Wadia 27ix Digital Decoding Computer:
The 27ix is the third-generation version of the original Wadia 27, which was reviewed by Robert Harley in the October 1996 Stereophile (Vol.19 No.10). I refer readers to that review for a full description of the processor's technology and functionality. Briefly, the circuitry is housed in a black-anodized chassis, its panels machined from solid aluminum. There are no controls on the sculpted front panel, just a blue fluorescent display and the Wadia logo. All functions are operated from the chunky metal remote control, which also operates the 270 transport. The display defaults to showing left and right volume, but also momentarily shows emphasis and polarity, as well as sample rate, selected input, and whether that input is clock-linked or not. The rear panel offers six data inputs, and both balanced and single-ended analog outputs.
The 27ix has the same digital volume control as the 850 and 860 players. This offers 100 0.5dB steps, and, as long as it's used near the top of that range—above "65," according to the manual—it will not degrade signal resolution.
Wadia 270 CD transport:
The Wadia 270SE CD transport upgrades the previous 270, including an aluminum and brass hybrid turntable that is stained green to "absorb undesired diffused reflections" as per Wadia's website. The transport also uses "a composite bridge composed of machined aluminum with a maximum thickness of 20 mm, and carbon-tool steel with a thickness of 5 mm."
This large, heavy transport is physically identical to Wadia's 850 and 860 CD players, but has an upgraded Teac CMK-3.2 VRDS transport mechanism, with vibration-damping material added by Wadia. Two features distinguish it from the pack. The first is the presence of a digital input as well as the usual array of digital outputs. An ST-optical link allows the 270's data-retrieval clock to be slaved to the DAC master wordclock in the 27i or 27ix. This should drastically reduce interface jitter in the D/A's analog output. When the 270 is used in a conventional manner, its output wordclock is derived from a temperature-compensated crystal oscillator. Second is the "mode" button on the remote, which operates both the 270 and 27ix. This button steps the 270 through three states of "resolution enhancement": in state A, the 270 outputs data with the word length increased from 16 to 24 bits, using high-pass-filtered dither with a triangular probability function (TPDF); in state B, the TPDF dither is low-pass-filtered; the third setting has the 270 outputting plain-Jane 16-bit data. (It should be noted that if the 270 is used with HDCD-equipped processors, modes A and B will defeat the HDCD decoding.) The 270's construction echoes that of the 27ix, except that it has a slightly different-colored fluorescent display, and three pushbuttons: play/track advance, stop/eject, and backtrack. Internally, the construction is to the same immaculate standard as the 27ix. The transformer is isolated in its own vibration-absorbing subchamber, the circuitry is shielded, and all the metalwork consists of panels milled and machined from solid stock.
I have both user manuals, remote and 8 isolation cones that came with both units. I also have both original double boxes. 2nd picture shows rear connections on 27ix. Do a Google search to show rear connections on 270SE transport. Only 6 pictures allowed.
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