System Pics 2023

You’re on fine form F R.:joy:

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Hi Nick,

Yes agreed, and I already have a 300dr which bends them to its will very nicely.

However, I remain intrigued by the possibility of deriving as much enjoyment as I do now by downsizing to smaller system and trading ultimate sound quality for something which is less intrusive.

I note that my dealer has been advertising is ex-demo 300dr for weeks, which doesn’t bode well for the economics of trading-in (unless he has sold it and hasn’t take the ad down :thinking:).

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Very nice,

What is the middle box and the Arcam an AV receiver? It doesn’t appear to be festooned with multi-channel logos.

Keith

Also the Fiio x5III works well with the Sen 600’s for me.

I have a clear recall of a particular test, done with a friend in the audio store where he worked.
We compared a rip on his MacBook with Audirvana, through the newly arrived DAC V1 and NAP100, to the CD read by CD5si/Nait5si.
The difference was not subtle, especially in terms of focus and imaging. The rip was globally better…

But then, I also remember very well a comparison between a rip on the Core through a ND555 into a full Statement, to the LP read by the Solstice, and the superiority of the Solstice was embarrassing.

My opinion only, each to his own of course.
:slightly_smiling_face:

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My away from home.

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LP versus CD may be a wider discussion, perhaps best on another thread?

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Quite apart from the sound quality, which seems wonderful to me, the Core is a beautiful piece of equipment. Build quality & looks are superb. Some things are just nice to own. One reason I’ve never moved my chrome bumpers on. Later Naim may or may not sound better, I’ve no idea, but I love the CBs. The return of the Nait 50 sort of bears this out?

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Perhaps best not at all…
:slight_smile:

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Arcam avr 550

:smile:

Oops, sorry Ebor. If it helps, I think we had the older 804s that didn’t have the diamond tweeters and the 200 was definitely pre-dr so maybe the wolf has moved on. Also, these things are very room dependent.

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Until the Core is able to (1) find metadata, (2) perform a reliable differential backup, and (3) be such that CDs ripped to it can be seen on Windows File Explorer, I’d say my NS01 is (was) better. That’s where I am currently.

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I’m definitely not saying it’s perfect but I’ve not had any of the issues you’ve mentioned. I delete my last backup before doing a new back up. As for metadata think most problems I’ve had are there’s insufficient details on the CD and it’s not that difficult to enter them manually.

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As an avid Naim owner for decades, I will say I’ve been VERY impressed with the Aavik kit hearing it at audio shows. Probably the only other place I’d head if I left the Naim camp.

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Thanks :blush:

The box is one of those Eversolos which seems to be getting a lot of attention recently

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My main source is setup like you shared “rooster.” A Core to a Questyle DAC with a Naim digital cord. It is clearly better and much more detailed than my NDX/XPS. I only use the NDX now for Tidal and music I don’t own or have ripped.

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My system far and away from my Naim at home.

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Of course, it’s a computer - a limited-function computer.

Of course, these days, pretty much everything is a computer.

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Yes that’s the point exactly. A dedicated hi-fi device - I own a Melco N100, is built to do only one task and to do it as well as possible. Different considerations apply to the design of say a MacBook Pro which has to perform many computing tasks and is not purpose designed as a music storage device or server. It is hardly surprising that dedicated hi-fi devices sound better.

Of course there are those who will claim that it’s all just 1’s and 0’s so if you rip your CD’s on a Core or a Melco ripper (which I do) the rips will sound no different to if you ripped them using a cheap laptop and £30 optical drive. This is rather like claiming that all CD transports or CD players with a digital out socket will sound identical as they all simply output the same digital data stream. So one may as well buy a £50 DVD player with a SPDIF out to feed ones £10K Dave DAC rather than investing in say a £5K transport. It will sound no different. Only one tiny fly in the ointment here, and that is, of course, it does…!

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It is the eversolo plan to try an add a ndac at some point to it

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