Differences in Naim Streamers UQ, Uniti, SU,ND5SX,NDX etc

Posted by: Yeast on 30 May 2014

I have a UQ and will be using it as a Preamp/Streamer only using a NAP100 and UQ's digital output into another DAC.Can someone tell me if the streaming circuits are comparable in all levels of streaming products simply with different quality DACs, or are the circuits different? I have been told with the exception of the NDX, all the streaming circuits are very similar in performance, but different power supplies and DACs are the main differences. I'm curious because I've owned the SU and ND5SX on different occasions and I cannot hear a difference when using the Digital outputs of these devices into the outboard DAC I am using.

Posted on: 31 May 2014 by Damon

I'm not a reliable source for Naim hardware info, but I did read recently that the streaming parts are the same in all the Naim streamer units; other parts vary widely.

Posted on: 31 May 2014 by DavidDever

Firstly, there are different versions of the 96kHz streaming board, and then the current 192 kHz one. Some units (such as the Qute) use a Burr-Brown sample-rate conversion chip as an SPDIF receiver, others might feature an Analog Devices SHARC DSP.

i'm pretty certain that the SuperUniti and the ND5 XS / NDX / NDS all utilize the SHARC DSP, which also processes the SPDIF digital out.

if you are planning to use an external DAC with the Qute, do make sure that you turn off 96 kHz upsampling.