What digital source feeds your 552 ?
Posted by: elkman70 on 21 February 2016
There have been many new, highly acclaimed, digital sources enter the market over the past couple of years which for the most part have been relatively inexpensive for the performance obtained. In many cases they are considerably less expensive than the pre amplifier, which I think goes against the conventional wisdom of a few years ago where advice suggested most spend should be on the source, less on the amplifier and less again on the speakers.
This brings me to my question;
What digital source feeds your 552 ?
I suspect that many folk who are fortunate enough to own a 552 use a less expensive digital source compared to the cost of the pre amplifier. If this is the case, do you believe that the source becomes the bottle neck to extracting the best from the music via the 552, or is it just that digital source components are now good value for money and the digital source and 552 can work in harmony without exposing each other's weaknesses.
Regard,
Nick
LarsDK posted:i use nds/555dr which i expect will be the case for many
Same here. My source is £400 ahead of my pre and I'm sure Naim are doing something to widen this!
CD555 with 555PS DR and SL cable , that's so much better than Hiline.
CD555 with 555PS DR and SL IC, plus now dabbling with an NDX with tuner module/Unitiserve (still prefer the fully-loaded LP12 though)!
Neil
Another CD555 here. Good to see they remain so popular as top source despite all the streamer/DAC marketing malarkey.
Richard Dane posted:Well, I've just gone back to the Naim DAC (and XPS DR) as my main digital source on the 552.
How do you feed your Naim DAC Richard? pc+spdif,usb stick or streamer?
Mostly it's still good old CDs played on the Meridian transport - superb! I do also have a new arrival - a Yellowtec PUC2 USB interface. It's a proper professional studio device from Germany that has been around a bit (rather like the Naim DAC) but is reputedly a step or two up from the Audiophilleo devices - we'll see about that, so look forward to trying it out at some point with the Mac or from a music server.
Richard Dane posted:However, most of my listening is still done with an analogue source...
Just pondering, on which digital device and path!
As I mentioned before, I don't know much about Streaming! Still a little confused.
The analog TT, I understand!
The digital bare CD, with it's own internal dac, I understand!
Please help with terminology!
Ok, Ndac feed by CD transport!
CD transports are less expensive than CDP's, because they lack the internal PS and dac, correct?
The Cdx2.2 = CD trans. + PS + dac + digital out!
Ok, the big question for me!
Asuming same artist on CD and streaming:
Difference in SQ between Ndac feed with digital trans., and Ndac feed by streaming source ?
Thanks In Advance!
The Armchair QB!!!!!
1 - Squeezebox Touch > Chord Hugo
2 - Cheap Sony Blu-Ray direct to 552 (for the very rare occasion I have an SACD to play)
I really don't think these days that relatively inexpensive sources should be a bottleneck, and are as the OP suggests good value for money.
CD555 with 2x555PS(DR) plus NDX.
Allante93 posted:Just pondering, on which digital device and path!
As I mentioned before, I don't know much about Streaming! Still a little confused.
The analog TT, I understand!
The digital bare CD, with it's own internal dac, I understand!
Please help with terminology!
Ok, Ndac feed by CD transport!
CD transports are less expensive than CDP's, because they lack the internal PS and dac, correct?
Hmm. Not necessarily. Most dedicated CD transports I've come across have their own internal PSU. And they tend to be more expensive than CDPs, despite having less inside.
The Cdx2.2 = CD trans. + PS + dac + digital out!
Ok, the big question for me!
Asuming same artist on CD and streaming:
Difference in SQ between Ndac feed with digital trans., and Ndac feed by streaming source ?
Hard to say. I use a CX2.2 as a transport, with a XP5 powering it, into a nDAC and 555PS powering the nDAC. I've yet to here a streaming source better it. And I've heard the NDS.
MDS posted:Allante93 posted:................................................................
CD transports are less expensive than CDP's, because they lack the internal PS and dac, correct?
Hmm. Not necessarily. Most dedicated CD transports I've come across have their own internal PSU. And they tend to be more expensive than CDPs, despite having less inside.
