Expensive Christmas...

Dan43 posted:

Dusty how good and in what way if you don't me asking? Cleaner delivery, noise reduced, digital clean up, what in your view is the difference, if explainable as such, or is it just a much more pleasant overall presentation to your ears?

 

Hi Dan43,

DB etc do so much better than i when describing audio. 

Think of the Melco as a  tea strainer, only the good stuff gets through....see i told you!!!!!

Thanks, I think :-) Enjoy straining more tea.....

Sorry Dan43, i am now drinking Christmas wine!!! 

C- for Dusty, i will try harder!!

Dustysox posted:

Dan43 posted:

Dusty how good and in what way if you don't me asking? Cleaner delivery, noise reduced, digital clean up, what in your view is the difference, if explainable as such, or is it just a much more pleasant overall presentation to your ears?

 

Hi Dan43,

DB etc do so much better than i when describing audio. 

Think of the Melco as a  tea strainer, only the good stuff gets through....see i told you!!!!!

Trying to describe it from my perspective:

- more details are coming through;

- tonal colors are more natural and close to the real things;

- more rounded tone, especially in bass;

- overall more pleasant to listen to...

Dusty no need to apologise at all, its my birthday today and I am well into the days, now evenings, enjoyments.

Bert thank you, really appreciate the info. I do find that once you begin layering your core system with new additions (better cables, Melco, power etc) it all adds on and creates a fabulous sound, which is always addictive once you listen to it. And that journey is also satisfying if you find the right layers to add that make you happy and don't appear to cost scorch earth prices.

Feel a demo on the Melco for early 2016 coming along, or find one during the week between.

Have a good Xmas all, enjoy the music well into the night......and the egg nog of course.

My lead up to Christmas was costly, I did a complete system change as follows:

Unitilite to Uniti 2

Debut Carbon to RP6

B&W 685s2 to PMC twenty 21.

And speaker cable change to Chord Odyssey 2.

It was fun and my system is complete now and I am a happy bunny.

Gurbinder posted:

My lead up to Christmas was costly, I did a complete system change as follows:

Unitilite to Uniti 2

Debut Carbon to RP6

B&W 685s2 to PMC twenty 21.

And speaker cable change to Chord Odyssey 2.

It was fun and my system is complete now and I am a happy bunny.

So I guess no Christmas dinner for you, and just listening :-)

Not had too much time listening over the last couple of days as one might expect.

Brief moments today. I'm swinging all over the place. Sometimes i really like what the Melco does.It really smoothes/cleans the music, not in a dull way. Then i unplug it and I then also enjoy the "naked" NDS with the "rawness" of the Naim sound.

My sensible head says, if it's not "floating my boat" from the off then wait and put funds into the DR for the 500 when available. Then that "naughty" devil who always seem to sit on the other shoulder says go for it.......

Time will tell. To early to call, and not enough hours under my "ears" to decide.

More to follow.

Yep, every Xmas my lovely dealer offers to let me borrow a component over the Xmas break and every Xmas, despite myself, I buy the bloody thing.  This year it is a hicap dr for my sn2, which I know has had mixed views from others, but it sounds brilliant and the system is probably at a level with it that I will be happy for some considerable time (providing I don't long term test anything from Acoustica next Xmas) so I will obviously have to fork out for its cost on the 2nd of January. the offer of fish and chips in Chester afterwards hasn't made Mrs DayJay any happier about it either!

Dustysox posted:

Not had too much time listening over the last couple of days as one might expect.

Brief moments today. I'm swinging all over the place. Sometimes i really like what the Melco does.It really smoothes/cleans the music, not in a dull way. Then i unplug it and I then also enjoy the "naked" NDS with the "rawness" of the Naim sound.

My sensible head says, if it's not "floating my boat" from the off then wait and put funds into the DR for the 500 when available. Then that "naughty" devil who always seem to sit on the other shoulder says go for it.......

Time will tell. To early to call, and not enough hours under my "ears" to decide.

More to follow.

Is that a Christmas only activity or something you practice all year round?

Joking aside, I know exactly what you mean regarding Melco vs. no Melco!

Dustysox posted:

Not had too much time listening over the last couple of days as one might expect.

Brief moments today. I'm swinging all over the place. Sometimes i really like what the Melco does.It really smoothes/cleans the music, not in a dull way. Then i unplug it and I then also enjoy the "naked" NDS with the "rawness" of the Naim sound.

