DAC connection

Definitely need a new forum.

Careful Adam, you might be talking yourself out of a job ...

quote:

Originally posted by Adam Meredith:
Definitely need a new forum.

Agreed - AND A NAIM DAC so we can have something to talk about in the new forum

Gregg

PS and quickly - just look at all the sales you guys are missing

Give me a name -

Cyberdyne Systems

DIS & DAC

I lack a lack of irony.

Perhaps 'Lo-Fi' ...

quote:

Originally posted by glevethan:

quote:

Originally posted by Adam Meredith:
Definitely need a new forum.

Agreed - AND A NAIM DAC so we can have something to talk about in the new forum

Gregg

PS and quickly - just look at all the sales you guys are missing

Yes Adam, glevethan is right, can't say we didn't warn you guys. Still not too late though!

(that said - very generous of Naim to allow the Beresford threads - probably also useful input for you)

Hi daddycool

I'm puzzled - Naim has long maintained that the DAC and transport should live in the same box and, for best results, the power supplies should be in a separate box - e.g CDS3 or CD555

If you have a computer + DAC then the transport and its power supply are in one box and the DAC is in another box and then the Super-Cap for the DAC is in another box.

Wouldn't it be better to have the hard disk transport + DAC in one box and the 555PS to power it in another box?

Just a thought.

ATB Rotf

PS I still like the idea of removable disks with one album per disk. Makes the music easier to find.

Fred,

Assuming that your iMac is fairly recent (ie flat screen, AFAIK - but not sure exactly when optical out was introduced on the iMac), then a mini Toslink to standard Toslink optical cable is required. Plug the mini end into your headphone socket on the iMac and the standard end into one of the optical inputs on the DAC.

Chris

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:
Wouldn't it be better to have the hard disk transport + DAC in one box and the 555PS to power it in another box?

Hi ROTF, naah, you're not really puzzled

Considering your system and hence budget your point is very valid and you would indeed be within the target group for a HDX or NS.

I'm looking for solutions for HDD-based audio around the CD5i point, direction CD5x.
Both sound- and budget wise, hence the different outlook.

Computer based audio, directly or througth Squzzebox, is here to stay, many forum members use it to achieve that CD5i point.
The Naim DAC would be for those to sensibly hook up computers to their Naim system. It's a market. Not everyone has a Superline (will you shortly?) there's also a market for Stageline/iSupply combo's...

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:
I still like the idea of removable disks with one album per disk. Makes the music easier to find.

I can understand that. I have this urge to flip over the (vinyl) discs over to play the other side

quote:

many forum members use it to achieve that CD5i point

Hi daddycool

Have you tried a comparison. The latest generation CD5i put a new slant on my view of sub-£1k CD players. I always thought Rega was king in this area until I heard the new CD5i - a superb player. I heard it with a Nait 5i and, I've forgotten, which speaker set-up: think nSat/nSub. Anyway, I thought what a great music system.

When I heard the MacBook/Super-Nait I was dissapointed. I'd sooner have CD5i/Nait5i than MacBook/SN - if that were the choice.

Of course, not saying everybody would share my preference, but I am saying that it is worth doing an audition before taking the plunge. You may find CD5i/Nait-2 gives surprisingly fine results that an expensive computer with external expensive DAC might find it hard to beat.

So if the Naim DAC cost around the same as the CD5i then which one is best VFM?

If the Naim DAC is half the price of the CD5i then Naim is competing with likes of April Music, which is really not what I perceive them as about. Naim would have to pull out the stops to beat the AM Stello DAC at a comparable price - my experience of the Stello is its effect on DAB radio, which was very very positive: I admire anything that makes the best of a horrible format.

The caveat on my views on computer sourced music is that I've only heard CD quality music from the computer source, not stuff stored at a much higher bit-rate so that may make a difference.

BTW AVI are just up the road from me and advocate the iPod shuffle with their digital speakers outperforms most of these systems - I've heard it and beg to differ.

