Any heard/heard of Whest DAP.10 R processor?


I read about this intriguing "processor" in July '04 issue of Hi-Fi World. The reviewer seemed fairly impressed by it's effect.

Anyone out there have any experience with this device?
denf
OK guys, I just qualified for my sucker certificate - Audio Advisor had two DAP 10R's up for auction on ebay. Both were customer returns and are supposed to fully functional (no burning smells, both channels working, etc). No return privilege, of course, but full factory warranty (whatever that means....)

I won one today for 1099. The other didn't make reserve and is re-listed.

I'll let you guys know what I think when I get it.
Well, I got my DAP10 yesterday. I hooked it up and guess what - no right channel. I wonder if they sent me BOA2's unit!

Since I'd asked Audio Advisor explicitly whether or not the unit was working before buying, and they answered "yes", they're going to get me a replacement unit.

What I heard through the left channel alone was promising.

I'll post again once I see a new unit.
I tried the replacement that AA sent me this weekend. It worked fine when I hooked it up, and I listened to a couple of CD cuts I know well on my cold system.

I let the system including the DAP warm up for an hour, then I returned to listen again. I replayed the same two cuts, then moved to another on the same CD.

At this point the DAP had been powered up for about an hour and a quarter. Suddenly the right channel died. I muted the preamp and picked up the DAP to check out the conections, which were fine.

I unmuted the preamp and warily sat down to listen. Both channels were again operational.

About 2 minutes later I heard a loud bang through my right speaker and the right channel went dead again.

At this point I'd had all I could handle. I removed the DAP and confirmed that the right speaker was OK after the transient. This is the first piece of gear that has ever catastrophically failed in my system in over 23 years of listening.

I called AA next day and reported my problems, and they agreed to refund the unit - kudos to Joe and Matt for great customer service.

Now for my listening impressions. Of necessity they are based on about 20 minutes of listening - I normally prefer to listen much longer before forming an impression.

System (my Frankenstein) consists of:

- Wadia 7 transport
- Genesis Digital Lens
- Wadia 9 D/A
- Krell KRC-HR preamp
- Apogee Studio Grand speakers (including DAX electronic crossover)
- Pass Aleph 1.2 on the ribbon panels
- Aragon Palladium II on the subwoofers

System is currently wired single ended, except for the link from the Studio Grand DAX crossover to the Palladium II's, which only have a balanced input.

Test CD: "No Frontiers", Mary Black; main track :"Columbus"

I consider imaging and spatial detail to be one of the great strengths of the Wadia7/9 combo.

With the DAP in place, I did hear more apparent detail, but it came at a cost. My impression was that the entire tonal balance of the system had shifted toward the treble. Bass was there, but it lost some weight, and the highs seemed etched and a bit harsh. The overall sound of the system was thin, and I missed the spectral balance of the system without the DAP.

Mary Black's voice lost its warmth and huskiness, and sounded cold, sterile, and high-fi. True, I heard a bit more ambience, but no more than I would get from EQing the highs.

I don't know how the DAP would have improved with breakin, but I don't want to risk my speakers to try again. I still wonder what the processor is really doing to the signal.

Clearly Whest is having some kind of quality control issue with the DAP-10R. BOA2 got one defective unit and I got two. If you try one be sure you buy from a dealer with good support.

My $.02.
Sorry that happened, Mark. A dealer also told me he had received two defective DAP.10 units. One blew immediately, and the other after about five minutes. A rep then brought him another one for a listen, and he said it was wonderful for the 45 minutes or so that he was able to hear it. He said that the music sounded more full-bodied, and the tone was noticeably more pure. He intends to carry them, provided that he can depend on them being fully operational out of the box. He is quite impressed with their phono stage as well, and this from a man who's signature line is Audio Note.
As a short follow-up, the issues that the dealer was having were from damage incurred during shipping. He said that the units are even better packed now, and they are arriving at his shop without issue. I heard the Whest phono stage the other day, and it was outstanding. I've not heard everything on the market, but it expressed the music with a warmth that I've rarely heard from SS. Others have commented in more appropriate detail than I can, so I'll just say that it was quite impressive.

Our local dealer is also using a Whest DAP.10 in his home system, and refuses to listen to a CD without it. I'm sure we'll have an audition of the unit in our system before long. Coincidentally, James (the owner of Whest) was here recently for a visit with our dealer. Sorry I missed him, and his apparently very good sense of humor!