Naim DAC USB input

My understanding is:

The USB inputs of the Ndac will accept iPods and memory sticks. USB output from a laptop will need to be processed by a HiFace or similar.

quote:

Originally posted by Fred Mulder:
Hi Guys,

I'm wondering,

When it's no problem to select songs via USB by using a laptop, phone, IPad in a room; why bother with steamers, expensive coax cables, ..

Or did I overlook something?
Only thing I can think of is limited storage space, although this is just a matter of time before the constant improving capacity/size/heat passes the sufficient mark.

Kind regards, Fred

The USB connector is not an audio input.

It is just for connecting a USB-stick/iPod/USB-HDD that acts as an attached 'disk' where audio files are stored, so to speak, and the control for navigating through this 'disk' is by buttons/remote of the Naim DAC.

-
aleg

Ah, so the nDAC USB is only pull, I thought it could also work as push. Thanks.

Would be great then when Naim would make some kind of simple navigation device which controls files, similar to Sonos/Logitech Duet remote (a Naim 'streamer' without network functions).

Cheers, Fred

ps. I'll have a lookup what HiFace means, thanks

quote:

Originally posted by Fred Mulder:
Ah, so the nDAC USB is only pull, I thought it could also work as push. Thanks.

Would be great then when Naim would make some kind of simple navigation device which controls files, similar to Sonos/Logitech Duet remote (a Naim 'streamer' without network functions).

Cheers, Fred

ps. I'll have a lookup what HiFace means, thanks

Fred

HiFace is a USB-to-Coax (BNC or RCA) external audio card in USB-stick format, which has been very well received on this forum for its audio quality when used with Mac (and PC?).

-
aleg

quote:

which has been very well received on this forum for its audio quality when used with Mac (and PC?).

sincerely,
the Lavry

After some interesting reading about the HiFace (thanks), I'm surprised that the device hasn't got a female BNC or RCA plug.

As far as I know, an USB data cable is less sensitive for loosing/altering information as an audio interconnect. With a female plug the HiFace could be connected directly into the DAC, where only the USB cable is used for crossing the distance between the pc/mac and audio equipment.

Although this can probably be solved with a (ie 90 degree) BNC/RCA connector

Just a wild thought, Fred

Fred,

Good idea and one that was covered on a previous thread:
http://forums.naim-audio.com/e...2903417/m/5512920037

John

Thanks John
Well, and I thought I had a wild weekend

another question from a novice/old timer -- when i tried to play music from a USB stick on my naim DAC -- when the track finished, there was this horrible sound -- i assume then that you either have to fill the stick or? sorry this is probably a very noddy question...

but it was fascinating to play a .wav from a usb stick in my system... more to my daughter

enjoy
ken

@ ken c: I experience the very same problem every once in a while. I tried six different USB memory sticks and it seems to happen with all of them. Using the very same USB stick with my PC there is not such a problem. Try different USB sticks and you will find out that some simply sound better! No Joke! I guess it is due do the controler in the USB sick, but this is just a guess. Naim really should come up with a reasonable priced USB memory stick soon that works without any problem - even better: They should deliver such a USB stick with every DAC!

When you hear horrible sound between tracks, please check if the grounding on the unit was switched to float or not. I can hear it only if it is switched to float, but it can be system and connection method dependent.

john r. many thanks.

ferenc, grounding on my dac is set to floating because i have a cdx2.2 connected. but what you say seems to be consistent with my setup, although floating is the correct setting. so why does that vary with usb sticks as john r. implies?

enjoy
ken

quote:

Originally posted by ken c:
john r. many thanks.

ferenc, grounding on my dac is set to floating because i have a cdx2.2 connected. but what you say seems to be consistent with my setup, although floating is the correct setting. so why does that vary with usb sticks as john r. implies?

enjoy
ken

Ken

Do you have the CDX2.2 connected to the pre-amp or to the nDAC?

If to nDAC then grounding of nDAC should be chassis.

If to pre-amp then grounding of nDAC should be floating.

