Has anyone heard or tried the new Naim Dac?

Sandra,

Don't doubt your ears. Everyone listens for different things. Naim may very well be the most polarizing gear there is. People either love it or hate it. There's very little in between. Most everyone respects it though.

I really like Naim's presentation. I also like a livlier and more energetic presentation than many people do. To some ears that my be bright and/or grating. I like a touch of warmth, but not a lush, romantic like presentation. To me stuff like that seems too wram and slow. Everyone's got their preferences.

The Naim DAC was connected to Naim's top tier seperates, HDX server/hard disc player, and the new S600 speakers. I can't afford a single piece of that system. I wasn't auditioning it, it was playing when I stopped in for a different matter. Listened for about 5 minutes or so.

The Bryston DAC is a great DAC IMO. Probably the best one I've heard, not that I've heard a ton of them by any means. Its got a great balance of detail, smoothness, energy, and just about anything else most people look for. Its gotten a ton odf praise from everyone who's reviewed it, and for very good reason. To my ears, it was pretty much undistinguishable from their CD player, which has gotten even more coverage and praise.

Its a bit over my budget, but I could swing a Simaudio 300D if I saved up a bit more. Simaudio and Bryston have sounded very similar in the past. Simaudio has been a touch softer in the highs. I haven't heard the newest Simaudio gear, but its supposedly is a bit more pacey than it was, hence my interest.

Rega is rumored to be developing a DAC that'll sit between the Apollo (which I own and love) and the Saturn, according to a few guys on the Pink Fish forum. I'll wait for that before I buy anything, unless of course it comes out sometime this year.

Sorry if I'm rambling.

I just got the Naim DAC last week. Hooked it up to my HDX and 555 power supply - the sound is amazing. Very open, wide soundstage. Sounds considerably better than the HDX on its own. Highly recommended!

"I think it is a huge waste of money to spend that kind of
coin on a cd spinner when high rez media and hard drives
are the way of the future. "

A used or even new Naim cd player at any level is a great value if you have a decent sized cd collection. It's also a great value because they support their products. I would say an inferior sounding DAC (any DAC) is not as good a value.

Docmarc, have you had the chance to compare
your set up to the CDS3?

Sandra, it is possible to play high rez files on itunes.
However, you have to convert the files to wave using a
converter program such as from this web site:
http://www.dbpoweramp.com/
I tried a few free samples at HDtrack web site and
they do work in itunes after conversion and are still
high rez quality. The People at HDtracks did tell me
that you can play them on your ipod. However, these
files will not transfer to my ipod even though they do
play on my computer.

Bummer, I really wanted to try out this high rez media.
Maybe it works on newer ipods.