Sound quality: USB vs. Ethernet

Streaming Audio
83

I just realized that I misread what I quoted. By the way I think I tried at least 4-5 USB cables (one of them was from QED) and I could hear almost no differences.

I’m sure it was worth a try even if you didn’t end up with any results (maybe the Mac mini has already a decent isolation). You won’t be satisfied till you’ve tried yourself. However your experience with these filters is very interesting to know about. I just used the JitterBug with my previous DAC and in that case the sound quality improved (maybe because there’s no proper electrical isolation in my computer?), at least the JitterBug was pretty cheap.

Did you try the iFi micro iUSB3.0 on your system too? You didn’t mention it if I’m right, but I see it in the picture that you posted.

I know some iFi products but I’ve never tried one, I can’t really judge them.

Nice to know that we both agree with @Innocent_Bystander.

Today I was supposed to start my comparison between USB and Ethernet, but they gave me the wrong cable length. What a pity!

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84

No I didn’t try the iUSB 3.0 so can’t say if this would make a bigger difference.

85

I wonder if that would make a difference, but according to your personal experince I’m prone to say no (at least in your case).

86

I think I agree… the NDX2 is very capable and has an enjoyable sound…

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87

I’m very happy with it so far; clarity, depth and control are superb in my opinion. The NDX 2 changed my system performance substantially and now it does shine properly.
Plus it’s even more exciting as every day it’s getting better and better, I wonder how much break-in time is needed to fully experience its capabilities.

Funny enough, I’m even starting to enjoy music played through the USB port. I think it’s much better than 3 - 4 days ago. Next week I’m getting my Chord cable, I can’t wait to make a proper comparison.

I am also wondering if anybody noticed a difference using different USB drives and different USB specifications (2.0 vs. 3.0).

88

I just received my Chord C-Stream cable and couldn’t resist to give it a try (through JRiver) and get a first impression.

So far I can say that I prefer the Ethernet cable compared to the USB pendrive: it’s cleaner (especially the mids and upper bass), there’s a bit more depth and focus in the soundstage, it’s more airy, it’s a touch punchier and I think the music has a better flow generally speaking.
I don’t know why, but I also feel that sometimes music seem a bit underpowered, it happens only with some songs I guess. Also I think that now the performance is more similar to Wi-Fi.
I wonder if there might be an improvement over time.

I agree with @newcomer and so far @TiberioMagadino this is a good start for further improvements.

2 Likes
89

Hi Tiberio,
Can i ask what usb to spdif you are using? Im considering a move from a dac-v1 to a nDAC so need this converter to continue using my sotm sms200.
Regards
John

90

If using the NDAC, I would get the best transport converter you can. Essentially the entire quality and performance of the transport will be wholly dependent on your usb to SPDIF conversion system. Also I would ensure your conversion system supports DoP so you can send DSD as well as PCM.
I would look at least something like the X SPDIF2 product from Matrix Audio.

91

Hi Simon,
The x spdif looks very good, you aware of any not terrible cheap stopgaps? On a very tight budget for the next few months.
Cheers
John

92

This one works good with Naim. 169 euros.

image

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93

Thanks FR!

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94

I have the M2Tech HiFace One, therefore I decided to give it a try out of curiosity (my dealer told me that it would have been hopeless). I don’t know how it compares to the HiFace Two, but it does sound decent enough, at least in my opinion. At the moment I just use it to enjoy movies through the NDX 2. Other than that, I prefer to use the ethernet cable.

HF

95

My dealer recommended it at the time when he was selling Ndac.
But of course there are better ones, as audiophileo/ power for 1k.

96

I bought it for a Cambridge Audio DAC Magic Plus and it did the job. I didn’t need anything more expensive than that at the time. I’m pretty sure that there are better ones. Right now I need it only to watch movies from my computer

97

My two very late cents (in Italy, the 2 cent coin has a picture of my hometown’s main building on its flip side): my music is on a MacBook Pro 13" which I modded with an SSD and 8Giga Ram. It serves no other purpose than music serving. I rip with XLD.
It is LAN connected to a dedicated Apple router exiting from the modem, together with my DAC/Streamer. I prefer the Ethernet way because the LAN connection takes the ‘raw’ file directly from the folder and almost anything else in the Mac - including iTunes, or now Music - is excluded. In fact, all my volume controls in the Mac (at least three) are down to zero and everything, from clocking to outputting an analogue signal, is done by the M3.
With the quality of a Naim media player (I have owned an ND5 XS2, was excellent) I really can’t see the reason for passing through the CPU, volume controls and the inherent noise unavoidable in USB routing except for the fun of toying with different DACs or cables.
M.

