Innuos is a good option to consider for a streamer too if you decide against nd5xs2.
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I use a Primare NP5 into ndac. It’s sonically very good, but the app is a bit basic.
But it does allow easy selection of output, fixed upsamling or downsampling using the app.
Or, max native output.
Don’t know if it does tidal hi res, but it does qobuz.
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No, I was just trying to find explanations, why it’s seemingly working one way, but not another. (To find the difference between the scenarios you describe as working/not working.)
The HiRes support for Tidal will come for sure (no information when, though).
The tests worked out alright. The Musical Fidelity DAC is able to play recordings in 24bit 96 kHz, if not 192 kHz.
I started Qobuz from inside the Focal & Naim app. Since I knew I had problems with 192 kHz recordings, when played that way, I presumed the app wouldn’t limit a 96 kHz recording to anything less. The streamer was connected to the Musical Fidelity DAC.
Qobuz carries a magnificent recording of Camille Saint-Saens’ Symphony 3, also called “Organ”, with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (Open Qobuz). The recording is in 24 bit 96 kHz and the organ is a difficult instrument to reproduce, so I went straight ahead for the third movemt.
The bass tones of the organ gave me the shivers; it was really good! I tried another combination, with the streamer connected to the internal DAC of the amplifier. Not quite as good. I then played the recording in analogue format, using the streamer’s DAC, which sounded better and actually not that far from the external DAC.
WhatHifi wrote they felt the sound was even slightly better when played through the DIN connector, so I’m getting a DIN-RCAcable.
Out of curiousity I also tried the same recording throught the Spotify app, knowing about the limitations with Spotify Connect but with the sound quality set to Very high. That sounded more strained than Quboz, but still alright, when streamed to the external DAC.
Will I try yet another streamer? I’m not so sure about that.
- The Naim is a very good streamer.
- It has both a TOSLINK and a coax digital input. Since my CD player only has a coax digital output, I really need that input in order to go through the streamer to the external DAC. Cambridge Audio’s CXN (V2) also has both kinds of input, but would that model be able to down-sample to the 96 kHz needed by the DAC?
- I could go for a simpler device, with no input, if I was only able to find a switch like this one (AUX-S PRO RCA-switch/ingångsväljare) but for BNC connectors. I haven’t found one yet.
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If your DAC has a limit at 96kHz (as suggested by others):
For Qobuz, you can configure, which rate the Naim device will use as a maximum (if available from Qobuz; I guess they’ll negotiate the best version based on the limit set and available source material).
In Settings → Input → Qobuz → Quality → 24/96 would match your DAC.
This should prevent any 192kHz to be played, while your DAC cannot handle it.
I don’t think, that a streamer receiving a 192kHz stream to 96kHz would bring any benefits - ideally the source (here: Qobuz) will already have an “optimized” 96kHz version available, if they also offer 192kHz. I could not see, how a local streamer would produce a better 96kHz “version”, if it did the downsampling.
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Thanks for the instructions for how to limit Qobuz to 96 kHz, Philipp! I had hoped for something like that but haven’t been able to fins anything.
Thanks everyone for beeing so helpful! I really appreciate your enthusiasm.
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