Using a UnitiQute2 with an nDac

Can't find the threads with a quick search, but much has been posted recently (IIRC) about using one into a Hugo. Might be worth looking for that?

How do you use the Squeezebox -- what sources -- and which of those do you want to use as sources for the Qute?

The Qute does have a digital output (BNC), so it can be connected directly to the Naim Dac.

What is the rest of that system?

I ran my Qute 2 briefly into an Ndac, and into a Hugo over the course of a week or so and it worked just fine and sounded good although imho it sounded much better into the Hugo which I purchased.  

Hi all

Run out of time today so will try it tomorrow.

I've music stored on a QNAP NAS which and the UQ2 will be plugged in rather than wifi'd. Downstream is nDac/xps2 into 282/hc2/250.2/allaes.

Jay

Hi Jay, 

Once I firmly committed to networked music, especially as I wanted 2 hi fi's in the home, I traded the Naim Dac / XPS-2 combo towards an NDS/555.  Not what you want to hear I know!  

It's been said before -- a Naim dacless streamer "box" would be useful to some people.  There is a lot of redundancy in using a Qute like that, but if it sounds good and you already own it and aren't using it, it's good value out of an unused piece.

Yeah, streaming is a secondary source for me.....I'm just interested in using what I have to hand against the Squezebox. Interested to hear anyone else's experiments!

Well the UQ2 made a BIG difference. I've turned the loudspeaker setting on the Qute off, which is handy....

I have also comparred a Squeezebox Touch vs a Qute as the digital front end to a DAC. It was the Rega DAC, but imfound the same.  The Qute to Rega Dac was much more involving than Squeezebox/iFi USB Power to the same DAC.

It's night and day in my system. Not sure what I'm going to do now....

Look for a used Qute as a second source...

Qute by itself is amazing.  Rega/Squeezebox not so much.

there is a much easier solution. Keep the qute in the bedroom.

You can purchase an Audiophilleo USB to SPDIF device (the same one used in DAC V1) and use the Squeezebox in USB mode. I believe it will bring the SBT to the level of Qute as a streamer or even surpass it.

I use a UQ1 as source only into a Dac V1. Brilliant sound. Be sure to check the quality of cable. I went from a Chord Prodac initially and then replaced that with an Atlas Opus (BNC) and it made a difference. 

Oh I see!

That makes more sense...how much are they?

What's wrong with being mad Nick?!

Cheers charles, I'm using the Naim rca-rca coax digital cable with the adapter that comes with the UQ2.

I run one into an nDAC/XPS2 into my main system for hi res radio and love it. No speakers so just using it as a source until I can afford an NDS. I used Chord Indigo as the digital interconnect

I have been using a UQ as streamer as you propose, running its digital out via DC1 BNC2BNC to nDAC/555PS Dr, Hiline, 282, (2) HiCap's, 250.2.  It sounds excellent, as you may now have determined.

Charlie

Thanks Charlie, it sounds remarkably excellent.

We have very similar systems as it happens but I imagine our rooms are very different!

A couple of quick questions for the experts.

1. I've set the digital output to upsample to 24/96 and I get the nDac hd lights up but a cracking noise. Not an option, what am I doing wrong? Will it depend on the file type/quality? I've tried a few different versions but get the same result.

2. Should a 24bit/48kHz file be lighting the hd indicator on the nDac?

Many thanks

Jay

No one with any thoughts?