Using the 20 year old, Apple USB stick, I have now updated the FW to ver 04-11-08.
Let’s see how things work now. I’ll try with music on differnet USB sticks.
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OK, calling it a day now…let us know how you get on.
Another update.
The nDAC still doesnot work with all USB sticks. Only with 2 among dozens that I have.
It plays all files, from 16b-44k, to 128 DSD that i had.
But it is still picky about USBs.
More updates later…
Playing Allison Krauss “Loosing You” via USB directly into nDAC…I cannot believe the quality of sound.
It is truly remarkable. I dont think Ive ever heard CD sound so incredible.
Amazing palpability, pin point accuracy, and most importantly, a sound that is remarkably enveloping.
The same songs through SPDIF connection does not even come close. The difference is laughable.
More updates to come…
Amazing. The same music track through spdif sounds:
flatter,
tonally less colorful,
darker,
more opaque
less immediate
less informative
less enveloping
Before hearing nDAC through USB, I thought it was pretty darn great playin DAC.
Now it’s off the chain.
sandisk should be fine . i use some in front of my nds .
Good as the USB may be, there is nothing wrong with Spdif. I have an Audiophilleo + PurePower (only uses battery during playback) USB to Spdif connecting Innuos Zenith to nDAC+555 - it sounds incredibly good. It costs but only has a few picoseconds of jitter. But it is a lot cheaper than a top end streamer with the same DAC components.
The nDAC is a really good source.
Phil
My nDAC is an early model but with the latest firmware is still picky about USB sticks. Hence I just use basic cheap units from eBay. It plays 24/352 WAVs from Sound Liaison (I have a few albums) flawlessly. Down sampled to 24/176 and streamed over SPDIF is still very close but not quite there; however you’d need to do this test back-to-back to determine this small difference.
The nDAC likes a good source too with low jitter, I’m using an ND5XS/DC1 to feed the nDAC/XPS.
I agree with Phil - if SPDIF connection sounds worse than USB then IMO it’s the quality of the SPDIF output from your digital source that’s causing this not the nDac.
The nDac responds really well to improvements in the digital signal. I’m using a HDX/555PS for digital transport into the nDac at the moment and it sounds way better than the same files off a USB stick.
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Hi Phil.
I’ve always used spdif and really never looked elsewhere.
I read that Naim recommended using USB sticks for the highest quality playback.
I looked into that and realized that nDAC runs in Master Mode once USB is used.
I tried it last night (SQB Touch spdif out, Naim nDAC, STAX SR007 electrostatic phones) vs USB stick and it just blew my socks off.
I’ve never liked USB since it is a generic series transmisson protocol/bus, and the way data is packed with no regards to timing. But it truely sounded incredible.
SPDIF sounds pale and lifeless in comparison.
There is no going back to SPDIF for serious listening.
The only problem is how to manage files on the USB stick when connected to nDAC.
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Hi mattl.
No.
If you read about the circular FIFO RAM buffer that Naim uses in nDAC, then the transport jitter should be irrelevant (or call Steve Sells and ask him).
If improving the quality of the digital transport leads to audible improvements, then the Jitter elimination filter in nDAC does not work.
My nDAC sounds the same (wonderful) through spdif via any transport that Ive connected it to.
I use SQB Touch as a transport and it has a very good digital out (see measurements online).
Thanks MDS and all of ya all for all your help and advice.
The nDAC is now operating via USB sticks. But only two among 18 that I have.
The ones working:
- an ancient apple 500 MB USB-1,
- a SCANDISK 8 Gb stick.
Both are slow-formatted using FAT32 file format type.
I doesnot matter where music is in the file hierarchy.
nDAC flawlessly found the music files and played them.
The nDAC is now updated to FW ver 4-11-8.
It reads everything from the USB:
- flac’s, wav’s, up to 24 bit, 384 kHz (what i had)
- DSD up to 5.6 MHz (what i could find)
I will try to find PCM at 764kHz and DSD11.28 MHz and try again.
nDAC is still very picky about USB sticks.
I will try to test some more sticks and write them down here for others to know.
Cheers
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I used to have the ndac - sounds great, especially with the 555PS.
Get a Chord C-stream Toslink cable (I wouldnt believe all the snake oil over optical cable quality). I used this through a Macbook Pro. Sounded the same as USB to me. So you must be getting jitter or some irregular config … at the playback source side.
Well, according to Steve Sells, it should NOT sound the same.
The USB must sound superior to SPDIF.
I wasnt convinced myself till I talked to him.
Give him a call. He is very kind and accommodating.
I just use my ears - to me it sounded the same, so each to their own.
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I respect that.
I’d never used USB before. Always spdif. Spent a lot of time and effort optimizing the spdif chain.
It works very nice.
I wasnt ready for the SQ jump that came with USB.
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Hi Alex. Is this your first move into digital music at home? I ask because I do not regard the use of USB sticks as a satisfactory long-term solution to owning a digital music library and taking advantage of apps that let you search it and play it back. The Naim DAC can sound great, but you probably need a ‘front end’ for it that’ll give you in-home network streaming, or the ability to connect a source that provides for local playback but can still be controlled over the home network via an iPhone, etc., app.
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My nDAC seems to get along just fine with nearly all the USB sticks I have, some old and small ones, some newer and bigger. Both no-name promo items and Toshiba and Verbatim branded. No idea what might cause the problems you’re experiencing.
But do give the Toslink input a chance. I found the DAC to be quite allergic to noisy S/PDIF sources. My MacBook works great via a Toslink cable into the DAC. Much better than my Philips CDM based player.
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Exactly Bart… this was my only con to the ndac… loved the sound but the “interface” is what drove me to the practicality of Streamers. I could get over having cables but then all the apps except Swinsian sucked. I have over 4TB and back then, Roon wasn’t really a thing.
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