Lavry - Mac, Apple TV, Airport

Posted by: u5227470736789454 on 01 September 2008

Hi Guys,
Could you help, I have decided on a Supernait and f/c. This means that having now put the CD5x on hold until the whole issue of streaming, naim dacs etc becomes clearer, I could get a Lavry and run that with my supernait, as I already have a mac. My questions therefore are :-
1. Is it worth getting the Lavry over just running the mac/ Supernait etc
2. Is it better with the macbook, Apple TV, Airport - do they make a difference to the sound?
Thanks
Barrie
Posted on: 01 September 2008 by Julian H
Baz

If you are not going to need the SNait's DAC why get a SNait and FC2x. Surely 202+200 would be better?

Julian
Posted on: 01 September 2008 by u5227470736789454
Hi Julian,
Thanks for the comments
I am looking to run my cable tv, dvd (I only want stereo,not surround for dvd) as well as my music, I was also trying to avoid lots of boxes and costs. But as I am learning by the minute I am open to advice and opinions,
regards,
Barrie
Posted on: 01 September 2008 by PMR
quote:
Originally posted by baz100:
Hi Julian,
Thanks for the comments
I am looking to run my cable tv, dvd (I only want stereo,not surround for dvd) as well as my music, I was also trying to avoid lots of boxes and costs. But as I am learning by the minute I am open to advice and opinions,
regards,
Barrie
Lavry DA10 or Benchmark Media DAC1
Posted on: 01 September 2008 by thesherrif
Baz

I bought my supernait precisely to be able to connect up my dvd player and sky box as well as the output from an airport express. It does the job and I was happy for a long time.

What I've discovered recently however is that the SN DAC can be bettered, but it's way good enough for the dvd player and Sky box. However for audio I'm looking for the best I can get for my bucks. So a few months ago I bought a Beresford DAC and connect the output of that to the Supernait. (Thus I can still select any audio source via the SN remote). I felt the Beresford is better than the SN DAC.

But it's the hifi that I continue to look at, and maybe I'll decide on the MAC / Lavry combo. One thing is sure though..... the AE has to go, it's a bottle neck as far as quality goes. I recently heard ( and reported here somewhere) a MAC directly attached to the Beresford........ well, suffice to say that the death warrant for my Airport Express has been signed.
Posted on: 01 September 2008 by Julian H
quote:
Hi Julian,
Thanks for the comments
I am looking to run my cable tv, dvd (I only want stereo,not surround for dvd) as well as my music, I was also trying to avoid lots of boxes and costs. But as I am learning by the minute I am open to advice and opinions,
regards,
Barrie


Hello Barrie. Am I bit confused here Confused

Lavry + SNait + FC2x = 3 boxes + dormant DAC
Lavry + 202 + 200 = 3boxes + better sound quality.

What am I missing?

J
Posted on: 01 September 2008 by u5227470736789454
Hi Julian,

I don't think you are missing anything, but I may be. I was not properly aware that I could run, DVD, digital TV and music source ( digital and analogue ) through the 202/200 mind you I was not looking to have a seperate DAC either
I really hope I don't have to go back to the drawing board again Roll Eyes
Barrie
Posted on: 02 September 2008 by pcstockton
I am with Julian... In your scenario I would have no issues using the analog outputs of those less important sources, the DVD, Cable box etc...

The digital output on those are only needed for the decoding dolby etc., which you will not be using.

For your digital music source, that is where you would look into an external DAC.
Posted on: 03 September 2008 by u5227470736789454
Hi,
Thanks for the advice ref the 200/202 vs the Supernait. I reckon I can either afford a S/N and F/C or a bare 200/202. (The Lavry is a seperate issue ),I would then have to wait until I could sell one of my kidneys to buy a hi-cap.
Any thoughts on the sound comparison beween f/C'd S/N or bare 200/202
( I am trying to arrange demos of both options, mind you I can't even get a common agreement on which sounds best from my local Naim dealers )
Cheers
Barrie
Posted on: 03 September 2008 by User34
quote:
Originally posted by baz100:
Hi,

Any thoughts on the sound comparison beween f/C'd S/N or bare 200/202



202/200 will put you on the slippery slope to box upgrades one at a time ...
Posted on: 03 September 2008 by u5227470736789454
Slopes I can manage, it is the cliffs that frighten me !!

