Digital convert...
Posted by: Marc0209 on 17 November 2010
Let me start by saying the bulk of my listening over the last 5 yrs or so has been analog and SET's..but as a prevous Naim owner..140/hicap/72, and 250/hicap/102 i found myself wanting more....it was time for a total depature. Last night a box arrived with my brand new Supernait! Lets just say i was floored. I am running apple lossless files digital out into the DAC from an appletv. I am very impressed with the quality of the sound. I think Naim amplification has come a long way. So...whats next, any recommendations on how to improve on my new digital sound?
ty...marc
ty...marc
Posted on: 17 November 2010 by Lee Henley
Why improve if your already floored?
Posted on: 17 November 2010 by Marc0209
well..first off..this is a hobby...i set this system up as simply as possible..while i get a chance to absorb all the info out there, ie formats, players etc..i guess nest i will experiment with different formats and higher res downloads
Posted on: 17 November 2010 by pcstockton
quote:So...whats next, any recommendations on how to improve on my new digital sound?
You must demo the Naim DAC.
Posted on: 17 November 2010 by js
Check the forums for players and computer interfaces. Try a hi/flatcap. 
Posted on: 17 November 2010 by Marc0209
wow...i had forgotten how nueritic this forum can make you...lol....give at least a month with the internal dac on the SN...all kidding aside..i was gonna concentrate more on the software than the harware to start out
Posted on: 17 November 2010 by pcstockton
Marc,
I assume you are using iTunes? If so you will get suggestions to try Pure Music/Vinyl, and/or Amarra. I simply cannot recommend these as I have never heard their effects. But I can say I dont like the idea of them.
If you get the Junior version of Amarra, I think it brings FLAC support to the table along with auto-sample rate switching. (itunes does not allow for switching "on the fly" between standard and hires files)
Give the new Ayre player from sbooth a shot. Looks good.
-Patrick
I assume you are using iTunes? If so you will get suggestions to try Pure Music/Vinyl, and/or Amarra. I simply cannot recommend these as I have never heard their effects. But I can say I dont like the idea of them.
If you get the Junior version of Amarra, I think it brings FLAC support to the table along with auto-sample rate switching. (itunes does not allow for switching "on the fly" between standard and hires files)
Give the new Ayre player from sbooth a shot. Looks good.
-Patrick
Posted on: 17 November 2010 by Marc0209
Hi patrick,
yes I am using itunes...i chose it for its simplicity, and i felt it was a good place to start my jorney....I was literally up and running and streaming digital lossless files via my appletv to my SN in five minutes flat. A week ago i didnt even know what a FLAC file was. Thank you for your suggestions, i will slowly move foward and see how far i can push this medium w/out breaking the bank....but in the mean time im really enjoying was streaming over my system.
marc
yes I am using itunes...i chose it for its simplicity, and i felt it was a good place to start my jorney....I was literally up and running and streaming digital lossless files via my appletv to my SN in five minutes flat. A week ago i didnt even know what a FLAC file was. Thank you for your suggestions, i will slowly move foward and see how far i can push this medium w/out breaking the bank....but in the mean time im really enjoying was streaming over my system.
marc
Posted on: 17 November 2010 by Guido Fawkes
I have heard PM and deleted it, as it offered nothing useful in my set-up. iTunes works perfectly well on my system - I've tried other players, but TBH just prefer to listen to music. It may be different with a non-Naim/non-Chord DAC, but they are the only two I have (main system/office) and with those two DACs change the software does not make me enjoy the music any more than not using them.quote:If so you will get suggestions to try Pure Music/Vinyl, and/or Amarra. I simply cannot recommend these as I have never heard their effects. But I can say I dont like the idea of them.
Posted on: 17 November 2010 by Marc0209
being new to this realm...i guess i should clarify, by sotware, i was speaking more aabout format, ie FLAC, WAV, etc, all my files were ripped lossless, and i am interested in maybe trying diffierent formats to see what if any differences thy might make. I reaaly like the way itunes works too, and have no plans to change
Posted on: 17 November 2010 by NewMike
You are a step ahead of me - just got ATV (took ages to sort out the itunes a/c - thanks to Apple support). As you say works fine and all in the household can use it. Will stream from an iMac and some MacBooks and all run via the iPhone or iPad. Just need to sort the amp - either a Supernait or Arcam DAC into an XS...One downside is lack of BBC radio but that may change (I won't mention the Beatles - more Stones for me )
)Posted on: 17 November 2010 by Marc0209
Hi Mike,
My vote goes to the SN...one less cable to run with the built in DAC on the SN, and the SN sounds wonderfull. I found it to have a bigger nore open sound compared to the XS.
As for the appletv.i love it, instant access the all the itunes libraries in the house, and the album art looks great on my flat screen(im sure a ipod touch is around the corner)
My vote goes to the SN...one less cable to run with the built in DAC on the SN, and the SN sounds wonderfull. I found it to have a bigger nore open sound compared to the XS.
As for the appletv.i love it, instant access the all the itunes libraries in the house, and the album art looks great on my flat screen(im sure a ipod touch is around the corner)
Posted on: 17 November 2010 by PureHifi
Try a Chord OptiChord optical cable from the apple TV to the supernait. They do one with the Mini toslink at one end for the Apple TV. Suprising how much difference a good (or bad) optical cable can make.
