the dvd5 has a very good tranport and digital function for cd playback that would be a good source for sure.

Now there's an interesting idea...

I do wonder how that would sound actually. Can pick DVD5s up for a song these days...

If only it could upscale it's video output to 1080, it would be a great one stop transport...

quote:

Originally posted by SC:
Now there's an interesting idea...

I do wonder how that would sound actually. Can pick DVD5s up for a song these days...

If only it could upscale it's video output to 1080, it would be a great one stop transport...

Steve,
I know a few people with them and Lavrys.
But there Lavrys are for the computer and the DVD5 goes through the 5.1 system.
As they have cd555s and LP12s the thought has not been there???
I will have a ring round tomorrow and get a few DVD5s pluged into Lavry DA10s just to see what the music is like?
If its good ? With the new Naim DAC It might be a good option just for music?You never know until you try these things.
Stu

quote:

Originally posted by glevethan:
How can someone who owns a CDS3/555PS incorporate the new DAC?

Gregg

PS Don't answer - "buy a new CDX2"

PSS comparisons between the new CDX2/DAC vs. CDS3/555PS ???

Hi Gregg,

It will be interesting to see if Naim can retro modify existing CDS3's and 555's to give a switichable digital out. What I would like to see is a CDS3/DAC/555PS combination with both outputs of the 555PS being used (to power the CD transport and the DAC). Of course for 555 CD player owners they will need two 555PS'es!

I am also keen to see a Naim streamer of sorts and/or a "cheaper" HDX.

Regards

Dev

Sounds good Stu...

I haven't used the DVD5 in depth to know if you can easily switch on the fly between the 2 coax & optical outputs (probably not) but if so, you could have one going to the Naim DAC for 2 channel and another going to a Arcam AV - oops, sorry, I of course mean Naim AV2 AV rig - for 5.1 use.....

Steve.

quote:

Originally posted by glevethan:
How can someone who owns a CDS3/555PS incorporate the new DAC?

Gregg

PS Don't answer - "buy a new CDX2"

Buy an new CD5XS.

Gregg,

I think the consensus is that the CDS3 is just fine as is....

quote:

Originally posted by SC:
Sounds good Stu...

I haven't used the DVD5 in depth to know if you can easily switch on the fly between the 2 coax & optical outputs (probably not) but if so, you could have one going to the Naim DAC for 2 channel and another going to a Arcam AV - oops, sorry, I of course mean Naim AV2 AV rig - for 5.1 use.....

Steve.

It just might make a good transport for cd replay.
No need to use it for anything else

I sat centre front row for the last demo on the BBQ day. When the new cdx2 played that messy compressed track I was instantly aware how terrible it sounded. The same track with the new dac sounded very different; the sound stage expanded in a totally artificial and processed manner. Was the dsp overtaking the music? To date that's my only experience of the dac. We weren't given an opportunity to listen to the cdx2/dac back to back with the 555 playing the same music. In short, it was a very compromised demo. I look forward to having an extended home trial of the dac with music and equipment I'm familiar with.

Nevertheless, despite my apprehesive say on the dac, I thought the factory tour was very interesting and the demo of the new listening room and the Ovators was stunning. Thank you Paul and staff for going the extra mile and giving us such a greast day.

ATB Keith

quote:

Originally posted by Keith L:
I sat centre front row for the last demo on the BBQ day. When the new cdx2 played that messy compressed track I was instantly aware how terrible it sounded. The same track with the new dac sounded very different; the sound stage expanded in a totally artificial and processed manner. Was the dsp overtaking the music? To date that's my only experience of the dac. We weren't given an opportunity to listen to the cdx2/dac back to back with the 555 playing the same music. In short, it was a very compromised demo. I look forward to having an extended home trial of the dac with music and equipment I'm familiar with.

Nevertheless, despite my apprehesive say on the dac, I thought the factory tour was very interesting and the demo of the new listening room and the Ovators was stunning. Thank you Paul and staff for going the extra mile and giving us such a greast day.

ATB Keith

Keith,
How can you say the Ovators were stunning when you say the source was crappp??

I certainly couldn't say the Ovaries were 'stunning' in that demo...The word wool comes to mind.

