New DAC from NAD D 1050 vs ZxR or other DAC(s)

N

Neutrino

Gawd
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Nov 10, 2005
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What do you guys think of this:

http://nadelectronics.com/products/digital-music/D-1050-USB-DAC

since my ZxR had issues I returned it to the store to replace it. They did not have any other in store I got store credit.

Now I'm debating it to try a standalone DAC/preamp/headPhone amp like the one I posted or buy another ZxR.

Another option that seems quite nice is the objective 2 + ODAC combo but it really lacks input/output options

I will be using it with my senn 555 (modded to 595) and my active studio monitors. Both will probably be upgraded to senn 650 and (adam/genelec/something...)

Usage music/movies/games
 
I would say go with the external dac...

that NAD D 1050 looks pretty sweet ... if the price tag doesn't faze you then probably would be a great choice
 
Looks great though, as in the specs. If you do, please report back on how awesome it is. I'm on some Schitt gear right now. Just total Schitt. (Magni and Modi)
 
HammerSandwich said:
Note the fixed-level outputs.
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The NAD rep (recent audio show) told me that this DAC can also serve as a preamp and control the the volume. Or did I misunderstood what you meant?

atarione said:
I would say go with the external dac...

that NAD D 1050 looks pretty sweet ... if the price tag doesn't faze you then probably would be a great choice
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Considering the prices of most DACs i saw...this does not seem that expensive (i would love an ODAC but it seems very limited in inputs/outputs)


Kai said:
Looks great though, as in the specs. If you do, please report back on how awesome it is. I'm on some Schitt gear right now. Just total Schitt. (Magni and Modi)
Click to expand...

will do :)
 
It looks like a good piece. The ZxR will provide better gaming sound in most cases. However, it would not sound better for music.

I have had NAD in the past and the amps did well for 5 years until one broke. This was during my teenage years so small wonder I eventually killed them lol.
 
You were correct HammerSandwich

I looked carefully in the the manual:
VOLUME (applicable for headphone listening only) • Adjust headphone audio level by turning clockwise or counterclockwise. This volume control does not affect the 2 CHANNEL AUDIO OUT level.
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spaceman said:
It looks like a good piece. The ZxR will provide better gaming sound in most cases. However, it would not sound better for music.

I have had NAD in the past and the amps did well for 5 years until one broke. This was during my teenage years so small wonder I eventually killed them lol.
Click to expand...

I like NAD's no nonsense approach...i also like that they are one of the very few amp manufacturers that seem to post true power ratings.


BTW if you guys have better ideas I'm listening :)
 
I just saw that you plan on a 650. Pump the brakes a bit here then.

That NAD does not have the power for 650s or anything harder to drive than what you have now.

You would need to add a separate headphone amp for that.

What is most important to you? Games or everything else?

If it is games, get another Zx or ZxR and add an external headphone amp when you upgrade your headphones.

If it is music, there are a TON of great, killer dacs and headphone amps with pre-amp outs for what you are looking comparative to the NAD price tag. You will get a better bang for the buck.
 
spaceman said:
I just saw that you plan on a 650. Pump the brakes a bit here then.

That NAD does not have the power for 650s or anything harder to drive than what you have now.

You would need to add a separate headphone amp for that.

What is most important to you? Games or everything else?

If it is games, get another Zx or ZxR and add an external headphone amp when you upgrade your headphones.

If it is music, there are a TON of great, killer dacs and headphone amps with pre-amp outs for what you are looking comparative to the NAD price tag. You will get a better bang for the buck.
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Sorry to gatecrash the topic - but have the same question as the OP. In my case I'm torn between the new Arcam Irdac and this NAD. So far I was leaning towards the NAD purely because of the headphone amp - to drive my Senns HD600. Why do you think NAD wouldn't be able to drive them? I read somewhere it should be capable to drive anything up to 600Ohm with no issues.
 
It will power them ok. It simply does not have enough juice.

The 600 series is pretty notorious for scaling up amazingly with strong amps.

A usb, all in one unit like that will sound thin and lifeless compared to a robust, separate amp.

If you really want the most out of the Senns. I would suggest the Schitt Valhalla amp.

There are a few other less expensive amps, but really, this amp is $349 and the rest can go towards a ZxR. This will sound much better, play fuller detail, and give you the best gaming sound going atm.

I used to run a pair of 600s and 650s with this amp for example. A true powerhouse.

http://www.questforsound.com/amps/amps_sq84-V2.htm

The same amp I sold to the studio who recorded Robert Plant and Allison Krauss, Raising Sand album. They used it and a pair of my Headphile modded AKG 340s to listen to themselves after recording a track.

I have many leather bound books....

Just what I would do personally. I always give advice based on how I would spend my own.
 
