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Retro Gear Shop is a high-end boutique store located in Nashville, Tennessee.Wadia Digital 850For sale is a rare Wadia Digital 850 CD Player with Remote controllers and original manual. It's tested and functional, the only thing our technician noted is that the rubberized coating on the CD tray is becoming sticky, so it makes the drive a little stubborn to open and close (but it did open/close and works playing a CD). The drive became more reliable as it was used and worked consistently (so it's possible it was just stubborn at first due to long period of not being used regularly). Also we could not get the smaller remote to work (the battery tests good but we aren't sure if the smaller remote matches with this unit). The bigger remote, which is impressive heavy for a remote, is tested and working. This is from original owner's smoke free private hi-fi home where it wasn't used much recently over the years. These rarely show up for sale, and even rarer to find one in working condition with remote and manual. Don't pass this up!**Check out the pictures to make sure you like it. Pictures are of actual item for sale**
Generating expert take…
Wadia Digital emerged in 1988 from St. Paul, Minnesota, founded by a team of engineers who had honed their skills at 3M Corporation in advanced digital telecommunications. Disillusioned by the lackluster sound of early compact disc players, they channeled their expertise into revolutionizing digital audio reproduction. Their debut product, the groundbreaking Wadia 2000 Decoding Computer, marked a pivotal moment, proving that CDs could deliver musically engaging performance through innovations like proprietary upsampling filters, glass-fiber optics, and jitter-minimizing clocking.
The brand has long specialized in high-end digital audio components, particularly outboard digital-to-analog converters (DACs) and CD transports, with models like the di322 and di122 exemplifying their current focus on precision decoding. While early offerings transformed source playback, Wadia later expanded into integrated amplifiers such as the a315, maintaining a commitment to sophisticated digital signal processing over analog-heavy categories like speakers or turntables.
Positioned firmly in the ultra-high-end market, Wadia commands respect among discerning audiophiles for its pioneering role in elevating digital sound to rival analog warmth. Now under the McIntosh Group banner and based in Binghamton, New York, it remains a boutique force, appealing to collectors and purists who prioritize technological refinement in two-channel systems.
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