Tidal via nDAC

An older (rectangular-shaped) Apple Airport Express, using a mini-optical to standard Toslink cable, should do the trick. The AirPort Express can connect via Ethernet (preferred) or via Wi-Fi.

I use this in a bedroom system using an n-Vi (which maxes out at 44.1 / 48 kHz SPDIF) with great results.

DavidDever posted:

An older (rectangular-shaped) Apple Airport Express, using a mini-optical to standard Toslink cable, should do the trick. The AirPort Express can connect via Ethernet (preferred) or via Wi-Fi.

I use this in a bedroom system using an n-Vi (which maxes out at 44.1 / 48 kHz SPDIF) with great results.

+1 I use one of these into a Superuniti for streaming any sources it doesn't support natively. You can get the old style ones for about twenty quid on fleabay.

+1 on the airport.  At the other end of the cost spectrum, there are the Auralic and Sonore dedicated (Dac-less) streamers. I have a Sonore Rendu via NDAC and love it. 

Sonos Connect / ZP90 connected to ethernet, digital out to NDAC.

Constant dropouts trying to stream cd quality from both Tidal and Qobuz, so given up there. 2 weeks into a Deezer trial and not had any issues . . . So far anyway, and with the free boost in quality from the NDAC firmware upgrade I'm a happy camper!

hi Diggerbj

I'm interested in the way you are using "Tidal via my iPad directly plugged into the front USB of my nDAC".  I'd always thought of this interface as being for FAT-formatted USB sticks or iPod devices.  Seems like an easy way to trial!

 What streaming software & settings are you using to drive Tidal out through the USB connection?

I would check internet connectivity and prioritisation. No Tidal or Qobuz dropouts on my Sonos .. Using BT Broadband 4Mbps connection and QoS on my router to prioritise up stream traffic ( from my router into the Internet Provider Edge) for my media players (NDX and Sonos)

40 below posted:

hi Diggerbj

I'm interested in the way you are using "Tidal via my iPad directly plugged into the front USB of my nDAC".  I'd always thought of this interface as being for FAT-formatted USB sticks or iPod devices.  Seems like an easy way to trial!

 What streaming software & settings are you using to drive Tidal out through the USB connection?

This input is designed with iOS devices in mind. Just plug it in, select the right input, and you're there.

the older Apple TV also provides and optical output and has the same airplay capability as the old airport express.

I use one to great effect, fantastic really. I used the miss the airplay functionality of my Linn DS Sneaky (but not the sound quality which I found lacking in PRAT), but the apple TV more than makes up for it, since it can natively play youtube videos without any latency issues

bigfella posted:

Sonos Connect / ZP90 connected to ethernet, digital out to NDAC.

Constant dropouts trying to stream cd quality from both Tidal and Qobuz, so given up there. 2 weeks into a Deezer trial and not had any issues . . . So far anyway, and with the free boost in quality from the NDAC firmware upgrade I'm a happy camper!

+1 Set this up on a HDX-SSD just this weekend using a SH ZP90 from that well known auction site (widely available) and a RA D60 digital interconnect

Mostly good results but I have found it can vary (is it just me?), sometimes the music is just slightly underwhelming and just short of a good CD rip/DL

Still in TIDAL trial and clearly early days but so far no dropouts (which if at all I would expect to be due to the end service as I have ~70MB BW)

I have the exact same dilemma as Diggerbj. I would love a NDX/NDS but unfortunately funds do not allow. I had no idea I could stream to my Ndac so cheaply, which is a great way for discovering new music before purchasing on CD. So thanks to the forum members for enlightening me!

I will purchase an airport express 1st gen and mini optical to  standard toslink asap. 

Now do I connect it into the netgear gigabit switch along with my unitiserve and backup NAS or straight into my router?

More help needed please! Do I need an airport express 802.11g, 802.11n or either? Thanks

Any Airport Express should work fine, no need for a new one. Connection to your switch is probably best. 

Hi Chrissu, that's great. Thanks very much for your advice.

If you have an android device as well, another option (probably the cheapest) is using the new google chromecast audio. It has an optical toslink output that you can connect to the NDAC.

Thanks for the info but I control my Naim US via Nserve on an iPad, so I presume the airport express is the way to go? I don't have android devices. Am I right in thinking I AirPlay a song on Tidal to the airport express which then sends it via the toslink to NDac? Thanks anyway. 

Correct.
- Change the input on the NDAC from the userve to the Toslink/Airport input
- open the Tidal app, play music. This is a but frustrating. After the music is playing from the iPad speakers, swipe up on the iPad, you'll see the large album cover art. there's a small airplay icon in the bottom left corner (rectangle with a little triangle) Tap that and then select the name of your airport express.

From an earlier comment about where to plug in the airport - the nice thing about the airport is if you have a wifi network, it doesn't need a wired ethernet connection into it to play music via toslink. Plug it into the power, run the toslink between the airport and your NDAC. When you run the airport set up app, you can connect it to the wifi network and "it just works." If its in range of your main wifi network, I've found no difference between wired and wifi connection for music.

Ok great, that's even better. One less wire to worry about! Hopefully this will be a great price friendly solution for new music discovery until I can afford a naim streamer and streaming services are actual cd quality as they're not quite there yet. Only then will I stop buying CDs....Thanks