Elegant solution for ND555 + cd transport?

DB, the OP is asking if he can use only the D100 as a transport, feeding the nd555 in usb/ spdif. I answered that the D100 is ripping but not storing the rips itself. Or can be used only as physical cd transport with the Dac of the nd555.
The OP wants only one box and very simple system without nas, switches and many Ethernet cables.

No - it can’t be done like that - hence my answer of how it can be done.
If you want to use direct from CD ripper - you can via Melco into a DAC but not via the Ethernet port.

If I’ve missed an option of how to do this into ND555 then tell me as I’m interested.

Then stick with a CD player! :smiley:
Streamers do require more thought to get them to work right (more to be got wrong) to beat a good CD player - then they are great.
A DAC will work in many respects better with the Melco - as it was sort of designed mainly for DACs and just happned to also support a good Ethernet solution.

DB.

When you say via Melco into Dac, which Melco ? The Nas Melco or also the ripper Melco?

Melco music Server was intended to push music stored on it to a DAC on USB - it also supports USB-in/out flow directly, so can put the CD Transport (USB) through it to the DAC (USB) - you can also - I think - directly connect the Transport to DAC, but I need confirmation on that from someone else who has done it.

But for Ethernet the output has to be gathered from the Database via a Music Server software - hence for Ethernet it has to go onto the database first - it can be on there for a few seconds of the rip of first track then immediately be replayed - I’ve done that - but it must step via the database, hence be ripped first.

But USB to USB does not require that - but then you have to ask why are you not just using a CD player which does that solution most neatly?

DB.

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If you want to go from a one box music server into the SPDIF in put on a NAS then my view is the software is high priority. My disappointment with hifi music servers is you are restricted as to what software you can use. That is another reason to try it out and see if you are happy with the software. If Melco, Innuos etc ran JRiver Media Centre then I’d be very interested.

I’d also say that once you have ripped your CDs then it’s done. You don’t need a permanently attached CD ripper in your rack. I prefer to rip on my computer and transfer the finish album complete with metadata, artwork and lyrics to my music server. You will need a network connection to your ripper or it won’t be able to get metadata, artwork or lyrics. How will you share the network connection between ND555 and ripper without a switch?

I don’t see that as the whole point at all! The main point by far is to play music from a file not physical disks. Whether the file is stored in a directly attached box, in a box on the premises linked by a network, or somewhare remote accessed across the internet, is a separate detail - though one that can impinge on the sound quality.

A directly attached box has the benefit of no network, so no worry about getting a network to work, and not inject spurious electrical noise requiring fancy cables, switches (and their power supplies and power cables) to prevent - it therefore at least has the potential to sound best. Against that, streaming across the internet can open up availability of far more music (for as long as someone is willing to make available). The one that makes least sense is streaming from a home store across a network, unless you have several music players sharing a music collection.

Melco (and possibly Innuos)can connect to the ND555 by direct connection without a network, yet has an external network connection (with built in “ethernet purifier” apparently) to get other info or whatever when ripping, or to download music files. Melco’s direct connection is by ethernet cable, but not a network.

In many ways the Melco is akin to a Mac Mini running a renderer, though the Melco has been more specifically tailored, intending it to sound better.

That may not be your preference, but it’s the primary purpose for which Naim streamers were designed, albeit increasingly from web streams more recently. It works reliably for me. All the devices require a network connection in any case, for a number of reasons, so I see no reason to add yet another cable connection when I have a perfectly good Ethernet cable already there.

OK then IB you connect ND555 to the Melco’s special Ethernet port and it acts as router or switch with access controls. The other port connects to your home network. The access controls must allow through Tidal, Qobuz, iRadio, software update etc … and block things that are rubbish with respect to the ND555. Effectively a firewall creating a clean feed to the ND555.

However, I still think the software is important. In my case I apply some room correction.but agree not everybody wants or needs this. I heard it USB out to Blu2 DAVE sonot really a useful example for the OP.

Moreover, my comments that I have not heard a streamer that sounded better than CD replay again was in the context of Blu2. I have not had the opportunity to compare CD555 with ND555 so can easily accept ND555 surpasses CD555. I have heard both, but many years apart and both sounded very good to me and I can understand why they delight their owners.

You have heard both many years ago? The nd555 didn’t exist many years ago.

Many years apart - not ago.
I heard CD555 at Naim HQ
I heard ND555 at a Naim demo recently.
As the gap was many years I couldn’t possible say which I preferred

I hope I don’t get accused of repetition (or deviation or hesitation), but I could happily enjoy music in my cottage played by Naim, Linn or Chord systems. My Naim PSUs buzzed though, which is why I made the switch (I mean change, not the Cisco variety).

Ah sorry, apart , not ago. Ah, this bad rooster!

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Reminds me of the conversation in Mr Turner where Turner asks young Mr Ruskin:

To which do you find yourself the more partial,
a… steak and kidney pie or a veal and ham pie?

I must confess, Mr Turner, that I find myself quite unable to answer your question

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This is why I have remained with my UnitiServe SSD and not taken up the offer of the Uniticore.
The UnitiServe will rip & play and I use it with my ND555.
I understand that many, including Naim, don’t see the point, but I don’t always want to go through the process of rip & delete when friends bring me their cds to listen to.

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When I attached DAVE to my NDX (as transport), it exceeded my CD555. But I couldn’t bring myself to sell such a wonderful piece of engineering. So it sat there for a couple of years, looking wonderful.

The I added the M Scaler to DAVE and I finally admitted that I was never going to lay the CD555 again, and with a sigh, sold it.

And have never regretted it. Streaming, both internally and externally is (for me) now far ahead of what the CD555 could deliver.

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However the OP is searching the best one box cd ripper/ transport to fed his nd555, without a nas. In spdif or usb/ spdif connecting.

I freely think that you are on a wrong path. All you need is a good UPnP server that makes your music files available to the ND555. This server can run on a NAS, on a Raspberry Pi, on a Melco or on a InnuOS: it doesn’t really matter. What matters is that the server is easily customizable, reliable and very well supported. MinimServer and Asset are good examples. The problem of ripping and tagging your CDs is completely orthogonal to the problem of serving your music files. Ripping and tagging is best done on a desktop or laptop computer using well established and platform independent programs. There is no reason for (and no advantage in) mixing up the two problems. Just my two cents, of course.

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FYI

The Aurender N10 could be a solution with its so called very high quality SPDIF output. You would need another device attached to rip CDs onto its drive.
Although this product is aimed more to those with a very high quality Dac, rather than a streamer.

Interesting suggestion that however raises a number of natural questions: is the SPDIF output of the N10 really very high quality? How does it compare to the SPDIF output of, say, an ND5 XS 2 or an Allo DigiOne Signature? Would an N10 (and the ND555’s SPDIF input) provide a better feed to the ND555’s internal DAC than the ND555’s integrated streaming board? Is it possible to control the N10 with well supported control points like BubbleUPnP or is one then forced to use the Aurender control app?

I very much like the approach of separating DAC and streaming concerns and I feed my nDAC with a SPDIF transport. But the OP has an ND555 and it seems to me that it would be a great waste of resources to bypass its excellent streaming section.

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