melco/ndac users experience

I use a Melco N1A/2 with a Naim DAC, through an M2TECH HiFace 2 interface.

On the software side, I use Minimserver as a server and Kazoo (The iPad version) as a client.

You can mount the Melco on your computer  as a SMB volume, and then move, rename, delete, edit the  music files on the Melco using the computer . I use Jaikoz to edit the tags. I rip CDs using a cheap USB BluRay reader attached to the Melco.

To make a long story short, I gave up using AIFF or WAV and I am using FLAC.

Fixing the tags is mostly as time consuming as ripping the CDS. But the end result is quite convenient, compared to the CDS. IMHO the SQ is a little bit better than the CDX2 and much better than a MacMini using the optic output.

alainbil posted:

I use a Melco N1A/2 with a Naim DAC, through an M2TECH HiFace 2 interface.

On the software side, I use Minimserver as a server and Kazoo (The iPad version) as a client.

You can mount the Melco on your computer  as a SMB volume, and then move, rename, delete, edit the  music files on the Melco using the computer . I use Jaikoz to edit the tags. I rip CDs using a cheap USB BluRay reader attached to the Melco.

To make a long story short, I gave up using AIFF or WAV and I am using FLAC.

Fixing the tags is mostly as time consuming as ripping the CDS. But the end result is quite convenient, compared to the CDS. IMHO the SQ is a little bit better than the CDX2 and much better than a MacMini using the optic output.

 

 

 

 

 

you say the sound quality is a little better than cdx2?  than cdx2 alone or cdx2 /ndac?

when you send hd downloads from pc to melco, the metadata is not always correct?   the same for ripping?  

French Rooster posted:

you say the sound quality is a little better than cdx2?  than cdx2 alone or cdx2 /ndac?

when you send hd downloads from pc to melco, the metadata is not always correct?   the same for ripping?  

I mean Melco+HiFace+NDAC (with XPS) vs CDX2+NDAC (with XPS)

The tags are not always correct, in particular for ripped CD's: wrong cover, multi CD album disjoined, ..

Classical music requires a lot of tags fixing, if you want a neat presentation.

For example you have to make a choice between Ludwig Van Beethove, Ludwig van Beethove,

Beethoven, Ludwig Van , ...and fix the tags accordingly.

I use the HiFace USB to spdif interface. There are many tempting alternatives, mostly sold by mail order. It is therefore hard to have a demo. I would like to read a comparison of a couple of such interfaces with a Meloco and a Naim DAC.

But the CDX2 and the NDAC as devices sound quite different despite them both using 1704Ks, so I am not sure one can objectively compare SQ ... but I accept clearly one can state a preference.

Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

But the CDX2 and the NDAC as devices sound quite different despite them both using 1704Ks, so I am not sure one can objectively compare SQ ... but I accept clearly one can state a preference.

My SQ comparison was between

- Melco+Hiface+NDAC (with XPS2)

- CDX2 +NDAC (with XPS2)

Ok, so here the CDX2 is kind of not that relevant from a SQ point of view... you are comparing SPDIF transport frame sources, and on the CDX2 using it merely as a CD transport really bypasses much of what makes the CDX2 rather special. (DSP/DAC and analogue stage implementations).

However do ensure once you remove your CDX2 analogue outs from your NAC you set the NDAC ground switch to chassis, and to float if you have the CDX2 still connected to your NAC.... otherwise you will be potentially compromising the full performance available.

I do prefer the sound of the CDX2+NDAC (with XPS2) I to the one of the CDX2 (with XPS2).

But this is history now, the CDX2 is gone.