[Roasty]

Oh the Wavelight Server is going to have HQPlayer NAA capabilities. It is looking mighty enticing.. might get this and reduce my box counts (streamer, su6, power supplies etc).

 

[Newsee]

Yes you are right. My Wavelight has the 01.29 UI and I don't know if and how it changes. I didn't find anything about it on the Rockna website.

Start state: Wavelight on, Rockna app running and connected.
Turn Wavelight off. A message on the app appears: "upgrade available. Upgrade now?" or something similar.
Click yes and wait until finished.
Turn Wavelight on. This 01.xx will show an increased value.

 

[kostas6a3]

Start state: Wavelight on, Rockna app running and connected.
Turn Wavelight off. A message on the app appears: "upgrade available. Upgrade now?" or something similar.
Click yes and wait until finished.
Turn Wavelight on. This 01.xx will show an increased value.

Thanks for the answer, but on the iPhone I have, the app doesn't show anything.

 

[ThanatosVI]

Oh the Wavelight Server is going to have HQPlayer NAA capabilities. It is looking mighty enticing.. might get this and reduce my box counts (streamer, su6, power supplies etc).

The only reason I still get it.
I have a streamer with my MP2000R already but the Wavelight has Hardware upsampling and DSD conversion which makes it mighty interesting imo

 

[sajunky]

The only reason I still get it.
I have a streamer with my MP2000R already but the Wavelight has Hardware upsampling and DSD conversion which makes it mighty interesting imo

Hardware upsampling? Perhaps in FPGA, but it is a mixed type, not a pure hardware.

 

[Arathorrn]

Thanks for the answer, but on the iPhone I have, the app doesn't show anything.

if I remember correctly this only works via an android app

 

[pbelo]

for those looking to buy a Rockna WaveDream NET there is one at --- https://www.audio-markt.de/market/rockna-wavedream-net-3121966314

 

[Newsee]

I do not know if there is a separate thread for the Wawedream. I have heard it first time. The spaciousness (and everything else) with both headphones is just incredible.

(From Munich Highend)

 

[alekc]

I do not know if there is a separate thread for the Wawedream. I have heard it first time. The spaciousness (and everything else) with both headphones is just incredible.

(From Munich Highend)

@Newsee hard to disagree If you liked this setup you need to check out Rockna with Feliks Envy (but not with stock tubes) and Susvara.

 

[ThanatosVI]

@Newsee hard to disagree If you liked this setup you need to check out Rockna with Feliks Envy (but not with stock tubes) and Susvara.

I prefered the Envy over the Wa23 by a mile

 

[Newsee]

@Newsee hard to disagree If you liked this setup you need to check out Rockna with Feliks Envy (but not with stock tubes) and Susvara.

I checked the Susvara on Feliks Envy with Erlog ER and PSVane tubes in the Feliks room. It was with dCS Lina (without clock). Unfortunately with limited music library.

In the Meze room I was trying to check the 109pro on different setups. This one was a big surprise, both because of the names involved and the obvious spaciousness even on the 109pro

 

[TheMiddleSky]

Had proper time to tested Wavelight today. Definitely a spacious sounding dac, clean detail and texture, engaging, with natural and smooth presentation. Paired with Cayin HA-6A and ZMF Caldera. Definitely beat some others R2R Dacs by good margin. Haven't tried May KTE though. I never been a fan of R2R topology before, but I think Rockna is the exception.

I think I like the Hybrid Filter the most.

 

[Basco]

Had proper time to tested Wavelight today. Definitely a spacious sounding dac, clean detail and texture, engaging, with natural and smooth presentation. Paired with Cayin HA-6A and ZMF Caldera. Definitely beat some others R2R Dacs by good margin. Haven't tried May KTE though. I never been a fan of R2R topology before, but I think Rockna is the exception.

I think I like the Hybrid Filter the most.

Hey

interesting findings and thanks for sharing your impressions. Out of curiosity, what other R2R did you try.

I own a Soekris DAC2541 and thought to upgrade to a WL for some time now, but haven’t pulled the trigger yet…

 

[TheMiddleSky]

Hey

interesting findings and thanks for sharing your impressions. Out of curiosity, what other R2R did you try.

I own a Soekris DAC2541 and thought to upgrade to a WL for some time now, but haven’t pulled the trigger yet…

Various DACs from sonic frontier, xiaudio, and denafrips.

Heard good things about Soekris too, but never tried.

