hi…does anyone know what naim uses for their dacs? their own production or ess sabre or something else? thanks
Naim use TI DACs (formerly known as Burr Brown) in all their digital products. Plenty of information in their literature about this.
Be aware, though, that their streamers all use a SHARC DSP which is customised to perform some of the functions that would otherwise be done by the DAC chip, so the exact model of chip used is only a loose guide to its performance.
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If you use the search tool you should find as discussed from time to time.
Out of curiosity, what difference does it make? A DAC’s character /sound quality depends more on implementation than the actual chip used.
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CDPs mostly PCM 1704s, selected. Perhaps the SN used a 1702 and the DAC-V1 something else again by BB.
You may find the Naim white papers quite interesting regarding DAC and various other Naim topics.
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Here is a list of DACs I had posted in the past. (I think I just managed to somehow delete that old post 
, so better to keep a copy here!)
| Year | Streamer | Jitter | DSP | Filter | DAC chip | Analogue filter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Nova | SHARC 21489 (Gen4) | Sells-Nilsson filter (brickwall IIR) | PCM1791A | ||
| 2016 | Star | SHARC 21489 (Gen4) | PCM1791A | |||
| 2016 | Atom | SHARC 21489 (Gen4) | PCM1791A | |||
| 2018 | ND555 | SHARC 21489 (Gen4) | 6th order Sallen-Key filtration | 2x PCM1704U-K | 6th order Sallen-Key filtration | |
| 2018 | NDX-2 | SHARC 21489 (Gen4) | PCM1792A | discrete | ||
| 2018 | ND5 XS-2 | SHARC 21489 (Gen4) | PCM1791A | |||
| 2012 | NDS | 512 cl freqs | SHARC 21369 | Butterworth w/ extra poles (IIR) | PCM1704K | 7-pole discrete |
| 2010 | NDX | 10 cl freqs | SHARC 21369 | Butterworth w/ extra poles (IIR) | PCM1791A | 7-pole, Burr-Brown OPA42 op-amps |
| 2011 | ND5 XS | SHARC 21369 | PCM1791A | |||
| 2012 | n-172 XS | TI SRC4392 | PCM1793 | |||
| 2015 | n-272 | SHARC 21489 | Sells-Nilsson filter (brickwall IIR) | PCM1792A | ||
| 2007 | SuperNAIT | PCM1792A |
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Nice, informative list, you might want to add both essential standalone Naim DACs:
nDAC: PCM1704K
DAC-V1: PCM1791A
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I believe the nDAC which has 2x PCM1704K with Sallen-Key filtration, is missing off your list.
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Indeed that list was not complete. Here is a more extended one with additional information; hopefully it’s readable!
| Year | Streamer | Streaming card | Jitter | DSP | Filter | DAC chip | ADC chip | Analogue filter | Bluetooth | Zigbee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Uniti | Askey Computer Corp. H8NWLL3120 (not 24/192) → 2012 SeDMP3 | Wolfson WM8706 | – | No | |||||
| 2010 | Uqute | Askey Computer Corp. H8NWLL3120 (not 24/192) → 2012 SeDMP3 | Burr-Brown SRC4392 | Wolfson WM8728 | – | No | ||||
| 2010 | NDX | Tecom Co Ltd. D6XWL5011S → 2011 SeDMP3 | 10 cl freqs | SHARC 21369 | Butterworth w/ extra poles (IIR) | PCM1791A | – | 7-pole, Burr-Brown OPA42 op-amps | Jun15 → 2ACURBLUE | |
| 2011 | ND5 XS | Audivo GmbH SeDMP3 | SHARC 21369 | PCM1791A | – | Jun15 → 2ACURBLUE | ||||
| 2012 | NDS | Audivo GmbH SeDMP3 | 512 cl freqs | SHARC 21369 | Butterworth w/ extra poles (IIR) | 2x PCM1704K | – | 7-pole discrete | No | |
