Price Paid:  $1800.00 from Audio Insights

Summary:

In the audio store, hooked directly to a Classe' 2 channel amp, it was outstanding. I could hear the brush setting on the symbols, getting ready to play. So, got it home, hooked it through a lower quality Rotel HT controller and a lower quality Adcom HT amp, it sounded darn good too. Brush was still there. The home A/B comparisons with girlfried stopped at about 10 bars of music from 3 CD's--there was no use continuing.

I must say, if the source signal isn't very good, what follows won't be either. Still, to really report on what the Wadia sounds like, I'd have to pick up a quality two channel amp, hook the Wadia directly as designed, and then report in. But, even as compromised, it's outstanding.

I did find disappointment in some of my favorite CD's. Some don't open as much up with the Wadia, many others did, to the point of sounding like a totally different cut.

If you find a used Wadia anything, buy it. Immediately.

Strengths:
Sound: clarity, purity, definition. Looks: a real audiophile looking piece of machinery. Outstanding.

Weaknesses:
Minor. The unit is deeper than normal, had to replace with deeper and thicker shelf. a labor of love.

Similar Products Used:
Not that similar Adcom changer with burr-brown dac's.

Summary:
Had the 21 for quite some time,and found it a reliable very
good performer at that time.
always been a Wadia adept, but i'm more into Analog now.
[read my words on this at the one on one discussion]
still a player which i would want to have, but i must say
that the Wadia 16 did impress me more..
if i could choose between a 21 or a 16 at the used market,
I would go for the 16 !
it is more dramatic, lively, has more resolution, is firmer
in its presentation.. though it is said in the brochure
that the 16 is just the 'same'player as the 21 exept for
a fully digital pre-amp function for the 16..well not so.
What's even more interesting is that i was able to compare
the 16 to the 860, and i prefered the 16 still ! but this
is a preference in my situation, so not to absolute terms.
The 860 sounded smoother, easyer, polite in a way, so the
16 may have better suited my rig at that time..
Despit a stressed market because of all new formats, i
would buy a pre owned 21 wadia with great confidence.

Strengths:
Nice balance between all aspects in music reproduction,
build quality, upgradeability,factory support,the feel of
having bought a piece of machining..

Weaknesses:
The crappy plastic remote... with no ability to shut off
the display ! and it has to be pointed very precise.
[the Wadia 16 has a display off function button and works
with the 21..]

Similar Products Used:
I had lots of wadia's at home even the newer models, and
the more expensive one's]