Streamer upgrade advice

Sold my SU and got a 272/200: couldn't be more happy 

Thanks for advice so far.

I should add that - as an interim arrangement - I only want to use my SU as a Streamer/DAC. I do not want to use the Power-Amp or Pre-Amp sections.

I should perhaps have added to my initial Post that I have suitable alternative Power-Amp options.

So, based on initial responses, Am I right in thinking that a connection between the AV input on the Nac-282 and one or oter of the Digital Outputs on the SU will allow the Nac-282 to process Streaming/DAC information sent from the SU at Line-Level, and suitably control this for subsequent transmission to HiCap(s) and Power-Amp(s)?

I'm also happy to receive comments on subsequently upgrading the Stramer/DAC - But this already looks like either NDS or NDX, unless something else is forthcoming?

As to suggestions about taking a Nac-272 Nap-200 route, I think that would not answer my current quest - which is to achieve the best Naim Pre-Amp performance, with regard to present affordability.

Happy New Year everyone!

Skyebridge

You need to take a signal from one of the analogue preamp outputs. But these are post volume control, which is what Chris said above. 

Because the pre-out on the SU is post volume control, that means that the signal has already been through the SU preamp before it goes to the 282. So in addition to the confusion of having 2 volume controls, any signal degradation from the SU pre will still be there, more than likely negating any benefit of the superior 282 pre. Realistically, I don't think you can use the 282 until you have acquired a streamer and a power amp. If you bought it from a dealer, maybe they would take it back and let you put the cash towards something else? Otherwise, you may just have to store it until you have the other boxes.

For what it's worth, last year I replaced my SU with NDX/282/200DR, but I added the 200 first, then the NDX, and finally the 282. All three upgrades were quite significant, but adding the 282 was the biggest leap in sound quality, and I don't think you'll be disappointed once you've got there. 

skyebridge posted:

I'm also happy to receive comments on subsequently upgrading the Stramer/DAC - But this already looks like either NDS or NDX, unless something else is forthcoming?

 

 

Woth considering the Chord DACs. Many on these forums have high praise for the relatively inexpensive Hugo compared to Naim DACs, and the others bring even better sound quality.

As you are looking for a preamp another possibility arises if you only have digital sources, though your mention of tuner suggests you do have at least that as analogue, which would rule out this option - which is to use the said Chord DAC in its combined preamp mode, negating the need for another box and all its additional electronics: Hugo works well but may be limited by not having a remote volume control. Hugo TT adds a remote control as well as being slightly better sound quality. Dave likewise, but sound quality is in another league entirely.

OK - So it does not look good for the SU as a Streaming-only resource. Thanks for the Feedback.

As it happens, many Moons ago I acquired a Lexicon DC-2, which I will now look at in terms of a temporary pairing with the Nac-282: It is a DAC & Pre-Amp with heavily over-specified in-use options: Quite old now, but it has an Ethernet or RS-232 upgrade facility.

As far as the Chord DAC's are concerned, I spent 2-hrs at the Bristol Show last February listening to their latest and best, and came away puzzled & disappointed. Maybe it was the PMC Monitors (But I used to like PMC ...). However,  the sound was just so over-defined as to be brittle, and in that sense too unnatural for me. By the end, I felt tense and exhausted.

I hugely admire Chord Power Amps -  and had received so many encouragements to listen to their DAC's. So, I thought it best to try doing a 'Reality check'. Hence I walked straight from the Chord room to Wilson Benesch.

Wow!

Night & Day.

Like Naim, WB understands that music is not just sound-bytes.

Skyebridge

I would run pre-out from SU to the 282 into AV, set to Unity Gain, and control SU sources exclusively with the volume control on the SU, for best sound in that combination.

Or run the SU out to a DAC before the 282.

Nick

If you use an external DAC, you should NOT use Unity Gain on the 282, because the digital-out from the SU bypasses the Volume control on the SU.

Nick

Thanks Nick: Those are two options that SEEMED to exist from reading the Reference Manuals. But not having 'Been there' I wanted to check experience available on the Forums.

It seemed odd that the Nac-282 has an A/V interface if this could not be used directly with the Pre-volume outputs of the SU.

Skyebridge

I think the primary role of the AV input is for intergating the pre-amp into a home-theater setup.

I do realise it's easy to write this, but SuperUniti is best left alone - it was designed to be that way. NDX is a much neater solution here.

skyebridge posted:

Thanks Nick: Those are two options that SEEMED to exist from reading the Reference Manuals. But not having 'Been there' I wanted to check experience available on the Forums.

It seemed odd that the Nac-282 has an A/V interface if this could not be used directly with the Pre-volume outputs of the SU.

Skyebridge

I can confirm from experience with a NAC 112 and a NAC 552 that Unity Gain can work very well, whatever post-pre signal you give it.  

Deciding whether to do that or use the Digital Out into a DAC should probably be down to what pieces you have handy -- neither option seems to me better than a detour on a more purposeful roadmap, with the SU eventually departing into a different, less complex system.  In the mean time, I would expect both options to sound very good, with the second depending very much on the DAC you add to the mix.

I confess I would be curious to learn how the SU compares to the other ND players through the Naim DAC/555, if anybody has heard them together.  One would expect the dedicated players to trump the SU, if only in VFM due to elimination of redundant amp and pre-amp functions.  OTOH, it might sound "special".

Nick

Nick

I actually run the following at home:

UQ2, SuperUniti2, NDX + nDAC + 555PS, NDS + 555PDR

The above sequence represents how I rate them for sound quality.

Adam

Adam, you have one of the best "labs" on the Forum! 

Have you ever tried the SU2 or UQ2 into the DAC/555?

Mind, I am in no position to ask you -- I have not yet compared my own UQ2 vs NDX into same.  One day I will, just for fun.

Nick

NickSeattle posted:

Adam, you have one of the best "labs" on the Forum! 

Have you ever tried the SU2 or UQ2 into the DAC/555?

Mind, I am in no position to ask you -- I have not yet compared my own UQ2 vs NDX into same.  One day I will, just for fun.

Nick

Nick - I have not tried this combination.

But I did test my UnitServe SSD into the nDAC. Conclusion - dedicated streamers better it as a digital transport.

Uniti Serve sounds best via our Ethernet.

Happy New Year!

Adam