Beautiful, realistic, analog-like presentation. Very revealing with 20 bit and 24/96 remasters. Greatly improves the sound of less than stellar digital transfers. Extremely well-built.

Mushy buttons on faceplate and machined remote. Display is too small and not bright enough.

Really a very nice player. Previous listening experience was with California Audio Labs, Arcam, Adcom and Rotel. The 830 was a huge jump in price compared to what I had previously auditioned, but the improvement was not subtle. I heard an increase in detail and, with accoustic jazz and classical music, a greater sense of the accoustic space was appreciated. The sound is very natural and neutral without any digital nastiness.

Soundstage, imaging, bass, great detail.

Remote has limited functions and range.

I've had the 830 for over 18 months and have been very pleased with it. With this player, a preamp is an option, not a necessity. If you can afford a preamp with the best analog outputs, like a Mark Levinson, it's worth it. Otherwise you can skip the preamp until your piggybank gets full. It does a good but not great job of driving my Aerial speakers, so I'm still saving for that great preamp. I love the patented Pioneer Stable Platter and suspect that it has a lot to do with the great bass performance. Wadia's current player, the 831, uses the same Pioneer Elite transport, also with full disc clamping. It's just a great player for the money. As for Rickard and Sandro, such poor reviews of such an excellent product make me wonder if they really know good sound when they hear it. And if their other components aren't up to par, this player will surely expose those weak links. Maybe Wadia players just sound bad in Sweden?

I've had the 830 in my home two weeks now, running direct into a McCormack power amp. It replaced a Meridian CD player and a cj pre-amp. It came with the optional machined aluminum remote, digital outputs and 24/96 software. The sound is transparent and detailed without sounding analytical. The bass is terrific, deep and articulated. Soundstaging is spectacular with a presentation beyond the edges of my Martin Logan SL-3 loudspeakers. Most importantly, the 830 is musical sounding and makes you forget you're listening to equipment. I'm very satisfied. For the money, this machine can't be beat. 4 Star rating only because 5 would be like live music.

very neutral sounding with good extension at each end of the spectrum...musical sounding!!

don't use the plastic remote...get the machined aluminum big boy...you'll like it!

This is an addendum to my review in July 99. The 830 induced me to sell my McCormack power amp and upgrade to a BAT VK500...much more transparent and musical with more current to push the SL-3's...this has reinforced my opinions and made the obvious strengths more so...Let the format wars fight it out..I suspect Wadia will do what they've always done...make the machine upgradeable if one format becomes dominant...right now the digital inputs are a good solution in this tumultuous millenial year.

What you've read about it in reviews is true ! This is a great sounding cd player. I was looking to simplify my system and thought I'd give the 830 an audition. I bought my ex demo unit less than a week ago, and have not stopped listening to it since. Soundstaging and bass is very good, it brings out so much more of the music. Hook it up directly to your power amps, it sounds so much better. Don't believe the manual, use a good power cord. My only gripe about the unit is the rubbery buttons on the facial plate and light plastic remote, for about S$4000+ (new $5000+) I'd expect a solid alloy unit. 4 stars !!! My next upgrade would definitely be a wadia !!

What more can I say? This is the best CD player in this price range hands down. The good things in life do cost a bit more. This is definitely a must audition even if you don't have the bucks since lower priced players can only hope to approach this level of sound reproduction.

This is a really musical machine that surpasses its contemporaries (from Classe and Copland) and hangs in really well with, and is a much better value than, the Krell KAV 300. Great attention to detail without sounding cold or steril. Dollar for dollar undoubtedly the best value out there. See my review of the Wadia 850.

Extracts everything from CD, with outstanding bass reproduction

None really, but I can see how system matching would be important

A few months ago I had the good fortune to review the 830 in my own system for a few days. It was very hard to give it up when the time came. I found the 830 to present a very detailed, yet very natural sound. Poorly recorded CDs didn't sound great, but I want the machine to give me what's on the CD. I haven't heard a lot of top players in my system, but the 830 blew away my Rotel (which is a solid mid-market player). I recall listening to Emmylou Harris Spyboy CD. The sound was so real!

There will be CD/DVD/DAD/SACD players out soon, so maybe I should wait, but this machine at this price makes it very hard indeed.

My system:

Thiel CS 2.3
Krell KAV-500i
Rotel 970
Transparent Cables

Similar Products Used:

Rotel 970

I agree with Larry about this product. In my system, which is shockingly similar (SL-3s, Krell KAV-250, C-J PV10), the 830 was an addition to the Sony DVD player that had replaced my 20-bit Adcom changer. My 830 came similarly configured -- actually Wadia has some sort of promo now that includes the big remote and digital outs and the 24/96 inputs.
I confess to having fallen for the "buy a cheap DVD, it will blow away your CD player" crap that some of the mags were printing. And yes, the DVD player sounded slightly crisper and more resolved than my old Adcom. But the 830 is so much better than anything that I've ever heard from either the Adcom or the Sony DVD. Absolutely smooth, buttery music. Not too crispy. And the bass. Wow.

Unlike Larry, I still have the CJ as a source selector. I tried the direct route for one evening and didn't really appreciate the difference. Plus I listen to several analog sources including Reel to reel, so I like the switching capabilities.

I have told everyone I can about how awesome the 830 is. I think it is the best thing I own, and if anyone has a large CD collection and an extra $3G burning a hole in their pocket -- you owe it to yourself to listen to this thing. It will have you pulling all your old favorites out night after night. It's the best thing I've ever heard so I'll go all the way and give it 5 stars.

base, detail, tone balance, musical

Price

This is a excellent player, and it is very much better than most players in the 2-4K range, If you are getting poor results look elsewhere, I run this with a Bryston into Paradigm 80's with mind blowing clarity, detail and musicality. I just changed to balanced Cardas GC cable and Bloom and soundstage opened tremendously.

Its really easy to critize something. But it all comes down to system synergy and matching gear properly. Its a totally inexperienced person who would blast a product of this caliber.

When you get back the 1.5-2K that you spent on a good Preamp and the .8 - 1K that you spent on a second set of good interconnects, this Player is definitly worth it.

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