Advice requested about using a Naim Core connected by SPDIF into a DAC? (Naim or otherwise)

Yes the core appears as a separate item on the app and there is some control over it ...

I find the quality improved by direct connection (chord digital) to my DAC

Others prefer otherwise....

vintageaxeman posted:

I'm seeking advice about connecting a Naim Core by SPDIF into a DAC? (either a Naim DAC or any other make)

My questions are as follows:

1. ...

2. Sound quality:  If the Core is connected by SPDIF into a Naim DAC, or any other make, will the sound quality approach the SQ that I have heard when a Core is connected to an ND555? In fact,does sound quality suffer a lot if using the Core directly into a DAC rather than through a Naim streamer?

And finally, any other recommendations or thoughts would be most welcome!

Thank you!

You are actually asking two very different questions: 1) How does the SPDIF input + DAC section of the Naim DAC compare to the SPDIF input + DAC section of the ND555? and 2) How good is the SPDIF output of the Naim Core?

Question 1) can only be answered by a direct comparison between the Naim DAC and the ND555 when both are driven by a very good SPDIF source. Question numbver 2) can only be answered by comparing the Core (as a transport with SPDIF output) to other transports with the same output, like for instance the Allo DigiOne Signature. So far I have not seen any competent attempt at answering either question.

I have used my Core using BNC into a Chord Dave (Demo) and a Hugo 2,with an adapter cable.You control the Core from the App,the same way you would if directly connecting to a ND 555.In my case,this is how I use my Core into my N272,with a DC1 BNC cable.So I can control it either with UPNP,in which case I select the streamer from the App,or directly,in which case I select the Core in the App.I can’t tell you how a Core directly into an ND 555 would sound,I have not heard one.The Core directly into a Dave is fantastic,but too expensive for me,so I just settle for the direct to 272 method,which is still really good.

The only thing I can comment on is using the Core running into a DAVE DAC, using a Siltech cable with BNC terminations, and from analogue out of my DAC to my 272, using a Super Lumina cable.  To my ears, it sounds great.  I've tried UPnP, but not with really good Ethernet cables.  Another on the cons side of the equation is that I can't control what I'm listening to, or what I'd like to listen to.  That can only be done using a streamer, as far as I know.

docmark posted:

The only thing I can comment on is using the Core running into a DAVE DAC, using a Siltech cable with BNC terminations, and from analogue out of my DAC to my 272, using a Super Lumina cable.  To my ears, it sounds great.  I've tried UPnP, but not with really good Ethernet cables.  Another on the cons side of the equation is that I can't control what I'm listening to, or what I'd like to listen to.  That can only be done using a streamer, as far as I know.

I do not have a Core but that seems quite strange to me: hat can't you control? I run MinimServer and upmpdcli (a UPnP renderer) on the same device (typically a Raspberry Pi) and control them in just the same way as if server and renderer were running on different machines.

docmark posted:

The only thing I can comment on is using the Core running into a DAVE DAC, using a Siltech cable with BNC terminations, and from analogue out of my DAC to my 272, using a Super Lumina cable.  To my ears, it sounds great.  I've tried UPnP, but not with really good Ethernet cables.  Another on the cons side of the equation is that I can't control what I'm listening to, or what I'd like to listen to.  That can only be done using a streamer, as far as I know.

That's really odd!  Docmark, are you using the Naim App to control the Core?  

The Naim App should give you complete control over the Core and its contents.  I can access the Core, select an album, and either play in its entirety or just one track, or from a particular track.  I can also read any Rovi reviews or comments and also access additional information from the App.  

docmark posted:

The only thing I can comment on is using the Core running into a DAVE DAC, using a Siltech cable with BNC terminations, and from analogue out of my DAC to my 272, using a Super Lumina cable.  To my ears, it sounds great.  I've tried UPnP, but not with really good Ethernet cables.  Another on the cons side of the equation is that I can't control what I'm listening to, or what I'd like to listen to.  That can only be done using a streamer, as far as I know.

