Which non-Naim Dac are you using?

Posted by: naka on 23 November 2016

Maybe the majority of the brand's lovers is using the Naim Dac hoping to have the same balance, but I wonder I many are experiencing other brands.

I have a Teac UD 501 - which is ok but sometimes has too much of a soft presentation - but I intend to "jump" to a much more sofisticated Chord QDB 76 Dac (used of corse).

The question is: How many are using  non-Naim dac's with success? 

Posted on: 23 November 2016 by Aleg

Chord Hugo

Posted on: 23 November 2016 by pete T15

Chord Hugo as well . Lots of debate on here about it Naka if you use the search box and also check out its younger / cheaper sibling the Chord Mojo . 

Posted on: 23 November 2016 by The Strat (Fender)

What's a DAC?

Posted on: 23 November 2016 by fenderized

Exposure 2010 DSD dac. A real bargain...

Posted on: 23 November 2016 by Simon-in-Suffolk

Yes, if you use search, you will se a huge amount of debate on Hugo with Naim.... I think there is a great synergy with Naim amps and Hugo DAC

Posted on: 23 November 2016 by Zipperheadbanjo

Hugo TT for home... Mojo for travelling

Posted on: 23 November 2016 by Adam Zielinski

Used to run a Simaudio Moon 300D for many years.

Posted on: 23 November 2016 by T38.45

MSB DAC

 

Posted on: 23 November 2016 by dayjay

Boring I know, but you can't go wrong matching a Hugo with Naim amps

Posted on: 23 November 2016 by Stringerbell

another hugo .

Posted on: 23 November 2016 by Erich

Hugo

Posted on: 23 November 2016 by nickpeacock

Yep, Hugo for me too. Grin-tastic.

Posted on: 23 November 2016 by Novichok-1977

Mac Mini Audirvana + Chord Mojo + Naim 102/HC/180

 

Posted on: 23 November 2016 by cat345

Chord Hugo with a new set of batteries!

Posted on: 23 November 2016 by ryder.

Chord QBD76 here. Quite a successful match with Naim amps but I have not listened to a lot of DACs. It's a rather significant upgrade from the Musical Fidelity M1 DAC that I have. The Chord is much more natural and analog sounding. The MF M1 DAC is digital sounding.

I have actually shortlisted the Naim DAC prior to getting the Chord QBD76 but the additional upgrade box in the XPS puts be off. I can still accommodate the additional Hicap and NAPSC boxes but decided not to add an additional PSU box with the source. I have no qualms the Naim DAC + XPS will make beautiful music as well.

Posted on: 23 November 2016 by Peter Dinh

Hi Guys, this is not a direct answer to this thread, but rather it is a question to the Chord Hugo fans - Is it possible to send 24 bit/384 khz music  to the Hugo via SPDIF?

Posted on: 23 November 2016 by Jan-Erik Nordoen

Resonnessence Labs Mirus Pro in pole position here, with Metrum Acoustics' La Pavane a close second.

Posted on: 23 November 2016 by No quarter

I have a Chord Hugo,which I am pretty sure does 24 bit/384khz via SPDIF...but it is hard to find a place for it in a N272 based system,so I use it mostly with headphones now,streaming Tidal from my I-pad...sounds REALLY good.

Posted on: 23 November 2016 by Peter Dinh

Is that right, so the Hugo can do 24 bit/384 kHz via SPDIF? That's nice! How can you stream Tidal from iPad directly to the Hugo? Via bluetooth? And that is TIDAL HIFI that you stream?

Posted on: 23 November 2016 by No quarter

Peter,you have to get a camera connection kit for the I-pad,and it is plugged in to the lower res USB input,which only does up to 44.1 kHz,fortunately that is what the "high res"Tidal is actually outputting.There are 2 USB inputs on the Hugo,the other one does up to 32bit/384 kHz...so it is hard wired to the Hugo,not Bluetooth,however I get the Tidal signal on the I-pad wirelessly from my network at home and at work.

Posted on: 23 November 2016 by DynFan160

I just want to add that Schiit DACs pair very well with NAIM. The Yggdrasil being the best example. Much prefer over the Chord products I've demoed.

Posted on: 23 November 2016 by NickSeattle

There are many fine DACs.  The Naim DAC excels at interoperating with Naim amps and preamps -- the Naim remote controls it without issues, and dims out Source buttons, same as on amps, using the Display button on the remote.  You can attach eight digital sources to your Naim DAC, plus your iPod/Phone/Pad, which it will charge, or not, as you wish.  It sounds rather good, while doing all if this.

The Naim DAC can be controlled by System Automation from an NDx.

If all of these things are important to a person, she/he need not agonize about alternatives -- there aren't any.

I use a Headroom Total BitHead on my computer I like a lot; discontinued, unfortunately.

Nick

Posted on: 23 November 2016 by GraemeH

Chord Hugo TT direct to 250DR.

G

Posted on: 23 November 2016 by Helios250

Conrad Johnson HD3

 

Posted on: 23 November 2016 by Simon-in-Suffolk
No quarter posted:

I have a Chord Hugo,which I am pretty sure does 24 bit/384khz via SPDIF..

Really? I though it was only upto 192kHz on SPDIF, which in my opinion is more than high enough..