Naim USB DAC

I don't understand the fascination with USB? It was never designed for audio in mind and further more the USB hub will have plenty of other things to contend with.

quote:

Originally posted by man man:
(SSD is better than traditional HDD for music usage)

Why? This is becoming a popular myth with no basis in reality whatsoever.

Lavry DA11 ?

James

quote:

Originally posted by Kashmir:

quote:

Originally posted by man man:
(SSD is better than traditional HDD for music usage)

Why? This is becoming a popular myth with no basis in reality whatsoever.

Hard Disks are not very good for storing valuable data - we always use CD/DVDs - and hard disks make a horrible noise and often need fans.

I would have thought SSD is better than an obsolete technology like HDD, but then I can understand the liking for for some elements of Victoriana

No moving parts that's the future - for now it's slap another disc on the LP12.

quote:

Originally posted by james n:
Lavry DA11 ?

James

Why if Naim brings out a DAC then there's no need for the Lavry - surely it's just an interim measures for those that, unlike me, can't wait.

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:

quote:

Originally posted by Kashmir:

quote:

Originally posted by man man:
(SSD is better than traditional HDD for music usage)

Why? This is becoming a popular myth with no basis in reality whatsoever.

Hard Disks are not very good for storing valuable data - we always use CD/DVDs - and hard disks make a horrible noise and often need fans.

I would have thought SSD is better than an obsolete technology like HDD, but then I can understand the liking for for some elements of Victoriana

No moving parts that's the future - for now it's slap another disc on the LP12.

The knowledge about computers displayed on hi-fi forums is negligible at best. Since people who are into hi-fi have started playing with computer based sources, all kinds of ignorant statements regarding computers have started popping up on internet forums. Personally, I know nothing about growing tomatoes, so I will obviously refrain from lecturing others on the complexities of the tomato plant's seasonal cycle for example.
Hard drives are more durable and long lasting than cd/dvds. But it is a bit like comparing apples and onions, they have different usages.

Whether the bitstream is read from hdds or sdds does not matter at all. The interface with the mainboard and chipset is the same, and is treated the same by a computer in both cases. The HDD technology is not obsolete, but rather an old principle perfected over time, quite like your hi-fi gear. A HDD and an SSD will sound exactly the same. Of course, the solid state stuff is silent, but a traditional drive can be virtually noiseless if installed properly.

quote:

Hard drives are more durable and long lasting than cd

Hmm, not really my experience so far. The last 6 years 3 HDD's have died.
None of my 670 CD's ever skipped a beat so far. Some of them are >20 years old now.

Still, currently I (only) use a SB3 and my PC/HD as source. HDD's have dropped in price rapidly the last couple of years, so for the price of 3 or 4 CD's you can now have another 500GB back-up HD, to store about 1200 albums!
(in lossless format!)

I'm waiting for the solid-state HD's to gain in storage space and drop in price.
(just a matter of time I think)

cheers,
Alco

quote:

Hard drives are more durable and long lasting than cd/dvds.

Your post me laugh out loud - thanks.

I guess you don't work in IT then.
Look up MTBF in Wikipedia - it might help you to understand.

Go to go - one my long standing customers has just had a major hard disk failure - still the solid state device I supplied him with is still working fine.

ATB Rotf

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:

quote:

Originally posted by james n:
Lavry DA11 ?

James

Why if Naim brings out a DAC then there's no need for the Lavry - surely it's just an interim measures for those that, unlike me, can't wait.

The differences between decent DACs are pretty small. I'm sure Naim's will be fine, but unlikely to be hugely different than many others. Not sure it's worth a wait if you need a DAC.

USB is sssssssllllloooooowwwwww and sssssshhhhhhiiiiittttteeeee

quote:

Originally posted by bec143:

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:

quote:

Originally posted by james n:
Lavry DA11 ?

James

Why if Naim brings out a DAC then there's no need for the Lavry - surely it's just an interim measures for those that, unlike me, can't wait.

The differences between decent DACs are pretty small. I'm sure Naim's will be fine, but unlikely to be hugely different than many others. Not sure it's worth a wait if you need a DAC.