I hope you find the system that suits you best, but you have a nice enough set-up now that must give some very fine results. Computer + DAC will be hard pushed to get anywhere near the level of your max'd out Rega TT - just my opinion, of course.

ATB Rotf

quote:

Originally posted by daddycool:


(that said - very generous of Naim to allow the Beresford threads - probably also useful input for you)

I think Neat Acoustics owes a thank you as well with the 220+ post on MF9s....

And Spendor, and SF, and Linn, and Wilson etc... etc... etc... etc....

Thats what I like about this forum. People are free to inquire about other mfgs products. Most have something non-naim (DAC ONLY) in our kit. And I think Naim is doing just fine lining their pockets.

In fact, I just heard Naim referenced as the "mass marketing GIANT".

If they dont want to make an external DAC, thats fine. But this is going to be the BEST possible place for people, who DO buy thousands of dollars of equipment from them, to discuss what DACS work best with Naim kits.

So, hopefully policies wont change, we can discuss other mfgs, and Adam wont go insane.

Stan Beresford offers a 3.5mm adaptor jack and TosLink option at his ordering window. Maybe he can send them out to you still...

Neil

quote:

Originally posted by freddie59:
I have just purchased A Beresford TC7510 MK6 DAC and am eager to try it out.

What is the best way of connecting it to my imac?

Regards,
Fred

My Powerbook is linked wirelessly to an Airport Express.

I use a Toslink cable supplied by Stan Beresford to connect the Airport Express to the TC7510 MK6 DAC.

My Sky + box also goes via a Toslink cable to the Beresford.

The Beresford is attached to a Nait 5 by a Chord Crimson.

Using i-Tunes and Apple Lossless files, the resulting music is excellent. Arguably better than my CD5.

Toslink cables link very well with the Beresford.

For a £100 unit the Beresford does a pretty fine job.

I would like to invest in a Naim digital file system, but realistically £4,500 for an HDX is a little steep.

An alternative is to use the much cheaper Logitech Duet, with its cover-flow remote control to select albums or tracks, and feed it through a better quality DAC.

Like quite a few people who enjoy top sounds, I really do think Naim should release a high- quality, stand-alone DAC.

It will save people like me from buying a Benchmark DAC1 or Lavry etc.

I'll try out a Logitech Duet etc with a Supernait against an HDX if I can. The problem will be finding retailer who carries all this gear.

Jack

quote:

I'll try out a Logitech Duet etc with a Supernait against an HDX if I can. The problem will be finding retailer who carries all this gear.

That'd be very interesting indeed. All you will have to do is bring a duet and a laptop to the shop and hook up the Duet to a Supernait for a comparison.

If the dealer has a broadband link, you can even skip the laptop and configure your SlimServer to be accessible remotely.

IMYO, Naim do not need to produce a stand alone DAC. What is wrong with the DACs that are already in their CD players?
It seems to me that it would be quite simple to produce a CD5 series player with a digital input (or even USB) for a signal from a computer to pick up the same signal path as the output from the CD reader. (Even an upgrade kit seems possible, although switching might be problematic.)

So for a thousand pounds or so we would have a box capable of satisfying two needs.

How about it? Are there any other CD players on the market that do this? If not, why? Could it be that in this configuration WAV files would show themselves to be better than CDs?

Don

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:
Have you tried a comparison. The latest generation CD5i put a new slant on my view of sub-£1k CD players. I always thought Rega was king in this area until I heard the new CD5i - a superb player. I heard it with a Nait 5i and, I've forgotten, which speaker set-up: think nSat/nSub. Anyway, I thought what a great music system.

When I heard the MacBook/Super-Nait I was dissapointed. I'd sooner have CD5i/Nait5i than MacBook/SN - if that were the choice.