98

P.S.
I only gave in to audio folly with Ethernet cables: instead of using the normal, 35c/mt. ones I bought some slightly better, singularly isolated and nice looking ones on Amazon, about 6€/mt. I learned something definitive about wires when I substituted the €6,50/mt. Van Damme 2 x 4mm speaker cables for the €60/mt. TelluriumQ Black I.

But saving money is definitely not one of the sources of amusement in Hi-Fi, isn’t it?
:slightly_smiling_face:

M.

99

I can only agree with that:

A bit off topic: how would you compare the Bricasti M3 to the ND5 XS2 that you had previously? It would be even better comparing it to the NDX 2. I’ve never listened to any Bricasti DAC unluckily, but I’ve always been a bit curious.

100

Blacknote,

I hope you won’t mind if I’ll refrain from comparisons: I have been a Naim owner for many years, and had a large number of their 45-year long catalogue’s items. My M3 has also a costly streaming board and a remote with an insensate price, so its global price tag should come closer to an NDS’s.

I’ll tell you my impressions about the ND5 XS2, which I used with a Nait XS2: it was easy and very reliable to use, never lost connection or had network issues. Together, they were the pair that made my S-400s perform globally best in my living room, thinning down the 400s a bit and refining their top end another bit.

American and British audio ‘schools’ are very different; when I still listen to a Naim system I hear qualities unavailable elsewhere, a hint of sharpness that adds to the music’s ‘trueness’; on the other hand, in the long run I found it more suited to jazz and high class pop than to classical. They also played solo piano wonderfully.

I have always believed, and still believe, that once in a while Naim comes out with a product that - be it a clever stripping down job from a top class model, or the other way 'round - belongs in the entry level compartment but is a champion of cost/quality ratio; it was so with the Sats, the XS2 and the ND5 XS2 especially, which, in my opinion, doesn’t justify - if not for those for whom tossing another zero in the cheque is immaterial - the difference in cost of the NDX, even the 2.

The path along which Naim is slowly bringing its more iconic voicing - perhaps the ‘olive’ one - to a gradual universalization seems to stop, once in a while, on a happily affordable compromise; the ND5 XS2 is one and the Atom, to my ears, is another.

As you may know, I have Klipsch Heresy IIIs, which very likely are considered by some here inadequate and an out-of-time eccentricity on my part; but I have them, and I hear them. Well, they are very sensitive; I sometime think that if I had been smart enough to buy them first, I would probably now have an Atom, a less authoritative and top-class sound but a ton of happy music and more savings in my Bank account.

Hope it helps,
Max
e

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101

No worries @anon39073561, thanks for the reply though.

The Bricasti M3 isn’t really a cheap DAC, therefore I was wondering how it fits into the market compared to other products (in this case Naim ones). I know it wouldn’t have been that fair to compare it to an ND5 X2, nonetheless I was just curious to understand how these two brands approach sound.

I tried the Nait XS2 as well, but then I decided to buy an Exposure 3010S2D which is, to my ears, more refined, clearer and transparent. I really liked the XS2 as well, but I did my choice with not much regret (I think the XS2 had more punch in the bass but lacked a bit of refinement and soundstage).

Having not tried any American product, I can’t really judge (I might have listened to some McIntosh pre/amp/sources once but I didn’t really enjoy them). I found the NDX 2 to be very detailed and sharp and it’s well suited to jazz music and soundtracks for instance. I find the NDX 2 to be much better than the ND5 XS2, but of course everybody might have a different opinion about this. Still the ND5 XS2 is a great product and sounds very good for the price.

There’s no right or wrong, as long as you are happy with your choices. We all perceive sound differently and we all like different performances. Despite being an enjoyable process, I suspect that many people would have preferred to spend less money on Hi-Fi.

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102

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