The Naim DAC is a true high-end product that can deliver an audiophile and, more importantly, a musical performance from virtually any digital source. It is also a truly convenient way to access music.
August 2009
25 August 2009. Salisbury The Naim DAC is a true high-end product that can deliver an audiophile and, more importantly, a musical performance from virtually any digital source. It is also a truly convenient way to access music. The Naim DAC is the world’s first1 Apple authenticated high-end DAC, which means it can connect digitally to any iPod2 or iPhone…
It’s around £200 if one shops around so I decided to risk it. I also purchased a cheap PC Express to IE1394 card to fit my HP2133 netbook. Lots of fiddling around and finally all the drivers matched up and were running. My best DAC, or at least the best that will do anything above 48kHz, at the moment is the Cambridge DacMagic so I tried it it with the output from the TC.
Very interesting, the combination delivers the best computer audio sound quality I’ve achieved so far. It has a rightness and a feeling of grip that is so much better then the shiny chromium plated sound that it’s so easy to get.
So a plea to companies running demos at hi-fi shows: besides good systems, good choice of music and pleasant atmospheres can you please just make it easy for us music fans to find out what you are playing.
Over the past day I’ve had a chance to listen to the comparison in two systems, both this time, using the coax S/PDIF input. Overall I prefer the Cambridge DacMagic. The DM is a little more even handed: on first listen it sounds a little flatter than the V-DAC but after a while it’s obvious that vocals are a littel more intellidgble even though they are further back in the mix.
The MF is initially very enticing, it has a very direct quality as if a veil has been removed from in front of the speakers but at the same time it wasn’t quite as cohesive. The DacMagic – set to my preferred Minimum phase setting – was a little more relaxed, laid back in presentation but the bass was together with the rest of the band.
I’m told the MF will be here tomorrow so assuming I give it a day or so to run in I’ll be doing some comparisons on Thursday and Friday – More then