Wadax Studio Player: Ultimate Streaming DAC and Disc Player Combo

Experience unmatched sound quality with the Wadax Studio Player, a compact DAC and streaming disc player blending cutting-edge tech at an accessible price.

Introduction to the Wadax Studio Player

If you're into high-end digital audio, you'll know Wadax for their Reference series—a pinnacle of warmth, resolution, and musical realism. But let's be honest: their huge, costly systems (weighing nearly 500 pounds and costing close to half a million dollars) are out of reach for most.

Enter the Wadax Studio Player, a marvel that packs the flagship Reference tech into a single chassis housing a DAC, streamer, CD/SACD disc transport, and volume control. Simply hook it up to the internet, an amplifier, and speakers, and boom—you've got a complete system for $39,800, which is less than a tenth of the Reference series price.

The big question? How much of that Reference magic made it to this compact powerhouse?

Striking Design and User-Friendly Controls

The Studio Player’s design screams Wadax heritage but with a cleaner, less polarizing look than the Reference units.

• Front panel features a 5-inch color touchscreen handling all controls.
• Comes with an ultra-slim remote, but initial setup requires the touchscreen.
• Smooth-gliding disc drawer supports CD and SACD playback.

On the rear:

• Balanced XLR analog outputs (no RCA by default, but optional RCA output and headphone jack available).
• Three digital outputs: AES/EBU, RCA, BNC.
• Two clock inputs for future upgrades.
• Optional external power supply connection.

Streaming-wise, it integrates seamlessly with Spotify, Qobuz, and Tidal, including Tidal MAX for high-res playback up to 192kHz/24-bit. It supports MQA from discs and streams, plus DSD streaming (DSD64, DSD128, DSD256). Notably, the player is UPnP compliant and supports AirPlay, great for streaming TV audio through its superior DAC.

"Something was fundamentally right about the sound... this was one of the best-sounding rooms in Munich." — Tom Martin, audio expert

Technical Excellence Under the Hood

The Studio Player is built to an astronomical degree of precision, boasting:

• Over 4500 discrete components spread across 40 circuit boards.
• Multi-stage power supply with 5 initial DC regulators and 30 local regulators for ultra-clean power.
• Noise on voltage rails at a jaw-dropping 0.5µV (1Hz–100kHz), ensuring pristine audio purity.

It employs Wadax’s proprietary musIC 3 feed-forward error-correction technology, running intense real-time math to correct time and phase errors and dramatically improve sound quality.

The DAC section shares the same circuit as the $175k Reference DAC, though in a more streamlined form. It’s fully balanced dual-mono design with physical separation of channels in both analog and digital domains.

One standout feature is user-adjustable output impedance, allowing you to fine-tune electrical matching with your amplifier—a subtle yet meaningful touch in high-end audio.

Streaming Innovations and Connectivity

The Studio Player is at the forefront of streaming tech:

• Direct connection to Spotify, Qobuz, and Tidal apps (with more planned).
• One of the first devices supporting Tidal MAX for ultra-high resolution streaming.
• Users can browse artwork, select music, create playlists, and send streams via native app connects.
• AirPlay implementation is specially engineered to avoid typical jitter issues by allowing the DAC to act as the master clock, preserving sound fidelity.

This means you can effortlessly pump Netflix or Prime audio through the Studio Player with superior quality, assuming your TV streaming box (like AppleTV) and Studio Player share the same network.

User Controls and Customization

On the touchscreen, you can:

• Choose between fixed or variable output depending on your setup.
• Adjust volume step sizes for precise control.
• Set nominal output level: 1V, 2V, or 4V.
• Change output impedance, polarity inversion, balance control.
• Set default playback layer for hybrid CD/SACD discs.

The interface also elegantly displays album art, track time, and volume status, making each listening session visually and sonically engaging.

Listening Experience: A Deep Dive

I connected the Studio Player via variable output directly to CH Precision M10 power amplifiers, feeding Wilson Chronosonic XVX speakers—a stellar rig that easily reveals sonic nuances.

