Core Konvert

Innocent Bystander posted:

Bart posted:

Elevensheep posted:

Very interesting observations Dupree. I hope Naim releases a version of the Core that has no ripping function, and are pure music streamers. 

The Core is a "server."  The players are the "streamers."

DUPREE posted:

The core also has a direct digital output. The comparison was the Core itself rendering vs the streamer playing the same track from a NAS.

The Core can function as a file server, just like a NAS, streaming music files to a 'streamer', the latter consisting of a renderer and internal DAC, producing analogue audio output. In some cases people use a Naim streamer purely as a renderer, feeding the rendered digital audio to an external DAC (NDX seems to feature often in posts describing this, said to be a good renderer.

The Core also has a built-in renderer, so can feed a rendered digital audio stream direct to a DAC. With this approach the separate streamer used just as a renderer is unnecessary, allowing a simpler and less costly system.

crucial for the latter is how the Core sounds in rendering mode compared to other options including NDX (and even NDS).

It would also be interesting to compare that approach with Melco,  Innuos Zenith and in my own case optimised Mac Mini/Audirvana(/isolator if Hugo or other DAC without adequate RF isolation).

the more comparisons people can offer -and the more people that do this - the more meaningful will be the conclusions.

some people have tested innuos zenith, melco, and cad servers. But a majority of them said that the prat is not so good as with unitserve. But other preferred these models .....it seems difficult to know if they are better than unitserve, associated with streamers/dac like ndx or nds. I am very curious for the uniti core, to see if i can upgrade my nds/555dr/unitserve tp ps combo.

I have just replaced a unitiserve ssd and heavily filtered tp ps, with a Core, driving SPDIF into an nDAC/XPSDR.  'Chalk vs Cheese' is an understatement.

Firstly, the tp ps is a noisy device, eliminating this noisy supply is likely to improve your system, and the Core is the easiest way to do this.

• Just having it powered on by itself degrades USB playback from my nDAC with the Serve off and disconnected (this is on an isolated and heavily filtered mains feed). 

• J Saville recently reported an NDS/Statement system  being degraded by standard Unitiserve ps brick powered on alongside a Core, and the Core being >> Unitiserve feeding an NDS + 2*555DR via UPnP.  You'll find his post just before Christmas.

Secondly, the Core SPDIF output is a very significant level better than the Unitiserve, or direct USB playback into the nDAC with the 'Serve powered down.  

• the Core does seem sensitive to how music is stored/accessed, I suspect this is a limitation of its simple internal power architecture as with the Unitiserve.  I can foresee future forum streams around which drive sounds best!

• I found my powered USB drive into Core >> USB stick into Core >> USB stick into isolated nDAC. My music store is a LaCie USB drive powered by another linear tp ps and connected by Chord SilverPlus USB cable, this being the lowest-noise option on the Unitiserve SSD.  The external powered USB drive seems a noticeable step more transparent than a USB stick.

• FWIW my network is a TP-Link fibre media converter on another dedicated linear tp ps, to reduce network-induced noise. 

I haven't had so much enjoyment since an afternoon with an NDS/2*555DR and a Statement!

the unitserve is best 

DUPREE posted:

That was my experience as well, the SPDIF output directly connected was amazing.

> On Jan 4, 2017, at 4:14 PM, Naim Audio Forums <alerts@hoop.la> wrote:
>

the unitserve is not at his best in spdif mode, so as a player. It is at his best as server, in ethernet mode with a streamer/ dac as ndx or nds.

So i believe your experience, but when the same comparaison will be made in ethernet mode, by a certain number of persons, and  give the same conclusions as you, i will believe that the core is better than the unitserve.

A person in this forum found that the rips by the unitserve are more musical than rips( of same cds) by the uniti core, on same dac and in spdif mode.

 

The Core can function as a file server, just like a NAS, streaming music files to a 'streamer', the latter consisting of a renderer and internal DAC, producing analogue audio output. In some cases people use a Naim streamer purely as a renderer, feeding the rendered digital audio to an external DAC (NDX seems to feature often in posts describing this, said to be a good renderer.

The Core also has a built-in renderer, so can feed a rendered digital audio stream direct to a DAC. With this approach the separate streamer used just as a renderer is unnecessary, allowing a simpler and less costly system.

crucial for the latter is how the Core sounds in rendering mode compared to other options including NDX (and even NDS).

It would also be interesting to compare that approach with Melco,  Innuos Zenith and in my own case optimised Mac Mini/Audirvana(/isolator if Hugo or other DAC without adequate RF isolation).

the more comparisons people can offer -and the more people that do this - the more meaningful will be the conclusions.

The Core does not have internet radio and no support for streaming services, so unless you only need to play and stream local files you will need a streamer with these functions.

Claus

Claus-Thoegersen posted:

 

The Core can function as a file server, just like a NAS, streaming music files to a 'streamer', the latter consisting of a renderer and internal DAC, producing analogue audio output. In some cases people use a Naim streamer purely as a renderer, feeding the rendered digital audio to an external DAC (NDX seems to feature often in posts describing this, said to be a good renderer.

The Core also has a built-in renderer, so can feed a rendered digital audio stream direct to a DAC. With this approach the separate streamer used just as a renderer is unnecessary, allowing a simpler and less costly system.

crucial for the latter is how the Core sounds in rendering mode compared to other options including NDX (and even NDS).

It would also be interesting to compare that approach with Melco,  Innuos Zenith and in my own case optimised Mac Mini/Audirvana(/isolator if Hugo or other DAC without adequate RF isolation).

the more comparisons people can offer -and the more people that do this - the more meaningful will be the conclusions.

 

The Core does not have internet radio and no support for streaming services, so unless you only need to play and stream local files you will need a streamer with these functions.

Claus

it is the question that a lot of us want an answer of: is streaming from the core is better than streaming from the serve.

Exactement Pierre. Time will tell. Let's be patient, read and try in situ if possible.

Chag -

thanks chag, i know you have the same question as me.  I am a bit impatient because i bought a unitserve 6 months ago. If the core sounds better, i will try to replace my serve by the core by my hi-fi dealer and just buy ssd drive for it. I will loose a little money, but more if i do it after one year( unitserve with guarantee is easier to sell).

I understand from your profile that you may be living in Versailles. Le Studio HiFi is probably your Naim dealer. I am sure that Denis Beau will accommodate you and demonstrate soonest UC vs. US in a system very similar to yours (except for the pre).  

Chag -

Chag... posted:

I understand from your profile that you may be living in Versailles. Le Studio HiFi is probably your Naim dealer. I am sure that Denis Beau will accommodate you and demonstrate soonest UC vs. US in a system very similar to yours (except for the pre).  

Chag -

thanks chag, it is a good idea but he has not the core yet....

and you, where you live, you can make this comparison?

Am currently on vacation in.. Bali (I know, I know). Will be back in The Netherlands next week for mucho work waiting for me. Will probably check for demos with Latham and Lexicom in a couple of weeks although I am afraid the continent has not seen many UCs yet. It is so far away, so isolated.  

Chag -

Don't feel too hard done by because the UK hasn't seen many Core's yet either!

best

David