The new Naim DAC

quote:

The pointers / roadmap I ask for relates to the overall branch of products emerging, called 'distributed audio' (insert your own description if it helps)

My mistake, I thought you were fixating on when the DAC came into the "roadmap", but I have obviously misread your post (as I mentioned I may have done in my previous post, which you may have missed)and it's just the future roadmap you are interested in


Barrie

I am so looking forward to reading a report of this product from one who has purchased it with their own money but until the product has been released I realise that is not possible. So like others I make do with speculation until the real producth its the shops and is purchased by a real buyer.

quote:

Originally posted by marczed:
Hello all.

At the end of this demo, Doug said how much more emotion and feeling had come over with the 555. Virtually all the heads in front of me nodded with agreement. [QUOTE]




[QUOTE} This made me feel bad because I really concentrated and listened as hard as I know how to and I heard absolutely zero difference. Marc

Trust your ears, Marc - they are the only ones you get in this life.

Gary -

Since your such close mates with Dan - let him know that I'll be listening to the DA11 as soon as it reaches UK's shores.

Some solace for his destroyed order book.

I just hope that it doesn't take Naim too long to work out the kinks in this "very pre-production model" so we can all have a listen and decide.

quote:

Originally posted by baz100:

quote:

We just need details: input types and number, bitrates, supported encoding etc.

Why

Well a mere black box is hardly interesting in of itself is it? I need to know whether it's going to do what I need a DAC to do. That's common sense really.

quote:

No, I don't think you misread my post, just that you conveniently miss the point and attempt to crap my post. But fine, you think a roadmap is irrelevant and of no interest. Your perogative, keep sucking up.

Your response seems a little aggressive, and I really don't know why - but hey-ho, each to their own. I do feel the need to reply to your accusations though.

Point 1 - I genuinely got the impression that you were talking about the history of the DAC Roadmap, which as we now agree is of no interest to you ( or many others in fact )

Point 2 - I didn't intend to "crap" your post, as you delicately describe it, I did however feel OK about debating some of your points as did several others. However I may have misunderstood the basic tenet behind how a forum works - my mistake

Point 3 - "sucking up", what a strange phase, could I ask to whom, have I missed a secret prize competition or something ?

I hope you have a wonderful and relaxing Sunday

All the best,

Barrie

quote:

Well, you helped me yesterday achieve 500 posts, quite happy to return the favour

My pleasure, and having just read your post regarding your chest infection, I wish you a quick and complete recovery

Barrie

By Allen B

quote:

I would also like the DAC to stand alone, and beat the competition on it's own. Not likely though, is it?

I would suggest here, that most of us on this forum know that any naim stand alone components out perform other competitors products in their respective range. That is why we are naim owners, and people migrate from other manufacturers products. The PSU ugrades are a "fantastic" addition to the sound refinement. I would venture to say the a stand alone naim DAC will out perform other average DAC's in the price range.

Just my opinion.

rega1

quote:

Well a mere black box is hardly interesting in of itself is it? I need to know whether it's going to do what I need a DAC to do. That's common sense really.

I know but look at the amount of discussion just the box is causing, the servers would crash if we actually knew what was in the Black Box - by the way is the black box confirmed now

Barrie

quote:

Originally posted by AllenB:

quote:

Originally posted by baz100:

quote:

But I don't think they will be doing it twice or three times (a stand-alone DAC range)

I agree AllenB which is why Naim may have gone down the PSU upgradability path, it allows owners of existing PSU's to re-allocate them within their system, and allows new starters to begin with a capable DAC and then upgrade through PSU's rather than having to but a replacemant DAC V10 becomes V11 etc. It's actually a rather clever approach and continues their current upgrade model.

The level of the "buit-in" DAC PSU will be known when it's launched, until then ........?

Barrie

Take off the blinkers.

Why does a stand-alone DAC need a whole series of PSU upgrades ending in £4.5k extra?