Perhaps it was the music - certainly not stunning either !

As for 'artificial & over-processed'... It's a interesting point. But then, isn't all of this 'artificial' anyhow...? All I could say, is the DAC saved an otherwise dreadful mix/recording...

Steve.

Stu,

The cdx2/dac demo was only for a few minutes. We started with 3 tracks on a 555.

And Stu, many thanks for organizing the day and sorry you couldn't make it.

Keith

quote:

As for 'artificial & over-processed'... It's a interesting point. But then, isn't all of this 'artificial' anyhow...? All I could say, is the DAC saved an otherwise dreadful mix/recording...

Hi Steve,

Maybe it was because I was dead centre that I heard some wierd effects. Certain sounds were being thrown wide in a very dsp kind of way. I asked Gary, director of R&D, whether the 15 channel Bentley dsp chip was causing this and he replied saying this implementation of the dsp chip was not being used for spatial effects!!

Keith

quote:

Originally posted by glevethan:
How can someone who owns a CDS3/555PS incorporate the new DAC?

Gregg

PS Don't answer - "buy a new CDX2"

PSS comparisons between the new CDX2/DAC vs. CDS3/555PS ???

Basically, use the DAC on its own with a computer source. From what's been said getting a K8 as the intermediary between the PC and the DAC ( or another computer ASIO card)improves the playback significantly. You then have the option of using your 555PS with the CDS3 and switching the psu to the DAC when using your computer source if it's not too much of a bother.

Option B: as you said demo the new CDX2-2/DAC/555PS combination and see if it's better than the CDS3. The 555PS sits with the DAC full time in this set-up and your PC connection is as above. Therefore just an input button switch versus moving the PSU connections.

If the NAIM DAC is zero jitter, and if it's DSP effectively blocks all noise - then there should be no advantage in putting an intermediate technology between the DAC and the source. As the DAC is also buffering / re-clocking / it shouldn't matter what source software is used.


Cheers

Richard

Thanks Richard....beat me to it!

Jim

quote:

Originally posted by paremus:
If the NAIM DAC is zero jitter, and if it's DSP effectively blocks all noise - then there should be no advantage in putting an intermediate technology between the DAC and the source. As the DAC is also buffering / re-clocking / it shouldn't matter what source software is used.


Cheers

Richard

Noise can't be eliminated and the jitter portion is what's addressed here. Noise will be sampled right along with the bits and there's really no way around it without significant dsp guessing what should be there. They're not doing that. Got me thinking how selective choosing or averaging of bits after oversampling, using them to downsampling to original res and oversampling again could help here but that may be far fetched and certainly not for this range with how much additional processing it would take to do properly. A quite input would still always be better but I suspect it could be done without harm. You could eliminate the noise but have still lost a small amount of accuracy on poor sources but not more and perhaps less than you'd have to begin with. Again, speculation on my part and not for $2k.

If an outboard device can stream a quiter signal than lets say your computer, it can be better. Even if everything works as described, you may also still hear differences in cables etc. though minimized. Reflections from connections, grounding and basic transfer can also add noise. Fortunately, your source noise can be controlled and it's not nearly the problem jitter is in general.

JS

I take your point about noise injected at source. Different sources just might sound different. So lots of interesting arguments to look forward to

However - what is injected at the source isn't going to be removed by any amount of intervening electronics either! For the very reason you yourself state.

re Grounding - I'm assuming you are not referring to the optical TOS cable.

Cheers

Richard

Tos may become a solution to some sources. I've yet to hear TOS that I thought as good as a proper COAX but I could see it being a good option in some setups where other solutions aren't avaialable. We'll have to wait and see but I suspect the connections chosen for the output of their new CDPs may be best. Bandwidth may also still play a roll here.

Well, a file off your NAS via an HDX may be much quiter than through an AE or computer out. A TC or SB may be quiter also. The major differences may have been minimized but I bet they'll still all show some. As long as they all get better and closer together, right?

JS

So - perhaps the solution that the DS products are taking with a streaming solution eliminates the problem of "noise" coming from external sources (ie computers) (assuming their products already eliminate the jitter problem)?

Gregg