiencies in products from both these companies, and Levinson and others.

Yet, you can find bang-up magazine reviews on all these products (no surprise, right?).

My concern is that some of the criticisms are rather severe, and surprising in items of this price caliber. For example. The soundstaging is pushed together, the tonal balance is off, the dynamics are compressed, the treble is bright, the sonics are thin, the bass is lacking, the digital volume control degrades the sonics, etc.

If you are buying used, and don't have dealers to take these pieces home, or feel unethical in doing so, how can you make any decisions based on this quagmire of information?

HELP!
saxo
edpowers
14 posts
 
I would guess at least part of the reason for the criticisms is that as the price goes up, so does the expectations.
And some people just won't ever be satisfied no matter how good something is.
tboooe's avatar
tboooe
1,009 posts
 
This is a definite problem if you cannot audition the players yourself. The problem is inherent in our extremely subjective hobby. What sounds great to me may sound muddled and horrible to someone else. There is no way to make a definitive assessment of anything. We could try and use absolute data such as measurements but even this information can vary from test to test depending on the myriad of inter-related things that could effect the sound. Numbers also do not capture what we perceive inbetween our ears. So in a nutshell you are screwed! :)

Do whatever you can to come up with your own opinion of the players. At the end of the day, it does not matter what anyone else says as long as you like what you are hearing.
honest1
586 posts
 
Buy and sell used on A-gon. While it may be psooible to break even or come out ahead, allow a couple hundred dollars loss on each transaction, and buy and sell until you find what you like. Even at a couple hundred dollars a transaction, you will still end up saving vs. buying new. The other option is to shop your local stores for their used gear. You may still have hte option of returning / home trial, but pay used prices. You need to be patient until the piece you want shows up.
audphile1's avatar
audphile1
5,443 posts
 
it's all a matter of personal prefference.
that's why you see different things being said.
at times same component performs differently in the context of different systems. what makes you concentrate on the Esoteric and Wadia? what do you currently have that you need to upgrade?
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