kuma
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2003
- Posts
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Naim DC1
Last weekend, I've set up a Squeezbox 2 in the office rig with Shigaraki DAC/Dumpty.
I've borrowed a meter of Naim DC1 just out of curiosity and compared it to my current NBS Signature III and OTA.
In the past, I've went through rounds of digital coax cables and the NBS, Siltech and OTA ended up as my reference.
I started out with the OTA ( for the obvious reason ) between the SB2 and Shigaraki DAC. Not the clearest or resolving cable around, but it has a relatively low colouration and times reasonably well.
Switching to my long standing reference NBS Signature III digital cable, it adds more weight and authority around and the noise floor drops significantly from the OTA.
Percussive attacks improve with more liquid midrange. This cable beat many others that I have tried for its musical capability in spite the obvious added colouration.
Then I put in the DC1 in place of NBS.
A tonal balance didn't change much ( in fact, all cables I have on hand are slightly warmer side of the spectrum ), but I've noticed straight away that the system took on faster, livelier presentation WITHOUT making the top end threadbare. Few cables give an impression of clarity and speed by having a pronouced and truncated leading edge. With the DC1, I got the firm, well-defined bass definition and authortiy without making the trebles sounding lean and forward. It can pass through plenty of resolution and natural soudning decays up top. Albeit, as much as the Shigaraki is capable.
Instrument separations seem to improve whilst maintaining the low noise floor good as NBS, too.
It seems that the DC1 brings out a rhythmic structure of the music more so than others I've tried without paying a penality elsewhere.
It is flexible and much easier to manage than the NBS and the best of all, it does not cost a fortune. Priced at 275$/meter, it still is not the cheapest, but I have heard lot less performing cables at around the same price or more.
I've only done the comparison with the Shigraki DAC, but curious to see how it does with other DACs.
I highly recommend this cable as a sensibly priced digital cable alternative.
The system:
Squeezbox 2 ---> 47Labs Shigaraki DAC/Dumpty --->Naim Nait 3R --->Naim Headline 2/NAPSC--> Grado Music Pro and Naim N-Sats for speakers
I used a RCA/DIN terminated Chord Cobra II analogue lead between the Shigaraki and Nait.
Last weekend, I've set up a Squeezbox 2 in the office rig with Shigaraki DAC/Dumpty.
I've borrowed a meter of Naim DC1 just out of curiosity and compared it to my current NBS Signature III and OTA.
In the past, I've went through rounds of digital coax cables and the NBS, Siltech and OTA ended up as my reference.
I started out with the OTA ( for the obvious reason ) between the SB2 and Shigaraki DAC. Not the clearest or resolving cable around, but it has a relatively low colouration and times reasonably well.
Switching to my long standing reference NBS Signature III digital cable, it adds more weight and authority around and the noise floor drops significantly from the OTA.
Percussive attacks improve with more liquid midrange. This cable beat many others that I have tried for its musical capability in spite the obvious added colouration.
Then I put in the DC1 in place of NBS.
A tonal balance didn't change much ( in fact, all cables I have on hand are slightly warmer side of the spectrum ), but I've noticed straight away that the system took on faster, livelier presentation WITHOUT making the top end threadbare. Few cables give an impression of clarity and speed by having a pronouced and truncated leading edge. With the DC1, I got the firm, well-defined bass definition and authortiy without making the trebles sounding lean and forward. It can pass through plenty of resolution and natural soudning decays up top. Albeit, as much as the Shigaraki is capable.
Instrument separations seem to improve whilst maintaining the low noise floor good as NBS, too.
It seems that the DC1 brings out a rhythmic structure of the music more so than others I've tried without paying a penality elsewhere.
It is flexible and much easier to manage than the NBS and the best of all, it does not cost a fortune. Priced at 275$/meter, it still is not the cheapest, but I have heard lot less performing cables at around the same price or more.
I've only done the comparison with the Shigraki DAC, but curious to see how it does with other DACs.
I highly recommend this cable as a sensibly priced digital cable alternative.
The system:
Squeezbox 2 ---> 47Labs Shigaraki DAC/Dumpty --->Naim Nait 3R --->Naim Headline 2/NAPSC--> Grado Music Pro and Naim N-Sats for speakers
I used a RCA/DIN terminated Chord Cobra II analogue lead between the Shigaraki and Nait.