Well I'm definitely waiting - if the difference is small then I've lost nothing because I'll be able to retain an all Naim approach with total confidence and if, as it usually is, the Naim DAC is far more to my taste then that's even better.

I don't really need a DAC immediately because I already have a Naim designed and built DAC that is better than any stand-alone DAC arrangement I've heard.

However with some artists only releasing on download I will need one sooner or later - some call it progress.

ATB Rotf

quote:

Originally posted by bec143:
The differences between decent DACs are pretty small.

I recall you didn't hear much differences in CD players either, right?

You can plug and play SSD on the HDX.

Actually I used to play music file on PC.

I have read some forum and replace my HDD to SDD in my PC.

After the change, the noise level drop significantly. It is a proved fact by many computer audiophilie.

quote:

Originally posted by kuma:

quote:

Originally posted by bec143:
The differences between decent DACs are pretty small.

I recall you didn't hear much differences in CD players either, right?

Well, I preferred the Opus 21, but not by much, and for the money kept my CD5/Hi.

I can certainly hear differences when I had a monica, benchmark, and Lite Dac in the house, but within an implementation group the differences are not huge, at least in my experience.

That wasn't the point- just that with so many good an cheap DACs around, I don't waiting for a specific one, if you want it now. I have now had 7 or DACs in the house, so I have a decent idea of what they sound like. I certainly have not heard a correlation between price and performance.

Actually, thanks to a comment from you I have a Valabs DAC in transit- will be fun to compare it with the Monica.

You can see there are more and more computer playback hardware in the market (most of them have USB input)

Benchmark DAC1 USB/Pre

Audio Research DAC 7

Weiss DAC2

Weiss Minerva

Cambridge Audio – DACmagic

dCS -「Puccini U-Clock」+ dCS Ring DAC

Chord - QBD76 USB DAC

AQVOX USB 2 D/A MKII

Stello DA100 Signature

Apogee Minidac

Nuforce Icon

Grace Design M902

Wavelength Brick

Mcintosh MS750

Linn - Digital stream players series

Goldmund Mimesis 16

Lary DA11

Slimdevice - Transporter

Slimdevice - Squeezebox classic

PS Audio - Digital Link III DAC

PS Audio - Perfect Wave DAC

Bel Canto Dac3

Bryston BDA-1

Muscial Fidelity - A1 Intergrated Amplifier

EMM Labs - DAC2

ESOTERIC、DAC D-05 -「USB」upgrade option

Ayre、USB DAC "QB-9"

I just want to have one more way to enjoy's naim's sound through other media (either USB, firewire or whatsoever)

as I really love Naim's sound ~

quote:

Originally posted by bec143:
Actually, thanks to a comment from you I have a Valabs DAC in transit- will be fun to compare it with the Monica.

Well, a friend who ditched the Lavry and Benchmark for it is happy as a lark now.

Have a look at the Blacknote DSS series (http://www.blacknote.eu/); not just a USB DAC but certainly includes what you are looking for.

quote:

Originally posted by Manu:
You can plug and play SSD on the HDX.

Yes I realise that - it's the Hard Disks that I don't need/want - if I could just plug in a memory stick and the CD player matched or bettered the CDX2 then I'd seriously consider one.

With the current HDX, I feel I'd be buying a very well made hard disk system and clever ripping software that I have no need for and unfortunately this makes the HDX too expensive for me.

The Blacknote DSS looks very interesting, but I'll wait for Naim to bring something out that suits my needs.

ATB Rotf

quote:

Originally posted by bec143:

quote:

Originally posted by kuma:

quote:

Originally posted by bec143:
The differences between decent DACs are pretty small.

I recall you didn't hear much differences in CD players either, right?

Well, I preferred the Opus 21, but not by much, and for the money kept my CD5/Hi.

I can certainly hear differences when I had a monica, benchmark, and Lite Dac in the house, but within an implementation group the differences are not huge, at least in my experience.

That wasn't the point- just that with so many good an cheap DACs around, I don't waiting for a specific one, if you want it now. I have now had 7 or DACs in the house, so I have a decent idea of what they sound like. I certainly have not heard a correlation between price and performance.

