Naim Core....using the SPDIF output direct into a DAC, INSTEAD of going through a streamer

Posted by: vintageaxeman on 06 September 2018

Hi folks.

I am considering a Naim Core to do 2 things:

1. Rip my CDs

2. Listen to internet radio.

I understand that I can control the Core directly from the Naim on from my iPad, BUT my question is this:

Question: I recently listened to 44.1/16 CD tracks ripped & stored on a Naim Core, through a Naim ND555. It sounded wonderful. There were aspects of the sound which were definitely better than I would normally expect coming from 44.1/16 discs played on a CD Player.  But I can't afford a streamer at this point, certainly not an ND555.  So if I used the Core's SPDIF output directly through a good DAC into my system, am I going to get the same quality of sound and level of detail WITHOUT using a streamer?

Thank you!

Posted on: 13 September 2018 by feeling_zen
james n posted:
cycling66 posted:

Fascinating discussion. The notion of taking SPDIF out of an ND555 to another DAC at first seemed shocking  to me given the cost of  ND555 investment but I'm warming to the idea and no doubt I'd be tempted to give it a go. What level of DACs would be deemed necessary? Obviously Hugo, Hugo2, a future Naim DAC? Surely there would be no advantage attaching the current Naim DAC?

Just wondering aloud... in the Naim world, the ND555 is top of the tree. You could (money being no object...) run a pair of ND555 players. One as the Network player, S/PDIF into the second ND555 acting as the DAC. Rather wasteful i know but it could be the ultimate Naim four boxer until the Statement level streamer arrives ?

That seems like incredible expense and effort for no reason other than moving beyond a ND555 while still having only green logos in your rack. 

Naim have long maintaibed that their belief is putting a DAC in a separate box causes more problems than it solves. You don't have to agree with that in theory and neither do your ears. But if that's the case, surely something non Naim is the answer?

I do realuse this postulation was made with a bit of tongue and cheek though.

Posted on: 13 September 2018 by No quarter
Simon-in-Suffolk posted:
Chag... posted:
Simon-in-Suffolk posted: 

So in the Naim world that would almost certainly be a ND555 feeding another ND555 by SPDIF. 

Should we consider keeping our NDS that have lost a large part of their market value as renderer, or alternatively as DAC connected to the ND555? Could one of these two options SQ outperformed a standalone ND555?  

It certainly would be interesting... I have found the best results above everything is when I use a Naim streamer transport  ... in SPDIF transport mode (in settings) .. where the DAC and analogue stages are disabled, and then use a separate DAC via SPDIF, with a healthy ferrite choke around the SPDIF shield... sounds absolutely first class and is the closest way I get to enjoy my  music... it also 99% decouples me from faffing around with FLAC, WAV, Ethernet leads etc... (but I admit there is a residual 1%... )

In discussing with Naim at Salisbury there was a nagging doubt created to what extent the new streamers tightened the SPDIF transport clock stability compared to the older streamers that did this very well indeed. I have not evaluated this myself yet, but  I might simply have been talking to someone who was not yet fully informed.

SPDIF is a nice point to point network transport protocol with low processing demands ...  prefereable compared to USB and definitely TCP if interfacing to a DAC... in my opinion, but only when the SPDIF transport clock is clean and stable to minimise intermodulation cross talk in the receiver/DAC.

I find this rather fascinating Simon.Currently I am using my Core/N272 as if it is a streamer (SPDIF out from N272) into another preamp I have.The preamp is a Cary Audio Cinema 12,and it sounds really good,almost tube like,which Cary is known for.I realize there is a lot of redundancy,but I am just experimenting.I still have the Analog input active on my N272,which I use for a Teac DSD player,so do you think turning that input off will bring further improvement?I am not sure if I can turn off the DAC in the 272,can I?,but will investigate.My thoughts are swapping the 272 for an NDS possibly,since they are such a bargain now,and using the Cary as my pre.Right now I do not have an outboard DAC,but once owned a Hugo.I also want to try the new Mscaler TT 2 before committing to any changes.I will look into turning off everything not in use on the 272 this weekend,see if I notice any change,but thanks for the idea.