naim dac........WHEN ?

we will soon be building the 1st production batch so I would say end of this month.

Do you need one now then Dave...

James,
I would like a home dem thats for sure.
I can think of a good 3 way shootout !
Dave

Paul,
Thanks for your prompt reply.
Cheers, Dave

Must say im surprised that theres no firewire connection.

Firewire though asynchronus still needs VG cicuits to do a proper job, still shares a ground and is getting less common insted of more so. PCs are 90% of the market and most (especially laptops) don't have it and MACs seem to be moving away. If they supplied it, the world would cry for USB instead and contrary to somes view, I believe USB could also be sorted though there's still computer noise and grounding to address. I've heard a few touted firewire interfaces that weren't special in any way though I quite like JET. What's odd is that the best, reasonably priced 1394 interface available just got discontinued. Not enough consumer support? They've chosen to make the most common way of connecting a DAC (Spdif) also the most viable instead of having specialized cicuitry for three different types of inputs without sonic benefit (if all works as described) and what would be a much higher price.

quote:

Originally posted by munch:
Simon Drake in the above Win a DAC thread, has said December.

That's the end of November then!

Hi JS,

If firewire is dying out then howcomes all the new macs that have just been released including macbook pros have these connections ? just wondered.

regards, scotty

because a-lot of macs are still used in the PRO industry. PLUS all macs can boot from T and become a FIREWIRE hard drive.

FireWire's not dead, but it's on life support.

Apple still uses it because a lot of legacy kit wouldn't work without, but I expect it to go the same way as the support for PowerPC users like me and this was the same company that promised me HyperCard would live forever. I forgive them though.

Plus what Patrick says about booting from a Target and becoming just another FW drive.

Firewire, S-Video, SCART, Centronics interfaces have their virtues, but a strong future doesn't seem to be one of them. If only somebody would kill off ugly cheap plastic RJ45 and leave FireWire alone then the world would be a better place - mind you my network switch wouldn't work so I might have to rethink my last rant.

Used to come on everything they sold and no longer does as it's gone from the standard Macbook which I'm sure outsell their other notebooks combined. It's not dead but probably less than 25% of the computers in the world have it and even fewer laptops. I'm not dumping on the interface as I like it but it's not a universal consumer format. It does get lots of use in pro gear but that is purpose bought kit.

Spdif is a poor way to connect anything USB worse, async firewire appears to be alive and well in pro audio.

I agree DHT - EVERYTHING that i have heard through firewire including dacs has had the edge on other connections including all the ones that the naim dac has.....or rather will have........eventually....hopefully.

Surely it would have been a good move by naim to have EVERY connection option open to the buyer including firewire even just for convenience alone.....think its a mistake personally.

LOL, that firewire connection will do wonders for CDPs and Streamers. One solution that isn't dependent on clock sounds fine to me. I may still use a Firewire interface for SPdif out on some sources if it's just a better piece of kit and quiter but that's pretty much it. Hard wire streaming should easily be as good as anything you can get directly via USB SPdif or firewire but I haven't found that to be the case either. In fact a USB connection to a drive generally sounds better. Would be impossible if USB was the issue. All these interfaces have enough speed and bandwith for audio when you construct a proper buffer/player setup and pay attention to PS's and grounding which happens to be rare rare on USB bits, the McDonalds os PC connections. Funny how I got a lot of grief from some of the same posters for suggesting a firewire device instead of the TOS they were using and now it's all turned around. Firewire becomes more important when your dealing with by-directional multiple streams and the need for extremely low latency for multi tracking. I wouldn't use a bad Spdif or a bad Firewire and I've heard both. I'd wait for a listen before damning it.

This black and white stuff has to end. Tos was perfect and now firewire is perfect. Itunes was perfect and now as I suggested at the time, aplayer that bypasses the mixer is better.

Firewire costs money,and expertise that perhaps Naim do not have also it means continuing to provide driver updates when operating systems are changed.

Thanks for the laugh. By the way DHT, I'm considering taking on Weiss if I like the INT202. Not because it's firewire but because I hope it to be good. Expect better than the TC. Same circuit without the additional headphone, mic ins etc., linear supply and decoupled out.

Wait a minute. I guess Weiss doesn't have the expertise to do their own circuit and need to buy the JET interface from TC Konnekt. Of course I don't believe this and wouldn't suggect it actually the case but I guess that's the difference between us. Somebody shoot your dog or something?

They're reusing a good tool that they already have in their DAC and I think that a proper way to go. Perhaps Naim may have done something a bit more novel though it doesn't mean it's better unless it auditions as such. I'll know if it works in a week or so and I'm sure what ships will be even better than what I hear. Been the case with every preproduction piece I've heard from them.

quote:

Originally posted by js:
Funny how I got a lot of grief from some of the same posters for suggesting a firewire device instead of the TOS they were using and now it's all turned around.

I'm confused. Are you saying you were right then? Or now?

Presumably your opinion of firewire didn't modify when it became apparent that the Naim DAC wouldn't include it.

Joe

In any event, I look forward to comparing the Naim DAC with what else is out there - each using it's preferred connection method. Clear the house of family at Christmas and let battle commence.

Joe

thats assuming that the naim dac will be available for Xmas !

I never said that firewire was the only way and even deferred to Ferenc when he said the Lynx was even better. I just said that standard TOS out was limiting, and the best interface I found was the TC Konnekt. I still use it with a PSC. I've often stated that other firewire bits I've heard have been less good. Direct PCI should be better yet but you still have PS's to deal with. I was surprised when Ferenc said the Lynx card was better but I didn't argue, in fact, I trust him correct and wonder if some of that is minimized with the PSC on the K8. I've seen a device that uses an unbilical PCI connection and it's own supply which should be the best of all worlds but it was mediocre. This is more about execution than interface.

I was right both times because I've never changed my tune but of course the adversarial nature of some posters wont see it that way. I haven't liked upsampling DACs either but clearly stated the advantages of filtering if there was a nice symetrical way of increasing the clock frequency long before the Naim DAC circuit was announced. I haven't changed streams, still use a TC though not as my main source and have always called it a better mouse trap and not the only solution. This is an example of the black and white view on these things. I had never gotten my best results from Itunes or a direct computer tos out and is why I had said opinion. It had nothing to do with firewire though there were others with a stronger view. Trust me, the guys making this stuff are smarter at these things and we should not question their technical expertise but simply judge the results.

oh we will dont worry.....just out of curiosity it must be great to be right both times.

Oh yes, much better than wrong both times. I suppose I still could be wrong both times because I haven't changed my tune. That's your interpretation. Guys, I'll be back when I heard the thing. I'll probably like it a lot via my firewire interface with PSC. In the mean time, hold on tight.

Good banter js.