HDX/DAC/555PS vs. Klimax DS ?

hi rich2513,
we're all waiting for a ref streamer from Naim...hope to see it this year

Hi

I have just got to grips with a Linn Akurate DS running into my 552/500 instead of my soon to depart CDS3/555PS. I know it's not a Klimax but there is a significant amount of the Klimax inside the Akurate for about a 3rd of the price.

First off I have been running the ADS for just about 3 weeks of normal daily usage and I think it is still improving so it shares that in common with Naim gear. A burn in period during which patience is required. My accquisition resulted from a 1 day home demo of a dealer's probably fully mature ADS followed by a weeks home trial of the new one so I knew where I was headed sound wise before buying. In fact I am already there and then some I think.

Right now I have concluded that the Akurate is at least on a par with the CDS3 replay which is pretty damn good, plus of course, as with the Naim Dac's it will process high res audio at 196/24 for example. Listening to a few of such audio files I have downloaded so far there is a clarity and dynamism that differentiates them from 44.1/16 replay. I have serious listening to hi res audio yet to do.

regards
geoff

quote:

I have serious listening to hi res audio yet to do.

I think when you do, you'll get something of a surprise. Its a bit like when we first dropped CD players into systems optimised for LP replay...

Hi-res asks new questions of systems largely optimised for CD. You'll certainly become very aware of bandwidth limiting, for example.

Enjoy your adventure.

You may wish to look at here.

Unfortunately I had no chance to make a proper HDX/DC1/nDAC/XPS vs Klimax demo in all-Naim system.

Bare HDX was far beyond KDS in all aspects -- even through the all-Naim system.

A bare nDAC is too edgy and aggressive too.

I did multiple auditions with USB/nDAC/XPS vs KDS in high quality tube setup (which is a fair replacement for Naim amps).

Both setups give the same amount of details.

In general nDAC/XPS presentation was a bit brighter and more forward than KDS.

On the other hand the transients and the bass punch were much better with nDAC/XPS.

Very classic Naim vs Linn difference -- but very close in terms of details.

I have no idea if 555PS can smooth nDAC -- but this is what I definitely want in order to bridge the gap with vinyl.

Recently I start listening for hi-res and found out that nDAC/XPS can also be very soft.

I also got a chance to compare KDS vs ADS and ADS is no way near the quality of KDS. The KDS sound is much more open and smooth.

Thanks for that.

I heard an ADS briefly and it sounded very hard to me. That was with naim pre/power but maybe it was the speakers. The KDS sounded very good information and timting wise and flowed very well I thought. Sadly that was going through Linn amps/spekares and what i considered to be a very 'hifi' type presentation. I get my dac (+XPS) soon and have been offered a home dem of the KDS so that might be interesting.

quote:

I also got a chance to compare KDS vs ADS and ADS is no way near the quality of KDS.

Heard ADS, but was unimpressed; glad to hear KDS is much more open and smooth and Linn has not lost its way completely by abandoning the noble CDP.

quote:

I also got a chance to compare KDS vs ADS and ADS is no way near the quality of KDS.

Intersting. I have both KDS (for two years) and ADS (for 18months now) at home. What do you mean by 'no way near' I wonder...

Anyway, bottom line is that ADS feeds 135s and I believe its better suited to Naim systems.

I keep the KDS for the main system. But I can swap them over at will, and do you know...

Interesting.

I'm with you abbydog ( obviously). As I said earlier "I have been running the ADS for just about 3 weeks of normal daily usage and I think it is still improving so it shares that in common with Naim gear. A burn in period during which patience is required"

I have often read of people here being unimpressed by Naim kit judged by a short listen in a unfamilar environment ( maybe a dealer's demo room perchance?). This brings forth a rash of replies pointing of the need to have a serious home demo in your own room with your own speakers to properly qualify Naim kit. ...Why should it be any different for high end Linn kit?

Again the pinnacle of CDPs for Naim is the 555. Maybe similarly so for the Klimax DS. However if reports on this froum are anything to go by ( along with personal experience) there are startling good lower price Naim systems such as the CDS3 for example. Could it not be reasonable to apply similar criteria to for example the Akurate DS? I do believe it might be so.

There has also been a comment or two that the Linn sound is not the same as the Naim sound which is indeed true in subtle ways but there is a definite feel of music purity and resolved detail from the ADS that to my ears ( the ones' that matter) is just as enjoyable and affecting as the musical character of the CDS3 in my system.. The ADS, perhaps due to the signal process quality, certainly likes to be heard at good hifi volume levels when it really takes off and the full pace and rythum flowers ( also a chracteristic of the 552 ). In itself the DS has less musical signature than you experience with a conventional CD player so I think it blends into the characteristic we all associated with Naim systems without detracting in anyway from the sound signature.

As for comments that the ADS sounded hard edged ( as suggested maybe the speakers) or underwhelming in a Valve system ( which Naim certainly is not so not a proper comparison) I can but disagree. I do not have a KDS but I hear excellent synergy between the ADS and my 552/500 with my Kharma speaakers.

regards
geoff ( long serving Naim user )

<raises eyebrow> Fascinating
I tend to agree with you Geoff, and I think either the ADS or KDS make a good front-end for the 552. But don't forget that the 552 adds a certain signature to the sound, and it may be that your familiarity with that might cloud the issue.
Actually, I'm speaking for myself here - that's what I found. If you try the KDS with a different preamp, you create a different kind of synergy (or otherwise), but that's to be expected.

I think some listeners mistake the brutal truth of the KDS as 'blandness' or 'hi-fi', but when you've lived with it for a while, it's an honesty which becomes addictive.

Going back to the OP, is KDS better than HDX/555PS/DAC? I can only say that I'm enjoying it more, but it's in the realms of machinery where it boils down to personal taste rather than odious comparisons. I've always had a leaning towards 'studio' presentation, but that's what I'm used to.

I'm pleased you are enjoying the ADS Geoff - I've always found your posts illuminating, and I didn't think I'd see you move away from a CDS3

Cheers
John

quote:

But don't forget that the 552 adds a certain signature to the sound, and it may be that your familiarity with that might cloud the issue.

John

It is a happy familiarity. Enough has been said about the qualities of the 552, all postive. I feel pretty much the same as you about the inherent purity of the music from the DS and its' honesty.

quote:

I'm pleased you are enjoying the ADS Geoff - I've always found your posts illuminating, and I didn't think I'd see you move away from a CDS3

Ah...the old dog is not so 'dyed in the wool' as thought. With the arrival of a networkable A/V receiver for Home Cinema. I played around a bit with ripped files and had an epiphany based on the way you can 'stick a pin in' a CD library and rediscover old music gatherong dust in a nice random way. The fact that the DS can make it sound so good was the final decider.

The other driver is that Vinyl has taken over as my first love so the old CDS3 has become neglected and freeing up CD space for more vinyl was on the cards.

I am now thinking of capturing and archiving digital versions of favorite albums.

regards
Geoff

quote:

What do you mean by 'no way near' I wonder...

While giving the same amount of details the KDS is smoother and also gives better soundstage.
As far as I remember the KDS transients were also better.
In my values KDS is much better source than ADS. That's it.

I recall the main difference between them is output stage, casing and isolation -- very similar to the elements which make higher grade Naim gears to sound better than lower: like CDS3/XPS vs CDX2/XPS.

Yeah, you're absolutely right AMA. Silly me.