Here’s what stood out:

• Bass: Deep, full, warm, and richly textured, avoiding the thinness and mechanical feel common in digital. Whether it’s Ray Brown’s upright bass on Soular Energy or Brian Bromberg’s Wood II, the player nails the weight and intricate details.
• Midrange: Warm, dense, and smooth, devoid of harshness or grain. Rachel Z’s solo piano on Sensual had a natural fluidity that’s hard to find elsewhere.
• Treble: Extended and detailed without glare. Omar Hakim’s cymbals shimmered with delicate inner detail, and Roy Hargrove’s trumpet on Jazz in the Key of Blue rang out with bell-like clarity.
• Resolution: Not flashy or shouty, but musically expressive with subtle details that bring instruments and vocals to life.
• Rhythm: Dynamic and punchy, effortlessly driving big-band energy and groove (try Bob James’ “Hands On” or Diana Krall’s Live in Paris).

And the kicker? The dimensionality is extraordinary. Instruments float in space with room and air between them, making the soundstage feel alive and spacious. Anouar Brahem’s The Astounding Eyes of Rita was breathtaking in how each instrument was precisely located and the silence between notes was profound.

"I spent many evenings completely immersed in the music and didn’t give a second thought to the Reference system sitting in my rack unused." — enthusiastic listener

Conclusion: The One-Box Wonder

Wadax has brilliantly condensed their Reference system’s soul and technology into the Studio Player, a sleek, user-friendly, and upgradeable all-in-one solution that doesn't sacrifice sound quality.

Its tonal warmth, rich bass, and natural timbre, combined with its smooth treble and vivid dimensionality, make listening a deeply engaging experience without fatiguing your ears.

While it’s not cheap, at $39,800 it represents incredible value given its technology, sound, and future-proof design with modular DAC boards and upgrade options.

If you're after a compact yet powerful digital playback centerpiece, the Wadax Studio Player is the ultimate "one-box wonder."

Specifications & Pricing

• Disc formats: CD, SACD
• Streaming: Spotify, Tidal (including Tidal MAX), Qobuz; more coming
• Analog outputs: Balanced XLR (fixed or variable), optional RCA & headphone
• Digital outputs: AES/EBU, SPDIF on RCA, SPDIF on BNC
• Clock inputs: 2 BNC
• Other inputs: Optional external power supply
• Display: 5-inch color touchscreen
• Output levels: Fixed selectable (1V, 2V, 4V), variable via remote or front panel
• Dimensions: 18.9″ × 10.45″ × 17.1″
• Weight: 66 lbs net, 99 lbs shipping
• Price: $39,800

Associated Equipment Used for Review

• Turntable: Basis Audio A.J. Conti Transcendence turntable, Air Tight Opus cartridge
• Amplification: CH Precision L10 linestage, CH Precision M10 power amplifiers
• Power Conditioning: Shunyata Everest 8000, Omega & Sigma power cords
• Racks & Isolation: Critical Mass Systems Olympus, CenterStage², Arya Audio RevOpods
• Cables: AudioQuest Dragon interconnects and speaker cables
• Acoustics: Acoustic Geometry Pro Room Pack 12
• Room: Purpose-built with Acoustic Sciences Corporation Iso-Wall system

• How does the Studio Player compare to the Wadax Reference system?
  While the Reference system offers deeper bass and even smoother textures, the Studio Player delivers remarkable sound that often immerses listeners so fully they forget which system they’re using.
• Can I use the Studio Player without a preamp?
  Yes! It has a variable output mode allowing direct connection to power amplifiers, making it versatile in system setups.
• Does it support high-res streaming?
  Absolutely. It supports Tidal MAX streaming at up to 192kHz/24-bit, plus DSD and MQA playback.
• Is the Studio Player upgradeable?
  Yes. It accepts external power supplies and clocks for future upgrades, and its DAC modules can be swapped as technology advances.
• What digital outputs does it have?
  It features AES/EBU, SPDIF on RCA, and SPDIF on BNC outputs, letting you use the Studio Player as a transport or streamer.

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