Firmware Update to NDAC

Why would they? It's just a DAC. The updates were for products with DSP. I don't think the nDAC does that.

I stand corrected. Thanks Wat.

Bit off topic but curios as to whether you are going to a DAVE or would hold out to see what a new Naim DAC sounds like if they were to come out with one in the next few years?

Hi Wat - conscious this takes us slightly off topic, and apologies for this, but in the vein of your last post, I too have a NDac and am considering reducing my box count be replacing it with a 272 + 250DR, which would allow me to get rid of a Snait 2, ND5XS, NDac and Naim tuner (I'd get the FM module in the 272).  Whilst the 272+250DR is highly praised elsewhere on this forum, I wonder if the DAC in the 272 is as good as or better than the NDac?  Secondly, would I benefit sound-wise by having fewer cables between all the components?  I will keep my main source of music, the CD5XS which I currently feed by Sarum Super Array digital out to the NDac, then the "converted" analogue signal goes by Super Lumina to the Snait 2. 

@ Watt, that TT is a nice looking device and would look pretty good next to a MM on a rack I reckon.  Whther the sound is worth the extra money is something else though as I've not yet heard it.  I'm sure the Dave, despite its excellent name, will be a cost too far for me.

Weill I put my Hugo on my top Fraim shelf - and I think its looks the part - especially in subdued lighting with its different coloured glows.

I use a large choke around the SPDIF lead that is of sufficient circumference that steadies the Hugo to keep it total stable.

Does it sound better? - I think the mechanical isolation into the audio leads might have helped - but we are talking ultra subtle - but it looks good

Simon

I wouldnt say the extra outlay for the TT is worth it in SQ terms over the Hugo, but if like myself you need the extra features then i most definitely think the TT is worth it. And it really does look good on the rack.

Graeme

Graeme - I think the TT from a SQ point of view only provides benefit with USB or if you use balanced audio outputs - otherwise its as close to the Hugo performance as its designer could get - apparently...

S

Interesting.  I was thinking of demo-ing the TT but might not throw temptation in my path.  The 2Qute is enough for me I think!

G

Simon, although i'm using both USB and XLR's now i had tried a direct comparison with the NDX using coax and RCA's with Hugo and TT and i would say that the TT has more impact. I'm not going to say better but it does sound more dynamic.

Using the XLR's into my amp have been a huge improvement on focus and background noise. Curiously it seems to be a lower volume also, which i was not expecting.

Graeme

I have applied one FW update to the NDAC but pretty sure two or so have been issued since the NDAC release. Since Naim has stated there will be no update to add DSD one would think listening tests may have revealed a different flavor. Mainly I was just curious now that the dust has settled regarding the streamer updates. I switch back and forth between NDX and NDAC. NDX is more fun and the NDAC very precise similar to what most folk on this forum find. However, recently I've moved well up the speaker ladder and the NDAC is almost too accurate if that makes any sense so the recording really needs to be up there in sound quality.

M

M - do you have a power supply on the Dac?  I found that it 'rounded' it out a bit in a very positive way; once adding an XPS2, I found the Dac lost none of its accuracy but did also come in a bit 'warmer' if that's the right word once the PS was added. (I'm not good on hi fi vocab.)

Simon im gonna take the above comments back. I have realised that while i used the same self made digital coax, well two identical cables, one had a soldered RCA on one end, not so identical then, which may well be the reason for preferring the TT over Hugo. Anyway its smiles  all the way for me as my system is singing like never before. 

Graeme  

Indeed, smiles all around... It's been a tough week and so I cleared the diary and took the afternoon off, and.. Well been listening to tunes all afternoon. Absolutelay superb ... Discovering some new Aphex Twin material that's not in my collection... Why have I not discovered this before... It's brilliant.. This little Hugo is rocking my whole house... And it sounds tight, come flexing deep, weighty, detailed and above all organic and natural.. Pretty impressive for electronic music..

By the way I really would try a DNM phono to DIN interconnect, preferably the HFTN variant,  It uncannily matches the Hugo to Naim perfecly, well at least my 252DR .. no other interconnect in my toolbox comes close including Hiline.

Simon

Unfortunately or fortunately, depending how you look at it, I don't have a Naim amp or Naim full stop now to try this. 

Im sure i can hear your Aphex Twins from here 

Graeme

seeing as Hugo has come up here I may as well ask a question that's occurred to me now and then with respect to the Hugo.

Over here in the land of Bono we have a a cottage industry called John Kenny who makes DACs and USB/SPDIF converters under the Ciunas moniker. One of the main selling points of these products are the fact they are battery powered rather than mains powered, similar to the Hugo but presaging it by a few years.

I wonder how much this battery powering is adding to the sonic success of the Hugo?

any thoughts?

SJB

SJB, I suspect the battery is significant in the Hugo and TT performance. It impresses me how there is no change what so ever in the audio, not even a click or tick, when connecting or disconnecting the SMPS, it certainly gets you to re think some ideas especially if you have grown up in the Naim camp.

However the designer says he has got close to, or effectively met the same power supply performance of using batteries with his new non battery PSU as used in the 2Qute, and perhaps DAVE will use this method as well?

Simon

In case you see this, Chris, I can report that the FM module sounds great - which is amazing really as it only costs £300, and that includes DAB too, though I've not tried that. 

While you say that you'd keep the CD player you may like to try listening to a couple of your albums played from a NAS. I can't help thinking that this £400 solution will be better than your £7,000+ CD player and expensive wires. The streamer and DAC of the 272 are extraordinarily good. And with some of the money saved you could get an XPS, which would make everything better still. 

I found the Hugo was closer to the NDS sound than NDAC, although the Hugo dones have certain organic textures that I felt better matched the NDAC performance than NDS.

But the DSP and DAC architecture although similar between the streamers and NDAC, is more consistent between the streamers.. of which the 272 fits into. Therefore it probably stands to reason the 272 sounds more 'similar' to the streaming line than NDAC.

Simon

Bart, I tried the XS version PS but didn't hear much difference as I recall but it's been a while since. I've contemplated the 272 route but very difficult to find one to demo in the USA where I'm located. Someday possibly add a XPS to the DAC.

M

Thanks for your feedback, Wat.  Your comments are encouraging for my thinking.  Whilst I, of course, know of Chord and its reputation, I haven't heard the CPM2800.  I heard the 272+200 in a dealer demo the other day and it sounded impressive, though the acid test would be hearing in my own system.  I expect a decision could yet be a few months off

Thanks HH - glad to learn you like the FM module.  I do stream at the moment via the ND5XS so I am aware of the advantages of hi-res recordings and the format.  I would of course keep that with the upgrade (and fewer boxes).  I have a large CD collection which will still be my main source for music, though I am increasingly buying hi-res recordings.