For those that have better sources than Itunes. joke. If you believe any $1k or $2k DAC has the best supply avilable built in and couldn't be improved than you're the one in denial. Just like a pre. Those circuits will be quite sensitive to an internal X-former. Listen to the stand alone before damning it.

This presumption is entirely based on your personal view of your favorite DAC being a world beater when in fact others here have discarded it for similarly priced DACs and other forms of playback. Of course you are also not alone but it is a minority view that shouldn't be approached as fact but instead as preference. I believe there's few significant levels of improvement still available from a DAC format but will have to wait and see how things fall out, what is cost effective and for who. I'll be comparing it to the DAC in the NAGRA VI with Highcap. Not any of the $1k DACs.

Barrie,

it will be interesting to see which way you eventually decide to go once the DAC is released, ie. HDX/HDX + DAC/ DAC. Interesting developments and potential options depending on how this DAC turns out.

Surprised to only have 3 comments,so far, from people who attended the show would have expected more at this point with a few little nuggets on specs, connections etc..., but c'est la vie.

I think, unfortunately, at least from the few comments so far, that we are unlikely to get a consensus just based on the already significantly differing opinions expressed even when the final product is released. I am well aware that no matter how good you try a demo show is not ideal for proper set-up and listening so ultimately best done at your dealer and then at home in your own sytem/environment.

Time will tell.

quote:

Originally posted by js:
I'll be comparing it to the DAC in the NAGRA VI with Highcap. Not any of the $1k DACs.

Absolutely! That in itself is a $9KUSD combo.

Hey JS, Scott--- munch awarded me post of the year and we are only in February.

PS: guess he hasn't seen my "Dan Lavry" email. Maybe I'll be in the running for the top two spots! Hope he likes it.

A dubious distinction, no doubt. Fortunately there's plenty of time left to to be topped.

The VI as set up makes truely superb dubs of analog masters. Better than any analog copy and this with both a/d and d/a in the chain. It's a known quantity and not a flavor or preference.

*****

Sorry Adam.

Hush up. You're jeopardizing my freebee.

quote:

Originally posted by js:
This presumption is entirely based on your personal view of your favorite DAC being a world beater when in fact others here have discarded it for similarly priced DACs and other forms of playback. Of course you are also not alone but it is a minority view that shouldn't be approached as fact but instead as preference. I believe there's few significant levels of improvement still available from a DAC format but will have to wait and see how things fall out, what is cost effective and for who. I'll be comparing it to the DAC in the NAGRA VI with Highcap. Not any of the $1k DACs.

Theory is all well and good but let's wait and see how production units sound. The bar has been set very high and I assume we all actually want Naim to overachieve expectations. Many Lavry owners have stated here they will switch to the Naim DAC if it indeed does deliver more performance. We'll have to wait until the summer to find out...

Of course you're going to defend the new products cos you're trying to sell them.

Interestingly I don't see many UK dealers being so vocal. In fact, some have embrased the competitive technologies and offer the customer a choice.

quote:

Originally posted by Graham Russell:

quote:

Originally posted by js:
This presumption is entirely based on your personal view of your favorite DAC being a world beater when in fact others here have discarded it for similarly priced DACs and other forms of playback. Of course you are also not alone but it is a minority view that shouldn't be approached as fact but instead as preference. I believe there's few significant levels of improvement still available from a DAC format but will have to wait and see how things fall out, what is cost effective and for who. I'll be comparing it to the DAC in the NAGRA VI with Highcap. Not any of the $1k DACs.

Theory is all well and good but let's wait and see how production units sound. The bar has been set very high and I assume we all actually want Naim to overachieve expectations. Many Lavry owners have stated here they will switch to the Naim DAC if it indeed does deliver more performance. We'll have to wait until the summer to find out...

Of course you're going to defend the new products cos you're trying to sell them.

Interestingly I don't see many UK dealers being so vocal. In fact, some have embrased the competitive technologies and offer the customer a choice.

