Best DAC/Streamer for Naim Nait XS 3 amp + Proac Speakers

[Soundscape]

Hello All,

I'm trying to put together a decent system centered around Proac bookshelves:

https://www.stereophile.com/standloudspeakers/386/index.html

on a stand and a fairly pricy amp - the Naim Nait XS 3:

https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/naim-nait-xs-3

I now need to find a suitable streamer/dac to feed the amp.

The conventional wisdom suggests I should get the same branded streamer from Naim, however I would like to check with the people here what they recommend.

Many thanks!

 

[staticV3]

Hi @Soundscape! Welcome to ASR.

The WiiM Pro Plus would be an ideal streamer to pair with your Naim.

It's bit-exact with a fully transparent DAC, so sound quality is as good as it gets.

The WiiM would even add room correction to your system, which I'd highly recommend you make use of.

If you'd like to have a screen, then consider the WiiM Ultra.
Just know that unlike the Pro Plus, the Ultra does not support AirPlay.

 

[DSJR]

As above. My local Naim-centric audio 'salon' recently started selling Wiim and the guarded comments they've put on their website indicate they were surprised how something so 'cheap' could perform so well. Of course, those looking at Naim streamers wouldn't even glance at something equivalent that's so cheap in comparison.

 

[Soundscape]

Is it worth it buying one of these superior SMSL DACs to add to the Wiim?

 

[JeremyFife]

Is it worth it buying one of these superior SMSL DACs to add to the Wiim?

Not for sound quality, perhaps if you want a specific feature (like balanced output)

Other equipment may measure better but the differences are not audible (below the thresholds of our hearing) and there is no audible benefit. It can be hard to accept, but there it is.

 

[Soundscape]

No, I will gladly accept

 

[Jim.d]

Not for sound quality, perhaps if you want a specific feature (like balanced output)

Other equipment may measure better but the differences are not audible (below the thresholds of our hearing) and there is no audible benefit. It can be hard to accept, but there it is.

Sorry to revive an old thread. I’m still trying to get my head around dacs and found this comment interesting. I have an audiolab 9000a and keep reading reviews that contradict each other over whether the integrated dac is good or not. Some say the sound improves with an external dac. Are dacs basically ‘solved’ now, as in any well designed and implemented dac design, WiiM, audiolab etc, will sound indistinguishable to each other or are there still audible differences between them? FWIW I also have a WiiM pro but use the dac in the Audiolab because it’s meant to be better.

 

[FrantzM]

Sorry to revive an old thread. I’m still trying to get my head around dacs and found this comment interesting. I have an audiolab 9000a and keep reading reviews that contradict each other over whether the integrated dac is good or not. Some say the sound improves with an external dac. Are dacs basically ‘solved’ now, as in any well designed and implemented dac design, WiiM, audiolab etc, will sound indistinguishable to each other or are there still audible differences between them? FWIW I also have a WiiM pro but use the dac in the Audiolab because it’s meant to be better.

Are dacs basically ‘solved’ now, ?

Answer : YES. An Apple dongle, the one they usually sell for less than $10.oo , when level matched and in blind comparison, will sound exactly the same as any other correctly designed DAC, be it a $100 Topping or a 100,000 MSB, we're supposing the MSB are competently designed, IDK, but if they were ... would (do) sound the same...
Sobering? Perhaps
Liberating ? for me, DEFINITELY!

Best.

 

[Jim.d]

Answer : YES. An Apple dongle, the one they usually sell for less than $10.oo , when level matched and in blind comparison, will sound exactly the same as any other correctly designed DAC, be it a $100 Topping or a 100,000 MSB, we're supposing the MSB are competently designed, IDK, but if they were ... would (do) sound the same...
Sobering? Perhaps
Liberating ? for me, DEFINITELY!

Best.

Thanks, definitely liberating haha