My sensible head says, if it's not "floating my boat" from the off then wait and put funds into the DR for the 500 when available. Then that "naughty" devil who always seem to sit on the other shoulder says go for it.......

Time will tell. To early to call, and not enough hours under my "ears" to decide.

More to follow.

Are you listening it with flac or Wav ?

dayjay posted:

Yep, every Xmas my lovely dealer offers to let me borrow a component over the Xmas break and every Xmas, despite myself, I buy the bloody thing.  This year it is a hicap dr for my sn2, which I know has had mixed views from others, but it sounds brilliant and the system is probably at a level with it that I will be happy for some considerable time (providing I don't long term test anything from Acoustica next Xmas) so I will obviously have to fork out for its cost on the 2nd of January. the offer of fish and chips in Chester afterwards hasn't made Mrs DayJay any happier about it either!

Well another way of looking at it is by placing an order in January you'll be getting in nice and early before the April price increase. So you can tell yourself and Mrs dayjay that you're saving money. 

Mike

Dustysox posted:

Not had too much time listening over the last couple of days as one might expect.

Brief moments today. I'm swinging all over the place. Sometimes i really like what the Melco does.It really smoothes/cleans the music, not in a dull way. Then i unplug it and I then also enjoy the "naked" NDS with the "rawness" of the Naim sound.

My sensible head says, if it's not "floating my boat" from the off then wait and put funds into the DR for the 500 when available. Then that "naughty" devil who always seem to sit on the other shoulder says go for it.......

Time will tell. To early to call, and not enough hours under my "ears" to decide.

More to follow.

Hi Dusty,

Still switching back and forth or now completely switched to the Melco ? I know the feeling when you upgrade and hear less noise and other artifacts, in first it doesn't always sound. To your liking as one liked the more distorted sound in a way over the new cleaner sound.

after some time there is no going back anymore.

Graham Clarke posted:

Dustysox posted:

Not had too much time listening over the last couple of days as one might expect.

Brief moments today. I'm swinging all over the place. Sometimes i really like what the Melco does.It really smoothes/cleans the music, not in a dull way. Then i unplug it and I then also enjoy the "naked" NDS with the "rawness" of the Naim sound.

My sensible head says, if it's not "floating my boat" from the off then wait and put funds into the DR for the 500 when available. Then that "naughty" devil who always seem to sit on the other shoulder says go for it.......

Time will tell. To early to call, and not enough hours under my "ears" to decide.

More to follow.

Is that a Christmas only activity or something you practice all year round?

Joking aside, I know exactly what you mean regarding Melco vs. no Melco!

Hee hee Graham, it's an all year round thing that we do here in the Royal County!!

Bert Schurink posted:

Dustysox posted:

Not had too much time listening over the last couple of days as one might expect.

Brief moments today. I'm swinging all over the place. Sometimes i really like what the Melco does.It really smoothes/cleans the music, not in a dull way. Then i unplug it and I then also enjoy the "naked" NDS with the "rawness" of the Naim sound.

My sensible head says, if it's not "floating my boat" from the off then wait and put funds into the DR for the 500 when available. Then that "naughty" devil who always seem to sit on the other shoulder says go for it.......

Time will tell. To early to call, and not enough hours under my "ears" to decide.

More to follow.

Hi Dusty,

 

Still switching back and forth or now completely switched to the Melco ? I know the feeling when you upgrade and hear less noise and other artifacts, in first it doesn't always sound. To your liking as one liked the more distorted sound in a way over the new cleaner sound.

 

after some time there is no going back anymore.

 

 

 

Hi Bert. Seasonal greetings my friend.

Been listening today without the Melco plugged in and still like what I hear. I was listening to WAV files through the Melco. I have to say I really like it...a lot. I keep coming back to the cost. For me it is too over priced. Yes it's very good but @ a little over 6K it is a lot of money on something that gives me a lot of options. I'm not saying never and neither am I saying no. I really am undecided. So, with this in mind I suspect i may bow out. If it really grabbed me then I would have no hesitation. 

