Wadia 861b w/Great Northern Sound Co. Reference mods

One of the finest sounding CD players ever made offered in like-new condition.  I’ve had this unit since it was introduced in 2004.  In 2009 I had Steve Huntley (formerly of Wadia) of Great Northern Sound Co. apply his Reference Level Upgrade making it sound even more incredible.  In comparison with the 861 which has the additional signal paths for the digital inputs/outputs, the sound of the 861b is cleaner, more natural.

Overall this unit’s condition is immaculate (9/10) both operationally and cosmetically, and has been kept in a smoke free environment.  As with the rest of the high end of the Wadia line, fit and finish are top notch and it is built like a tank (50lbs!) to last forever.  Comes with the certificate of GNSC's Reference Level Upgrade, owners manual, spiked feet, (heavy!) metal Wadia remote, factory power cord and original box.  Buyer pays FedEx shipping (with insurance) and 3% Paypal fee.

I have over $8000 invested in this CD player and the listing price of $3750 represents a solid, sound value.  Audition is available by appointment in Minneapolis.  Shipping via FedEx in original shipping materials (double boxed).

Stereophile review of related Wadia 861
Audio Perfectionist description of Wadia 860, 861, 861se

3/28/2016 I was asked about the GNSC mods and if the 1704s had been replaced, so I include my response for others who may be interested.

The GNSC Reference mods did nothing to the 1704s, although Steve did provide the latest version of Wadia’s DigiMaster DSP software.  The mods included the removal of current limiting on the digital and analog regulators, changes to the analog filter section and upgrades to the critical analog bypass caps.  The power supply was completely reworked with Black Gate filter caps throughout, high-speed rectification, additional local reservoir capacitance and the installation of Bybee noise reduction devices.  Key signal path components were upgraded and high-quality output transformers were installed, improving isolation from amplification and preventing the passage of digital/RF noise into the system.  The mods also included extensive mechanical damping of the drive mechanism, boards and chassis.

Although Steve Huntley has closed GNSC and is now with Resolution Audio, he is well known for his thoughtful mods to certain components that he knew well and felt that he could add value to.  There have been many very positive reviews of the profound impacts his mods have had to the sonic character of these components.  In the case of the Wadias he worked on, because he knew about the engineering trade-offs that Wadia made to control costs, for those willing to invest further he was able to take the components to new levels of performance.  I’m no reviewer, so I’ll leave it to the eloquence of others to more fully describe the effects of his mods, but the above should give a sense of what was done.