Unitiserve question

Hey Stuart

I have just gone from cd5xs to UServe ssd > nDac.

I did't go through all possible combinations as a demo,as I decided streaming etc was the way to go for me. So before I sent off the cd player for sale I only had time for a couple of comparisons.

Listening to some electronica cds I thought the sq was fairly similar, maybe the UServe had a slight edge. Probably would have been more clear if I had tried something more acoustic. But as I had been using the cd5xs without the nDac before both were a huge improvement over the bare cd player.

I am now completely converted to the ripped cd format.

Brilliant in many ways. Easy to scan the whole collection, find any cd at will, stream radio, multi room, cd change from i Pad/Pod/Phone anywhere in the house (iPad fab. because of  large screen)

Only drawback is album info is not always right, or is missing. Some talk of manually scanning ....

My research led me to the ssd version UServe, and Cat6 cable. I'm not a techie but had priced out 5 and 6 and the difference wasn't much. Ran a double line to future proof for internet tv etc.

btw, I have 152 / 155 (with hicap) and Rega RS5

cheers

David

Hey Stuart

I have just gone from cd5xs to UServe ssd > nDac.

I did't go through all possible combinations as a demo,as I decided streaming etc was the way to go for me. So before I sent off the cd player for sale I only had time for a couple of comparisons.

Listening to some electronica cds I thought the sq was fairly similar, maybe the UServe had a slight edge. Probably would have been more clear if I had tried something more acoustic. But as I had been using the cd5xs without the nDac before both were a huge improvement over the bare cd player.

I am now completely converted to the ripped cd format.

Brilliant in many ways. Easy to scan the whole collection, find any cd at will, stream radio, multi room, cd change from i Pad/Pod/Phone anywhere in the house (iPad fab. because of  large screen)

Only drawback is album info is not always right, or is missing. Some talk of manually scanning ....

My research led me to the ssd version UServe, and Cat6 cable. I'm not a techie but had priced out 5 and 6 and the difference wasn't much. Ran a double line to future proof for internet tv etc.

btw, I have 152 / 155 (with hicap) and Rega RS5

cheers

David

Either go to electrical wholesalers for Cat5e cable plus connectors OR go with Belkin pre-terminated Cat 5e cable (comes in various lengths including 10m but not 8m) from PC World, or Amazon etc online.  You don't need Cat6, 5e does gigabit speed just fine and your router may well constrain you to megabit speed anyway.  Be careful to run it around the edge where it won't get trodden on!   These cables don't like sharp corners, so keep as long a radius bends as you reasonably can (seriously!).

'Bon chance' as the often say in Salisbury these days!

Roger (recently retired IT person)

sorry about the double post !! hit the button twice .Too busy multi tasking cooking dinner, posting, wrangling children, turning the volume knob up.

Also meant to say that we listen to a lot more music now .Especially  the other family members who aren't as familiar with the cd collection. My youngest son(11) is loving reggae right now,so just goes  :  genre > reggae > Bob Marley or whoever > Catch A Fire > play whole album

instead of "Dad, where's the .."

cheers

Stuart,

I replaced my Nait3r with a Supernait so for this setup the US SSD was recommended especially since the NDAC was in my rig and I was able to pick up a used US via my dealer trade with another customer. Have CD5XS as well and to my ear each a little different with the edge going to the US SSD. More overall control with all the Naim PRAT etc... Love the freedom but does take tweaking the meta data but beats piles of CD's. I spin vinyl also but for digital (CD's and Hi-Res) with the SN and NDAC can't beat the ease, convenience and sound quality, plus the WAF is very high as it is something she uses. CAT5 feeding the US but shortly replacing with CAT7. Credible sources here in the states say the speed and make up of CAT7 improves performance. On my recent trip to the UK I stopped by the Naim dealer in Bath and the gentlemen there were excited about CAT7 performance as well. I'm holding on to the CD5XS for now as it is convenient for the fresh stack of CD's to run through. I tried playing a CD in the US but it makes the similar noise as ripping so it's better to rip to the NAS then play. Not that big of a deal as it only taked 5 to 8 minutes to rip via the US SSD.

Hope this helps...cheers!

Mack

I'm running a Cat5e parallel to a mains feed for about 4 metres. The two wires are about 3 inches apart and I don't get any degradation of performance, musical or otherwise.  The thing to avoid like the plague is strapping the two together right next to each other. 

BTW don't suppose you've got TWO beams to use by any chance?

Roger

PS - beams is preferable to under carpet any day of the week !

Don't fully know what computer you have (PC v Mac), but I use an airport express to get the internet part to my Unitiqute, and then have my NAS and qute attached to a Netgear switchy type thing. Has it's moments but on the whole works well.