You cant control what you're listening to? What does the Core do - just start and stop playing tracks randomly? That must be an interesting user experience.

Of course you can control it; using the Naim App.

i'd say that the 'primary use case' of the Core is as a upnp networked server.  It also has a digital output for direct connection to a dac; how good that sounds vs. other solutions I have no idea. 

Odd..The naim app in my case is seeing both servers ( core and nova) But I can not choose files from the core..I have to switch to the Nova in order to choose files and play.

fred47 posted:

Odd..The naim app in my case is seeing both servers ( core and nova) But I can not choose files from the core..I have to switch to the Nova in order to choose files and play.

You could do a restart of the Core which should solve that problem.

best

David

Tried that several times but to no avail.

When you try to choose files from the core, I assume you are playing locally via s/pdif?  Otherwise they have to chosen and played from whatever streamer you have on the network.  

No...Upnp. core into Nova (no cable inbetween) . When I chose Core from the App nothing happens. I have to switch back to the Nova to play files. Thought this was normal.

I wonder if the app is a bit confused by having both UPnP and SPDIF connections active at the same time between the same two devices? Want happens if you disable one input while you listen using the other?

OK, that's fine then.  Quite normal. If upnp connection then you play/control from the streamer, you can't play/control from the core unless using it as a player via s/pdif into a DAC.

fred47 posted:

No...Upnp. core into Nova (no cable inbetween) . When I chose Core from the App nothing happens. I have to switch back to the Nova to play files. Thought this was normal.

That would explain it then, the controls in the app for playing from the Core are for its local playback via SPDIF, not for UPnP.

ok...good thing to hear. no reason to panic. 

Incidentally Chris, the Core has no problem playing files by sp/dif and separately by upnp simultaneously. It is designed to do that. It doesn't get confused!

best

David

David Hendon posted:

Incidentally Chris, the Core has no problem playing files by sp/dif and separately by upnp simultaneously. It is designed to do that. It doesn't get confused!

best

David

Yes, but not to the same streamer at the same time!!

ChrisSU posted:

David Hendon posted:

Incidentally Chris, the Core has no problem playing files by sp/dif and separately by upnp simultaneously. It is designed to do that. It doesn't get confused!

best

David

Yes, but not to the same streamer at the same time!!

Yes. Why not? One is upnp and the other is a digital input. You select which one you want on the streamer. 

Best

David

David Hendon posted:

Incidentally Chris, the Core has no problem playing files by sp/dif and separately by upnp simultaneously. It is designed to do that. It doesn't get confused!

best

David

I am not sure if this is the same thing you are talking about David,but I have active Dynaudio XD 600s connected to the digital out of my N272...as well as my 250 DR connected to my N272 via SL Din to XLR,feeding my Sopra 1s.I am able to play both sets of speakers at the same time,same song/album off the Core,or internet radio.So it appears that the N272 is outputting to two things at once.This works with UPNP or SPDIF from the Core.

No it's not the same thing, although that should also work, as you say it does.

The other question was if you connect a streamer (eg a 272 or a Nova) by sp/dif to a Core and have a track playing from the Core over sp/dif, what happens if you ask for a upnp track from the Core on the same streamer?

As the Core doesn't know what's on the end of the sp/dif, that will go on playing even after the streamer has had selected the upnp input. You can then ask for a track, the same or different, to be played by upnp and the Core will serve it. Reselecting the sp/dif input will pick up the track that was playing on that output, wherever it has got to, because it will have continued to play while you were elsewhere . However then reselecting upnp will I think take you back to the chosen upnp track but it will not be playing I think.

Anyway the point is the Core doesn't mind if you have both connections in place at the same time. It is a common use case in fact as anyone wanting to use sp/dif between a Core and a 272 or Nova will always also have ethernet to both devices.

best

David