Hello everyone,
I apologise for hijacking another topic and I thank the fellow forum users for giving me instructions on how to open a new topic from a mobile phone. English is not my native language, so I apologise in advance for possible spelling and grammar errors.
As I already mentioned in another topic, I have a pair of Dynaudio Focus 260 speakers, currently powered by Arcam A29 integrated amp. I bought the speakers in like new condition and it was too good a deal to be missed.
I am using Chord cables in my setup (Epic Analogue RCA interconnect and Epic Reference speaker cables) , and my DAC is a Chord Mojo. I use the Mojo's line level output via Audioquest 3.5mm to 2 RCA hard mini splitter. The source is either my PC via Chord C-USB to the Mojo, my iPhone 7 via micro USB to the Mojo, or my blu ray player via optical Toslink to the Mojo.
My room is around 30m2, my listening position is 2.5m from the speakers, the speakers themselves are about 2.5m away from each other and slightly toed in. A perfect triangle as per Dynaudio recommendation. There are no obstacles to the sides of the speakers, and they are some 60cm away from the wall. I have windows on one side of the room, and some drywall on the other. The rest of the room walls are concrete (including the wall behind the speakers and the wall in front of the speakers which comes behind my listening position), and the floor is wooden.
While the 260's are great speakers, they fail to express their full potentional in my setup, and for that I blame the Arcam. While no slouch with 80w per channel, it simply doesn't do justice to the Dyn's. The midrange is the most problematic, it's thin and "glass" sounding, which is a problem with rock music. Jazz stuff sounds pretty decent, especially in DSD, however heavier guitar stuff with powerful drum lines sounds pretty ridiculous. I also tested it with some Iron Maiden songs from the album Powerslave (one of their best produced albums) and the end result is nowhere near what I expect from the speakers (and know they can deliver with proper amplification).
As far as upgrading, my only viable option is a Naim XS2 (the 70w version) which is more than double the price of the A29.
Considering my equipment, do you think the XS2 will deliver what I am currently missing? Are there any users on the forum that use the XS2 with Dynaudio's?
Many thanks!
Posted on: 09 March 2017 by Amused
Hey guys, yesterday I took delivery of a brand new Oppo UDP-203 universal UHD blu ray player that I had been eyeing for quite some time. Instead of the stock power cable and I used my DIY Supra Lorad cable terminated with quality Wattgate terminations on both ends.
I connected the Oppo to my Mojo via a Toslink optical cable, plugged in my external hard drive with some flac and dsd files and was literally blown away by the improvement in sound quality! I don't like using powerful terms to describe my observations, but this was literally 'night and day' difference in favour of the Oppo as transport (compared to my PC or iPhone 7 as previous transports). I am not sure what might be the cause for such dramatic improvements, after all the signal is digital (same as from my PC or IPhone). The difference is quite dramatic even when compared to my Sony ZD9 TV being used as source for YouTube concerts (also connected via the same optical cable to my Chord Mojo).
I just can't believe the improved level of SQ I am experiencing at the moment with my bare Supernait. And I have the HCDR in order, as well as Tellurium Q Ultra Black speaker cable and RCA interconnect, I can't even imagine what that will sound like altogether.
Posted on: 09 March 2017 by Ardbeg10y
I am not Amused (ha ha).
It might make me also buying a Mojo.
HCDR is nice too, however I don't have it, I was impressed by the added transparency and lowered noise floor when I auditioned it on my SN1.
Can't comment on TQ cable. Don't want. I might go bankrupt if I buy some meters.
Diederik
Posted on: 09 March 2017 by Amused
I am already semi bankrupt, and I bought the Supernait used for half its full retail price. 
The HCDR and TQ cables will bury me, but that's the curse of this hobby I guess
Posted on: 09 March 2017 by No quarter
Hi Amused,i noticed a drastic improvement with better digital sources too.I used to own a Unitiqute 2,and for a while i had my Dynaudio xd 600's in my 2 channel room,being fed from the digital out of the UQ2...when i traded the UQ2 in on the N272 streaming preamp,i connected the digital out of the 272 to the XD's,and i also was blown away with the improvement,not small by any means,so i agree that the digital source makes a BIG difference in the final sound you hear.Within a couple of months,i will have a 555dr power supply on my 272,so that should take things even further,it is still up in the air whether the XD's stay in 2 channel,or i go back to the 250dr/Taksim's,either way,it should be pretty damn good.
Posted on: 09 March 2017 by Amused
Yes, I am definitely a convert now. I believed in analogue differences, but in terms of digital I thought it was only 1's and 0's.
"Improve the source"!
I hear them now. Transport does matter.
I expect further improvents when I replace my cheap wall socket for a double Furutech one (one socket for the SN, the other for the HCDR).
Posted on: 09 March 2017 by Huge
Yes, the "bits are bits" argument has been refuted many times.
Jitter, impedance matching and RFI are the main reasons; it may be a 'digital' signal; but the digital levels are still represented by an analogue signal, with all the potential for non-ideal behaviours that implies.
Posted on: 09 March 2017 by No quarter
I use Furutech outlets in my hometheater,I did not notice much difference after installing those,nothing like a box upgrade anyway.You can also look at Ethernet cables and audiophile switches,I have not gone down that rabbit hole yet,at least not until all the boxes are in place.
Posted on: 09 March 2017 by ChrisSU
Yes, the "bits are bits" argument has been refuted many times.
Jitter, impedance matching and RFI are the main reasons; it may be a 'digital' signal; but the digital levels are still represented by an analogue signal, with all the potential for non-ideal behaviours that implies.
Add me to the better source crowd. I just received an NDX and currently have it connected to my Uniti2 until I can get a SN2 and I could tell an improvement immediately. I'm not saying it's equal to the price of cost but it is an improvement. Looking forward to replacing U2 with SN2 or 282/200. Probably SN2.
Your NDX will show its potential when you give it a decent preamp. I used mine into a Superuniti for a few months before getting a 282, which was a far bigger jump in sound quality than adding the NDX.
I didn't think about adding preamp first and using U2 as amp until I could get one. Does 282 need a power supply to work or could I use the U2 as amp?
I bought a 200DR first and ran it with the Superuniti, the added the NDX, and finally the 282, which is powered by the 200DR. You can't run a 282 (or any Naim preamp) with a Uniti, best to get the power amp first and make the pre the final upgrade.
