ROCKNA WAVEDREAM REFERENCE SIGNATURE

When the perfect happens...

AUTHOR XX
PHOTO ROCKNA

When I first had the then top model of Rockna - Wavedream Signature Balanced - in my hands in February 2023, I was not very patient and gave away the punchline right from the start. This time I thought I'd leave you in suspense for longer.

The new Rockna Reference Signature is the next evolutionary stage of the Wavedream line, from which I introduced you more than two and a half years ago the Wavedream Signature Balanced, which has been on the market more or less unchanged for almost 10 years and which so enchanted me then that it recently became my home reference, replacing the otherwise great Chord Dave in this position.

It is offered in two levels - Wavedream Reference with RD1 EditionmkII "ladder" modules and above it is Wavedream Reference Signature with RD0 Signature mkII "ladder" modules. The Wavedream Signature Balanced model remains in the range.

In the introduction I wrote "evolution", but it is not some improvement of an older model, but a complete solution "from the scratch", i.e. completely from scratch redesigned all components. I like that the new product retains the design elements clearly identifying it as a Rockna brand, albeit a new and modern redesign.

Starting from the outside, the way of control has changed in particular. Gone are any mechanical buttons, but everything is controlled by a larger OLED touchscreen. The remote control has also remained in the equipment, which is also brand new and I appreciate that they have returned to the all-metal design that the Wavedream Signature model had until about 2021. It's not such an ingot of aluminium anymore though and has a slightly more traditional shape. However, its workmanship is exemplary and it is very pleasingly ergonomic. One such "nitpick," I was surprised when I picked up the Wavedream Reference that its weight was almost identical to the Wavedream Signature. The weight figure confirmed this. The Signature showed 10.3 kg on the scale and the Wavedream Reference 10.5 kg. Yet in the manual and everywhere on the web for the older top model - the Wavedream Signature, it is stated everywhere that it is supposed to weigh 7.6 kg.

Pros

• balanced administration of all passports
• colour differentiation
• soundness but naturalness
• 3D spatial rendering
• high clarity and detail dynamics
• in the future the possibility of simple upgrid over the network just by changing the firmware
• integrated streamer supporting Roon ready (Roon endpoint)
• adjustment and personalization options (filters, clock, dither)
• easy-to-read OLED touch display
• volume control
• DO

Cons

• None

Anyway, the novelty is even more sophisticated in design and mechanics. Not only are there fewer screws visible on the outside, which has contributed to the cleanliness and value of the design, but the design reinforcements are sophisticated and highly functional. But what's more fundamental than the new remote control, the more sophisticated design, or the touchscreen is that the Wavedream Reference already has an integrated full-featured streamer supporting all the commonly available streaming platforms like Tidal, Quobuz, Spotify, Apple Music, but there's also support for UPnP and Roon bridge.

The network renderer is unique not only because it is a proprietary Rockny design, but also because it is integrated into the DAC's digital front-end. Thus, there is no separate streaming extra electronics, making the path of the "signal" in the digital domain free of other unnecessary obstacles. The streamer is integrated directly into the ZYNQ control chip. The entire DAC is built on a completely new architecture, the basis of which is the aforementioned new powerful chip from AMD called ZYNQ, which serves for the main control and as a network renderer, It further cooperates with four FPGAs, i.e. freely fully programmable chips. There are 2 pieces for each channel. The advantages of this solution are clearly defined by the fact that the current top model, the Wawedream Signature, has been around for over 10 years and is still up to date. This is due to the architecture, where just by changing the firmware, which is loaded in the mentioned FPGA chips, the characteristics of the DA converter are fundamentally changed. With the new Wavedream Reference model, this is all the easier as it is permanently connected via LAN input to the Internet and can automatically detect and download any new firmware upgrade as required.

A specially adapted Linux Kernel is used as the operating system, which takes care of everything except the audio processing. The DA conversion itself is handled by two new R2R modules per channel. For the Reference Signature version with the RD0 SignaturemkII designation. The output circuits are hidden from the underside of the circuit boards mounted fully symmetrical and purely discrete using JFET transistors on the input and bipolar BJT transistors on the outputs.

Great attention has been paid to the power supply section, where three separate toroidal transformers are covered with copper plate for shielding from sensitive circuits.In total, up to 20 discrete linear LDO controllers are used for precise low-noise power supply of individual circuits.

In addition to the remote control and touchscreen, you can also use a tablet or mobile phone to control the converter. Just download the prosaically named app - "Rockna Wavedream Reference" from the App Store or for Android from Google Play, it works seamlessly and intuitively. Again, 3 types of custom Parks-McClellan FIR filters with almost 5000 taps are used (normally Delta sigma DACs use en filters with 128 taps). The NOS option has also been retained, i.e. without using digital filtering. I find the "hybrid" filter works best for classical music and the "linear" filter works best for modern music.