The Cdx2.2 = CD trans. + PS + dac + digital out!
Ok, the big question for me!
Asuming same artist on CD and streaming:
Difference in SQ between Ndac feed with digital trans., and Ndac feed by streaming source ?
Hard to say. I use a CX2.2 as a transport, with a XP5 powering it, into a nDAC and 555PS powering the nDAC. I've yet to here a streaming source better it. And I've heard the NDS.
Thanks MDS, looked at your Profile, kind of where I'm headed. This is what I enjoy about the Forum, advice from those whose have traveled the path of one's intended route!
One last question if I may, When it comes to your favorites, which you have on CD, which do you prefer, Bare Digital Cdx2.2 by passing Ndac, or Cdx2.2 digital out i.e. Ndac?
Differences if it's not asking to much!!!!!
3 out of 4 ain't bad!
TT/Bare Digital CD/ CD Digital Transport into Ndac/ Digital Streaming Sources
Thanks In Advance!
Allante93 posted:MDS posted:Allante93 posted:................................................................
CD transports are less expensive than CDP's, because they lack the internal PS and dac, correct?
Hmm. Not necessarily. Most dedicated CD transports I've come across have their own internal PSU. And they tend to be more expensive than CDPs, despite having less inside.
The Cdx2.2 = CD trans. + PS + dac + digital out!
Ok, the big question for me!
Asuming same artist on CD and streaming:
Difference in SQ between Ndac feed with digital trans., and Ndac feed by streaming source ?
Hard to say. I use a CX2.2 as a transport, with a XP5 powering it, into a nDAC and 555PS powering the nDAC. I've yet to here a streaming source better it. And I've heard the NDS.
Thanks MDS, looked at your Profile, kind of where I'm headed. This is what I enjoy about the Forum, advice from those whose have traveled the path of one's intended route!
One last question if I may, When it comes to your favorites, which you have on CD, which do you prefer, Bare Digital Cdx2.2 by passing Ndac, or Cdx2.2 digital out i.e. Ndac?
Differences if it's not asking to much!!!!!
3 out of 4 ain't bad!
TT/Bare Digital CD/ CD Digital Transport into Ndac/ Digital Streaming Sources
Thanks In Advance!
I bought the CDX2.2 to use as a digital transport into my nDAC. It replaced a massive Accuphase CD transport. At the time I was using the Accuphase into a bare nDAC when I was keen to hear what an XPS2 could do on my nDAC. My dealer brought one round and sure enough it sounded good. However he also brought the CDX2.2. We removed the XPS2 from the nDAC and tried the CDX2.2 instead of the Accuphase. The performance improvement from the CDX2.2, used as a transport, was bigger than that of the XPS2 on the nDAC. In the end, I split the cost of the XPS2 by buying two XP5XS PSUs, one on the CDX2.2 and the other on the nDAC. It sounded better than CDX2.2/nDAC/XPS2. I later replaced the XP5 on the nDAC with a 555PS.
The only time I've tried my CDX2.2 as a proper CD player was when another forum member encouraged me to try it powered by my 555PS, i.e. taking the nDAC and the XP5 out of the equation. The CDX2.2/555PS sounded pretty good but it was miles behind my four-box set-up.
Mike
It's a 200.
I haven't compared against the CD555. I did love my CDS3 though, and still rather regret letting it go - it was such a pleasure to use. It would be interesting doing a head to head with it against the current Naim DAC with XPS DR. But then I regretted letting the Naim DAC go, the first time around. And now it's back, and better then ever...
KDS/1 here - Space optimisation tipped the balance in its favour over a previously preferred NDS/555
Wow. More replies than I thought this thread would get.
It looks as though many folk stick with the high end Naim digital sources as the feed to their 552, although it does seem that some are getting good results from alternative non Naim digital sources.
For me this is interesting, in case I ever dare venture to the dizzy heights of a 552.
Regards,
Nick
NDS, 2*555DR, SL interconnect. Result, happiness!