IB… conceptually it might be simpler to understand it like this. You have two large funnel shaped cups with a tight bit of string between them. Each cup is held apart by a different person. One person tugs one cup slightly and the other person senses that… that person can then pull back , and a basic form of communication is made. Now imagine it was a very long piece of string and one person was in a noisy area and the other person was in a quiet area… the two people can still communicate by tugging the string in each direction… but in addition the cup in the noisy area will funnel the noise and vibrate the tight string… the person at the other quiet end will then hear that noise through their cup and disturb their peace when the string is being tugged, that is interference… ie the string vibration is cross talking into their tugging movements.
So with USB and Ethernet it’s like the tugging of the string to and fro, but noise at one end will pass along the string as vibrations to the other… this vibration is effectively jitter to the tugging movements. SPDIF is similar, other than the tugging is only ever in one direction.
Hi Simon, yes I had been fully understood that in terms of the RF getting into the streamer or DAC. What meant I don’t understand is technically what is happening in the DAC ro produce the effect on the audio output from that incoming RF, whether it be superimposed on the signal or ground plane, and whether that differs according to the process of the digital to analog conversion. Or is it simply RF being passed right through as modulation of the audio?
Hi it will all sorts from audio output intermodulation, ground plane modulation , and DAC clock modulation, and probably other things we haven’t even thought of
Yes, shielding help with reducing electro magnetic coupling… and some Naim devices uses multi layered PCBs for shielding, the ND555 uses physical shielding boxes around the streaming and transport componentry… ans transformer design and placement is carefully optimised so as to provide minimum EM radiation into the electronics… Physical space is also a good dielectric decoupler.
@Simon-in-Suffolk , thanks a lot for your precious explanation, I really apreciate it.
Yesterday following the suggestion from @Innocent_Bystander i read some rob watts opinion on that. He confirmed that crosstalk affect the d2a process however he consider this effect largerly below 120db so something wich can’t really affect SQ perception
Interesting read and very much in my space currently. Im building by Naim system, current state = Astell&Kern AK240 (DAP) =>Hugo2 =>SN2=>Focal 1028be. The sound is awesome but I need a permanent digital solution and this year I will demo/purchase. As I said I am happy with the sound but I need to integrate this as central multiroom zone into our existing MUSO multi rooms.
Really my 2 concerns are product shelf life in the digital space and Chord build reliability when compared to Naim which I understand to be bullet proof. So any thoughts here would be very welcome. At the end of the day I will let my ears decide and having the AK240/H2 as our mobile rig is pretty sweet (we use with 2 KEF MUOS:-)).
If you add a Naim streamer you have the option of using it with or without the Hugo, or any other SPDIF DAC. I’m not aware that Chord have a poor reputation for reliability.
Indeed, I am aware of good reliability from Chord Electronics and customer service not dissimilar to Naim. I have experienced personal very positive experiences. Such companies would fail quickly if they had poor customer service or reliability.
it could be for a few reasons.
Which interconnect from Hugo to your preamp? It should be a RCA to DIN for comparable reasons.
Is the NDS still connected to the Naim preamp, thus providing the signal earth the Naim preamp works best with?
Are you using a Naim Hi-Line interconnect with the Hugo?
Is your Network set up similar to Simon’s?
Are which cable between NDS and Hugo?
Good luck !
It was something a vendor said over here in Qld. I suspect it might be down to Chord repairs/service needing to go back to UK and associated lead times. Ive nothing but good things to say about the H2 - which I picked up last Xmas when visiting UK.
My thinking is to test the NDX2 bare vs ND5/2 bare and with H2 +/- mscaler (combined $ similar to NDX2 over here). I can’t see mscaler working in multiroom due to the sampling latency unless in pass through mode latency is turned off. Lots of fun to be had
I guess that could be a disadvantage for Chord, whereas you are lucky to have a highly experienced Naim agent in Aus/NZ. I think Chord came in for some slightly unfair criticism when it came to battery replacements when people realised that using a portable device in your home hifi system would wear it out sooner or later.
Good luck with your demos.
Dear Analogmusic, thanks for your interest and advice. I have a Chord Epic bnc (NDS end) to rca (Hugo end) cable. A SuperLumina rca to DIN connects the Hugo to the NAC. The SuperLumina replaced a Chord Reference rca to DIN cable but I still have the Chord cable. ( Side note to anyone who is interested, the nice chap at Naim technical support advised that while Naim always recommends DIN-DIN connections he didn’t think it would be a worthwhile to change my SuperLumina rca - DIN cable to the other variety for connection to the NDS… thumbs up to that advice!). I dont know how Mr Suffolk has his network arranged but I am aware (because I read many of his posts) that he has a very nice Cisco switch whereas mine is a not-so-nice Linksys unit which is connected to my NAS, NDS and Unitiserve SSD. The Hugo is a jolly little fellow and I like it immensely but in my case the NDS just wins hands down to my ears. My wife seems to agree with me as the current iteration of my hifi, using the NDS/555DR ps, is the first time she’s ever asked how to work the hifi when I am away from home. So there we have it. As I sit somewhat uncomfortably on the sofa, crossed-legged in the lotus position and having attained some form of ‘Naim-enlightenment’ I am at peace with myself, the world and most importantly my hifi, with all those horrible nasty feelings of upgrading having finally abated after several years. Again, thanks.
It is interesting that those who prefer the Hugo over the dac in a Naim streamer strongly prefer it and those that think to the contrary hold their views equally strongly.
Well I’m going to upset the applecart then, because I do prefer the sound of my NDX with Hugo, but I don’t hear the massive leap in performance that some claim, and could still live without it.