| 2012 | n-172 XS | Audivo GmbH SeDMP3 | TI SRC4392 | PCM1793 | – | Jun15 → +2ACURBLUE | ||||
| 2011 | SuperUniti | Audivo GmbH SeDMP3 | SHARC 21369? | PCM1791A | – | 2ACURBLUE | ||||
| 2012 | Ulite | Audivo GmbH SeDMP3 | TI SRC4392? | PCM1793 | – | 2ACURBLUE | ||||
| 2012 | Uniti2 | Audivo GmbH SeDMP3 | TI SRC4392? | PCM1793 | – | 2ACURBLUE | ||||
| 2013 | Uqute2 | Audivo GmbH SeDMP3 | TI SRC4392? | PCM1793? | – | 2ACURBLUE | ||||
| 2014 | muso | bridgeco CX870-3B-D, FCC ID:ZQO-CX8703B | ||||||||
| 2014 | muso Qb | bridgeco CX870 | ||||||||
| 2019 | muso2 | StreamUnlimited Engineering GmbH , BlueZ based host stack running on Marvell 88W8897 | ||||||||
| 2015 | n-272 | Audivo GmbH SeDMP3 | SHARC 21489 | Sells-Nilsson filter (brickwall IIR) | PCM1792A | – | 2ACURBLUE | |||
| 2016 | Nova | Naim Audio NP800 | SHARC 21489 (Gen4) | Sells-Nilsson filter (brickwall IIR) | PCM1791A | 2ACURBLUE | 2ACURZIGEE | |||
| 2016 | Star | Naim Audio NP800 | SHARC 21489 (Gen4) | PCM1791A | 2ACURBLUE | 2ACURZIGEE | ||||
| 2016 | Atom | Naim Audio NP800 | SHARC 21489 (Gen4) | PCM1791A | PCM1803 | 2ACURBLUE | 2ACURZIGEE | |||
| 2021 | Atom HE | Naim Audio NP800 | SHARC 21489 (Gen4)? | custom 16x upsampling digital filter (IIR) | PCM1791A | PCM1803A | two series-connected 3rd-order analogue filters (6th-order roll-off) | 2ACURBLUE | 2ACURZIGEE | |
| 2018 | ND555 | Naim Audio NP800 | fixed DAC clock is also master for the streamer; fractional divider clocks to match SPDIF source | SHARC 21489 (Gen4) | Modified Butterworth w/ extra poles (IIR); 16x oversampling | 2x PCM1704U-K | – | two series-connected 3rd-order analogue filters (6th order Sallen-Key filtration) | 2ACURBLUE upd | 2ACURZIGEE |
| 2018 | NDX-2 | Naim Audio NP800 | SHARC 21489 (Gen4) | PCM1792A | – | discrete | 2ACURBLUE upd | 2ACURZIGEE | ||
| 2018 | ND5 XS-2 | Naim Audio NP800 | SHARC 21489 (Gen4) | custom brickwall IIR filter | PCM1791A | – | gentle 6th-order analogue filter | 2ACURBLUE upd | 2ACURZIGEE | |
| 2023 | NSC 222 | Naim Audio NP800 | proprietary DSP 705.6kHz/768kHz integer oversampling filter | PCM1791A | – | discrete transistor class-A ‘bop-amp’ | 2ACURBTM1254 | 2ACURZIGEE | ||
| 2023 | NSS 333 | Naim Audio NP800 | proprietary DSP 705.6kHz/768kHz integer oversampling filter | PCM1791A | – | discrete transistor class-A op-amps | 2ACURBTM1254 | 2ACURZIGEE | ||
| 2024 | CI-Uniti 102 | Naim Pulse (StreamUnlimited 1955) | BCM4362 | |||||||
| Year | DAC | Jitter | DSP | Filter | DAC chip | ADC chip | Analogue filter | |||
| 2007 | SuperNAIT | PCM1792A | ||||||||
| 2009 | nDAC | 10 cl freqs | SHARC 21369 | Butterworth w/ extra poles (IIR) | 2x PCM1704K | discrete bipolar transistor stage/ 0-fdbk complementary buffer | ||||
| 2013 | DAC V1 | SHARC 21489 | PCM1791A |
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And here is a list of the CD Players:
| Year | CDP | DSP | DAC | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | CDI | Philips TDA1541A-S1 | ||
| 1995 | CD2 | Philips TDA1541A-S1 | ||
| 1995 | CD3 | SAA7220P/B | Philips TDA1541A-S1 | OPA 604 |
| 1997 | CD3-5 | Philips TDA1305 (s-d) | OPA604AP | |
| 2000 | CD5 | SAA7376 (18-bit 4x oversampl) | Philips TDA1305 (s-d) | |
| 2003 | CD5i | Philips UDA1330ATS (s-d low cost) | ||
| 2007 | CD5i | SAA7324 | Wolfson WM8706 | |
| 2012 | CD5si | PCM1793 | ||
| 2005 | CD5x | Pacific Microsonics PMD-200 HDCD Oversampling filters | PCM1704K 24-bit | |