Just thought to mention it

-
aleg

quote:

Originally posted by ken c:
another question from a novice/old timer -- when i tried to play music from a USB stick on my naim DAC -- when the track finished, there was this horrible sound --

If you mean a loud clicking sound, it is caused by the ID tags in your wav files. You should delete these tags using a tag editor (e.g., dBpoweramp). I hope Naim will solve this problem with a firmware upgrade.

@ mico 1964: What is an ID tag of a wav file? Is it the name of the file? And how to delete it with db poweramp (great program by the way).

Thanx

tags in wav files?

That is not the droid you're looking for.

ID3 tags will corrupt a WAV file. You shouldn't do it. There is no reason it wont do very strange things and potentially sound horrible.

Check the settings of your ripping program it is adding them. Which dbpoweramp shouldn't do... they know this.

-patrick

Patrick

It is only something I came across in the last few days, but WAV can officially tagged with ID3 now.

They add a RIFF chunck (wav's official way of tagging) with an ID3 identification and add all the ID3 tags in that chunck.

dBPoweramp has lately added this feature and does not corrupt the wav structure. There are only very few other tagging programs who offer this.

Fortunately my main audioplayer mpd can nowadays also read these tags in wav, so I can build my library with wav now which should increase SQ somewhat more.

I hope my favourite tagger mp3tag will also start supporting it.

-
aleg

yes but it corrupts the file.... as i understand. The noise people as describing seems to bear this out.

I bought and downloaded some high def FLAC files (24/88 & 24/96) from Linn, Naim and HDTracks sites. I converted these files to WAV (to play them on the DAC) with dBpoweramp R13.4 which, by default, adds "list" and "ID3" TAGs to the destination WAV files (artist, title, album and so on).

I suppose that the Naim DAC doesn't read correctly WAV tags, and so at the end of the last track stored on the USB stick there is this "horrible sound": sometimes it stops after half a second, sometimes it never stops (and I must press the stop button or remove the stick).

Anyway two weeks ago I explained (and showed) the problem to the technician who upgraded my Naimunity to v2.0. So I think that Naim is aware of the problem and will solve it.

- Michele -

dbpoweramp shouldnt do this by default. ID3 is not appropriate for WAV files. It just isn't. Do some research.

-patrick

I experience the same thing, there is a hiss at the end of the last track that generally goes on forever.

This only occurs with Hi Res and for me it's not the last track on the USB, but the last track in a directory.

I only use DBpoweramp for conversion so I'm not sure if it happens with any other apps.

Anyone else experiencing this?

Hi Michele

Did the firmware upgrade fix the problem?

I use a 252 and I'm unsure if there is even any firmware to upgrade?

Cheers

@pcstockton: I agree with you: it shouldn't do this, but it does!

@loks: my dealer told me that a little firmware upgrade to fix the problem will be available soon; until then, it's better to avoid wav tags (deleting them and/or changing the default options of dBpoweramp).

quote:

Originally posted by mico1964:
@pcstockton: I agree with you: it shouldn't do this, but it does!

Change the setting. Problem solved.

It may not be a problem within the confines of dqpoweramp. It might handle broken WAV files just fine. But clearly others out there cannot (Naim DAC for one).

-p

quote:

Originally posted by Aleg:

quote:

Originally posted by ken c:
john r. many thanks.

ferenc, grounding on my dac is set to floating because i have a cdx2.2 connected. but what you say seems to be consistent with my setup, although floating is the correct setting. so why does that vary with usb sticks as john r. implies?

enjoy
ken

Ken

Do you have the CDX2.2 connected to the pre-amp or to the nDAC?

If to nDAC then grounding of nDAC should be chassis.

If to pre-amp then grounding of nDAC should be floating.

Just thought to mention it

-
aleg

Actually Aleg, what the manual states is that the switch should be chassis unless the system contains (= is 'incorporating') another earthed source component (could be tuner, DVD player etc presumably). As many (most?) systems would have another earthed source component, the setting would usually be floating. The word 'incorporating' is at best ambiguous in the manual....

Perhaps someone from Naim could clarify this.