It is possible that the Allo DigiOne Signature is a very poor transport or that it is a good transport that doesn’t work well in your system but … what has this to do with the content of our discussion? The latter is about properties that we believe good DACs shall enjoy.
You seem to believe that good DACs shall be “transparent”. I, on the other hand, consider a “transparent” DAC a very poor DAC!
This is an interesting difference in opinions, perhaps we are subsuming different notions of transparency?
Yes, I agree that this is not the case because even the best DACs are not perfect.
Still, a major reason (albeit not the only one, of course) why these DACs (and the new generation of Naim DACs, in particular the ND555) are so great is exactly because they put a lot of resources in isolating potentially noisy sources from their digital-to-analogue conversion stages.
If they aimed at being “transparent” they would indeed do a very poor job.
Perhaps the source of misunderstanding lies in the usage of the word “transparent”. I have taken it to denote something that lets through what comes in but perhaps @Analogmusic has used it to mean something different.
I think that we all agree that having a good source is better than having a bad one. Same for wine and for many other things.
What we disagree upon are the goals of DAC design. You argue that DACs shall be designed to be as transparent as possible and let the noise of different sources go through.
By contrast, I believe that good DACs should be as source agnostic as possible.
It goes without saying that very few DACs are fully source agnostic.
This is not because it is impossible to build DACs that are fully source agnostic, by the way. It is because of convenience and, of course, of commercial reasons.
If the Nd555 would be quite immune to noise, owners would not find better sound when adding audiophile switch ( see ER thread) or audiophile Nas ( Melco).
It’s not saying that Nd555 isn’t great.
As for better transport, I am not sure it’s only a case of noise. Immunity to vibrations ( better case), better support of the case, better clock in the transport, quality of the components…
I do use Qobuz (for four years previously I used BubbleUPnP Server to route it to my NDX) Hi-res directly and it’s a pretty seamless integration now (previously I had to use Kazoo to navigate Qobuz).
I must say I’m chuffed to bits the more I use the unit. And I don’t suffer from screen freeze!
Not that I’d swear to in all honesty. Since I added the EE switch, the system has reached a level of satisfaction that’s left me thinking “Finished”.
Not that I’m attributing magical powers to the switch - it was a VFM uplift, not a game-changer, and of course, this being Hi-Fi “Finished” might succumb to something else (I’ve so far resisted some very pricey cable enhancements).
And yes, everything goes through the Chord stuff (Stream, NAS, TV, Sky, CD/DVD) thanks to the ND5 XS2 additional inputs.
Great exchange @JimDog and @Nick.Lees. I think my experience mirrors Nick’s, albeit with a different DAC but the listening results are similar. I, personally, am at the point where I have zero regrets about making this exchange. The ND5 XS2 is one of the best purchases I can think of having made in quite some time, using it in the manner which I do (as transport). Just thought I’d jump on the bandwagon here…
No Marcus, I’m a bit of an oddball - for a start-off I use 15 amp fuseless round-pin plugs and sockets (seven separate radials from a discrete consumer unit), then I have mostly power cables given to me by a former Forumite (Alan Ball - super helpful, super scary driver) - they were used by Shell for some project or other an are fearsomely thick - terminated by whatever exotic IEC connectors the Forum was recommending more than 15 years ago!
Re: “Finished”: I idly consider Chord Sarum T power cables, as they do supply 15 amp plugs, from time to time, but I’m just absorbing being diagnosed with Parkinson’s (do I save for future care, or do I spend it now while I can still just about type using my right hand?)
Thanks Nick.Lees!
Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. Do take good care of yourself. I wish I had a good answer for you for future care or spending… However If I had your system, I’d just enjoy the hell out of it as I’m sure it’s fantastic.
Cheers! I await my first medication, and receive inspiration from my wife who also has Parkinson’s (we can blame a shared mis-spent chemical past!).
The system is a source of joy, though I still remember the thrill of playing In The Land Of Grey And Pink on my first stereo from Lasky’s in 1972: Garrard SP25/Shure M75ED, Teleton amp, Wharfedale Dentons - all of which sat on the floor of our bedsit, and wonder what a long strange trip it’s been.
