Qute/nDAC

As always the best judge will be your ears - get the dac etc on home demo and see what you think. What pre- power amp are you going to use?

Combinations might be Qute>nDac>Supernait or Qute>nDac>Nac202>Nap200 or why not wait and try the NDX when it becomes available - sell the Qute and put off buying the nDac?



Depends on your pockets - once you add things up the Qute Supernait makes sense otherwise wait for the NDX IMHO.



Tog

Tog, indeed ears are always best but I am interested in hearing from others who have added the nDAC (which I already have) to a Qute. I already have a primary Naim system (252/300/400s tbc). My question is about improving the Qute's SQ via the addition of the nDac. The NDX while attractive doesn't bring anything to my particular party at the moment.

Sorry - didn't know what you already had in terms of kit.

As a pure streamer the Qute is as good as the dac and amplification you are prepared to supply - 

Tog

Thanks. I think you are confirming what I think: no matter what the data source (Serve, Qute, NDX, HDX), it will all sound the same via the nDac or if ithere are differences, they are minor.

Sell the Qute, go directly from Serve to Naim DAC.

Should be WELL worth it. 

At your level of kit, an XPS or 555ps for the DAC is a must demo.

-patrick

I have not heard the system mentioned...so this is pure speculation based on my part.



To me Serve -> Qute -> Dac does not seem very "correct".







Logically, I would only consider the following configurations:







a) Serve to Qute (UPnP)



b) Serve to Dac (Dig out/in)



c) Serve to NDX (UPnP)







Then for each configuration above, the next element would be Preamp (or Amp)

I should have been clearer in my original post. Serve is upstairs connected to dac and 555. Qute is downstairs fed by Serve/router. Sq is a little disappointing hence the question about adding a dac. Interesting review of Qute in HFN. Claims streaming produces worst Sq vs USB or MacMini.

Data,

Gotcha.... this is for your 2nd system.

You have the Naim DAC and Qute.  Why not do the demo yourself and let us all know the results.

Thanks,
Patrick

Data,

Have you considered that the difference in sound quality between your two systems can also come from speakers or pre-amp or amp differences? Why do you think it is only a matter of Dac and streaming approach?
Anyway, it seems like you have all the necessary material at home to do experiments. Why not simply bring the Qute upstairs and try different configurations using your main system components?

Tbh, downright laziness: take the dac out of the main system, move it downstairs, a weeks warm up etc. Then repeat. Hoping to short cut the process via the forum, lol.

Salmon...care to elaborate? I could try another pair of speakers. At the end of the day, I am looking for a little more detail but the Qute is only 2 weeks old so it may be down to burn-in. How long do they take?

Quote from Data.

'Qute is only 2 weeks old so it may be down to burn-in. How long do they take?''

Give it another month and then re-assess. I assume you are running it many hours a day.

Regards
Peter

I am waiting on the NDX.

Let's review. 

----Serve is upstairs connected to dac and 555. Qute is downstairs fed by Serve/router. Sq is a little disappointing hence the question about adding a dac. ----

Serve, Dac, 555 better than Qute.  Yep, that sounds about right.
I would think that an NDX, Supernait in exchange for the Qute ought to level the playing field a bit.
The Qute is good.  It's just not THAT good.

Unfortunately I am not a banker. Adding yet more boxes seems a little er, expensive and the Qute's form factor suits the lounge's space restrictions. I realize the main system is light years ahead of the Qute. I will wait to see what happens to the sound after putting some hours on the unit or try a USB. Assume any USB will do?

I think the Qute all by it's lonesome is a terrific little piece and it should come into it's own soon.

By USB I'm assuming you mean an iPod or thumb drive seeing as the Qute will not take a computer USB straight in. Streaming sounds good to me, next is a USB device into Spdif from a computer.

Ok, little, confused here: I thought I could plug a USB stick into the front of the Qute and voila! music. AllenB, I can't just plug the DAC into the back of the Qute as an upgrade and play music? The Qute is sitting stand alone downstairs plugged into some Leema speakers.

The Serve sends music via the router to the Qute. So, I can't just plug the DAC into the Qute and upgrade the sound?

Ahh, ok. Maybe slightly better speakers then. Getting some nice sounds out of the Serve/DAC/555/s400s at the moment.