My Audio Evolution: Streamed Audio

I have been meaning to write this post for a while now, so here goes.....

I am a relative new comer to Naim, starting with a humble naim combo a little over five years ago now. And from here I was hooked, slowly creeping up to my current kit. I have loved the experience of growing and learning more and more about this engrossing hobby, and all along the way delving further and further into my first true love, music. I find myself listening to music when ever I have a free moment, with family, friends and on my own.

Over these years, the audio environment has been evolving also. Streamed audio has grown immensely, and both Naim and myself, have embraced it wholly. I find myself moving further and further from those silver discs that I have for long coveted, and collected.

I have been spoiled with the good fortune of having had a Cds3 for the past two years, but have, over the past while, have been longing for a simpler, and more 'convenient' way to manage my ever expanding music collection. But, knowing convenience often comes with a cost, i was somewhat hesitant at first to make the move to streamed audio. Not wanting  to sacrifice the sound I had grown to love over these past years.

After some "humming and hawing", a great deal of research, and quite a bit of saving, I took the plunge; adding both an nDac and nServe SDD. The transition was a rocky one, having had a number of logistical 'hiccups' with both dealer and distributer, and then technical issues with my original choice of an nServe 1TB HD (then having it replaced with the SSD version); everything is now sorted (sigh of relief).

I have spent the past four months, educating myself, ripping CD's, organizing a pre existing music library (that was laborious), and making little tweaks to my newest components. Now I have finally been able to just sit, listen and enjoy....

Before I get started, let me qualify all of this with saying 1.) "that this is my opinion, and my opinion only" 2.) I am a lover of music, not an analyst or technical authority. I know what I like, what I have heard and what I hear...plain and simple. I just thought I would share a bit of my experience, and maybe help persuade or dissuade those who might be considering a similar evolution.

PHASE 1: nDac + nServe 1TB HD

After waiting what seemed like an eternity (but more like 5 weeks), my newest additions arrive. i quickly set them up (unfortunately at this point having to put the nServe directly on the floor, until my custom rack was assembled), connected all (using naim's DC1 BNC and a hiLine IC), and was off to the races...well, not exactly.

The ripping went well at first, although quite noisily (the drive sounded something like a slightly muffled Dremel tool, which might have been an indicator of things to come).

Then, as  I moved through my collection many issues arose with album art not being recognized, or incorrect album art being attached, or no album art at all being found. Then there were issues with discs not copying, ejecting, or being recognized once copied. "Was this what I had saved for...?". I didn't really get much of a chance to listen at this point. Contacting my dealer, and requesting a new Serve, this time SSD (which meant I was going to need a NAS drive now, as well).

PHASE 2: nDac + USB

I couldn't just let things sit there at this point. I had to give things a listen. Loaded some files onto a USB, and with no trouble...MUSIC. I had set in my mind a pre conceived notion of what to expect with the nDac sound. Having read many reviews hear on the forum. It to me very closely matched the sound of a Cdx2, a sound I was very familiar with, as I had owned one for about a year and a half. So I was by no means unhappy. For "dabbling" into streamed audio, this quality of replay was nothing to complain about. Energetic, a bit "in your face" compared to the smoothness of my Cds3, but it definitely got the toes tapping. It gave a very "honest" replay, no sugar coating. What was recorded, good or bad, was what you got.

I could definitely be contented with this set for general listening, but it could never replace what the Cds3 brought.

PHASE 3: nDac + nServe SSD 

After waiting four weeks, my replacement Serve finally arrived. I had grown tired of loading music onto USB's and having such limited control over the content while playing. AND, my new stand was finished....finally, package complete. I had organized, and tagged much of my existing music library. Loading it onto my NAS drive, ready to go.

It took some time for the nServe to read my library. Ian I continued (and do to this day) to have issues with album art recognition, and lack there of. This can be extremely frustrating to those who are a bit OCD abut such things. Once loaded though, moving through my library was relatively smooth (again a lot of work organizing, tagging and retagging, renaming, etc). The replay was , and again to my ears the same as that from the USB. There was that increased convenience factor now, using the nserve app, and at times the desk top client (although the interface of this is quite poor/antiquated)

Now with the serve I could play some HiRes audio files I had collected. This is when things began to get "next level". Noticeably more clarity, and depth to the music, more detail.

I was definitey happy....or was I ....

"What would happen if I added my XPS2 to the picture...."

PHASE 4: nDac + nServe SSD + XPS2

....this was "next level", more of everything was present. Detail , bass, tonal balance. The sound was far more rounded (I won't say analogue as I don't have a great deal of that experience to reference), but this combo was moving from a sort of 'general' listening to serious, all the time sort of relationship. My Cds3 was starting to collect some dust.

....and then along came a 555ps

PHASE 5: nDac + nServe SSD + 555PS

I am an avid searcher of used audio gear, alway looking for deals, and what is happening in the used audio market. So, during one of my usual Saturday morning perusals, I came across an ad for a new used 555ps. Thanks to a generous tax year, I was in a position that put this within reach. I had to do it.

I can honestly say, there have been few times during my short audio journey, that have really made my jaw drop, more than that really made me appreciate what I was listening to. This was one.

Not that the previous combination was veiled, but, it was like opening a window. The sound stage was huge. Everything had a greater degree of refinement.

I began to realize, that the days of cd replay are over for me. reluctantly I might add. I tried the 555 on the Cds3, and yes, it was quite a transformation. But the "playing field", between the two had become levelled. I am not saying that all things were equal, but the differences had become substantially smaller. And, didn't this journey begin with a search for a more convenient, and uncompromising digital solution.

A difficult realization had begun. It was time to say good by to an old friend.

HiRes replay, further cemented the decision. Playing HiRes files, offered incredible detail, to an already stellar combination.

PHASE 6: Things to come.....

So, what now, you might ask. Well, I think it is time to find a new home for my beloved Cds3 and those many, CD's that are now both collecting dust. A bit sad, yes, but excited for what is to come on this digital audio journey. It has been great and I look forward to rediscovering those albums, songs and artists, that have sat dormant, on the shelf, or in cupboards long forgotten.

Thanks for listening