Where to go with my US?

How about a 172 or 272? You could use them with the MF until that could be replaced. 

I suggest considering the DAC first, for which the Chord Hugo is worth considering. Regarded it seems by the vast majority who have compared to be better then Naim's DACs including those built into the ND5XS and NDx streamers, Hugo can feed a power amp direct (a number of people on these forums do that quite successfully), saving the expense and extra electronics of a preamp. Two limitations with doing that: one is no remote volume control, and the other is no analogue inputs, but if those aren't game changers then it is a lovely device (and some are available secondhand because people do upgrade, typically to Chord's higher products).

Hugo can feed a preamp if having one is essential. If money is too tight for that then cheaper than Hugo is the Mojo (not sure but it may need a preamp), which I haven't heard personally but people say is excellent at its price point.

Your US can remain as the source, feeding its digital output to the DAC. To move up from there may in part depend on whether you want to keep the CD playing ability as opposed to streaming only (when you can rip CDs on any computer). If you were just starting with streaming I would suggest an all-in-one music store and renderer, such as the Mac Mini running Audirvana, or the base level Melco, or maybe the imminent Uniti Core (which has yet to be reviewed). The benefit of those would be the avoidance of streaming music files across a network, which seems to cause some people a lot of problems. For a high quality low cost solution using networked NAS storage I would look into the microRendu: I am not familiar with it personally, but people who have compared with Naim and other renderers rate it more highly, the downside being that it needs some learning to set it up.

There is much on these forums about Hugo, including people's rating of it compared to various DACs including those built in to streamers. Similarly Rendu, including one with a lot of detail called something like is Rendu the Hugo of streaming.

In case it helps put this in context, my entry to streaming was an ND5XS plus a cheap NAS, and within a couple of years had changed to a MacMini/Audirvana, Gustard U12 isolator (because Hugo's input is susceptible to RF noise output by computers like MM), and Hugo, with NAS relegated to backup and non-music duties. Result was better sound quality than the ND5XS at no more cost than ND5XS plus better (silent) NAS, and I wished I had found that first, and avoided the route of adding a power supply, then swapping that for Hugo before taking the plunge with Audirvana.

Perhaps a simple solution like: NAIM DAC V1 and NAP 100.

You end up with 3 boxes, of the same size and most importantly at a modest cost. Connect the UnitiServe to your DAC V1 via a BNC coaxial cable.

Thanks to all above. I think I fancy replacing the SimAudio Moon Series 380D with either a Hugo Chord TT or the AudioLab M-DAC Plus. They both contain a Preamp, and accommodate balanced XLR outputs. However I am confused about the inputs. I am using the UnitiServe  Digital SPDIF output which terminates with a digital SPDIF input with an  RCA plug. The accomodating input on the SimAudio says Input D3 SPDIF. Is this the same as the coaxial cable input I see on the schema drawing for the Chord TT and M-DAC Plus? Finally, is this a good place to put $5,000 for SQ boost?

I hadn't suggested the TT because I thought it might be above your budget. Yes, it is a step up in sound quality compared to Hugo, not night and day but still significant. It also adds a good remote volume control, plus, if ever wanted, balanced outputs in addition to single ended RCA (phono), and good isolation on its usb input meaning that a computer-based renderer like MacMini/AUdirvana doesn't need an isolator.

TT has electrical SPDIF inputs with BNC sockets, and optical inputs, as well as USB. I believe the US has electrical SPDIF inputs with BNC sockets, and optical, so either can be used, with the electrical requiring the same type of plug on both ends, while optical may be limited to 96KHz as opposed to the electrical whatever is the maximum of the US.

antmast posted:

I think I fancy replacing the SimAudio Moon Series 380D with either a Hugo Chord TT or the AudioLab M-DAC Plus.

Sideways move (TT) or downgrade (M-DAC).

They both contain a Preamp,

Nope, digital volume control. Not a preamp. By a long shot.

Finally, is this a good place to put $5,000 for SQ boost?

What is it about the Moon 380D that you don't like ?

Jan-Erik Nordoen posted:

antmast posted:

I think I fancy replacing the SimAudio Moon Series 380D with either a Hugo Chord TT or the AudioLab M-DAC Plus.

Sideways move (TT) or downgrade (M-DAC).

They both contain a Preamp,

Nope, digital volume control. Not a preamp. By a long shot.

Finally, is this a good place to put $5,000 for SQ boost?

What is it about the Moon 380D that you don't like ?

 

I can't comment on the sound quality of the Moon and how different Hugo and TT might be as I don't know it - the obvious thing for the OP to do is compare any potential replacement directly with the Moon by auditioning, as with any contemplated change.

However, I disagree with your comment re preamp. A preamp is a low level amplifier to raise signal levels to that required to feed a power amp, impedance matching as appropriate, with a means of controlling the output level, and commonly with input switching. Whether they contain what you consider to be a preamp or not, both the Hugo and TT can happily feed a power amp directly, both in terms of their output level and output impedance, and their controllability, and so they fully perform the essential functions of a preamp. They can also switch between different inputs, though only digital, and they also both filter out high high ultrasonic frequencies that can cause instability in some power amps, in common with some other preamps including Naim. They also both have the option of being switched to give a line level output to feed a preamp if desired.

One more question. Suppose I spent the money on a NAC-N 272 NAIM preamp and disposed of the SimAudio DAC. Would this produce a SQ boost.

And does the 272 have XLR balanced outputs like the SimAudio DAC had for going into the amp?

That question can only be answered by people who have heard both the Moon and 272 in the same system, and I suspect they are few and far between. I'm not even sure I've seen anyone write about a comparison of Chord Hugo against 272, possibly because I don't think you can take a digital output from the 272, pass through an external DAC and back into 272's preamp, while using the 272 only as a renderer with a Chord or other DAC (including MOon) feeding a power amp direct is probably too much redundancy for prople to have contemplated trying.

Hugehas posted some comparisons of Naim streamers and preamps, including the 272, but Indon't think that helps.

the only way really to tell if any options in place of your Moon sounds better is to audition, or take a punt and buy. I suggest reading up all you can find on these forums about the different suggested solutions, to try to determine what options might be worth hearing.

antmast posted:

One more question. Suppose I spent the money on a NAC-N 272 NAIM preamp and disposed of the SimAudio DAC. Would this produce a SQ boost.

That's a tricky one. I would place the SimAudio DAC above the DAC in the 272.To my ears, the 272's DAC favours detail over the rhythmic drive that has always characterized Naim's DACs. However, the preamp of the 272 is very good and likely to be a step up from that of the SimAudio DAC. I would tend to go for the better preamp... but you really have to listen to both to find out which works best in your system.

And does the 272 have XLR balanced outputs like the SimAudio DAC had for going into the amp?

No.

I use the 272 fixed output to feed my 552pre and the variable output to feed my STAX SR007 headphone amp.  The 272 acts as both an analogue 'switch' for some older devices (RtoR, Cassette, tuner) and as a DAC for some older digital sources (DAT, Kenwood CD transport, DAB).  I find the 272 to be a superb piece of kit and would recommend it to anyone.  It was used as a full preamp while my 552 was away on holiday in Salisbury for four or five weeks recently, and whilst I wouldn't wish to forego my 552, I was quite happy listening to the 272 driving the NAP500 / B&W 802s.

Unfortunately I have no experience of the SimAudio you speak of, so this post probably doesn't help much... I just wanted to shout about the capability of a NAC-N272, in case you were wondering about it 

Roger

PS - No, the 272 doesn't have balanced outputs - only DIN and phono - fixed and variable