Sound

I'll start not quite traditionally with Charly Antolini's recording, "Knock Out 2000", which I don't usually listen to as a piece of music but from time to time I'll listen to it more just to compare the sound, especially how a given component handles drums. So what are they like? Naturally meaty, contoured, they have a fast build-up and natural reverberation of the beats, amazing colour differentiation, shades of the sounds of the different percussion and drums, yet extremely dynamic and frighteningly alive. Ugh I thought this album can't be listened to all the way through without a break, it can. Moving on to much more sacred music and specifically to J.S. Bach's BWV82, Aria "Ich habe genug" performed by soloist Lorraine Hunt. I notice a wonderful balance between the 'size' and resolution of the Bassocontinuo's delivery, plus an ethereal, sophisticated vocal that is realistically alive and yet not lacking in precision, smoothness and absolutely free from a hint of hiss.

Apparatus used

• Amplifier: Canor AI 1.20
• Streamer: custom audio PC with Daphile OS
• DA Converter: Rockna Wavedream Signature Balanced
• Marten Django XL
• Power cabling: Noble Audio, Viborg, Viablue,
• Signal cabling: Burmester Silver
• Speaker cables: Audioquest Caldera

I continue on with the classics with the beautifully crafted and sonically excellent complete works of Beethoven by Decca, "Complette works for cello and piano" with pianist Enrico Pace and cellist Sung - Won Yang. Both instruments are excellently and naturally localized not only in terms of points but in terms of their real substance with precise but colorfully rendered textures. When I close my eyes I have before me two live great performers on a real stage. I'm changing the genre though not for completely contemporary music. R.E.M: "Out Of Time" was released back in 1991 (ugh am I that old already?...). I'm reminded of times gone by with the song "Low". In a direct confrontation on this recording, the new Wavedream Reference Signature has more of an edge than the classics over my Wavedream Signature Balanced. A more delicately rendered midrange, a slightly punchier low end, and a hair more micro-detail make this recording more listenable and seem more balanced as well.

If I were to compare my Rockna Wavedream Signature Balanced with the Wavedream Reference, there is a clear focus more on micro-detail, rendering detail from the outset, and there is a slight shift to a brighter, slightly punchier expression in the bass and richer in the treble. However, don't see the word sharpened as 'sharper' - on the contrary, there's been some rather refinement and 'smoothing'. Think of it rather like a fine red wine reaching bottle maturity.

The mid-band comparison is interesting. The midrange is not as lively, meaty and is more polished. The body of instruments and voices is a little smaller (more neutral, if you will?) and this also makes the mids accentuate more of the microdetail and focus on it. The seating of the vocals and solo instruments is also interesting. They are a little less dominant and a little more planted in the scene. To the mids the positions are sleeker more "easy going". Having had a Chord Dave before my Rockna I can think of a handwavy comparison and that is that the new Wavedream Reference Signature is sonically a bit like a cross between the sound of the best Wavedream Signature Balanced and the Chord Dave, and shifted all the more towards a sort of very contemporary super resolved neutrality and maturity at the same time.

• AMD ZynQ SoC with Rockna custom firmware
• R2R Discrete DAC Modules RD-0 MK2 × 4
• 28-bit FPGA controlled DA converters
• Precision Femtovox control clock
• Mirror-precise branched clock distribution
• Ultra low noise and precision power supplies
• Local linear control at critical nodes
• Discrete voltage control for analogue stages
• Copper Sheet Shielded Audio Transformers
• Critical paths with precise impedance matching
• Hardware FPGA upsampling
• Proprietary Digital-PLL topology, without ASRC
• Fully discrete output stages, Signature version
• 32-bit ultra-fine volume control
• Inputs: LAN, USB, I2S, SPDIF, AES/EBU, Toslink
• Outputs: RCA and XLR
• THD -102 dB (-3 dB); DNR 139 dB
• Noise ratio S/N (0 dB): 139 dB
• Output impedance: 0.5 Ohm
• Max. 3 .5 V RMS (RCA), 7 V RMS (XLR)
• DAC resolution/digital supported
• formats: PCM from 44.1 kHz to 384 kHz, 24-bit,
• DSD64 (2.8224 MHz), DSD128 (5.6448 MHz),
• DSD256 (11.2896 MHz), DSD512 (22.5792 Mhz).
• Finishing: All-aluminium chassis, matte black
• or matt silver
• Dimensions and weight: 450 × 390 × 105 mm, 10 kg
• Price: 27 100 €

Further specifications and software support:

• Roon Bridge, UPnP, OpenHome, AirPlay,
• HQPlayer NAA, Spotify Connect
• Fully configurable I2S input port,
• Optional DSD bandwidth - wide/narow
• Switchable dither - on/off
• Adjustable Digital PLL - Direct/Stream
• Mobile control app for Android & iOS
• Firmware updates over the internet

With the Rockna Wavedream Reference Signature, Rockna designer Nicole Jitario has managed to take digital reproduction one step closer to sonic perfection built on the same sound fundamentals, as close to live unamplified music as possible, while approaching the best DA converters on the market in terms of resolution and 3D scene imaging. So I return to the introduction to finish the point that encapsulates the shift from the Rockny Wavedream Signature Balanced to the Wavedream Reference Signature - "When perfect becomes even better".