[bhobba]

Hi Guys

My Steve Nugent Offramp 4 has arrived and hooked it up to a WFS DAC which is to my ears the worse DAC I own - holey crap - its now above any other Saber based dac I have heard - even the John Kenny Saber. I do not have any other DAC's with an input other than USB so can't comment on its effects on other DAC's right now. I will be taking it to an acquaintance with an I2S PDX on Monday and can comment further then. But things look very promising. Now the downside - it costs $1700.00.

The difference is the increased detail and better more controlled bass in the WFS with the Offramp.  It seems to have reduced the sibilance and cold top end of the WFS - the slight upper mid-range lower treble glare may have been reduced as well - but not to the same degree.  Now I would definitely say its better than the John Kenny Saber - but bear in mind its cost.

Anyway more info later when I have had a chance to connect it to more DAC's.

Thanks
Bill

[wilsynet]

I'm with you on the sibilance and cold top end of the WFS DAC-2.  When I returned it to the manufacturer citing my experience, they swore up and down that no way could that be the case, must be something up with my system.

When I owned an Off Ramp 4 a year ago, I found that it dramatically improved every DAC I had on hand, including the Benchmark DAC1, changing it from cold and fatiguing to musical and convincing while preserving detail and dynamics.

I should probably have kept my Off Ramp 4 and BPT Battery Power Supply.  Some regret occasionally, although I'm quite happy with my DAC right now.

[bhobba]

I'm with you on the sibilance and cold top end of the WFS DAC-2.  When I returned it to the manufacturer citing my experience, they swore up and down that no way could that be the case, must be something up with my system.

That makes me laugh, it really does.  Every single person I have demonstrated my WFS to noticed exactly the same thing.  Just Saturday last week I had a guy over to check out the John Kenny Saber DAC and we compared it to the WFS - basically it was un-listenable compared to the other DAC's including the JK Saber.

I believe it is the exact opposite - people who don't hear it have suspect systems.  The speakers I was using, ML3 Reference (they are lined with steel and use hellishly expensive VSF Copper Capacitors that just by themselves have a wholesale value of $3.5K) are the bigger brothers of ML1's that totally wowed an audio club meeting in NY to hear the new Bryston amps:
'The ML-1s sounded wonderfull in every way. Giant killers ? From 50 hz up yes indeed.  Even though the ribbons of the Carvers were still connected.  When we noticed some upper midrange and lower treble excess energy Mark actually made the discovery. When corrected these little babies stunned us with their tone. Lacking in the low frequencies the bass at 50Hz was spot on in every way.'
'Not much to add onto what others said re the Lenehans - Clear, clean, pure, open, yet for me absolutely subwoofer is a must. Gorgeous cabinetry on the outside and very heavy for their size. A very revealing speaker that in the right hands will sound otherworldly good, but also has the potential to be too revealing of a bad source. I would not want to listen to bad cd through bad SS gear. It's a small tribute to the Digital Amp Co Cherry JR that even though it's a Class D amp, the Lenehans sounded glorious with it, when the right source (EE DAC but to a greater extent Carl's DAC) and pre (Carl again - see a pattern here?).'

They allow you to only too readily hear the problems with a DAC like the WFS.  I really would like to know what speakers WFS use just so I can stay clear of them.  Just kidding - but seriously though it does leave me scratching my head about the equipment they use.

Thanks
Bill

[bhobba]

Hi Guys

Tried to get this working on an I2S PDX with a special cable that had been made to connect the Off-Ramp and PDX. Bummer - could not get it working. I have no doubt it can be sorted out but since the guy that made the cable is doing this for me as a favour I won't put him to any more trouble at this stage. What was decided is I am getting a new PDX made (the current one I have really belongs to a friend) and that will have both a modified M2Tech input and I2S input. While it is being constructed I have been assured they will be able to get the connection to the Off-Ramp working for sure. This will also allow easy comparison to the PDX's usual USB input. So checking this out on an I2S DAC will have to wait.

Thanks
Bill

[Lampizator]

Hi there,
Just to add my 2c (2 Grosz) to the discussion:
1. The dealer info is indeed on MAIN page as the first information there is. It is so not hidden that it is probably hard to find .  ;-)
2. There should be no dilemma if L3 and L4 are much apart - because a) you can pay for L3 but  get both and test for yourself prior to final decision, or b) you can buy L3 and upgrade at nominal price difference to L4 or L5 at any time within one year from purchase. I think that's a comfortable decision platform.
3. All units get serviced in USA by Distributor GOTO UNIT USA. So no worry
4. I will give schematics to anyone who buys the unit except the DAC-RECEIVER connection which is irrepairable (I exchange whole PCB). Shall I go out of business (very unlikely) I will disclose then all secrets on website for the service and follow up purposes.
5. Yes, indeed the L3 sounds damn close to 4 as it shares 95% of circuit schematics and 70 % of parts with L4. The main difference for me is that it takes a full day to make L3 and 4 days to make L4. Because I go to such lengths to fine tune each one by ear and scope .
 I have to go now - have good time with Lampizator !!!