NAD Wireless USB DAC 2 Review

[PeteL]

It’s a USB sound card, and computers are not only desktop or laptop type. iPad is a computer too, so is an iPhone. If they have implemented properly an USB DAC doesn’t require a separate driver. I am hoping that it will work with an iPad.

Open Spotify and/or Apple Music then enter “88” in the search. See the options offered to me. Can you replicate that functionality on a dedicated streamer?

To be honest I doubt it. They would advertise it if it had IOS compatibility. It's not the norm. Maybe.

 

[pseudoid]

It’s a USB sound module, and computers are not only desktop or laptop type. iPad is a computer too, so is an iPhone. If they have implemented properly an USB DAC doesn’t require a separate driver. I am hoping that it will work with an iPad.

Is there some deficiencies with the iPad (or iPhone?) built-in audio for needing this USB DAC device?

 

[sarumbear]

To be honest I doubt it. They would advertise it if it had IOS compatibility. It's not the norm. Maybe.

There is no reason why it wouldn’t be. As I said before, sound module is a standard USB device type. As a USB disk works with a computer and an iPad I expect this device to work too. But, if it has a non-standard device then it won’t work.

 

[sarumbear]

Is there some deficiencies with the iPad (or iPhone?) built-in audio for needing this USB DAC device?

I want wireless connection to my DAC. Please read my earlier posts for detailed explanation.

 

[PeteL]

There is no reason why it wouldn’t be. As I said before, sound module is a standard USB device type. As a USB disk works with a computer and an iPad I expect this device to work too. But, if it has a non-standard device then it won’t

It's a few years old device The manual only mention PC an Mac. I don't know what receiver chip they use. In XMOS dev, you have modules for this but it's not in the stock firmware. Maybe things are changing. My audio interface by Audient don't support iOS. Do all these Topping or other DACs do? I may be late on this but again, not a new product. There used to be. "mfi" -made for IOS licence, is this all gone?

 

[sarumbear]

I don't intend my comments to be snarky or offensive, just curious as to how you plan on using the DAC 2 within the constraints you yourself have mentioned?

I’m afraid you have failed.

You have also failed to understand what I tried to explain what my problem with a streamer is. Maybe you can read my posts again?

Finally, I have been using the setup listed on my signature for good many years. There’s no future plan. My setup use a USB cable between the DAC and the iPad. Hopefully this NAD will make it wireless.

I also have a NAIM streamer, that I don’t use for the reasons I tried to explain, whose app is often said to be one of the best.

 

[sarumbear]

It's a few years old device The manual only mention PC an Mac. I don't know what receiver chip they use. In XMOS dev, you have modules for this but it's not in the stock firmware. Maybe things are changing. My audio interface by Audient don't support iOS. Do all these Topping or other DACs do? I may be late on this but again, not a new product.

So far I tried at least half a dozen DACs successfully with an iPad.

 

[PeteL]

So far I tried at least half a dozen DACs successfully with an iPad.

OK, there used to be a licence for this.

 

[sarumbear]

It's a few years old device The manual only mention PC an Mac. I don't know what receiver chip they use. In XMOS dev, you have modules for this but it's not in the stock firmware. Maybe things are changing. My audio interface by Audient don't support iOS. Do all these Topping or other DACs do? I may be late on this but again, not a new product. There used to be. "mfi" -made for IOS licence, is this all gone?

Driverless usb sound adapter is a thing.

 

[sarumbear]

OK, there used to be a licence for this.

I guess Apple can afford any license needed

 

[PeteL]

Driverless usb sound adapter is a thing.

Sure, but then again, microsoft only support UAC2 natively since windows 10, MACOS from the start, IOS not sure. But yes let us know if it works.

 

[Bruce Morgen]

Canadians are in luck as the parent company (Lenbrook) has a liquidation channel with refurbished units in stock for $99 CAD https://theaudiofactory.com/product/nad-wireless-usb-dac-2-24-96-point-to-point-digital-streaming/

I just checked using a Canadian IP via VPN and they still have "low stock" of them.

 

[C. Cook]

I bought one of these back in January of 2017 frame and remember liking how it sounded in my system at the time. IIRC, I returned it because the wireless functionality wasn't working consistently. Also if I recall correctly, it effectively needed clear line-of-sight between the transmitter and DAC and my room wouldn't let me do that. Every time I got up or someone stepped into the LoS, it would drop the signal. The unit at the time did not accept a native 16/44.1 input source. It only worked for 24/96, which made it unusable for one of my components and Tidal Masters; regular Tidal and Spotify worked fine. I'm sure they've fixed that by now, but maybe not? Given the Burr Brown chips, that would seem like a firmware issue or something.

 

[tjf]

I’m afraid you have failed.

