Legacy Audio Wavelet II
Transform a complex two-channel system with the Wavelet II’s room correction, multi-way crossover, tighter bass, and focused imaging. Carlo Lo Raso found analogue and digital sources retained resolution, while Anthony Cordesman highlights its reflection control and soundstage gains with virtually any speaker. Flexible connectivity and app-based calibration make it a compelling command centre for ambitious active or subwoofer-led systems.
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Nicely Roasted
Sound Quality
92/100
Build Quality
88/100
Features Connectivity
85/100
Value for Money
87/100
Pros
Room correction delivers sharper image placement, clearer soundstage detail, and a more focused presentation without flattening dynamics.
Transparent processing preserves resolution from both analogue and digital sources while significantly tightening bass integration.
Highly flexible platform, with programmable multi-way crossover capability, extensive analogue/digital connectivity, wireless control, and upgradeable design.
Cons
The web-based volume control uses separate coarse and fine sliders, which the reviewer found less intuitive for one-handed use.
The included basic plastic remote was considered serviceable but insufficiently substantial for a component at this level.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 92/100
Reviewers found the Wavelet II's correction and crossover processing capable of making systems sound substantially more focused, precise, and enjoyable. It is praised for transparent handling of both analogue and digital sources, clearer image placement, tighter bass, and detail that avoids sterility.
Tonal Balance and Musicality
93/100
Carlo Lo Raso calls the sound quality exceptional once calibrated, saying it rivalled the separate high-end analogue components it replaced. The room-correction system achieved a convincing speaker/subwoofer balance without further level tweaking, while the Apodizing filter helped tame harshness in older or poorer recordings.
Resolution and Detail
92/100
With correction engaged, performers and instruments became clearer in space, and the reviewer felt he could almost outline the singer's location. Lo Raso specifically describes the presentation as offering clarity, precision, and detail without sterility, while The Absolute Sound highlights improvements in soundstage detail through reflection correction.
Digital Performance
91/100
Both analogue and digital sources were reported to pass through transparently, with no noticeable loss of resolution. The additional A-to-D conversion required for processing did not audibly hinder performance, and the selectable Apodizing filter was useful for reducing perceived harshness in difficult recordings.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
88/100
The enclosure is described as handsome and modern, built primarily from black anodized aluminium with an extra-thick matching front panel. Reviewers also found it a pleasure to use, though the available coverage says little about internal component quality or long-term durability.
Features Connectivity
85/100
The Wavelet II combines USB, AES/EBU, S/PDIF, TosLink, balanced and unbalanced analogue inputs, plus eight balanced and eight unbalanced output channels. Its programmable two-, three-, or four-way digital crossover, measurement microphone, room correction, browser/app control over Wi-Fi or Ethernet, input trims, and upgradeable hardware and firmware make it unusually flexible for active or subwoofer-integrated systems.
Value for Money
87/100
At the earlier reviewed MSRP of $4,950, HomeTheaterHifi found that directly comparable enthusiast products with similar flexibility tended to cost more, while pro and DIY alternatives were less audiophile-friendly in operation. The current listed price of $7,950 is substantially higher, but The Absolute Sound's Golden Ear recognition and praise for its broad usefulness with virtually any speaker support a justified premium rather than a bargain assessment.
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Specifications
- Product Manual
- Download Manual
- Analog Inputs
- Two pair Stereo balanced XLR inputs, Two pair Stereo unbalanced RCA inputs, One Measurement microphone XLR input
- Digital Inputs
- USB audio, 32 bit, 44.1 – 384 kHz; AES/EBU & SPDIF, 24 bit, 192kHz; TosLink, 24 bit 96kHz
- Analog Outputs
- 8 balanced output channels on 8 XLR connectors. 0 dBFS*1 = 8 dBV*2 , 33 Ohm output impedance. 8 unbalanced output channels on 8 RCA connectors. 0 dBFS*1 = 8 dBV*2, 33 Ohm output impedance.