Quite sensible but I was initially interested in the Lavry to sell without knowledge of a Naim DAC but it wasn't for me and I you could say that I am biased towards Naim kit because of what it does for me musically but not every piece. Ask Adam, Doug or Paul. We're rather ruthless. I have not said one thing about the DAC's performance and will not until I hear it. Stating the known advantages of outboard and more elaborate PS's is clearly relative to the initial goodness of the piece. We'll all have to wait for that. Posting here doesn't help my sales. My only customers that I'm aware of visiting this site, post here. We've been around for 25 years and a forum is not where my clients form their opinions. I often set up, hand the controls over and leave the room in a dem. The kit should speak for itself.

quote:

Originally posted by gary1 (US):
*****

Sorry Adam.

js / PM- Thanks, the powerline is burning in nicely!

Allen B, did you see my reply to your comment further up the page Sir?

rega1

quote:

Originally posted by Graham Russell:

quote:

Originally posted by js:
This presumption is entirely based on your personal view of your favorite DAC being a world beater when in fact others here have discarded it for similarly priced DACs and other forms of playback. Of course you are also not alone but it is a minority view that shouldn't be approached as fact but instead as preference. I believe there's few significant levels of improvement still available from a DAC format but will have to wait and see how things fall out, what is cost effective and for who. I'll be comparing it to the DAC in the NAGRA VI with Highcap. Not any of the $1k DACs.

Theory is all well and good but let's wait and see how production units sound. The bar has been set very high and I assume we all actually want Naim to overachieve expectations. Many Lavry owners have stated here they will switch to the Naim DAC if it indeed does deliver more performance. We'll have to wait until the summer to find out...

Of course you're going to defend the new products cos you're trying to sell them.

Interestingly I don't see many UK dealers being so vocal. In fact, some have embrased the competitive technologies and offer the customer a choice.

I don't think the bar has been set that high. Everyone is raving over a $1000 DAC on this forum. I don't think naim will release anything to jeopardize its reputation, quality. I am sure they will provide a product that will sustain itself for the future and be an addition to existing components. Wise business decisions will be made, I will assume.

I trust they will make sure that it is superior to the competition and will be in the proper price catagory for the consumer(I can only hope).

rega1

quote:

Originally posted by AllenB:

quote:

Originally posted by rega1:
I would suggest here, that most of us on this forum know that any naim stand alone components out perform other competitors products in their respective range. That is why we are naim owners, and people migrate from other manufacturers products. The PSU ugrades are a "fantastic" addition to the sound refinement. I would venture to say the a stand alone naim DAC will out perform other average DAC's in the price range.

Just my opinion.

rega1

Hi rega1, sorry kind of lost this during all the other postings.

Yes I agree on Naim ownership, I am aware of the benefits of PSU upgrades, I have through history (olive to now), tried or heard most of them. I've spent a fortune on them.

Let's not forget, we are talking a stand-alone DAC, not a HDX or similar product which has all sorts of other components and things happening inside the box. We will have to wait and see what the PS is like in the Naim DAC and what has to be added (upgrade-wise) if necessary to beat the competition. Then you do your sums.

Agreed. It is kind of exciting though. With a naim DAC, the possibilities are almost quite endless.

rega1

Well, all I can say is that if this much dialogue has been elicited and almost nobody has heard the darn thing, what can we expect when it is demoed again at a show and is ready for sale?

quote:

Originally posted by baz100:

quote:

So assuming you eat fish all year, will you budget for salmon or sardines, or just rely on whatever you catch?

like many people my budget is what it is, it is not elastic, and if all I can afford is sardines then that is all I can buy, whether the salmon looks great or not.

I would like to point out that no comments herein posted (especially those quoted above) represent the opinions of Naim Audio.

The official Naim Audio line is:

"when the seagulls follow the trawler, it is because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea".

Still no facts and figures then.....!?

8 pages of mostly hot air...! Apologies, think I'm getting bored for now....Off to go and look at pictures of the Chord iPod love in.