I recently bought a Wadia 170i Ipod transport and then I began to look around for a DAC that would be compatible with the Wadia and not be too costly. Most of the used DACS that I found were WAY too expensive to dedicate to a $300 IPOD transport and I was afraid that I might just have to punt on using my Ipod with "the good stuff"
Then I remembered that I had an almost antique Meridian Bitstream Digital Converter model 203 - very favorably reviewed by Robert Harley and Sam Tellig way back in 1991- lurking in a closet somewhere. (These reviews are still on line in Sterophile.com)
I finally found the almost 20 year old machine at the bottom of a pile of old discarded computer screens, broken tuners, cassette players and the like.
I got it out, dusted it off, cleaned the terminals, plugged it in and MY GOSH it sounded really, really good.
The thing cost $990 in 2001 and it sounds, to me, as good as some of the new multi-thousand dollar DACs of current vintage.
Mr. Tellig - you and Mr. Harley called it right. This thing does sound good.
Audiogon's Blue Book tells me that these boxes may be had on the used market for less than $200.00. If you have a Wadia 170i and need a dac that will really do the job, I will recommend this Oldie but goodie really, really very highly.
I recently bought a Wadia 170i Ipod transport and then I began to look around for a DAC that would be compatible with the Wadia and not be too costly. Most of the used DACS that I found were WAY too expensive to dedicate to a $300 IPOD transport and I was afraid that I might just have to punt on using my Ipod with "the good stuff"
Then I remembered that I had an almost antique Meridian Bitstream Digital Converter model 203 - very favorably reviewed by Robert Harley and Sam Tellig way back in 1991- lurking in a closet somewhere. (These reviews are still on line in Sterophile.com)
I finally found the almost 20 year old machine at the bottom of a pile of old discarded computer screens, broken tuners, cassette players and the like.
I got it out, dusted it off, cleaned the terminals, plugged it in and MY GOSH it sounded really, really good.
The thing cost $990 in 2001 and it sounds, to me, as good as some of the new multi-thousand dollar DACs of current vintage.
Mr. Tellig - you and Mr. Harley called it right. This thing does sound good.
Audiogon's Blue Book tells me that these boxes may be had on the used market for less than $200.00. If you have a Wadia 170i and need a dac that will really do the job, I will recommend this Oldie but goodie really, really very highly.