- Analog Input Adjustments
- Balanced input sensitivity without attenuation 0 dBFS*1 = 1 dBV*2, input impedance 20 kOhm. Unbalanced input sensitivity without attenuation 0 dBFS*1 = 1 dBV*2, input impedance 100 kOhm. Analog attenuation available in three steps of -3 dB, -6 dB and -12 dB for an input sensitivity of 0 dBFS = 4 dBV, 7 dBV or 12dBV respectively.
- Processor
- Analog Devices, Internal processing sample rate 192kHz, bit depth 64 bits
- Measurement Microphone
- Included
- Control Interface
- Legacy Wavelet app, included. Running on iOS, Android, iPad, Mac or PC device.
- Control Connections
- Wi-Fi or Ethernet CAT5/CAT6 connection
- Dimensions (HxWxD, inches)
- 4.125 x 17.5 x 12
- Weight
- 13.5 lbs
Manufacturer's Description — Legacy Audio
Transform your listening experience and unlock the full potential of your audio system with the Legacy Wavelet II. This revolutionary DAC/preamp and digital crossover is the ultimate solution for audiophiles and home theater enthusiasts seeking pristine sound quality. The Wavelet II tackles the most common and challenging acoustic problem: your room. It’s the essential tool for Legacy Audio room correction, ensuring the sound you hear is exactly as the artist intended.
Legacy Wavelet II: Your Room’s Ultimate Audio Solution
Rooms are acoustic battlegrounds, and resonances wreak havoc on frequencies below 500Hz, muddying bass and obscuring details. The Wavelet II is a powerful DSP for home theater and stereo systems, using advanced processing to analyze your room’s unique acoustic signature. It makes precise calculations to reduce destructive resonant energy up to 40 milliseconds late, resulting in a dramatic improvement in tonal balance and pitch definition. The difference isn’t subtle; it’s a revelation.
Seamless Integration and Uncompromising Performance
The Legacy Wavelet II effortlessly integrates into any high-end audio setup from vinyl to DAC. The Wavelet II accommodates both analog and digital sources with its versatile connectivity options.
Two pairs of balanced XLR and two pairs of unbalanced RCA inputs let you connect your analog gear without fear of digital artifacts. An advanced filtering (apodizing) circuit corrects the pre-ringing inherent in digital codecs, preserving the integrity of your music.
Enjoy flawless digital playback with asynchronous USB audio up to 32-bit/384kHz, AES/EBU, SPDIF, and TosLink inputs. The Wavelet II processes all signals at a staggering 64-bit depth, providing a resolution more than a trillion times finer than a standard CD.
User-Friendly Setup and Future-Proof Design
Setting up your perfect soundstage is a breeze with the Wavelet II. Each unit comes with a precision-calibrated microphone and a Wi-Fi adapter for wireless control. The intuitive app, available for iOS and Android, puts full control of the Wavelet II right in your hands. Plus, the Wavelet II is designed to be endlessly upgradeable, with the ability to download firmware updates directly, ensuring your system remains on the cutting edge of audio technology.
By assuring that all frequencies arrive with perfect timing and decay naturally, the Legacy Wavelet II delivers an immersive and true-to-life listening experience that will redefine your expectations.
Verified Dealers
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Authorized dealers for Legacy Audio Wavelet II
- The Music Room — online and in-store — Erie, Colorado, United States (website)
- Audio Classics — in-store — New York, United States (website)
- Audio Evolution — online and in-store — Volla, Campania, Italy (website)
- Audio Excellence (CA) — online and in-store — Markham, Ontario, Canada (website)
- Audio Renaissance — United States (website)
- Audio Solutions — online and in-store — Indianapolis, Indiana, United States (website)
- B&H Photo — online and in-store — New York, New York, United States (website)
- Changye Audio — in-store — New Territories, China (website)
- Destination HiFi — online and in-store — Los Angeles, California, United States (website)
- Distinctive Stereo — in-store — River Vale, New Jersey, United States (website)
and 17 more verified dealers