Upnp v spdif

Posted by: Dougle on 16 February 2014

I know this goes against Naim wisdom but I have found to my surprise that my nd5xs sounds better connected to US via DC1 rather than upnp streaming.  Just more weight and depth to the sound. Just wondered if anyone else had similar experiences?
Posted on: 16 February 2014 by Simon-in-Suffolk

No - you might want to check you don't have noise on your ethernet patch lead.

Simon

 

Posted on: 16 February 2014 by CharlieP

i very much prefer UPnP streaming to SPDIF, but I do not have a UnityServe.  There could be many variables at play here, since I am actually using SPDIF in BNC DC1 to nDAC from UnitiQute, streaming via ethernet from minimserver on Mac Mini.  This has a more focused, coherent sound, when compared to feeding the nDAC via Supernova 7 optical from Mac Mini running iTunes and Audirvana+.   The rest of my system is XPS2, hiline, 282, (2) Hicap, 200.

 

i can't help but wonder if it would sound better yet by eliminating the SPDIF altogether, but I don't want to spend the money on an NDS.

 

i am not questioning your observations, only reporting my own.

 

Cheers,

Charlie

Posted on: 16 February 2014 by Dougle

Many thanks Simon & Charlie for your thoughts. As a supplementary my nd5 is powered via xp5 into SN2 and I have an ndac on the way and wondered if I should feed ndac from nd5 with xp5 on ndac or from US again with xp5 on ndac. Latter would allow me to lose the nd5 altogether from the chain. The US is racked with the rest of the system and is likely to remain so. Many thanks.

Posted on: 16 February 2014 by NickSeattle

I'd expect the ND5XS to sound better than the Uniti Serve.  If that is not your experience you should find out what is holding the ND5 back.  Your dealer should be very keen to help, even if you bought some or all of the pieces somewhere else.

 

Good luck!

 

Nick

Posted on: 16 February 2014 by Claus-Thoegersen
Originally Posted by NickSeattle:

I'd expect the ND5XS to sound better than the Uniti Serve.  If that is not your experience you should find out what is holding the ND5 back.  Your dealer should be very keen to help, even if you bought some or all of the pieces somewhere else.

 

Why are you so sure?

Basicly it is two different designs, and yes the nds is newer, but you never know.

Selling the nd5 could  make way for a Ndac. Or maybe the nd5 is better, WHO knows.

 

Good luck!

 

Nick

 

Posted on: 16 February 2014 by NickSeattle
Originally Posted by Claus-Thoegersen:

Why are you so sure?

Basicly it is two different designs, and yes the nds is newer, but you never know.

Selling the nd5 could  make way for a Ndac. Or maybe the nd5 is better, WHO knows.

I don't think I sound sure, and, in fact, I am not.  I am curious what a dealer would say, and if setup issues exist.  

 

My uncertainty is all the greater today, as an NDX is bedding into my system on an extended demo.  At the moment I struggle to hear much difference between it and a Mac Mini, both into the Naim DAC/555.  I look forward to having my dealer in to see if I am getting the best out of it, after burning it in a bit.

 

Best,

 

Nick

Posted on: 17 February 2014 by james n

They'll sound different. Whether one is better than the other is up to you. 

Posted on: 17 February 2014 by Claus-Thoegersen
Originally Posted by NickSeattle:
Originally Posted by Claus-Thoegersen:

Why are you so sure?

Basicly it is two different designs, and yes the nds is newer, but you never know.

Selling the nd5 could  make way for a Ndac. Or maybe the nd5 is better, WHO knows.

I don't think I sound sure, and, in fact, I am not.  I am curious what a dealer would say, and if setup issues exist.  

 

My uncertainty is all the greater today, as an NDX is bedding into my system on an extended demo.  At the moment I struggle to hear much difference between it and a Mac Mini, both into the Naim DAC/555.  I look forward to having my dealer in to see if I am getting the best out of it, after burning it in a bit.

 

for that Money you are close to an nds. If you want upnp tand keep the NDAC the ndx is an epensive solution, and you have 2 quality dac in that system,but you are only using one.

 

Claus

Posted on: 17 February 2014 by NickSeattle
 
Originally Posted by Claus-Thoegersen:.

 

for that Money you are close to an nds. If you want upnp tand keep the NDAC the ndx is an epensive solution, and you have 2 quality dac in that system,but you are only using one.

 

Claus

 

I know this.  It was a tough decision.  But the DAC and NDX can each stand alone, if need be -- maybe in separate systems, one day; and I like the flexibility of the eight+ inputs on the DAC.

 

Nick

Posted on: 17 February 2014 by Simon-in-Suffolk

Guys, at this level it's about sound preference. The NDX->NDAC/555PS costs about the same as NDS/555PS, but they sound different. You should choose what you prefer... The former to me is more like the CD555, the latter is more like the CDS3 on steroids, both extremely good but focus into different characteristics, and the better the rest of your system the more you appreciate this.

Simon

Posted on: 17 February 2014 by Dougle
Simon, I know you have posted on this before but could you give some more detail on what the differences are when used in a high end system (speakers, amplification etc)? Thanks
Posted on: 20 February 2014 by Simon-in-Suffolk

Dougle, ok this is essentially very subjective, so please treat it this way.

i find the NDS/555PS very clean revealing and detailed. I have been blown away with it with some choral music. It sounds ultimately more detailed than the NDAC/555PS.

However I find the NDAC/555PS has a stronger rhythmic drive. Rhythms, phasing and dynamics in recorded music seems to be more clearly portrayed, and for me is the more satisfying.

Therefore ultimately I chose dynamics, rhythm and phrasing over absolute detail. I hear this clearly on my 282/250, and is even more pronounced on a 552/500 system.

Simon