Naim dac new worth or not!?

It hasn't been replaced because Naim can't build anything better. Yet.

I had the HDX, which I auditioned against the NDX and could not hear a difference.  

Based on my assumption that the HDX and NDX perform similarly, the DAC is no small upgrade. Detail, extension and timing all benefit. The bigger fun comes with trying different power supplies on the DAC.  This is not mandatory. The bare DAC is worth every penny of the asking price. But the potential for further upgrades is huge. And that's no exaggeration.

As always, trust your ears, not other people's. Listen to as many as you can and above all, have fun.

Hi,

perhaps more than with amplifiers, this comes down to personal preferences. There are many  fine DACs around, both at and below the price of the NDAC. As you undoubtedly noticed, many people like the Chord approach. Leema has nice offerings as well. 

But I bought a new nDAC last year and still regard that decision as the right one.

Also, keep in mind that the Naim DAC has apparently been greatly improved via firmware upgrades along the way.

Why not going second hand - an absolute no brainer then. 

Chag -

The naim Dac is sensitive to it's input - music sounds different - whether it's being fed by the unitiqute,, nd5xs or ndx..

So - what is going to be your source?

Chag... posted:

Why not going second hand - an absolute no brainer then.

Exactly -- if unsure about new, buy second-hand. Naim is built to last, and the service department has an exceptional reputation...

CEverett posted:

Also, keep in mind that the Naim DAC has apparently been greatly improved via firmware upgrades along the way.

 

In what way did the firmware updates improve the sound.

fatcat posted:

In what way did the firmware updates improve the sound.

Personally, I don't know, as I don't have a Naim DAC yet, but my dealer mentioned that it was a good improvement, and there was a lot of talk on the forum at the time of significant improvement.  Maybe it was this thread that detailed it: 

https://forums.naimaudio.com/to...-about-sound-quality

IMHO - no.

It is easily bested by a Naim pre-amp with a Dac and a streamer, like the 272.

its gives a unfocused sound, that sort of bounces around the room - but for background music it might be all you need if you want a light hearted, jolly, sort of Naim sound.

fatcat posted:

CEverett posted:

Also, keep in mind that the Naim DAC has apparently been greatly improved via firmware upgrades along the way.

 

In what way did the firmware updates improve the sound.

In every way. There are some threads from a few years ago when the new firmware was released where the improvements were discussed. 

redalphabet posted:

IMHO - no.

 

It is easily bested by a Naim pre-amp with a Dac and a streamer, like the 272.

its gives a unfocused sound, that sort of bounces around the room - but for background music it might be all you need if you want a light hearted, jolly, sort of Naim sound.

 

Do you own the nDAC?

By all means - go ahead. It's a superb dac. 

I bought mine as a pre-loved one.

Only s/h is an nDac "worth it" today. IMHO. (ex-owner)

.sjb

redalphabet posted:

IMHO - no.

 

It is easily bested by a Naim pre-amp with a Dac and a streamer, like the 272.

 

Funny - me liking the sound of my nDac so much stopped me from going the 272-route but rather stay with the nDac and choose the separates-route. 

FWIW .... I had a 272 200 in one of my system. I was bored one week end so placed a low bid on an nDac auction and I won! So bought a pre loved 282 to go with it. Set-up the 272 as digital output into the nDac --> 282 --> 200 and it was a double wow moment .... excellent value considering the SQ and the price paid ....

This is both the trouble and delight with something so subjective.  I've heard many DACs including some of the Chords.  I know what I like and why I like it. This information is absolutely useless to someone who isn't me.

All good fun though. If a Naim DAC is available S/H I would certainly go that route, knowing what I know about the VFM if offers. But that's only according to my ears.

£2.600 For a new Ndac !    I got a mint used one from the friendly dealer for £1000 a few years back.     Best K I've ever spent.

Get a nice used one and then spend that other £1.600 on proper cables or put towards a power supply for it.

p. posted:

redalphabet posted:

IMHO - no.

 

It is easily bested by a Naim pre-amp with a Dac and a streamer, like the 272.

 

Funny - me liking the sound of my nDac so much stopped me from going the 272-route but rather stay with the nDac and choose the separates-route. 

As Harry and others have said this is so subjective.  I think Redalphabet's statement is rather extreme but I went from MacMini/nDac/XPS/SN1/HiCap to 272/XPS/250 with what I perceived to be a big step up in sound quality.  Other ears may hear things differently.  I do agree with the general sentiment that it makes sense to go for a S/H box.  (It had only just come out when I bought mine so used was not an option.)  However, with your setup, I would first consider going for a HiCap DR and NAPSC and then, if possible and affordable, auditioning a NDac against an XPS on your NDX.

Roger

Bloody hell! It's gone up £600 since I bought mine new. Ouch.

And to think I've been fretting about the costs of servicing .....

Go for a pre-loved one, there's plenty of which to choose from. I bought mine S/H 2011 and I'd probably get my own back if I'd be selling it forward today. Every single piece in my setup has changed during this time, but the Naim DAC has been the heart of my system since 2011.

Thx guys, i have done some research about implementation and dac chips on the market today and i must tell you i like naim sound with it's "coloration", it's old and maybe with PS things changes but at a cost. There are a lot of choices on the market fcpga, ess sabre, analog devices, wolfson, burr brown, ti, akm, the implementation is very important and the cost also, i will wait till next year to see if something will change in naim dacs portofolio, maybe they will find what to improve in actual dacs. Naim dac +xps2 its near msb analog dac (the "cheapest" version) when speaking about prices, i will do some tests at my dealer to see diferences.

The Naim DAC is really rather special - excellent performance aside, if you delve under the bonnet you'll find much of the important stuff (BB PCM1704K chipset, 40bit SHARC DSP, I to V convertors, fully discrete analogue output stage) that is shared with Naim's absolute top end kit.  

Take a look inside - I wish it could come with a glass top because it's rather gorgeous to look at the innards;

Naim DAC info

In fact, the only thing that's not top end here is the price - relatively modest by Naim standards.  That makes it something of a bargain in my book.

Arcam d33.

Electrocompaniet dac.

Both Dacs came out roughly the same time with similar price.    The Naim one has definitely got more going on with power supply regulation. Digital handling. Output stages and other goodies.

Maybe a dumb question, but when the Dac is externally powered, is the toroidal then switched off?

They will have a perspex cased one at the factory. I spent 10 minutes drooling over a see through 552. Didn't understand any of it, but it was exquisitely built using reassuringly expensive looking bits. An NDS was beside it but if I'd ogled that I probably would have needed a shower.