Until last Thursday, I was happy with my system and had no intention of changing my speakers or looking at a Melco. It was't even on my radar.Listening today without it plugged in I keep asking myself could i live without it and the fact I don't have the urge to plug it in to see what I am missing speaks volumes!! I have spent many of my english pounds this year on the full SL loom and feel I am at point of contentment with my system. Until Naim "reel" me in again with another "must have" upgrade. I suspect my next "allocation of my English pounds" will go on the DR upgrade. Something I really am looking forward to.

In Naim I trust!!!!!!

One other thing, a real positive with the Melco is the levels it reaches with Tidal....very good indeed. 

Stop it...stop it now...i'm having words again with that little devil that sits on my shoulder leading me astray!!!!!

Dustysox posted:

One other thing, a real positive with the Melco is the levels it reaches with Tidal....very good indeed. 

Stop it...stop it now...i'm having words again with that little devil that sits on my shoulder leading me astray!!!!!

Seems like I'm in the same place as you.  Yes, an improvement but not sure it's worth £6K and suspect I won't miss it when they come to take it away.

Haven't tried Tidal through it because I'd already concluded that Tidal SQ is worse than CD quality and so wasn't for me.  Will give it another go now...

Dustysox posted:

One other thing, a real positive with the Melco is the levels it reaches with Tidal....very good indeed. 

Stop it...stop it now...i'm having words again with that little devil that sits on my shoulder leading me astray!!!!!

Hi Dusty,

I found the top of the line Melco too expensive, so I went for the Harddisk version, still getting the benefits, perhaps only to 95% but that's enough for me now. So something you could consider as well.

Graham Clarke posted:

Dustysox posted:

One other thing, a real positive with the Melco is the levels it reaches with Tidal....very good indeed. 

Stop it...stop it now...i'm having words again with that little devil that sits on my shoulder leading me astray!!!!!

Seems like I'm in the same place as you.  Yes, an improvement but not sure it's worth £6K and suspect I won't miss it when they come to take it away.

Haven't tried Tidal through it because I'd already concluded that Tidal SQ is worse than CD quality and so wasn't for me.  Will give it another go now...

Ditto Graham. 

I'm not saying Tidal is the last word in audio nivana, I just enjoyed how it upped the anti! I do enjoy listening to Tidal to review new music and the various playlists they offer give me great joy in that journey. I mean it's not like haven't enough music already!!!!!

Bert Schurink posted:

Dustysox posted:

One other thing, a real positive with the Melco is the levels it reaches with Tidal....very good indeed. 

Stop it...stop it now...i'm having words again with that little devil that sits on my shoulder leading me astray!!!!!

Hi Dusty,

 

I found the top of the line Melco too expensive, so I went for the Harddisk version, still getting the benefits, perhaps only to 95% but that's enough for me now. So something you could consider as well.

Again spot on Bert. I will certainly follow the Melco etc path. I wonder if Naim are already investigating this journey as I really believe Melco have opened the steaming door even further and I suspect are scratching the surface. I'm not familiar with them but if this is there first step in this technology then they will of certainly learned a lot now and in the future.

It's a shame you chaps are a bit underwhelmed with the Melco. I was quite fancying the idea of using one in combination with a DAVE, once I'd figured out the best way to implement room correction.

tonym posted:

It's a shame you chaps are a bit underwhelmed with the Melco. I was quite fancying the idea of using one in combination with a DAVE, once I'd figured out the best way to implement room correction.

Well, I'm only reporting what I've found Tony and you might experience it differently, so don't let me put you off trying!  It might be wonderful.

What seems odd to me is that a nas sounds as good as, or better than, Naim's UnitiServe. So what makes the Melco so worthwhile? My dealer was espousing its merits to me, but is it just the new must-have gadget which in time people will realise is no better than a Synology? 

tonym posted:

It's a shame you chaps are a bit underwhelmed with the Melco. I was quite fancying the idea of using one in combination with a DAVE, once I'd figured out the best way to implement room correction.

Seasonal greetings Tony, i hope you are well. 

It's a close call for me. It might be my ears are full of seasonal mince pies!!!! The only way to know is to try it out. It really is good, very good even. For me it really "smoothes/cleans the music". I also like the rugged rawness of the Naim sound too much. I just think it's over priced which as a Naim customer might...............!

I would love to read your thoughts on a demo.

Just a thought.. Those playing with the Melco might want to wait for the next firmware upgrade from Naim that is in beta now. This firmware focuses on many things including reducing Ethernet networking noise.

Simon