Waiting for ARTs and W4S DAC2 DSDse

Rayooo

Rayooo

Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2013
Messages
422
It's been a few days now with no music. That's not entirely true, as there's music all around via dozens of means of course, but even so, I do get a bit antsy after a few days when the "big" system is down. I guess a few beers doesn't really satisfy a drug addict very long. (OK, that's a sick analogy I know)

The ART Monos are on order and hopefully will arrive in the next week.. Nothing at all wrong with the JC-1s, I love'em, but something mental always happens when I'm awaiting new gear, almost like I don't want to waste good listening time on the "old" stuff. Yea, that's yet another first-world problem.

During this tweak-time, I figured I'd dip my feet into DSD land...so the other day a W4S DAC2 DSDse arrives.
I hook it up, install the drivers and within a few minutes I'm playing any and all forms of PCM. Then I shoot over and download a couple DSD recordings.
A few minutes later I'm listening to DSD. (ASIO mode over USB in JRiver)
Works great.

Then I proceed to see how well the new system handles sample-rate and DSD to PCM track changes, to my shock, going from PCM to DSD, or DSD to PCM I get a POP.
Ahhhhhh crap. I hate this.
I start tweaking around in JRiver, no joy! poop.

I send a quick note to W4S, I get a response back virtually immediately.
To make a short story a bit shorter, I had a number of phone and email exchanges with W4S. Never was it implied that I was an idiot who didn't know what I was doing or talking about. Within an hour or so they had verified with both their own prototype and a production unit that in fact there should be NO pops during transactions. On the phone, we compared JRiver setups and they tried both 18 and 19.

At this point THEY suggested there may be a fault in the DAC, I myself wasn't even ready to make that jump.
I sent it back and the day it arrived at W4S they hooked it up and began testing. (yesterday)
Last evening I get a note stating that they FOUND a problem, mechanical in nature within the DAC where not all DAC channels were getting routed the proper data, causing the POP.

I'm not sure about anyone else, but typically, I only receive this kind of support these days, on anything at all, from about 1% of companies I deal with. Typically, even when I get good help, it always comes with an undertone that I'm an idiot and why are you bothering us, we only really want to help smart a$$es like us.
This W4S outfit sure seems to have their act together. :D

Hopefully by sometime next week I'll be able to get a proper music-fix. Now where oh where are those new ARTs? :bonkers::bonkers:
 
Congrats on the new gear!!! Obviously someone else on this forum loves their art monos. Lol!!!
It's great you found some customer service and your right it doesn't happen too much anymore. When I had a fuse issue with my amp I called Manley and even though I bought them used and no warranty , they were so good and walked me through everything until I fixed the problem, even though it sounded like the tech I was dealing with had the flu or was sick as hell.
I was so shocked at the service I got I wanted to go buy more manley gear.
But it's also sad when someone stands behind their product and it makes you realize how little of that there is left out there. Most others don't want anything to do with you, they got your money and they are done with you.
Congrats on the new gear , I am also musicless since my speakers sold a couple weeks ago. But everything is on the way and I'm looking forward to a long cold winter of breaking in new gear.
Congrats again, let us know how it all sounds!!
 
I agree that Wyred has great customer service. I had a couple pieces of their gear and called them about some questions on the DAC2. They were extremely nice and helpful and didn't rush in answering my questions to get me off the phone.

There is something about not having your "main" system up and running. I too am currently music-less at the moment. It seems very strange not to fire up the stereo and listen to some tunes. Right now I'm listening to my iPod through a dock. Oh the misery!

Hopefully your ART's get delivered soon and you can put this horrible waiting behind you. :)
 
What a great story. I love it when we can count on high end companies to provide such great support. W4S is obviously a company that cares and responds. I bet their new DAC will be great too. Congrats on dipping your toe into the DSD waters.
 
Wow Ray. I'm so happy W4S took care of you like that. They are an outstanding company with great gear. I could name a super high end company that could not have been more opposite of your experience. Needless to say I don't own their gear and probably never will.

By the way, all new CJ ART amps come with a Depends seven day pak. Believe me they will be necessary because you will lose control when you hear those babies. I can't tell you how happy I am for you. I'll see you in heaven when you hook up the new gear.
 
joeinid said:
Wow Ray. I'm so happy W4S took care of you like that. They are an outstanding company with great gear. I could name a super high end company that could not have been more opposite of your experience. Needless to say I don't own their gear and probably never will.

By the way, all new CJ ART amps come with a Depends seven day pak. Believe me they will be necessary because you will lose control when you hear those babies. I can't tell you how happy I am for you. I'll see you in heaven when you hook up the new gear.
Click to expand...

good thing I kept the "leather" listening chair. :) phew Joe, you're not helping with this waiting! :exciting::panic:

I hate it when a 60 year old acts like a 7 year old, especially when it's me waiting for a new toy.
 
dlb2 said:
Ray I bet those Maggies are gonna' sing with that CJ gear hooked up to them! :woot:
Click to expand...

update:
.. with a little luck, the DAC2DSDse and the ART monos should be here sometime middle of next week. the waiting is bearable, but just barely. :)
 
Rayooo said:
update:
.. with a little luck, the DAC2DSDse and the ART monos should be here sometime middle of next week. the waiting is bearable, but just barely. :)
Click to expand...

Congrats! You and Joe can continue to tell us about the ART magic!
 
Mike said:
Congrats! You and Joe can continue to tell us about the ART magic!
Click to expand...

I dunno, I think Joe is doing a wonderful job on his own, 'not sure I'd be able to add anything.
One of my biggest thrills was when Joe bought a new GAT :snicker:... myself being the one who bought his first one. :sneaky::sneaky:
 
dlb2 said:
Ray I bet those Maggies are gonna' sing with that CJ gear hooked up to them! :woot:
Click to expand...

Oh, and I sure hope this is the case, I avoided tube-amps with Maggies for years...I just would not & could not accept a big output transformer driving low impedance speakers properly. Largely based on my own stubbornness I guess.
 
Rayooo said:
I dunno, I think Joe is doing a wonderful job on his own, 'not sure I'd be able to add anything.
One of my biggest thrills was when Joe bought a new GAT :snicker:... myself being the one who bought his first one. :sneaky::sneaky:
Click to expand...

Ray,

I swore to myself that I would not replace something I sold because I want to "move on". I thought I'd get the next best thing and be happy. Well we all know how that worked out. Sometimes we need to recognize a mistake and own up to it. And when I say me, I mean I. :)

Rayooo said:
Oh, and I sure hope this is the case, I avoided tube-amps with Maggies for years...I just would not & could not accept a big output transformer driving low impedance speakers properly. Largely based on my own stubbornness I guess.
Click to expand...

Something that I've learned recently and that really started to change my perception was buying the Job 225. That superb little amp turned me upside down. Adding the Studio2 was another revelation. Wow! Throw any preconceived notions out the window and try something. That usually turns out to be the best solution, bar none.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top