What updates do you recommend?

Hello everyone,

I come to you because I need some advice and guidance to improve the quality of my source.

This is my system :

Macbook pro 13" from 2017 With Audirvana
-> USB
Mytek Brooklyn DAC +
-> RCA
Supernait 3
-> Cabasse Clipper 312 M2

I’d like to improve my system and I’m thinking of several possibilities.

  • Add a linear Uptone Audio JS-2 linear power supply on the DAC (ordered)
  • Change source (nuc, mac mini uptone, streamer like Sotm 200 or Nucleus or Naim ND5XS2 or something else…) ?

I only listen to Tidal and Spotify streaming and I have some FLAC (Being able to read FLAC is not mandatory).

What would you recommend as a source to complete my system? Budget +/- 2500€

Thx a lot.

What interconnect from DAC to SuperNait?

RCA -> cinch ?

Yes but what make and model? Low grade interconnects can severely limit your source. Conversely, upgrading them can unlock a lot of the music that had not been getting through to your amp.

oh sorry,

QED PERFORMANCE Audio Graphite

Just Googled it and can see that is rather inexpensive, around £20-25. Your system deserves something far better than that.

I can’t recommend a specific upgrade but a friend of mine recently acquired a Chord Shawline and was very pleased with it. He was upgrading from something (probably) better than what you have too.

As always try to get a demo but I think that could be a major bottleneck for you. A £20-30 interconnect is generally regarded as upgrade #1 from the ‘rubbish’ given away for free. By comparison the Naim HiLine retails for £800+ but I doubt you’d need to spend that much to hear a significant improvement.

Thx.

Have you any recommandation about the source ?

Your DAC is effectively the source. The MacBook sends a digital stream down the USB cable but it’s the DAC that actually creates the music. If you are using a very cheap/free USB cable then I would upgrade that too but analogue cables are more important.

Also, if you upgrade your interconnect then get rid of the Cinch adaptor and purchase a specific RCA -> DIN interconnect cable that can plug directly from your DAC into the SuperNait with nothing else in between,

These are relatively low cost upgrades and I wouldn’t believe the video’s claim that cables only “squeeze out a little more performance”. Cheap cables stop you getting the best out of the electronics you already own. If you only upgrade your electronics then the same cheap cables will also stop those sounding their best.

In your case, we’re not in the diminishing returns margins of performance upgrades. In my opinion there’s a large mismatch between your cables and your electronics and an interconnect cable upgrade is basically an open goal.

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TBH I fast forwarded to the end but do you doubt that for a few hundred £ the OP can’t gain some major benefits from the kit he already owns? That’s for way way under his stated budget too. I’m not saying he needs to go crazy, just get away from the entry level stuff he currently has.

Without arguing the merits of using a Macbook as the digital streaming source, he has a DAC way above entry level and an integrated amp massively above entry level. I don’t doubt for a second that QED’s entry level interconnect (great VFM I’m sure) isn’t severely limiting his musical enjoyment.

Do you have a Naim dealer nearby ?

Those speakers are quite big…would love to see a pic or 2 of your setup…

What kind of music do you listen to ?

The speakers are rather big yes :).

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Fair point and I’d also say that the improvement a cable upgrade can bring is also a factor of the gap between electronics and existing cable. In this case a lot depends on how much more the DAC has to give so there is potentially much more than a marginal benefit especially as the Supernait 3 is unlikely to be a bottleneck.

I would be looking to borrow some cables off a good dealer and listen at home before parting with any money.

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No seller Naïm, I bought the Supernait 3 in import from the UK.

Thank you for your feedback. So for you, it doesn’t matter the “source” or the streamer?

But i understand that i’m going to invest in cables and start by RCA -> DIN cables.

I’m not specifically recommending this particular cable or saying you shouldn’t evaluate others but this is the sort of thing I would look at. Try to borrow one to listen at home or find an online retailer that offers a trial returns policy. QED do more advanced cables too, as do companies like Audioquest. You won’t know what you like best until you compare a few. I wouldn’t advise purchasing blind.

If this or something else you listen to and prefer seems worth the money then you will keep getting the benefits of future any electronics upgrades. As stated above, it’s likely you would have to spend a lot of money to significantly better the DAC and amplifier you already have.

I’d be prepared to bet that for around £200 spent on a better interconnect, you would hear a difference that would require you to spend much more in equipment upgrades to get the same uplift.

I get the point. I’ll work on that.

My response would be definitive: Your source is Imac fed by usb to the Mytek Brooklyn.
The IMac is the weak link.
Try to see better transports, like Innuos Zen, Melco N1, to fed into the Mytek. iMac is noisy…
Or add an Ethernet bridge to your Brooklyn , like AURALiC or Bluesound node. The IMac will act as a Nas.
With AURALiC or Bluesound node or Sonore, connected to your Mytek, you will be also able to stream Qobuz and Tidal.

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hi Frenchrooster.

it’s not an imac it’s a macbook pro. you don’t have the same opinion that @jezoakley. For you, source is important ?

There are a lot of directions you could go in and many suggestions have been made. More importantly where are you heading? Where do you want to end up with your system?

I would suggest you use the search function and explore some of the SuperNait threads. It may give you some ideas what others have done with their systems, sources, interconnects, cables, naim products, other 3rd party products, HiFi Rack and speakers. There is a ton of information and opinions available for your reading pleasure and offers a larger cross section of the forum membership.

Personally I find my NDX 2 streamer with a XPS DR is a fantastic source. I use music from my NAS and Qobuz as my main sources for music. NAS has about 2000 ripped CD’s and was a former TIDAL user but found Qobuz HiRes files have much better sound quality (my room, my system, my ears). I also have a HiLine interconnect between my NDX 2 and SuperNait 2 which has a HiCap DR. A nice four box system which was my end goal. Information regarding systems can usually be found in the users profile. Taking a review of other users systems can lead you down a few search paths as well.

Good luck with your quest and future decision, the journey can be a lot of fun!

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