You have also failed to understand what I tried to explain what my problem with a streamer is. Maybe you can read my posts again?

Finally, I have been using the setup listed on my signature for good many years. There’s no future plan. My setup use a USB cable between the DAC and the iPad. Hopefully this NAD will make it wireless.

I also have a NAIM streamer, that I don’t use for the reasons I tried to explain, whose app is often said to be one of the best.

OK, I'm glad my failure has prompted you to tell everyone your specific use case for the NAD DAC 2, so now people can see what a possible specific scenario is for using the DAC.

BTW, the Naim App in my opinion is mediocre at best, along with other "high end" streamer Apps I've used (Lumin/Linn, Simaudio "MIND2", Harman, and various UP&P scenarios), it's too bad the better Apps (Sonos and BluOS) are used in mediocre hardware implementations...

 

[ALaylowguy]

I want wireless connection to my DAC. Please read my earlier posts for detailed explanation.

Uhm I was thinking... The way this product function from what I saw is that you connect the source (be it a computer, iPad, iPhone...) with the smaller RF transferring device then It will send the data to NAD DAC. The thing is there will be a cable involved in this mission; USB cable for a desktop or OTG cable for a phone. It isn't wireless and quite cumbersome IMO. How about something like a Qudelix 5k with a 3.5mm jack to Dual RCA or a 2.5mm jack to Dual XRL. Well you will not get LDAC with iPad and even then the quality will not be on par with NAD DAC but will be more convenient which I think is your goal.

 

[JSmith]

Ok, so who is going to bring out a balanced version of this, maybe with an optical input, remote and volume control? Then I will be in for sure.


JSmith

 

[srkbear]

Thanks as always for the excellent review, Amir.

I’m gonna give it props for its price to performance ratio and for underestimating its DNR and SINAD. But I have to give it drops for its functionality and (expected) obsolescence. I have Roon offering me wireless multi-room streaming via their RAAT protocol at up to 768 PCM and DSD 512, with an endless array of DSP functions; and I could just as soon build five or six RPIs to act as receivers with full control of individual volumes and different songs playing at every node for a comparable price.

I’m not sure I’m ready to applaud manufacturers for simply behaving like reputable citizens and offering truth in advertising and ethics in pricing. And NAD has a long way to go in justifying their prices for whole swaths of their catalog. This modest little thing they surely knew was never going to set the industry on fire, but they’re still charging $6,000 for a surround processor and even more for a streaming amp. Pretty sure there’s some funky accounting going on in their markups there…

 

[Marc v E]

OK, I'm glad my failure has prompted you to tell everyone your specific use case for the NAD DAC 2, so now people can see what a possible specific scenario is for using the DAC.

BTW, the Naim App in my opinion is mediocre at best, along with other "high end" streamer Apps I've used (Lumin/Linn, Simaudio "MIND2", Harman, and various UP&P scenarios), it's too bad the better Apps (Sonos and BluOS) are used in mediocre hardware implementations...

I agree. I think the reason for this is that hardware and software development are 2 seperate things. There are very few companies doing both well. Usually there is 1 main focus and an afterthought.

That's why it's probably a good bet to let the software do all the things necessary (like Roon) and connect it all to good hardware. Or be flexible in software choice with a cheap device like a raspberry pi.

 

[PeteL]

Thanks as always for the excellent review, Amir.

I’m gonna give it props for its price to performance ratio and for underestimating its DNR and SINAD. But I have to give it drops for its functionality and (expected) obsolescence. I have Roon offering me wireless multi-room streaming via their RAAT protocol at up to 768 PCM and DSD 512, with an endless array of DSP functions; and I could just as soon build five or six RPIs to act as receivers with full control of individual volumes and different songs playing at every node for a comparable price.

I’m not sure I’m ready to applaud manufacturers for simply behaving like reputable citizens and offering truth in advertising and ethics in pricing. And NAD has a long way to go in justifying their prices for whole swaths of their catalog. This modest little thing they surely knew was never going to set the industry on fire, but they’re still charging $6,000 for a surround processor and even more for a streaming amp. Pretty sure there’s some funky accounting going on in their markups there…

How can it be a comparable price when your player software alone is already 3 times the price of this, not counting the RPIs, and the DACS? You can have DSP with this too if Roon is your source? Which DAC did you hook up to your PIs to beat price and performance? just curious.

 

[Marc v E]

There is no reason why it wouldn’t be. As I said before, sound module is a standard USB device type. As a USB disk works with a computer and an iPad I expect this device to work too. But, if it has a non-standard device then it won’t work.

Do you have a NAS?
(I'm asking because it seems you don't. Back in the days when I had none I thought music from a computer was a hassle too.)