Note that this is a discontinued product. You may want to visit the brand's page here to browse their newer products.
What reviewers think
Bloggers and YouTubers have tried this product—so we've summarized their strongest opinions below. Links to full reviews follow.
Product Strengths
- Musically satisfying digital solutions
- Impressive performance when proprietary technology is pushed in every direction
- Error and signal gating are reduced where it does the most good—at the source
- The Reference DAC is unique in terms of sonic and musical character, and stands alone
- It preserves the presence and personality of the players
Product Considerations
- The Reference DAC's considerable height will challenge most racks
- The retro-techno vibe of the Reference DAC may not appeal to everyone's aesthetic sensibilities
- The feet don't lock, and the whole thing loses both level and stability over time, suggesting a replacement or upgrade should reap dividends
- A pair of matching (type and length) power cords are required for best results, and another for the transport
Takeaway: The Wadax Atlantis DAC delivers natural musical reproduction due to its low noise floor and stability. It brings the performance to you and places you closer to it.
What are hifi reviews useful for? (1) Identifying products you should demo in person at a dealer. (2) Learning which products reviewers unanimously praise as the best they've heard (this means they probably are legitimately great). (3) Identifying a product's attributes that satisfy your idiosyncratic needs and tastes. Beyond that, we often discount what reviewers say because they heap praise on most products—and are often apprehensive about publishing strong criticism or comparisons between products. Further, they seldom have more than a few products on-hand, often relying on their memories to compare past products. Always listen for yourself.
All
Atlantis Reference (DAC)
reviews
[{"title":"Wadax • Atlantis Reference Digital-to-Analog Converter","link":"https://www.theaudiobeat.com/equipment/wadax_atlantis_reference.htm","source":"The Audio Beat","datePublished":"2020"}]
An excellent review of a great product
/
Publisher
/
3/1/2022
An excellent review of a great product
Publisher
/
3/1/2022
Video Review
Manufacturer details
Features
Specifications
- Output Level: 1V / 2V / 4V
- Output impedance: 0.4 / 7.4 / 7.5 / 8.2 / 8.3 / 8.7 / 8.82 / 9.84 / 10 / 28.57 / 30 / 46.15 / 50 / 66.67 / 75 / 600 ohms
- Inputs: USB (32-384KHz, 16-24-32 bits, DSD64, DSD128, DSD256, MQA), 2xSPDIF RCA (32KHz-192KHz, 16-24 bits), 2xSPDIF BNC (32KHz-192KHz, 16-24 bits), 2xAES-EBU (32KHz-192KHz, 16-24 bits)
- Power: 100 / 120 / 220V, switchable by service, max 200W
- Display: 5 inch capacitive touch full-colour display 800x480
Description
The Atlantis REFERENCE DAC is our response to these findings, with lower levels of clock noise and significant improvements in PSU and mechanical isolation. The result is a masterpiece. The result is the most accurate and most musically satisfying DAC ever designed.
Release Timeline
Manufacturer Site
Brand highlights
Taking a step back to look at reviewers' thoughts of the brand's entire lineup—not just this product—what stands out most is the following:
- Wadax designs and manufactures its own proprietary musIC chip and correction algorithms, enabling dynamic, real-time error correction of time, amplitude, and phase distortions in the digital decoding process.
- They utilize modular construction in their components, ensuring upgradability and longevity by allowing individual circuit boards to be replaced or improved as technology evolves.
- Wadax employs sophisticated power supplies with multiple custom-wound transformers and real-time monitoring/correction of DC feeds to minimize noise and maximize signal integrity.
- The Akasa interface offers unique front-panel adjustments for "Speed," "Input Gain," and "Output Gain," allowing users to fine-tune the bitstream's level and shape for system synergy.
Select products
Select product comparisons
Studio Player
- Positioning: Positioned as a versatile, multifunctional digital component in the Wadax lineup.
- Description: Integrates CD/SACD playback, streaming, and DAC functionalities into a single chassis, offering convenience and high performance. Shares the digital-to-analog circuitry with the Atlantis Reference DAC, ensuring excellent sound quality, but in a more compact and user-friendly design. This makes it ideal for users seeking a high-quality, all-in-one solution for smaller spaces or those with a moderate budget who still desire excellent sound quality and system compatibility with streaming services like Spotify and Tidal.
Reference DAC
- Positioning: The flagship product in the Wadax lineup, representing the pinnacle of their digital-to-analog conversion technology.
- Description: Features state-of-the-art musIC feed-forward error correction technology, providing exceptional accuracy and musicality. Unlike the Studio Player, it features a fully modular construction with independent dual-mono DAC and analog circuitry. Its sophisticated power supply and mechanical isolation optimize performance in large, dedicated listening rooms.
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Avg. Product Price
$100,001+
Used For Sale
0
Available (Scroll Down)
Brand Popularity
362
of 900+
Badges
Top 50 Brand
Top 250 Brand
Products Listed
7
Founding Year
2011
Our take on the brand
Wadax is a hifi brand that developed the musIC chip, a unique feed-forward error correction system that fixes time and phase errors in real-time during digital playback. Their Reference DAC stands out for its variable output impedance feature, letting users select from multiple impedance settings to match their system, while their Atlantis Transport uses the Thor optical mechanism, designed through FEA simulation to minimize vibration sensitivity.
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Brand Page
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