I take your point though, and would only be able to add upgrades at the rate of about 1 per year, hence my concern about the sound comparison, if I have to wait 1 year to get decent sound ( hi-cap) it would bother me greatly
Posted on: 03 September 2008 by Jay
baz100

you might want to ask the 202/200 vs supernait question in the main room. there are bound to be folks who have listened to both and know the pros and cons.

Jay
Posted on: 03 September 2008 by u5227470736789454
Thanks Jay,

Will do
Posted on: 03 September 2008 by Keith L
quote:
I felt the Beresford is better than the SN DAC.


If that's the case Naim have missed a trick. In my experience the Beresford comes a very lowly second to my BM Dac1. And by all accounts the BM Dac1 comes a whisker behind a Lavry DA10.

If the above can be substantiated by others, I cannot help thinking, why did Naim bother to include a dac?
Posted on: 03 September 2008 by garyi
Because keith like assholes everyone has an opinion. Just because one person says he thinks a beresford dac is better does not make it so.
Posted on: 03 September 2008 by Steve S1
quote:
Originally posted by garyi:
Because keith like assholes everyone has an opinion. Just because one person says he thinks a beresford dac is better does not make it so.


True, but how many people compare? At least the person concerned had tried it. Better indicator than 'opinion' from people who haven't, I'd have thought.

Nobody has to compare anything of course, but that's a different matter.

Steve
Posted on: 03 September 2008 by Keith L
Garyi,

I wished you had used some punctuation in your last post. On first reading I was quite offended Smile

I get your drift on second reading.

Keith
Posted on: 03 September 2008 by thesherrif
As the person who said "I felt the Beresford is better than the SN DAC".....

yes, I have tried it, and not more than once either. My Beresford is lashed up to my system and I can easily switch to the Naim DAC in less time than it takes to jitter a 50Hz square wave. I won't listen to streamed music through the NAIM DAC.... end of. I frequently swap connections and revisit the system.

I KNOW the Naim DAC in the SN is good, but not as good as it could be, but that's down to NAIM and how it perceives itself in the marketplace. Have NAIM missed a trick? Time ( and profit) will tell, but I won't be rushing to buy a future Naim DAC just 'cos it has a bright green Naim logo on it. I reckon NAIM are s**t scared of the DAC market, and so they should be, but I've been slagged off in another place for expressing that view by those who "know better". In the meantime, if others are saying the Lavry or Benchmark is better than the Beresford then I'm gonna get me some of that, or maybe one of about 50 or so other DACs out there. The NAIM mantras of "Naim Sound" and "Naim Synergy" just don't wash anymore.

IMHO of course...
Posted on: 04 September 2008 by Jack Barron
quote:
Originally posted by thesherrif:
As the person who said "I felt the Beresford is better than the SN DAC".....

yes, I have tried it, and not more than once either. My Beresford is lashed up to my system and I can easily switch to the Naim DAC in less time than it takes to jitter a 50Hz square wave. I won't listen to streamed music through the NAIM DAC.... end of. I frequently swap connections and revisit the system.

I KNOW the Naim DAC in the SN is good, but not as good as it could be, but that's down to NAIM and how it perceives itself in the marketplace. Have NAIM missed a trick? Time ( and profit) will tell, but I won't be rushing to buy a future Naim DAC just 'cos it has a bright green Naim logo on it. I reckon NAIM are s**t scared of the DAC market, and so they should be, but I've been slagged off in another place for expressing that view by those who "know better". In the meantime, if others are saying the Lavry or Benchmark is better than the Beresford then I'm gonna get me some of that, or maybe one of about 50 or so other DACs out there. The NAIM mantras of "Naim Sound" and "Naim Synergy" just don't wash anymore.

IMHO of course...


Interesting read. I've got a Beresford that I've been using for a year. I've always assumed it is inferior to the DAC in the SuperNait and will be much less than whatever standalone DAC Naim will hopefully bring out in the future.

One thing is for sure, I will definitely compare products before deciding which way to upgrade.

Mind you my DAC does look crap without a green logo.

Jack