@Analogmusic: I see your point but, having a Dave, you could give its USB input a try, just to know.
In any case, you do not necessarily need a streamer even if you connect via SPDIF. For instance, I run MinimServer, among others, on the same RPi3 that hosts the DigiOne Signature.
Unless you want the Dave to be an end-point of a multi-room system, you do not actually need to deploy a streamer. Although a streamer doesn’t do any harm, of course.
I have already given many tries with USB into my Chord Dave and reached my conclusion
as for streamer, my requirement is to have access to the streaming companies like Tidal, Spotify, Deezer and Qobuz…
an Rpi is a good device, no doubt, but it was never developed for hi-end audio usage - really not on par with a streamer from a hi-end audio company like Naim, DCS or Linn.
I have compared them in my own system, with my own ears…
2000 GBP for a streaming front end is still a lot of cash - so until I can digest it financially I am using my trusty google Chromecast audio.
I agree that this is a rather disappointing life span. Does this number come from Allo? Admittedly Shanti isn’t expensive but it seems wasteful to me to bin an LSPU after 4 years…
I didn’t buy Shanti but Nirvana for my USBridge Sig — I hope Nirvana has a longer “life expectancy” than Shanti. Probably not… Does anybody know when I should “bin” Nirvana?
Sure, you should bin the Nirvana immediately and replace it with a Shanti. Then you are left with 4 years to go! Just joking, take it easy and enjoy what you have as long as it works. In 4 years there will be no Shanti, no Nirvana and … hopefully no Covid 19! Cheers, nbpf.
LOL — yes, I certainly “enjoy” my Nirvana for the time being. It’s actually just a temp solution in my current (main) system. I bought it with the intention to move it to the second, less demanding system that I will build when the loft is converted. Works has just started…
I have little technical knowledge. So I don’t really know how long caps etc are supposed to last. Certainly I didn’t expect Shanti to show the life expectancy of, say, the caps etc they put into a Hicap… Is there an average life expectancy for good-quality LPSUs, say something at the level of SBooster?
In this context, even without technical knowledge, I was always somewhat suspicious when claimed that certain cuddly toys don’t require re-capping. That can’t be true, can it?
yes this number seems to come from Allo
@suzywong had some numbers also, but yes it seems to be only this number of years.
I could put up with it if the sound quality was as good as a ND5XS 2, but sadly, it isn’t.
on the Naim the bass is deep, punchy and has control.
Sadly, on the Allo product (and also on the Auralic aries), it is quite noticeable that it lacks the deep bass punch and control of the Naim.
What’s wrong with the Auralic streaming platform?
The price doesn’t match the performance
Are you comparing the same value Auralic streamer to the Nd5Xs2 Analog? I would guess the G2 would cost about the same.
Well the thing is
Auralic negatives
No chrome cast
No android native app
No BNC output
Not made in Wiltshire
No system integration with Naim preamp
Auralic is still young who knows if they will last like naim has especially since based in Hong Kong and their political instability
Why buy at their elevated prices when Naim costs the same almost and performs superbly well
It’s enough of a deal killer for me
Offering a streamer without chrome cast at Auralic high prices was enough to be a deal breaker
Cambridge audio and Arcam offer chrome cast in 2020
A new transport by the ex Orpheus labs, from Switzerland.
One member here @Crifo found it better than the Ndx.
Watson Emerson digital. Tidal, Qobuz, Roon ready soon.
1500 euros.
Here the specs:
Connectivity
Restitution
Electronic features
Mechanical and electrical characteristics
Lack of control is bad but I am very happy that the DigiOne Signature does not overemphasize basses.
Perhaps @suzywong has more experience with the way the DigiOne renders bass lines as compared to Naim devices. Perhaps it also depends on the music we are interested in: I am only listening to classical music and a little bit of jazz.
Have you tried feeding the clear side of the DigiOne Signature with a transformer based PSU? I have found that connecting the JS-2 (instead of the LPS-1.2) to the clear side has an impact (positive? Negative? I do not know …) on the bass rendition.
Have you tried streaming from the RPi that hosts the DigiOne? I cannot hear any differences as compared to streaming from another RPi (wired to the router and also running MinimServer) but other listeners have found that streaming from the RPi that hosts the DigiOne (via another instance of MinimServer, also running on the RPi host) yields a more involving presentation.
Another aspect that we should probably keep out of the equation when discussing the sonic quality of different devices is their price: for this purpose, it doesn’t really matter.
Well maybe I will wait for Chord desktop streamer to match my TT2. There are quite a few Chord DAC users that use Antipodes EX with it, I might have another look at those.
Talking about political stability: what is going to happen to Cambridge Audio, Arcam, Naim, etc. if EU+UK will not manage to negotiate a trade deal? And, even worse, what will happen to small companies like CHC?
The Chord 2go+2yu is actually a streamer+server with 2TB capacity. The current generation of Naim streamers are also UPnP servers. The price of 1TB SSD is below 100$.
I guess that most upcoming UPnP streamers will also incorporate a UPnP server and make data transfer over the LAN at replay time obsolete.
nothing will happen to Cambridge Audio, Arcam, Linn, Naim and other fine british brands. They will endure for many many more decades.
I don’t want to discuss brexit here, but there has to be some kind of trade deal - BMW and Mercedes sell many many cars to British customers.
Ssd drives are noisy electrically
I am well aware of the 2go/2yu, I want a one piece desktop version to match the TT2/Mscaler.
Please don’t.
Really? They are used in many outstanding servers, among others from Melco, Pink Faun, InnuOS, Naim, etc.