Other things to improve the system:
Hicap on the supernait
Powerline on HiCap &/or Supernait
UnitiQute as a source player of digital material (plus FM/DAB/iRadio)
Other things to improve the system:
Hicap on the supernait
Powerline on HiCap &/or Supernait
UnitiQute as a source player of digital material (plus FM/DAB/iRadio)
Posted on: 17 November 2010 by Tog
Optichord excellent link from either a Mac or an ATV.
Tog
Tog
Posted on: 17 November 2010 by pcstockton
quote:Suprising how much difference a good (or bad) optical cable can make.
I think it is surprising that Chord only makes one optical interconnect. They have like 4 or 5 "levels" of coax/bnc.
Any thoughts are to why? Is light, light? (I know it isn't as I used to work with microfinishing films for the terminations of fiber optic cables both glass and plastic)
Or is it just not important enough to maximize the performance? Or is it just as good as they can make?
Why isn't there a toslinked DC-1?
-Patrick
Posted on: 17 November 2010 by js
Light is shite. 
Overstated but I couldn't resist.
Overstated but I couldn't resist.Posted on: 17 November 2010 by pcstockton
Curious why that is?
Posted on: 17 November 2010 by nap-ster
The Apple TV has a standard toslink socket not a mini.
Posted on: 18 November 2010 by RedOne
I'm in a very similar situation in that I have an SN that I just love and also can't now do without the convenience of iTunes. Also use Apple Loseless as well. I'm considering using an Airport Express (via mini Toslink -> Toslink on the SN) to quietly sit behind everything to allow me to direct my iTunes stuff over the home network. I hear varying views on the Airport Express and wonder how it compares musically to the new ATV. Any thoughts. I'm considering a UniteServe also, but want to see how far I can get with iTunes setup first.
Posted on: 18 November 2010 by js
Tos can be fine but Coax done right will always be better. More bandwidth and the available tranceivers are just generally better. For something like an AE, tos was probably the better choice for noise reasons but I don't think it an optimized setup.quote:Originally posted by pcstockton:
Curious why that is?
Posted on: 18 November 2010 by pcstockton
JS,
What about in the context of the Naim DAC. Are the toslink inputs compromised?
I thought I read in their white paper that they preferred toslink for its neutral electrical properties that avoid loops, interference and RF generation.
I am using toslink specifically because of this.
Would I be better off with the breakout cable of my Juli@ into a coax. Or breakout>coax>BNC converter>BNC DC-1?
Thanks,
Patrick
What about in the context of the Naim DAC. Are the toslink inputs compromised?
I thought I read in their white paper that they preferred toslink for its neutral electrical properties that avoid loops, interference and RF generation.
I am using toslink specifically because of this.
Would I be better off with the breakout cable of my Juli@ into a coax. Or breakout>coax>BNC converter>BNC DC-1?
Thanks,
Patrick
Posted on: 18 November 2010 by Hook
quote:Originally posted by pcstockton:
JS,
What about in the context of the Naim DAC. Are the toslink inputs compromised?
I thought I read in their white paper that they preferred toslink for its neutral electrical properties that avoid loops, interference and RF generation.
I am using toslink specifically because of this.
Would I be better off with the breakout cable of my Juli@ into a coax. Or breakout>coax>BNC converter>BNC DC-1?
Thanks,
Patrick
Hi Patrick -
Rather than using the breakout cable, you might want to have a single-ended custom cable built to spec (breakouts can be bad when it comes to EMI/RFI).
I ordered a Dsub9-to-BNC cable from Redco dot com to connect my RME 9632 to the Naim DAC. Cost about $50, and works great.
Good luck!
Hook
Posted on: 18 November 2010 by pcstockton
thanks hook.
Before I go that far I will simply get a different method of outputting a dig signal. Maybe an Evo, or Hiface or something.
I really dont care what it is as long as it sounds good and supports auto sample rate switching.
-Patrick
Before I go that far I will simply get a different method of outputting a dig signal. Maybe an Evo, or Hiface or something.
I really dont care what it is as long as it sounds good and supports auto sample rate switching.
-Patrick
Posted on: 18 November 2010 by Marc0209
ok...forgive me for asking....but the thread seems to be headed in this direction...what is the highrst res file itunes will support?...and the same goes for streaming wifi..is there a bottlneak or limit??My router is an airport extreme...so i dont think the limitation is there..
ty,
marc
ty,
marc
Posted on: 18 November 2010 by Jon Myles
quote:Originally posted by Marc0209:
ok...forgive me for asking....but the thread seems to be headed in this direction...what is the highrst res file itunes will support?...and the same goes for streaming wifi..is there a bottlneak or limit??My router is an airport extreme...so i dont think the limitation is there..
ty,
marc
iTunes will handle up to 24/192.
How you output will be the key issue (Wireless/Toslink etc) and to what.
Streaming reliability will depend upon how robust your network is. Naim do not recommend streaming hi-res wirelessly to a router and then wirelessly to a player such as the Uniti.
It can cause dropouts (I know, I've had them).
Best to keep at least one side wired.
Posted on: 18 November 2010 by Marc0209
i can run a ethernet from the router to the ATV....will a get an improvement from this? I have even thought a bout an external hard drive..my airport express aupports an external hardrive via USB...would these be logical moves