Wadia 861SE with GNSC Statement Upgrade

I have the 861SE with Reference upgrade from GNSC. I still really like the looks & the sound. I don't feel compelled to change or upgrade.
As AZjake wrote - Steve is tops in pre & post sales & the best person for Wadia mods.
I also know a friend who owns an 861SE with Statement mods (what you are looking at) & he has compared his Wadia sound to other hi-end CDPs like dCS, Burmester, Accuphase, Esoteric & found that changing would be a lateral move more than anything else. FWIW. YMMV.

Hi Bombaywalla,
I had a Wadia 861se with GNSC statement upgrade. I can assure you it has nothing to compare with DCS or Esoteric top end models. The wadia was lacking in definition. It had a big sound but with little resolution or depth in soundstage. Dynamics were either on or off. It may be more musical than the old DCS P8i but only great if you only listen to rock music.

While the Wadia is a beautifully built machine and GNSC did a wonderfully neat job inside, there are better players out there.

New digital is nearly always better than old digital.

Dear Chadeffect,

Although I don't doubt your hearing, the description of the disadvantages you note do not seem compatible with my perception of Wadia. Specifically, lack of resolution, dynamics, soundstage depth, and definition. Those descriptors, along with a solid bass and clear delineation of harmonies and rhythm, are among its attributes. Likewise, I would never recommend any Wadia for rock music. So your conclusions are interesting.

The 861se remains a statement single-box CD player. Although they may have updated the power supply and a number of other things, the 861 contains a great transport. The transport is vital because an accurate read requires less error correction, and error correction can be unmusical. Personally, I wouldn't hesitate to buy or recommend an 861SE Statement for a great price if that was the budget. Of course, it needs attention to shelfing, powercord, and power conditioner for it to really open-up.

Chadeffect,
You are stating your opinion as if it were "fact" when in fact it is your opinion. Others have theirs and they may be just as valid.

>> 02-21-09: Chadeffect
>> The wadia was lacking in definition. It had a big sound
>> but with little resolution or depth in soundstage.
>> Dynamics were either on or off.

Chadeffect, you heard what you heard. I'm not going to argue with you on that score.
However, I am going to discount your comments completely because "definition", "resolution", "depth in soundstage", "dynamics" are all hallmarks of the 861SE player. I have these attributes in spades in my setup. Many others, who are also owners of the 861SE player, have reported the same conclusions. I fail to understand how you were missing all these attributes in your system?
The Wadia needs some work to extract its best but then don't all the others (EMM Labs, dCS, Esoteric, mbl, etc) as well?

Looks like you are not a Wadia fan. That's fine with me. Hope that you are enjoying your dCS.