Actually, thanks to a comment from you I have a Valabs DAC in transit- will be fun to compare it with the Monica.

Bruce,
What is the front end that you are using with the various DACs you have tried (computer/hard drive of sorts?)? What files do you use and how have they been ripped?

quote:

Originally posted by munch:
R U going to try HDX then?

I would only be trying out curiosity - the HDX is not really something that suits my needs, as I see no point in ripping my CDs to Hard Disk when I can just play them on the CDX2. I can't see anything extra the HDX offers me in my situation; if it didn't have hard disks and the CD player was just like a CDX2 or better then that would be interesting - a top class CD head with some inputs for this new fangled down load stuff.

For the most part, I can't see any reason for me to rip CDs anymore than I can to digitalise vinyl - might as well just play the originals.

So I may pass on this - also wouldn't know where to put it.

ATB Rotf

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:

For the most part, I can't see any reason for me to rip CDs anymore than I can to digitalise vinyl - might as well just play the originals.

ATB Rotf

Actually Royf, I would disagree with that. I depends upon how you want to listen to music and whether you are interested in music management or want to continue to handle the hard medium.

If you've demoed the HDX in a properly set-up system with PSU (555>XPS2) or the A2D vinyl recordings done by Ken I think you might feel differently. The HDX is at minimum equal to your CDX2 and then affords use of all the other options you've alluded to.

quote:

whether you are interested in music management or want to continue to handle the hard medium.

Personally - hard media every time - I find computerised menu systems drive me up the wall; I'd take a command line over a graphical user interface any day; playlists and such things I only see as negative, I'd only ever find them a distracting annoyance: I'm not a deejay: I always play records or CDs in their entirety.

I've not heard the HDX, but it is considerably more expensive than my CDX2 so it would need to play CDs much better than the CDX2 to justify itself to me. I still don't like the hard discs or the need to use a screen to play music - it is just to much like a computer. I'd really be looking for something that would be around the same price as my CDX2, no hard discs and a digital input. I like the USB idea: I think.

Obviously, I can't comment on Ken's work and have no doubts it is superb, but unless he was prepared to digitalise my entire music collection for me at no cost then I'm still in the same boat. I don't want to do it myself. I bet the stuff that comes in hi-res is the type of stuff I never listen to - it'll probably be lots of AOR stuff like Fleetwood Mac, Dire Straits and that ilk: I can't think of one DVD-Audio disc I'd like to own - there were some Kinks albums released on SACD in fairness.

So I'm not saying I don't think the HDX is a good machine and has its place. I was simply replying to young Munch that I am don't feel comfortable borrowing one of Naim's demo machines for a month or so when I'm not seriously considering buying one. As Munch knows, I'm not a great one for trying things out: once I've got something that suits I tend to just use it.

Trialing the HDX at home would be quite a pain logistically as there is nowhere for it to go - the Fraim is full; I've also been offered to try one of those DACs that gets mentioned a lot, but once again trying it would be a pain and I've zero interest in it as a potential purchase; so I've declined (if one were sent to me I doubt I'd take it out the box). I'm not adverse to a home demo, but it has got to be something that I'm seriously thinking of buying.

I know I'm an awkward so-and-so and difficult to please. I see downloaded music as a bit like CD was - something I had to come to terms with rather than as having any benefit for me. I'd have just as soon stuck with vinyl records. I can't afford or don't even demand the ultimate replay system: simply one that lets me enjoy the records and CDs I've collected.

So what I think would be a good product for Naim to release is a CD head unit that had some digital inputs to cope with the odd download. Eventually solid state storage will remove the need for hard disks and then everything gets more attractive. Such a device could take the place of my CDX2 as long as I could trade my CDX2 for it with a small upgrade charge and it sounded just like a CD555 .

ATB Rotf

quote:

Originally posted by avole:

Sadly the Kinks SACDs aren't particularly brilliant re-masters.

Agreed. With the exception of a few of the "Ugly Pink PRT" releases, and Low Budget on MFSL (not my favorite album) I am less than pleased with my Kinks collection.

I think some Record Store hunting and more vinyl rips are in my future.