Which non-Naim Dac are you using?

I use a TeddyDac  to a ND5XS.

Simon,I just checked and it does say the coax input does up to 24 bit/384 kHz ...if you google Chord Hugo manual,it has all the stats,but I do not have any 24 bit/384 kHz files,so it is useless to me so far.

Loads of Dacs accept 24/384 on Coax, but internally downsample to 24/192 max.

Cant say for Chord Hugo, but I won't be surprised if it does the same.

For sake of completeness: the Dac V1 accepts 384 on USB, but the Dac chip can only handle 192.

I use an Auralic Altair, quite happy so far!

Blue Circle 509. The organic quality and excellence in tone is a sound signature of BC that seems to compliment Naim very well IMO, though I haven't heard the latest offerings from Chord or the revered Naim DAC, which is on the top of my wish list to try. 

I've had my Chord QBD76HDSD for a while now and so far it's the best sounding DAC I've heard in my system. I've given DAVE a very good chance to steal its crown but it doesn't cut the mustard! I'm not inclined to try other DACs really, unless something really revolutionary turns up.

I use a DAC V1 in a second system as a DAC/preamp and very good it is too. I did try it in the main system as a DAC only and it's decent enough but not a patch on the Chord.

I hse a Schiit Audio Gungnir Multibit (Gumby) in my main system.  I have also tried the Rega DAC and  Meridian Explorer v1

Chord Mojo

I use  a Vitus masterpiece DAC. It replaced my Naim DAC and to me was a big improvement. 

Mytek Brooklyn 

naka posted:

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? 

I have the Teac UD 501 in one PC/TV setup and the DAC-V1 in another. I find the Teac delivery to be very NAIMlike and great VFM. There are some upgraded component paths for it on the web if interested.

Humble Arcam irDAC

Luxman DA-06. Have felt no need to look any further.

Bel Canto DAC3.5vb + VBS. Replaced my Naim DAC / XPS ...but, I wouldn't call one over the other, the Bel Canto had a couple of facilities I wanted.

M

Its great to see so much feedback to this topic... and to know that there are so many happy Chord users. 

To elevate this discussion: How many of you feel that the dac that you are using surpasses the performance of your Naim cd player?

I use my dac to convert the signal from both my Teac PD-501HR cd player (coaxial cable) and the Auralic Aries streamer (usb cable).

But I still much use the Naim CD5x / Flatcap2x as my digital reference, because it sounds sooo good... maybe I'm biased towards the Naim sound signature

MacBook Pro - Audirvana Plus into a Halide DAC HD self powered DAC with integrated cable into 552.    Sounds really great for streaming and downloading music.    Can't find the Halide anymore for some reason.  

This does not touch my NaIm CDP but I could live with it if necessary.   

I can't tell as I have never owned a Naim cd player. Your question is very broad as people have different dacs and differeny naim cd players, so this is going to be very specific to each one on this forum.

No quarter posted:

Simon,I just checked and it does say the coax input does up to 24 bit/384 kHz ...if you google Chord Hugo manual,it has all the stats,but I do not have any 24 bit/384 kHz files,so it is useless to me so far.

Fair do's thanks for letting me know

The Chord DAC was better than my 555, to my surprise. I've since added a Melco N1-Z which has improved things further.

Recently picked up a Metrum Acoustics Musette to verify I liked their house sound (was a demo), very impressed with what I'm hearing, their Menuet will be on order shortly.

naka posted:

How many of you feel that the dac that you are using surpasses the performance of your Naim cd player?

The Naim DAC fronted by a UnitiServe showed me more music than the CDS2/XPS it replaced. The Resonessence Mirus did the same thing to the nDAC. The Pro version of the Mirus took a while to get used to, but it's a keeper.

NAKA I also have the Teac PD 501-HR,which I mostly use for DSD playback,how does the DSD compare to cd playback on your CD 5X?I tried feeding the digital signal from the Teac(cd's) to my Hugo,then to the 272 versus the Teac digital out directly into the 272 and did not find much of a difference,so I pulled the Hugo out of the chain completely.I may re-visit this again,but the 272 has a really good dac,according to my ears,I now use the Hugo just for headphones.I am also thinking of trying a Micro-Rendu into the Hugo,then feed the 272,but I don't have the Micro Rendu yet.

Eastern Electric Minimax (modified), Chord Mojo.

Mojo has better timbre with classical instruments and voices, slightly tighter bass and doubles as a decent headphone amp.

Minimax has more detail, more air and sounds less restrained.

naka posted:

: How many of you feel that the dac that you are using surpasses the performance of your Naim cd player?

 

For me that question misses the point. Quality DACs often have the ability to surpass CDP DACs because they can play different sample rates and even different encoding formats such as DSD. However if you treat the CDP (and its DSP/DAC) as a source along side your quality DAC, phono and tuner, you can enjoy the CDP for what is. For example I really enjoy playing heavy blues through my CDX2. Sure the Hugo plays it more accurately, with more resolution etc, but for that sort of music often the CDx2 can render it more enjoyably  - especially when listening with friends and a few beers. Play some Sandy Denny,  Beethoven symphonic music, Chopin piano music or DJ Krush then the Hugo wins out... I choose the source to match the genre and mood.