Problems streaming computer audio to Nait 3 Amp (All)

Dear DL,

You may care to look in the Distributed Audio Section, and even possibly post this question there as well.

There are quite a few threads where sucessful streaming is discussed, and several there who are probably able to make sensible suggestions about why your set is not working. I rather doubt it is the Nait, if other inputs are working properly.

Welcome to the Forum, from George

I haven't got my computer attached to my Nait 3R yet - I have to make a cable...
I'll be using the computer's audio out to one channel.
I also have another computer to put in my living room that will attach to my main Naim system via an S/PDIF attached DAC.
I've never tried a USB DAC.

Thinking about your problem, a couple of possibities occur to me:
i. I wonder if it could be mains related - do your amp and computer run off the same wall socket?
ii. Could it be that the line-level out of your DAC has a fault, even though the phones don't? (Or are you running the variable phones out to your amp?)

Hi George / prowla

Thanks for the welcome, I’ll certainly search the DAS section.

Prowla, I must admit to being something of a technical novice - I didn’t think of the mains issue. They run off separate wall sockets, but in the same room. The UD-10, however, is partly sold on its ability to isolate any interference from the computer and the mains. I’m currently in contact with Trends and they haven’t mentioned the mains as yet.

Not sure what you mean when you say, “Or are you running the variable phones out to your amp?”. The RCA out is the same as the headphone jack – you get a little RCA adapter with it. The UD-10 is primarily intended to be used with a DAC and has numerous digital outputs, so the RCA out isn’t brilliant. Maybe the adapter is faulty? No, just found another adapter and tried that – the problem remains.

I take it you have an internal sound card in your computer with digital outputs. I’d be very interested to know how you get along with that.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by GFFJ:
Dear DL,

You may care to look in the Distributed Audio Section, and even possibly post this question there as well.

Yes tthe question belongs in distributed audio, however everybody over there who are running audio from a pc, are using a Mac with a Lavry combo, good for Mac owners, but rather borring after the first 100 posts stating that this is the only way to go.

I've previously run two computers off separate plugboard from a twin wall socket, and when I went to attach a cable between them there was a spark between the D-connector's outer ring and the PC's case, due to Earth differences.

The reason for asking about the output socket is that an earphone socket is variable output (obviously!)), rather than a fixed line-level one. This means that (a) the output sound will have gone through an extra bit of circuitry for no reason, and (b) you may have the output volume too high, which could cauuse distortion.

As you mention an adapter (jack-RCA), you could try wiggling the wires to see if there is anything untoward there.

Yes - my computer has a digital (S/PDIF - Sony/Philips Digital Interface Format, which is the standard interface to a standalone DAC) output. Unfortunately, the "project" has been ongoing for a while, so I've no idea when I'll complete it.

There are some discussions about it on head-fi, and the general gist seems to be that it's intended as a USB-S/PDIF interface and that the headphone output isn't really it's key strength (and one person says that they probably just put that connector there as the chipset they chose happened to have an audio out).

Now this is interesting - this HASN'T been moved over to the other side (Distributed Audio)!

Hi D.L.,

did I get it right: you connected the DAC to the phono-input (you wrote: NA522 phono stage)?
This might be the reason for your problem, because the output of your DAC is already at line level and the phono card not only gives you additional amplification (approx. 100 fold for MM) put also a compensation for the RIAA equalisation.
You should use one of the other inputs (then you will need a RCA-DIN cable) or replace the phono cards with dummies (I don't know, if these dummy cards are still available).

Have fun!
Thomas

You're overloading the phono stage. You need the RCA to DIN lead.

quote:

Originally posted by D.L:
The set up is:
Mac G4 with WAV files via USB to UD-10
UD-10 via RCA lead to Nait 3 (NA522 phono stage) to Royd Abbot speakers.

Dac output to phono (record player)input on the Nait 3 ?

This definitely will sound bad. Firstly, the phonostage has equilisation, bass boost & treble cut, IIRC, and it has a sensitivity in microvolts. A phonostage takes the previously equalized, for the record cutting, signal from an LP and "levels" it out and then boosts the microvolts to a level more suitable of a standard line stage (of the order of 1/2 volt).

Your DAC will be outputting an unequalized signal of the order of 2volts.

As the previous poster indicated, you need an RCA to DIN lead. Try Flashback cables, they make very reasonably priced cables and offer first class customer service.

Or you could buy a RCA -> Din HiLine , In fact I'm considering this option, I'm suspecting that the difference between the streaming solution and the CD player is largely in the cable.

cheers

Peter

Hi, thanks for all the responses, and apologies for originally posting this question in the wrong section.

Thomas, David & User

I am using the phono stage originally inserted for my record player. I did wonder if this might be the problem. My suspicions were aroused earlier in the year when I tried to play my MP3 player through the Nait phono input, and whilst I wasn’t expecting miracles, the results were woeful. This seemed strange as I had previously run the player through rubbish stack systems, etc and the results were perfectly civilised. Maybe I’ve got my answer.

I’ll contact Flashback Cables and invest in an RCA to 5 DIN and give that a go.


Thanks again, DL

quote:

Originally posted by D.L:
I did wonder if this might be the problem. My suspicions were aroused earlier in the year when I tried to play my MP3 player through the Nait phono input, and whilst I wasn’t expecting miracles, the results were woeful.

Wonder no more - completely (and utterly) the wrong connection. Not only is this input FAR too sensitive - it will also impose RIAA equalisation to the signal. The results should be dire.