Of course, not saying everybody would share my preference, but I am saying that it is worth doing an audition before taking the plunge. You may find CD5i/Nait-2 gives surprisingly fine results that an expensive computer with external expensive DAC might find it hard to beat.

So if the Naim DAC cost around the same as the CD5i then which one is best VFM?

If the Naim DAC is half the price of the CD5i then Naim is competing with likes of April Music, which is really not what I perceive them as about. Naim would have to pull out the stops to beat the AM Stello DAC at a comparable price - my experience of the Stello is its effect on DAB radio, which was very very positive: I admire anything that makes the best of a horrible format.

The caveat on my views on computer sourced music is that I've only heard CD quality music from the computer source, not stuff stored at a much higher bit-rate so that may make a difference.

BTW AVI are just up the road from me and advocate the iPod shuffle with their digital speakers outperforms most of these systems - I've heard it and beg to differ.

I hope you find the system that suits you best, but you have a nice enough set-up now that must give some very fine results. Computer + DAC will be hard pushed to get anywhere near the level of your max'd out Rega TT - just my opinion, of course.

ATB Rotf

Hi ROTF,

Thank you for your wise advise. I will give the matter some more thought and do a new demo soon.

I haven't heard the CD5i-2 yet and am curious. I found the original CD5i not satisfactorily for my requirements, it was for rock but as soon there was something jazzy it fell trough for my taste. The CD5x (bare) handled everything I threw at it graciously, even more so when Flatcapped.

I feel the Rega P5/TT-PSU/Exact/shelf is easily on par with the CD5x. But that's not the point I'm contemplating. I started out in Naim-land with a vinyl-only system: A good analog source with a serviced Nait 2. Budget and extremely satisfactorily.

Then house-members requirements called for a tuner, so upgrade budget went to expansion budget. The NAT05 surprises me almost daily, I don't think I can go back.

A recent twist is requirements for Head-fi, as I no longer work shifts and have to listen to music when everyone else is present, more budget going to expansion rather than upgrade.

The final chapter is a requirement to get rid of the boxes with vinyl records in the living room. So I now have the plan for a two-system approach. CD, tuner, amp and speakers in the living room. Turntable, phono stage, preamp, headphone amp, cans in the study. It is for the latter system that I am investigating a Mac + DAC system. I want to play from HDD music I don't have on vinyl, and either have bought the CD or have ripped it from elsewhere for evaluation. I will not buy two CD players.

Hope this clarifies things. I'll be thinking this through, any input is welcome. I will do (soon) a comparitive demo of the following:
- my Nait 2 vs. Nait 5i-2 vs. 122x/150x
- CD 5i-2 vs CD5x bare vs. Flatcapped
- my Rega Alya speakers vs. Neat Motive 2 vs. Gallo Reference 3.1
- the effect of a Hiline
in all possible combinations. I hope this will clarify to me my upgrade/extension path for the years to come.

Oh, and I would really love the Naim DAC. I feel it is a logical addition to the Stageline and Headline series. I disagree with you in the sebse that I think it indeed should be available at the Stello price point, preferably the Headline price point. The circuit boards could stem from the n-Vi, AV2, SN so nothing revolutionairy there. Hope it will come through, otherwise I will start with the Beresford and probably move up to the Stello/RA or a s/h 47 Labs.

One final point, you have heard the Macbook directly from its optical out into the SN. I have learned and heard that much can be gained by using the TC Electronic Konnekt 8 (I have one now) Firewire interface to extract a S/PDIF signal. A Chord DAC wire or a Naim DC-1 cable, into one of these DACs should be better than what you've heard. Just a thought.

all the best from daddycool!

PS: so, did you hear the Superline yet? If not, did you buy a RA Powerpak for the P-75 yet?

Don P.,

Resolution Audio, Wadia, and Cambridge Audio make/have made CDPs with digital *in* jacks. FYI. I'm sure others do/have done as well. Well, not "as well" as Naim could if they, you know, did!