If anyone is interested Anedio is having a free 2 week sample evaluation with the D2 DAC ... this is a great opportunity for anyone considering this product.  All you pay is shipping and handling both ways!

Contact: anedio_info@anedio.com and put Sample Evaluation Program in the subject header ...

Orangcrush,

I have a W4S DAC-2 and a few others at the moment.... and though I have never heard or seen the Anedio D2 or the Weis, I have compared my W4S to the NAD and at least a dozen other DACs... I have never heard the W4S sound:

"dark, thick and veiled"

compared to anything I've tried.. very interesting.  I never heard it described this way.  Its certainly not "forward" if that is ones definition of "detailed", but it has about as much rez, air and transient speed, dynamics, snap and realism as any DAC I've heard.  Makes me wonder what the context of the system was you heard it in and if the unit you heard was "in spec" or something else was fubar.

Just goes to show how so many companies can make $$ producing and selling DAC's... as there are so many varying sonic tastes, systems and room synergy to contend with.

I also am a firm believer that in today's digital world you do not have to possess a 2nd mortgage priced DAC in order to get world class sound.  The DAC chips are getting so advanced that performance differences are pretty narrow.  The real variable is the analog output stage after the DAC and filter.  And the implementation of the input to allow for different bit and sampling rates, input format, remote control, etc. are the only real distinguishing traits.  If you don't believe it, just go have a listen to any of the current crop of sub $500 overachiever's in volume matched A/B's and prepare to be stunned!

doesn't line up that way to my ears or the systems & rooms I've tried it in... about 5-6 A/B's to date.  

In fact I haven't heard what I would classify as "Night & Day" differences between DAC's/players in years.  The gaps in SQ have narrowed significantly as the processing chips have advanced.  Generally one can hear/identify "differences", but not night & day like you could with dacs/players back in the late 80's and thru the 90's.  The quality of the recording/production in most cases has far greater impact on the SQ coming out of the speakers anymore - just my experience (2-3 DAC's per year pass thru my systems on average, I have 5 at the moment) and opinion.

but as we all know, hearing is an individual "perception" - if you think you hear it - then you do - end of argument.

but I would encourage anybody out there who is DAC shopping in that price range, listen to the W4S for yourself.  And you should also have a listen to the Schiit Audio DAC's too before you lay down any more of your hard-earned $$$$.  Mike Moffat at Schiit goes way back with Theta Digital, and they know what they're doing.

As always, let your ears be the judge!  

happy listening..!!  

impossible to hear every component that comes down the pike... even if you are retired & financially independent.  I am pleased that you are satisfied with the Anedio in your system.  Satisfaction is what its all about.
By a huge overwhelming margin, there are more rave reviews on the Wyred than there are less enthralled, poor or less favorable reviews.  So what!  What does this prove?  Nothing!  Building ones system based solely on somebody else's opinion of something is a recipe for discontent and empty pockets.  Last months, "this is the greatest thing since sliced bread review" will be old news and considered less than stellar by next month.  Reviewers preferences and hearing are as varied as ours... and they have vastly different motivations for their written opinions!

"live with them for awhile" - if once broken-in (if new) and warmed up and you still have to listen hard and carefully "for awhile" to hear differences... hmmm... one may be acclimating to the sound... humans do "adapt" - make no mistake.  And perhaps there just isn't that big of a difference if you have to listen "long and hard" to hear it - which was one of my points to begin with.  I try a lot of new, latest and greatest stuff out during the course of a year... most of the new & improved, is well...ugh, just "new".  So it goes back or is passed along to the next "seeker of truth"...

I have had my Dac-2 for about a year.  The others I currently have, I have had for 2 years or more.  I've had my Theta the longest and have been a "fan boy" of Theta every since they came on the scene in my locale in the late 80's.  An older Theta DAC will hold its own with anything made today on redbook CD sourced sound.  I don't expect anyone to take my word for it - just listen for yourself if you get a chance.

Also...our "age" comes into play.  If you're the age of 25, you can't hear 20khz anymore.  If you're over 50, one would be lucky to hear much above 10-12khz.  This means... that as we age... we tend to find sound that it is tilted up in the treble more to our liking simply because we can't hear "up there" very well anymore and a system that is tilted up in those frequency ranges will sound more detailed, more resolute, more clarity to one who's hearing is less than perfect at those frequencies.  And thus... our children, and younger "philes" tend to find sound that I find well "balanced" and to my liking to be "bright" and forward.
Always a good reality check to pull out the disc with the 1/3 octave test tones on it and your SPL meter and listen at least yearly.  Adjust to comfortably loud at 1khz, and then watch the meter and run the scale from 20hz up to 20khz... the meter will tell you what you should be hearing, your brain will tell if you ears can hear it anymore - assuming the given system can reproduce the frequencies.  I like to pull my 23 yr old daughter or teenage nephews and nieces into the room when doing this occasionally... they can clearly demonstrate the limits of my hearing to me...  ;D

Anyway... Wyred DAC-2, to Aesthetic Calypso to Torii-3 to my single,full-range, high efficiency driver speakers... no darkness detectable.  I can hear Diana Krall wet her lips, sense the deflection of her head turning away from and toward the mic, I can hear musicians turn pages on the music, chairs creek as the players shift their positions and the hum of guitar amps, voice echoes off the walls of the recording studio - it's good enough - I'm there.  Lots of paths to sonic nirvana... and it sounds like you've found yours - I'm also pretty content at the moment - we should be thankful and just "enjoy the music"!

orangecrush... are you attending the fest next month?  would be a pleasure to meet you and "talk shop"...