My ears are fooling me?

Posted by: shing on 17 January 2012

I think age is catching up with me or my ears are pulling my legs. I have auditioned the Uniti SSD/Naim DAC and the HDX/Naim DAC. All via digital out from the Uniti SSD and HDX to the Naim DAC. Flac and Wav files were ripped from dbPowerAmp. The flac files are stored on a external NAS connected to the Uniti /HDX via Cat5 cables.

 

To my understanding the Uniti and HDX are just presenting the same flac files via digital domain to the Naim DAC for D/A conversion, but why it is that the HDX/Naim DAC combo sounds so much better? As far as I know, the Uniti SSD and the HDX are passing the SAME FILES (the 1 & 0 are the same) to the Naim DAC, but my ears tells me it’s different? Why? 

 

Comments are appreciated

 

Posted on: 17 January 2012 by Jan-Erik Nordoen

No legs being pulled and your ears are fine. It has been confirmed to me by a reliable source that the S/PDIF output from the UnitiServe (while very good) is not as good as that of the HDX. The UnitiServe is best used connected to the network as a server. Feeding the data from it (via TCP/IP) into a streamer client (such as the UnitiQute, ND5X or NDX) then taking the S/PDIF from the streamer client into the nDAC will sound better.

 

It would appear that the best sources for the nDAC are the streamer clients and not the server. That being said, the UnitiServe + nDAC combination remains a stunning source.  

 

Jan

 

Posted on: 17 January 2012 by Simon-in-Suffolk
Shing, as you will read countless places on this forum, a digital signal is not 1s and 0s, that's a modelling abstraction used to explain concepts. It's not reality. The digital signal is a specifically shaped analogue signal. That signal contains a lot of radio frequency energy, and because of the bursts of frequencies at edges, can cause EMI. This EMI can disturb clocks and couple into  powerlines and earth loops and be conveyed by the SPDIF cable - this can sometimes be heard as subtle intermod distortion in connected analogue circuits. This can deteriorate the performance of a delicate dAC connected to the SPDIF.  The better the SPDIF driver the less extraneous RF earth currents there will be.
Simon
Posted on: 17 January 2012 by Mr Underhill

Shing,

 

Not heard the HDX, I did do an extended audition of the NS01 against the US, and preferred the NS01 - but, I wouldn't say the US was a mile behind the NS01, in fact I could imagine some people preferring the US, different presentations.

 

M

Posted on: 17 January 2012 by shing

Thanks for all your replies and comments. In view of the UnitiServe ONLY being a uPnP server and it’s digital outputs are not top notch, I will go this route

 

a) uPnP Server - NDX/NDX5 - NDAC - Pre Amp

 

I believe the route A above would save me quite a bundle of $$$. Are all uPnP servers create equal (in terms of sound quality) ? If they (uPnP servers) are not, then I will try

 

b) Unitiserve SSD - NDX/NDX5 - NDAC - Pre Amp

 

If route B does not work work, then I will be seeing the combo below in my house really soon.

 

c) HDX - NDAC - Preamp

 

I am benchmarking the 3 routes above to obtain similarities to CDX2. HDX/NDAC/Preamp in my opinion sounds way better than UnitiServe - NDAC - Preamp. I ears prefer the HDX/NDAC/Preamp combo over the CDX2 but unfortunately my bank account doesn't. 

 

Should I try uPnP Server - NDX/NDX5 - NDAC - Pre Amp to see/listen whether it would come close to CDX2? Or it will be a futile waste of time? Saving some $$$ would be nice as well  

 

Shing

Posted on: 17 January 2012 by Nagoya

S, what pre and power amp are you buying or do have have that in place already? Thanks!

Posted on: 18 January 2012 by shing

Nagoya, I am currently running an Accuphase pre/pro which I feel is a bit laid back for my taste. (my taste has change during the 10 year ownership of her). I might get myself the NAP200 or NAP 250 /NAC 202 combo. I don't really want to spend more than necessary on the NAC 282 unless the NAC 282 really does something REALLY special.

 

Posted on: 18 January 2012 by Guido Fawkes

I'd go Mac Mini + Naim DAC/555PS as adding the 555PS is more beneficial in my opinion than spending a lot on the pre-DAC front end. 

 

The NAC 282 is really special and well worth the extra. I would invest in this part of the system rather than spending lots pre-DAC. If you have 552/300/S600s or better then is then is the time to look at pre-DAC enhancements. 

 

My favourite UPnP server, if you decide to go that way, is the Vortexbox.