Help/Advice on Wadia 381i repair

daz-b

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Oct 20, 2008
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Hi all.

Seeking any help / advice on the following:

Around 5 weeks ago, my Wadia 381i developed a fault. Right channel output failed. First noticed this upon powering on my amp while it was connected to the Wadia. The amp would immediately go into 'safe' mode and not turn on/power up. Initially I thought the amp was at fault; however after a number of home testing with interconnect swapping and only either connecting left channel only / right channel only discovered that something was amiss with the Wadia's right channel output. I am not exactly sure of the reason/cause of the problem, although the day before I did change the internal dip switch settings and we did have a couple of electrical trip outs (due to the wifes iron being over filled with water.....)

Owned the unit from new just under 6 years. After trying to make contact with the original dealer (Mayflower sounds) and importer (MDC) have found that neither no longer exist and that the new Wadia importer / authorised service centre is Absolute Sounds. They must use an outside/external engineer (whom I do not know who this is and they will not tell me) as they sent my Wadia on to another location.

I sent the Wadia to Absolute sounds 4 weeks ago. They reported quickly back that my Wadia needs a replacement current conveyor for right channel (or new 'matching' pair for both channels), a dac board and a new drive (as stated it is 'out of spec'). Not sure why the drive also not working right as it played/spun discs fine before hand. So after this Absolute sounds put in a request to Wadia (whom are now part of the Mcintosh Group) for the parts. After 3 weeks of waiting and chasing for the manufacturer to supply information on the parts; I was informed yesterday that the parts (current conveyor/s & dac board) are no longer available and can not be supplied......and therefore my Wadia can NOT be repaired. Even if they could supply the parts my guessing is that Absolute Sounds were going to quote me a huge figure for the parts and repair which in turn would leave me in another dilemma. It saddens me to think that I paid a huge sum of money for the Wadia and I'm pretty much being told that its f**ked and there is nothing that can be done about it....I understand its about 6 years old and things can 'happen'

So here's were I am at today:

I have been in contact with my insurance company, regarding picking their brain on a 'potential claim'. I am being told that the item would be covered if it was proved that the problem occurred due to accident or outside cause (electrical surge etc). It would not be covered if it is due to 'mechanical failure'. I have been honest and told them that I do not know (nor do Absolute sounds know) of the exact reason for the problem. All I do know is the day before I changed the internal dip switch settings (which meant removing all leads, removing top cover to gain access to the dip switches etc) and we had a couple of power trip outs while the Wadia was connected to mains. Over the years I've changed the output dip switch settings a number of times with no issue. I did a little test once I changed the dip switch output settings and all came back on ok, however I didn't like the result as the sound was too 'thin' and far less dynamic; in fact thinking back it sounded 'odd'. My plan then being to turn the switches back to where they were the following day (as pain in the but to do). Absolute sounds are returning the Wadia to me sometime next week, when I have it back the insurance company have said to let them know and they in turn will probably arrange collection of the Wadia and send it to their 'electrical experts' to verify & test if I decide to put in a claim. My gut feeling is because neither I or the Absolute sounds engineer know of the exact reason (i.e. I didn't drop it etc) for the cause of the failure/s, that the insurance company will not grant a claim.

I'm not technically minded so struggling to get my head around understanding this, can anyone explain why the current conveyor and dac board would die at the same time i.e. are the linked together so if one goes, they both go or is it possible that if both gone/died together that another 'outside' influence could cause these to fail together. Obviously also was told that the drive unit now out of spec; again not sure about this either as prior to the failure and me shipping the wadia to absolute sounds I believed it to read and spin discs fine.

 So...any thoughts / advice on any of the above or anyone else whom I could try and contact would be greatly appreciated. 

Big thanks in advance.

 

redwick

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Oct 12, 2005
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You could try Tony @ Coherent Systems. He fixed my 581SE when the display failed and when one of the power supply components failed, and he's also done lots of mods to power supplies and caps. I'm not sure about getting hold of spares but he could at least give you an honest appraisal.

I have to sympathise with you in the way Wadia have treated their customers w.r.t. spare parts as they should be available for recent product.

 

simon g

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Sep 11, 2006
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What a complete PITA.

I doubt you're going to have much luck with an insurance claim. You admit to opening it up and changing settings; although this may well be a feature of the player, I can easily see the insurance company saying that you 'modified' it. Also, most policies only cover for accidental damage; it sounds as if it's just failed for component failure reasons. Trying to prove that failure was due to external accidental influences will be problematic, I feel.