 

[K3cT]

Had proper time to tested Wavelight today. Definitely a spacious sounding dac, clean detail and texture, engaging, with natural and smooth presentation. Paired with Cayin HA-6A and ZMF Caldera. Definitely beat some others R2R Dacs by good margin. Haven't tried May KTE though. I never been a fan of R2R topology before, but I think Rockna is the exception.

I think I like the Hybrid Filter the most.

How is it compared to Mola Mola Tambaqui lol.

Hey

interesting findings and thanks for sharing your impressions. Out of curiosity, what other R2R did you try.

I own a Soekris DAC2541 and thought to upgrade to a WL for some time now, but haven’t pulled the trigger yet…

Maybe this will help, quoting from a forum that shall not be named.

So, I initially planned to do a head-to-head comparison of the Rockna Wavelight to Soekris dac2541 (since I have both on hand). I have notes typed out and everything. Turns out, it's not very interesting to read; to no one's surprise, Rockna wins pretty handily, in basically every category.

I also lack the experience to give it a fair comparative review, as I've not heard any other DACs in its price range. I'll instead just share some more general thoughts I've had since I bought the unit.

First, this may be contentious, but the Wavelight is the first DAC I've had where I didn't feel that something was blatantly wrong in at least one aspect. RME ADI-2 is, well, RME ADI-2. Prism Callia was somewhat grainy and recessed/thin in the lower mids, and also felt too high-contrasty and bright, especially in regards to leading edge transients and treble. Soekris dac2541 has a bit of decay undershot, which imparts a slight overdamped feeling to the music. Holo Spring 2 had the opposite problem, overshooting the decay and making things sound slow and mushy at times.

Now, I've not heard many of the SBAF favourites. I don't have any relevant experience with Schiit (the only DAC from them that I've heard is the Bifrost Uber gen1). Nor have I listened to any of the popular pro DACs such as Dangerous Convert 2 or Burl B2. Perhaps there exists a cheaper DAC that gives off the same impression that nothing is blatantly wrong; maybe a more experienced member can chime in here.

Conversely, I've also gained quite the appreciation for the DACs I've tried. They were all mostly very good DACs despite what I said earlier, and were I put into a situation where I was forced to downgrade, I definitely would not be completely dissatisfied. If I had to pick one to downgrade to, it'd probably be the Soekris dac2541. It has the fewest sins of commission, which I find I am more sensitive to than sins of omission. The decay undershot can also be worked around with synergy; for instance it works very well with Auteur, which has naturally long decay.

So, with all that out of the way, I'd describe Wavelight (with the linear filter, and the 1.10 firmware) as a slightly warm and thick sounding DAC, with excellent staging, dynamic heft, and transient response (particularly in the decay domain).

With respect to staging, this includes image sharpness, image placement, layering, separation, depth, and sheer size. Just very impressive, period.
For dynamic heft, I'd agree with @EagleWings with the big fat wet dictionary on table analogy; it's definitely got more oomph to it. Drums are especially fun to listen to. Somehow, drum hits seem fuller and more engaging, whilst simultaneously gaining in nuance and subtlety. Seems counterintuitive to me. Distinctions between softer drum hits and harder drum hits are made very apparent, leading to the best sense of rhythm and fun I've had yet. Incredibly engaging. Of course, this extends to all instruments, not just drums.

What might possibly be my favourite aspect about this DAC though is how it handles its transients. As I mentioned earlier, I felt that Soekris dac2541 undershot its decay, which made me feel like I was missing some detail due to the loss of natural reverberation and trailing notes. On the other hand, I felt I got all that with the Holo Spring 2, but at the cost of sounding loose and sloppy especially with busy passages. With the Rockna, I can have my cake and eat it too. It somehow is able to render all the little details, volume fluctuation and nuances from instrumental and vocal decay, whilst also wrapping itself up neatly and not overstaying its welcome. Some real goldilocks territory stuff right here, I must say.

The only real criticism I could come up with is that it may not work in everyone's system. Due to its warm and thick character, depending on the rest of the user's chain, the Wavelight may push things into cloying territory in regards to warmth. Also, people who prefer a drier, crisper, and more textured sound would likely have better options than the Wavelight. Even a $5000 DAC can't be slotted into just any system.

I'll end this off with saying that I don't quite agree with earlier impressions that this is a dreamy sounding or laidback DAC. I'm more inclined to agree with @EagleWings that this has quite some incision to it, despite the presentation being further back. Everything else, I generally agree with.