Onkyo Digital Media Transport ND-S1 alternative to Wadia 170 iTransport - Page 7

Just as debate rages about every other component manufactured for the audio market, the magic of the DIP would seem to be a mixed blessing:

Audio Asylum Thread Printer

Personally, I am willing to swap a little resolution for a warmer, if less detailed, sound. Ideally, I'd like that processing to be performed in my DAC - this reviewer claims it was the sonic equivalent of upgrading his DAC, and I have to wonder if that might be the best solution over adding another box into the mix:

Monarchy Audio DIP Classic DAC Processors Review by Tuckers at Audio Asylum

Fwiw, the makers of the DACMagic claim that you give yourself an advantage straight up by running a laptop source from battery rather than from the PSU:

Stereophile: Cambridge Audio Azur DacMagic D/A converter

I know this is a curly one, here and elsewhere, but I find this claim interesting:

The DacMagic does exhibit very strong attenuation of jitter from all input signals due to our Anagram ATF upsampling and reclocking algorithm. However, as you have touched on, the USB interface itself inherently carries a much higher level of jitter than S/PDIF/TosLink, as the audio data have to be inserted into a TDM stream according to a 12MHz clock nonsynchronous with the audio. Also, with USB audio 1.0, you are limited to 16-bit/44.1kHz or /48kHz transfer only.

And the clincher for any device trying to deal with massive jitter:

As you've found, the DacMagic can normally attenuate the interface jitter very effectively, but it is true that if the incoming jitter is sufficiently large, it can become outside the timing window that the ATF is able to totally reclock.

Finally, I'm sure that John Atkinsons measurement on the DACMagic have been mentioned before, but it all points to a solidly engineered device that doesnt require Bryston/Alpha money.

Stereophile: Cambridge Audio Azur DacMagic D/A converter

Are there better DACs ? Of course there are, but I'd be keen to see the DACMagic paired with the Onkyo via optical if and when someone actually buys the ND-S1.

All,

I brought my Onkyo ND-S1 to the NY meet yesterday:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f45/ny...ssions-455588/

Hopefully members will post about it soon in that impressions thread.

I had it powered from the internal SLA battery power of the Isabellina HPA. I also had the Wadia iTransport (again, powered by the internal battery of the Isabellina HPA).

I need to do some critical listening (it can be noisy at the headfi meets), but right off the bat I'm fairly confident that they sound the same. I was using the coax output for each unit (the Onkyo also has optical output, but I did not try it yet).

In the next day or two, I'll test them both (with the stock switch-mode power supplies that come with these units) to see how they compare.

While people at the meet mentioned that the Wadia was heavier and with better overall build quality, everyone loved the much slimmer (less tall and less deep) enclosure of the ND-S1, the added features, and of course, the price is quite a bit lower.

More to come soon...

Vinnie

Nice Vinnie, sure hope to hear more of this new offering. BTW, will you offering an small 5 volt battery psu for it? Thanks.

Hi Miguel,

This coming week, our Black Lightning SLA battery power supply webpage will be up (and we can make these to output various DC voltages, including 5V). I'll post the link as soon as it is up.

Thanks,

Vinnie

Thanks for sharing your initial impressions Vinnie. Any chance you might be able to sell these anytime soon? I thought I would ask since I know you carry the Wadia 170i and since it seems to be a pain to find trustworthy sources overseas that ship to the US.

A quick heads up for all those UK phreaks : The Onkyo dock is available at Richer Sounds - but only in store - I'm going to pick one up today hopefully (cost £149.00).

Also at Amazon £139 delivered.

SpudHarris, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts following Vinnie's feedback. I'm still leaning towards the Netbook source over the iPod/Onkyo for my bedroom rig. A definite upside of the Onkyo would be the remote, but it will be interesting to see what Vinnie comes back with after he has had time for critical listening.

I love the thought of this product but I'm a little lost to be completely truthful. I would want this for my home listening area where at present Im using an ipod straight into a headphone amp via a LOD. I'm guessing that to use this in the same way I'm gonna have to change my headphone amp (Solo PSU1) for one with coax or optical input? Which is a stumbling block as I love the Solo. Or am I missing something. How would you guys be looking to use it??

If you want a home solution can't understand why you don't use a media streamer. That way not limited to 160GB and able to use it from other side of the room.

Doh... just called RS .. seems they've gone and sold the one that was reserved for me.. I have the option of the ex-display version..

Maybe I'll order it online after all.

SpudHarris : - the aim for the Dock is to provide Digital output, so as to utilise a better DAC than the one in the ipod - so to use the dock you'll need a DAC and HeadAmp.

iRiverDude, there are a host of solutions for digital music, but the attraction with the Wadia/Onkyo transports, as I see it, is that you can have your cake and eat it. Rip your music to lossless once, transfer it to your DAP and you've got that music anywhere you want it : iPod into IEMs or portable DAC/amp at work, whatever 'downstream' kit you want to hang off the transport at home.

I also think part of it is the challenge of achieving the 'impossible' - genuine hi-fi sound from a DAP. I believe that the answer to the puzzle lies in controlling jitter, but I expect that we will hear a lot more in the very near future. ATM, all someone has to do is achieve a better overall result than What Hi-Fi claim in both their reviews.

BigTony

I have had mine a few weeks just order from Peter Tyson. £139.00 got it in under 24 hours.I use it with my iphone just for last fm and my ipod with lossless it sounds good coming out of my dac.Can't wait to see if battery power supply will make any better.