The setup and test list
Contents
The equipment used is
- Naim XS2 integrated amplifier
- Naim ND5XS streamer with DAC
- Naim standard DIN interlink
- Audio Physic Spark II speakers
- Ricable Dedalus speaker cable
- Belden Catsnake Cat5e ethernet cable.
Music used for comparison
A lot of music was listened to leading up to the writing of this review. There was so much to explore, but there were also some challenges in arriving at a good and fair comparison. In the end, a short playlist was compiled to properly point out the differences in some aspects.
- Tindersticks – Show me Everything. This track begins quietly, has a lot of detail in the recording and in the build-up more and more instruments are added. Stuart Staples’ voice becomes more urgent and do you feel it? How much detail do you continue to hear and does it nevertheless remain an organic sounding whole?
- Ofeliadorme – Alone with the Stars. Huge soundstage and effects in that soundstage.
- Morphine – Buena. Does it keep swinging? Do you hear details in the slide bass guitar or does it become mush? How is the sound of the saxophone?
- ‘Der Abschied‘ from Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde. Lots of soft passages with woodwinds. Where do you hear the instruments in the stereo image, how much do you experience the ambiance of the hall and where is the singer singing in the stereo image? A fantastic recording and even more beautiful performance.
Hello,
question probably asked a thousand times,
I have the choice of upgrading my system with either a LHY SW-8 switch (replacing a Dlink GS105) or a set of Ricable Magnus Power+XLR cables (replacing HMS Quartetto XLR and Audioquest Z3) for headphone listening (Matrix audio mini i-4, Violectric DHA V590², Hifiman 1000SE).
Which would be the best choice for my system?
Best regard
Hello Jacques. that’s impossible to say. It depends. Let your ears make the decision.
I hav3 the LHY SW-8. And speaking with the engineers
The ocxo clock takes roughly 300 hours to fully run in
I just let music play 24-7,
2 things to mention that gave it a solid added5+% was a decent power cord ,I used the Pangea awg14 sig mk2 , and Hifi tuning supreme 1.25 amp slow blow fuse better then both the Sonore deluxe Ethernet to fiber which imo bleaches the sound
And better then the ether regen both we used a 7 v fared LPS
This is made by Ja yes Audio , streaming now is far better sounding , my brothers Innuos Ethernet switch is far better
And will get one for Xmas ,one mentiin the T+A200 dac exceptional and = or beats dacs at 2x it’s $7200 cost a great dac to look out for.