Am I getting the best out of the streaming part of my system?

@Hmack… I am seriously looking at the new Auralic Vega G2.1. (DAC and streamer) With Roon Nucleus as the Server.

I’m assuming you connect the Nucleus via USB? A good USB de-crapifier and power supply for it might be the answer as well (i.e. ISO Regen or similar) The USB out on the Nucleus is probably the weakest link. Reason I ask is I just put my NUC 7i5 into a fanless Akasa case this morning, and upgraded the basic M.2 SSD to an NVME one and got a nice uptick in sound quality (this via streaming), so now the server is probably close to what a Nucleus is. It’s all a crap shoot no matter which way one goes, so best to try and buy with the ability to return/exchange.

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Better via Ethernet, to a switch, if you use the Auralic streaming dac.
You should see also at the Lumin T2. I heard the X1 recently and was very impressed. Was better on some aspects vs the Nd555, at twice the price.

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Lovely. Do try if you can to skip a direct usb connection from the Nucleus. Even with a supposedly immune dac set up like the Chord M Scaler and DAVE, most servers’ usb outputs are really not that great. As others have said, going to a well set up network input seems to be cleaner.

Best BF

Yes Charles, I do connect it that way. I have the smaller Nucleus as my library is not massive and I only have two zones.

@frenchrooster…I have, and am still looking at the Lumin Streamers, but the price difference between the T2 and the X1 is huge. Having said that, the difference is the same between the NDX 2 and the ND555.
Just looked at the Sabre DAC chip in the T2 , it’s a ES9028PRO, where as on my existing Matrix Audio DAC, it’s a ES9038PRO. I have absolutely no idea if the DAC chip set on a DAC makes one better than the other? :thinking:
Without boring everyone, there is another reason why I want rid of my DAC, which is pointless going in to.

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While I’m sure that the DAC is the most important, I found that replacing my renderer with a dCS Network Bridge gave a substantial improvement in sound quality (relative to Bridge 2 in PS Audio DirectStream DAC.)

I was looking at the Ear review of this, prompted by this thread. I am intrigued that they suggest it is really good when used with an external source, and much better than using the internal streamer. So to get the best from it you’d need a streamer. All most confusing.

It’s a shame the new 272 is taking so long. That, with a 555PS, might be your answer.

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Yes @anon4489532, I read that too. I think they’ve got their wires crossed somewhere.

I had no idea Naim were bringing out a new 272? The plot thickens! Trouble is, wouldn’t the pre on the 272 make my 282 redundant?

Yes, it would. I was just thinking of simplicity and keeping the cost down. It is not for certain that a new one is coming but it seems highly likely. That review of the Vega is odd - it’s a steaming preamp with passive volume control, yet the review implies that the volume control isn’t up to much and that it really needs a better streamer. So effectively it’s a dac! I think it’s @peakman who uses a Vega into active ATC and is really happy with it. It’s probably worth adding it to the list, along with the NDX2. I think I’d go with the latter if using a separate preamp, if only to keep everything matching and to be able to use system integration.

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Thanks @anon4489532 :+1:

Hi DJM,

I am pretty sure that the Auralic Vega G2.1 will be very good indeed. I haven’t personally heard this device myself, but I have in the past experienced Auralic’s older offerings (Auralic Aries 2 + separate Vega DAC) in demo systems and was very impressed. The Vega G2.1 is likely to be even better, and reviews I have read from reviewers I trust have been uniformly very positive.

However, your current DAC is pretty good, and if I were you I’d attempt to directly compare it with the Vega G2.1, whether that be via a home or in-store demo. I suspect the Vega will sound quite a bit better in your system, but there is only one way to be sure.

The only (slight) downside of the Vega is that unlike the Matrix DAC, it doesn’t support MQA, but I wouldn’t worry about that. It would only be a minor issue if you were to subscribe to Tidal, but if you use Roon and have access to the first MQA unfold that way it would be even less of an issue. In any case, if your musical tastes lie in the ‘classical’ genres and you want to subscribe to an external streaming service, then Qobuz is likely to be a better than Tidal anyway.

Good luck with whatever option you choose.

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Hiya @Hmack. Thank you…Not bothered about MQA. I have a David Bowie album in 24/96 and MQA. I personally couldn’t hear any difference.
One of the other reasons for me wanting to get rid of my DAC, is that the firmware can only be done on a Windows Computer. (Didn’t know that at the time of purchase) I am a iMac user. Can’t do it via Bootcamp as my iMac is too old. Tried it with ‘Parallels’ (Free trial)…bloody nightmare! :grinning: Anyway, Just the Roon Nucleus to the DAC, with nothing in between, can’t help feeling that it’s doing an injustice to my 282/300DR/Kudos 606 speakers.

Not a problem with a Chord DAC: never any firmware to update because it is just a DAC (or DAC with buffered and volume controlled output), optimised at the time of design, with no features to maintain such as compatibility with changing online streaming services. As a result it always sounds as it did when you bought it, with no risk of a change in sound quality being to your dislike as some find with streamers when firmware is updated, and the manufacturer decides on including some change to digital processing at te same time.

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Good point @Innocent_Bystander :+1:

I suppose that can be seen as a pro or con (no fw updates). Naim really breathed new life into the DAC V1 with their one and only update, so I don’t see that as a bad thing at all, though yes, Windows only would be frustrating if one doesn’t have a PC or access to. Personally I’d still look outside the Naim ecosystem for streaming - as great as I’m sure their streamers sound, they are all hobbled to a degree by the replication of a preamp if one already has one (speaking value), and if one is using Roon, then there’s very little value in also having the Naim app.

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The 3 Naim ND streamers do not have a proper preamp in them.

The 272 did have a preamp but it’s been discontinued.
A new streaming preamp is expected from Naim, but has not been confirmed yet.

But that new Naim streamer/preamp would only make sense for the OP if he would be prepared to sell on his preamp and downsize his boxes.

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However not everyone has been happy with the change in sound of Naim’s streamers, as witness the comments in the periodic firmware update threads.

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@JimDog…I’ll be keeping my NAC 282. :grinning:

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I recall you saying the same thing on another thread months ago when people were suggesting you listen to a 252.

(The only reason I mentioned it at all was to correct the assertion above that there are preamps in the Naim streamers.)

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