Tony @ Coherent is a good bet. Very knowledgeable on all things Wadia (perhaps not so much on the recent gear)

I've long lusted after a Wadia. I couldn't afford one back in the day. Now, I have the cash but I've resisted the temptation. Wadia has a really unstable history. Tales like yours are all too common. Prices asked seem way too high to me for kit that is often difficult/impossible to repair. I was tempted by a 381i recently; a friend has one so he bought his round to compare against my Quad DMP. Frankly, we both preferred the Quad. :shock:  (but the Wadia wins hands down in the looks/presence department). Plus it is current and serviceabe and Quad have a good record on servicing kit for many years after product is discontinued. Still, a nice 8 series Wadia and I could well meet up at some stage. So many things to try and so little time!

I do hope you get this sorted, as it is a good player. My feel is that Tony will be able to sort this for you.

 

daz-b

Wammer
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Oct 20, 2008
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Good morning fellas and many thanks for your Sunday morning replies.

Really appreciate them.

I will get in touch with Tony and Coherent to enquire. Although after a brief enquiry by me yesterday to another repair place found on the net yesterday, they told me that if they could not get the spares from Wadia then they would not be able to help either. And I already know that Wadia cant supply the spares :-(

Funny thing is, I think the hifi gods have bitten me, as a couple of months ago I was 'considering' selling my equipment off in order to help fund another urgent non hifi project to do with my business. This however sorted itself out in the end thankfully. In addition to this also 'pondered' about selling my Wadia and amp to get 'something' much more compact (and lighter as the wadia is about 25kg and my amp is 50Kg and I got a lower back injury to two lumbar discs so handling any of these two item causes me problems) to give the family back some space in the living room where everything is located. Nothing to do with the performance of both (as love the setup & sound etc) just looking for 'something' much more compact possibly like the devaliet etc (although must confess I know nothing about the devaliet or other more compact systems). So I'm thinking the hifi god has decided to inflict punishment by breaking my Wadia....... 

The final PITA at the moment is that we have no TV in the living room. I have a projector only. I use the wadia for both music and 2.1 A/V duties (have no preamp as prefer wadia direct to amp), so at the moment have zero sound for either music or t/v etc. 

Thanks for the help and advice fallas.

 

jy3

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Dec 17, 2015
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Would a cheap passive pre get you sound for the tv just to keep you going for now? Don't give up on on the Wadia despite what Absolute Sounds say.

 

unclepuncle

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Apr 11, 2007
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Could the Wadia still be used as a transport though it's digital output?

I had a 581iSE which was a nightmare - never broke down competely but was as flakey as hell.

 
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daz-b

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Oct 20, 2008
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Daz
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Morning.

Thanks again for the further posts.

I have been thinking about a few ideas to get by. Decided not to rush into anything. I've moved our bedroom portable tv to living room.....this temporarly keep the missus and daughter happy. A pre of some description would be a goer and it is something I have already been looking at, but again at the moment, feel in limbo with the actual outcome of all this, so havn't got my head together to commit to anything just yet.

My system (when it worked) consisted of just the wadia (on cd / dac / preamp duties) and the AA power amp. Other digital sources such as Sky & Blu-ray, laptop etc would have their digital outs going into the Wadia. Thus with the Wadia currently dead I have no dac / preamp etc. 

The Wadia 'possibly' could still be used solely as a CD transport/dac as it is now via digital out, however have no other dac/pre available at this time. (It is still with Absolute sounds though at the moment). The reason I say 'possibly' is that on their inspection report they have said that it needs a new dac board (where this particular dac board goes and what it does I haven't a clue).

 

Radioham

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Mar 8, 2010
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Unless something got lost in translation, i wonder what a current conveyer is ? I have worked in electronics for over 45 years and thats a new one on me.

alan

 

graham67

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May 19, 2010
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:zip: need to be careful what I say but some US high end gear is just too complex for its own good. Considering wadia gear can push 10k, your experience is pretty shabby. Then again, that may be more down to AS, whose rep for after sales service is not, ahem, all it could be.

 

LebenLenco

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I was also to suggest Tony based on his Wadia exploits but also Deco Audio who know a lot about building DACs and have a great service dept. Len

 
G

Guest

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Wadia nearly went under a few years ago and also seeing that there players cost thousands you would  have thought the design philosophy would have implemented to have units that were easily upgradable to the newest spec but they dont and it is terrible that the back up when things go wrong is pretty non-existent 

 

pl123

Newbie
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Nov 29, 2019
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I realize this is a very old thread but maybe someone can help me here. I'm looking for the spare parts for Wadia 781, any pointers where I could find some are greatly appreciated.

 

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