Any opinions?

Posted by: True Blue on 07 January 2014

Being the proud new owner of a pre loved 282, I have started thinking about my sources.  I don't believe the SONOS is a patch on my Saturn (both fed into NDAC) so has anyone done a comparison of

 

1. W4S Cullen mods Sonos

2. Unitiqute as source only

3. ND5XS

 

I know 3 is over double the price.  I should also be able to demo 2 and 3, but I loive the interface of Sonos and access to spotify

 

Any comments / views appreciated

 

Posted on: 07 January 2014 by hungryhalibut

You need an NDX. That's the thing with upgrading your preamp, the crud flies in.

Posted on: 07 January 2014 by Simon-in-Suffolk

I am afraid Hungryhalibut is spot on...

Posted on: 07 January 2014 by True Blue

Thanks for the replies.  I thought that was going to be the case.  Nipped down to my local dealer to discuss yesterday.  He was of exactly the same opinion.

 

Did mention about lack of Spotify and android app being an issue he was of the opinion that both will be coming this year.

 

He was also of the opinion that the NDX would be the logical next upgrade before even adding a second hicap ,supercap to the 282 or XPs2 to the DAC.

 

So in the meantime plenty of CD's to rediscover and vinyl for main replay which both sound superb.  SONOS and spotify for everything else.

 

Looks like I will have some saving to do this year.  But still extremely happy with the 282, even SWMBO is mightily impressed "It just sounds better, I can really hear it this time (the upgrade)"

Posted on: 08 January 2014 by trickydickie

With an NDX the Rega CD player will not really be required as you will be above that level with the stramer, if you can find a used NDX then the stretch won't be as bad if you can raise some funds by selling the Rega.

 

Also, try QoBuz instead of Spotify.  I have switched and the sound quality is excellent, I can live with less content as there still is a lifetimes worth in the catalogue.  I listen to this via Sonos into the NDX DAC.

 

Richard

Posted on: 08 January 2014 by CraigB
TrueBlue,

I would have thought it's worth trying a UnitiQute2 into the NDac with all its amps disabled, thereby creating a relatively inexpensive streamer digital source.

I have not done the demo myself but I can imagine it to be a close result to the NDX into NDac at a third of the cost.
Posted on: 08 January 2014 by True Blue

Richard,

 

Thanks for your post, I fully agree with you, however my wife likes to "spin the old discs" every now and again so the CDP is here to stay.

 

Craig,

 

That's why I started this thread I wondered if anyone had demoed the qute against NDX into DAC