| 2009 | CD5 XS | Pacific Microsonics PMD-200 HDCD Oversampling filters | PCM1704K 24-bit | digi-out |
| 1998 | CDX | Pacific Microsonics PMD-100 HDCD Oversampling filter | PCM1702U-K 20-bit | |
| 2002 | CDX2 | Pacific Microsonics PMD-200 HDCD Oversampling filters | PCM1704K 24-bit | |
| 2009 | CDX2.2 (spdif) | Pacific Microsonics PMD-200 HDCD Oversampling filters | PCM1704K 24-bit | |
| 1991 | CDS(1) | Philips SAA7220 4x-oversampling digital filter | Philips TDA1541A-S1 | OP42 op-amps |
| 1998 | CDS2 | Pacific Microsonics PMD-100 HDCD Oversampling filter | PCM1702-K 20-bit | |
| 2002 | CDS3 | Pacific Microsonics PMD-200 HDCD Oversampling filters | PCM1704-K 24-bit | |
| 2006 | CD555 | Pacific Microsonics PMD-200 HDCD Oversampling filters | PCM1704K 24-bit |
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wow how many…thanks to all and happy listening
Make no mistake 1704= top dog…
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That list is in error I believe for ND555 and NDX2, but correct for NDS and NDX… the digital low pass filters for the ND streamers are 6 pole Butterworth (type of low pass) filters configured in the DSP.
It is the analogue output filters that are designed using Sallen Key circuit topology… and I believe the 6th order low pass (Butterworth) filters are two 3rd order active Sallen Key filters cascaded (configured in series) in the analogue output.
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Nice list.
I thought the nds uses also 2x 1704 - but seems to be nd555 only
You are right, the NDS, CDX2, CD555, Naim DAC uses two times PCM1704K. They are single channel DACs
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You are right about this, somehow the analogue filter slipped in the “DSP” box as well. This is a list I have populated over the years with whatever information I come across from online reviews etc.; not only official Naim documents. So it’s likely that some journalist had written it like this and I just copied it over. Mistake now removed!
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I already have 2x PMC1704K under NDS. Probably easy to misread due to the format of the table.
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Happy to correct any errors you might notice. This is just myself putting information together in my Excel files, nothing official! I am only adding information for things I have read somewhere; that’s why several boxes are not populated. If something else has slipped (only 1 error so far), do let me know and I will update the table accordingly.
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Sorry, my post looked a little acidic, I have edited … I didn’t mean that. I have high lighted the errors I have seen.
You might want to check the data again when you have a moment … this sort of reference is useful, and will be likely be referenced in future posts from members.
Good bit of curation… I hope it doesn’t become too arduous.
BTW I believe the network streaming modules for the NDX, ND5XS and NDS were manufactured by Swiss based BridgeCo and has since been acquired.
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These streamers contain the module with FCC ID: ZUCSEDMP3 (it’s written in the rear side), which corresponds to the module SeDMP3 by Audivo, a company based in Germany.
Now Audivo at some point was a strategic partner of BridgeCo, and the 1st Gen muso had a BridgeCo CX870 network streaming module, so probably these things are a bit interconnected.