Naim DAC - when????

Posted by: jackliebling on 15 November 2008

Dear All,

I'm now settled very nicely with my system (52/52PS,CD5,FlatCap,B&W805S)

But, I know that my next move (apart from servicing my preamp) will be a harddrive based system and DAC. Surely as this is undoubtably the future...

When do you think that NAIM will be releasing a separate DAC? I can't wait to be ripping my discs and sitting on my couch selecting my tunes remotely... :-)

Cheers
Jack

Posted on: 17 November 2008 by Roy T

I expect that people will continue to create works of art that others will purchase, I also expect that builders of devices to read or display these works of art will feel a pressure to move towards open standards. With the growth of open source appliances the onus will be on builders of players and displayers to build the best so as to attract customers who will then move their collection of art works to the best kit available to them. Manufacture only offering customer / content lock-in via forms of hardware or software may well start to feel the chill once people realise that content is king.

Posted on: 17 November 2008 by Adam Meredith

quote:
Originally posted by Adam Meredith:
quote:
Originally posted by Michael Trotz:
There many historical examples of companies that have died as a result of failure to adapt to fundamental shifts in technology and or cultural attitudes.

SO - what exactly do you see the long-term future being?

Posted on: 17 November 2008 by Naijeru

quote:

Computing solutions are like a Lego set - everyone is able to micro-customise. Everyone (well those who enjoy this) can come up with their own "product". If you were to put your money where your mouth is - in 18 months time when you brought the finalised and fixed product to market you might well find you had a market of one. It's not easy pleasing everyone - in fact, it's not even worth trying.

I think you're on to something here, but I disagree with the "not even worth trying" attitude, though I understand where it comes from. Whatever future product Naim or any company for that matter produces, it must give final authority on design to the customer. It is true for content now as proven by the likes of YouTube, Facebook and to an extent even the American presidential election. It will increasingly be the case with products that the customer takes on the role of designer.

Products for the 21st century must allow customers to design their own 'products of one.' I think Naim products actually exhibit a lot of this philosophy in the myriad upgrade paths customers can take. Naturally I think a DAC would fit very nicely into that lineup as it is the one product I'd like to buy from Naim that the company currently does not provide a solution for. I DO appreciate however Naim not making any announcements about their products until they are on sale or at least confirmed. I hate vaporware.

Posted on: 17 November 2008 by Harry H. Wombat

quote:
Originally posted by Paul Stephenson:

Why not improve our cd players they are also very popular and important products which clearly to us outperform many of the low end streaming laptop/dac products.

Mmm - wonder what you are referring to!

Unfortunately the statement above leads to the question, "How do the NAIM CDPs stack up against high(er)-end computer/dac based systems" - I'm sure NAIM have a Weiss or a Berkeley somewhere in the labs. No, I don't expect an answer

quote:
Originally posted by Tuan:

I am moving away from spinning CD player.

I am Spartacus! No moving back to a CDP for me.

BTW - shouldn't this thread be moved .. ?

Posted on: 17 November 2008 by DeltaSigma

quote:
Originally posted by Adam Meredith:

SO - what exactly do you see the long-term future being?

Hard disks, solid state memory, internet downloads (what resolution?), internet storage, nano technology, quantum computer solutions, holographic storage, resurgence of sheet music and home performance?

Frankly, I don't think that my opinions on the subject are important. I don't earn my living by making and selling hi-fi equipment and as such don't need to be an expert on the various technologies (existing or nascent) for hi fidelity reproduction of digital music.

However, I do think that it is important for Naim to have at least a general view on the future, and to be willing to share its product development strategy (in general terms) with its customers. After all, unlike me, its future does indeed depend on being able to do this (IMO anyway).

One thing I think I can say with some confidence, however, is that many of the options you have listed above appear to involve the use of a stand alone DAC, and that probably none of them is compatible with the use of CD players costing tens of thousands of dollars.

Posted on: 17 November 2008 by David Dever

You typically only see the products that float up to the surface–not what is actually being hatched below....

Posted on: 17 November 2008 by Guido Fawkes

I've found a way where I can play my CDs with out ripping them to a hard disk and use a nice Naim DAC

CDX2

Posted on: 17 November 2008 by pcstockton

quote:
Originally posted by Michael Trotz:

One thing I think I can say with some confidence, however, is that many of the options you have listed above appear to involve the use of a stand alone DAC, and that probably none of them is compatible with the use of CD players costing tens of thousands of dollars.

As is the case with many technologies.

The CD5i, according to many people, does not improve on the performance of an LP12. Yet they still make it.

Posted on: 18 November 2008 by js

And sell a fair amount besides.

quote:
He jauntily pointed down to the skirting board and said, well this DAT machine over here is plugged into a multiplug with that fridge over there... Oh well, losing battle...

Good night (GMT...)

Jack

Bet his fridge sounded worse

.

I think that if you're set on having a DAC, you could just get something <200& like a DACMagic, Beardsford etc. and move up later if something special turns up. What would you lose on the swap, 100&? You still have your CD5 for serious listening. Rip in a good program like EAC and experiment with player arrangements.