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Let's say that he uses the Valhalla as recommended and gets a Zx- what cable would be used to connect them?
 
spaceman said:
It will power them ok. It simply does not have enough juice.

The 600 series is pretty notorious for scaling up amazingly with strong amps.

A usb, all in one unit like that will sound thin and lifeless compared to a robust, separate amp.

If you really want the most out of the Senns. I would suggest the Schitt Valhalla amp.

There are a few other less expensive amps, but really, this amp is $349 and the rest can go towards a ZxR. This will sound much better, play fuller detail, and give you the best gaming sound going atm.

I used to run a pair of 600s and 650s with this amp for example. A true powerhouse.

http://www.questforsound.com/amps/amps_sq84-V2.htm

The same amp I sold to the studio who recorded Robert Plant and Allison Krauss, Raising Sand album. They used it and a pair of my Headphile modded AKG 340s to listen to themselves after recording a track.

I have many leather bound books....

Just what I would do personally. I always give advice based on how I would spend my own.
Click to expand...

you also said

spaceman said:
If it is music, there are a TON of great, killer dacs and headphone amps with pre-amp outs for what you are looking comparative to the NAD price tag. You will get a better bang for the buck.
Click to expand...

I will talk now about the music output - with games the situation will be different.

May I ask if this is based on an assumption/personal experience/comparison of the technical data/measurements? As far as I can see there is not much data available yet for the NAD.. At the moment I am feeding HD600 in one system from Beresford Caiman, integrated DAC/headphone amp. It handles them fantastically well, with a plenty of power, without any problem even with the most dynamic passages. I also have a Little Dot mk III, dedicated valve headphone amp, and the integrated is no worse for sure. A different sound, of course, as expected from the solid state vs valve.

From what you are saying, the same would apply also for lets say Cambridge Audio Dacmagic+, Firestone Fubar IV+ etc, all considered proper headphone amps, and I have seen few people, if any, complaining that these don't do justice to HD600.

And if we are going there - please suggest some "killer DACs" and headphone amps, in the price category of this NAD. Because we are talking here about a What HiFi 5* product, amongst the very best in its given price category. If it is a TON, I think someone at the renowned hifi mags would have taken notice by now.

The ideal option of course will be a propers hifi dac (Arcam irDAC, NAD D 1050, Dacmagic plus, basically anything with the USB) and a dedicated hifi headphone amp. But this will push it to a different price level - 1000EUR worth of gear driving 300EUR headphones is a little bit of luxury, isn't it?

I think this question goes down to priorities. If a flexibility for the computer use is in question, probably ZxR and a headphone amp will do the job. But if the sound quality is a priority, hifi DAC+headphone amp (or a good integrated) wins.
 
I'm a bit confused also since both the ZxR and the NAD can drive 600 OHM headphones (even marginally) doesn't this mean they should be able to drive a pair of senn 650 easily since they are rated at only 300 OHM?

As far dacs there are very little to none "scientific" reviews, this is why I came here see if I can get some more info

as NwAvGuy said:

Detailed and credible published measurements are missing with most “boutique” DACs being sold including those from Schiit Audio, Audio-GD, AMB, Twisted Pear, Burson, and NuForce. Where’s the credible evidence they got it right? A lot of these companies try to claim specs don’t matter, and they instead design by ear, but that method is seriously flawed
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I really wish I could find some dacs actually backed by some empirical data, all audiophiles mags seem to offer is "feelings" :(

Just as an example one of my hobbies is photography (when I search for a lens or camera there are plenty of subjective review but also plenty of measured tests e.g. a lens' MTF)..
 
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I've seen it shown before that the Creative cards aren't quite as good at driving high-impedance cans as they should be based on the spec sheet- but I'll let Spaceman dig into that one.

I really just wanted to echo your thoughts concerning lens selection- since that is how we tech geeks tend to look at everything, especially stuff as personal as a lens or a set of cans or an amp :).
 
The XDA-2 would be an excellent choice. Like the NAD, it works well with easy to drive headphones. I would say it is at least the equal as the NAD and costs $200 less. Combine it with an O2 or the Schitt and you will have a jamming system.

All of my knowledge is from personal experience and years of reading other peoples opinion on the subject. I have not heard every piece of equipment but with the 650 I loved my modded Zhalou dac and modded PS Audio dac. I think I paid under or around $200 for each used.

The consensus is as follows:

The Senn 650 is a unique headphone. For some reason, it scales up to the quality of equipment used. So if you use an entry level amp and dac, that is what you get. Upgrade and the 650s sound better and better up to a point of diminishing returns around $1500.

I would also consider the O2 + Odac combo at least as good as the one NAD is offering. At under $300, it offers a very good value. Sorry I forgot about that earlier. Been going to work at 4 am this week. Lack of sleep sucks for your brain.
 
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