0

Wadia X32 does not lock

Eric Le Bras

November 06, 2015 19:12

None

Follow

Hello,

I received my Hifiberry Digi some months ago (order 17333 from december last year). I have tried to lock my Wadia X32 DAC to the Hifiberry Digi, with no luck as of today. I tried different combinations and configurations of squeezelite. I also tried with the test distro found on the site. What I observe is that the led on the Wadia sparkles, and I can hear at best a tiny buzz.

Note that I ordered the version with output transformers, if this matters.

I could not test the card with another DAC (I only own the Wadia, which works perfectly with my CD player).

Have you got reports about that kind of configuration? Is there anything else I could try?

Thank you for your help.

• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn

10 comments

• 0
  
  HiFiBerry team November 07, 2015 16:36

  Hi Eric,

  we have no experiences with this DAC. Did you try the optical and the electrical connection?

  Best regards
  Daniel

• 0
  
  Eric Le Bras November 10, 2015 07:07

  Hi,

  I used the electrical connection. The wadia has a glass input, no toslink. So my only option was coax. I tried different cables, with no success.

• 0
  
  HiFiBerry team November 10, 2015 07:18

  Hi Eric,

  thanks for clarifying this. I have just checked and it really seems that the input is no TOSLink. I have no idea what this input should be good for. I'm not aware that there is another optical connection for digital audio data specified than TOSLink.
  One issue could be missing grounding on the Raspberry Pi side. What kind of power supply are you using and is there any grounding implemented on the Raspberry Pi?

  Best regards
  Daniel

• 0
  
  Eric Le Bras November 10, 2015 09:43

  Hi Daniel,

  The wadia had this glass option when I bought it. I don't know how I can use it, indeed it is definitly not TOSLink compatible.

  The power supply I use is a 2A sold on ebay (link: http://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B00U88KSHO?ref_=pe_931441_45466521). I bought it this summer purposely to eliminate power supply issue.

  However, I did not implemented any grounding. How can I do that and could it help in my case?

• 0
  
  Eric Le Bras November 14, 2015 14:56

  Hi Daniel,

  I've read through posts on dev.hifiberry.com (http://dev.hifiberry.com/forums/topic/raspberry-pi-2-digi-denon-da-500/page/3/), and did some tests, however I did not manage to get the Wadia to lock on the Hifiberry digi.

  What I did:

  - Connect the raspberry ground to the SPDIF coax ground (which is connected to the DAC ground)

  - Shield the pi with aluminium foil

  - Connect a grounded TV set to the raspberry HDMI

  - Try different power supplies

  The raspberry is started with the test tone generator. What I get is the DAC led sparkles, and its relay clicks irregularly several times a second.

  Is there anything else I should try, given the Wadia works with my CD player, and I do not have access to another DAC to try?

• 0
  
  Eric Le Bras November 14, 2015 15:08

  Oh btw, here is a web page (in french, sorry) which explains what is the "glass option" of the Wadia X32:

  https://sites.google.com/site/tvcaudio/home/wadia/wadia-x32/x32-option-glass

  The original X32 has a TOSlink optical input, however Wadia offered a "glass option", which was supposed to improve sound quality over TOSLink. It was designed to work with CD players modified by Wadia.

• 0
  
  Eric Le Bras November 26, 2015 13:31

  Hi,

  Is there any hope I could make the Hifiberry digi and the Wadia work together?

• 0
  
  HiFiBerry team November 27, 2015 01:34

  Hi Eric,
  
  we have seen rare cases in which very old DACs from the 1980s and 1990s did not work with the HiFiBerry Digi. It seems that some of them are not fully compatible with the modern SPDIF interface chip that we are using. As we don't have a Wadia X32 in our lab, there is nothing we can do about this. I can only offer you to return the Digi to us and get your order refunded.
  
  Best regards
  Daniel

• 0
  
  Eric Le Bras November 27, 2015 09:21

  Hi Daniel,

  Thank you for your kind answers. The Hifiberry Digi is certainly a great card, but unfortunately it is not suitable for my vintage audio...

  Can you send me the return address on my email please?

  Regards

  Eric

• 0
  
  Anton (HiFiBerry team) November 27, 2015 12:32

  Hi Eric,

  I just created a ticket, so we can handle the return process. I'll send you the return information to your email address.

  Best wishes,
  Anton