Thanks Kevin for your advice and the Myteck link.
Mytek get some great reviews, but I have decided to go down the Matrix Audio X-SABRE Pro DSD MQA DAC and Nucleus route, into my Naim NAC 282. I will use the Nucleus for storage too.
Regards
Hi DJM,
Good luck with the new Matrix Audio DAC - I hope everything goes well and that you enjoy the DAC.
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Have a look at the Aqua La Scala MkII Optologic. Its a glorious DAC, however it does not cater for MQA. Not sure if that’s of any interest though
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HiDiamond RCA and USB cables are excellent. I was firmly in the Chord camp before I heard these, owning Chord Signature tuned ARAY before hand and Digital Signature
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Thank you hmack, will report back and let you know my findings.
Regards
Bill…Funnily enough, the dealer from where I’m buying the DAC and Nucleus from, sells them. What have one’s have you got and what do you recommend for the DAC and Nucleus?
Thanks
Hi DJM,
I have a Roon Nucleus and it is a great music streamer consolidating Tidal and my NAS. I connect to a PS Audio Direct Stream DAC via USB. The sound is amazingly good. I do not hink you need another music server. Hop this helps.
Thank you Michael, that’s music to my ears. When I first started this project, I was told by several dealers, who I’d previously purchased components from, that the idea of a Nucleus and a DAC setup, was a bad idea.
It is so nice to hear you and other kind Roon Community members, confirm that the Nucleus/DAC idea is great. Yes, I’m sure there is a couple of other bits and pieces that I could add at a later date, but for now I’m confident that my music will shine!
I am expecting delivery tomorrow, so now I’m just having a search for a decent USB and audio cables to hook up to my NAC 282/300DR.
Regards
David
I think what you already have / what comes in the box will be fine…
(and significantly cheaper) 
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Enjoying this discussion.
But I would refer to this “deeper” analysis:
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Dammit you got me! Almost had me convinced until the google searches!
OK, I would love some advice here. Dont get me wrong, I love my system but always looking to improve.
I Have a Moon 390 pre amp & DAC powerd by a Moon 330A power amp, Speakers B&W 803. Files & Roon controlled by an iMac. Would adding a Necleus improve my sound quality ? Also, if you could recommend one or two things to add or swap out for noticeable sound improvement what would they be ?
He doesn’t. These forums in particular have more hyperbole than others - perhaps influenced by the many manufacturers on here, and those influenced by said manufacturers on here.
The IT guy from above gave a perfect explanation of how USB, Ethenet, the TCPI/IP protocol and how the related devices work. “Audiophile Ethernet cables”. Ha.
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Is this connected to the Moon 390 by USB? Or using network connection? If remote (in different room) network connection, not too much to improve there with the Nucleus. I do not own a Nucleus, and I am not knocking them, as I am sure they are great. I just use a fanless NUC. So, if you are using the network connection of the Moon 390, and the iMac is in another room, you won’t have any computer fan sound issues. Any “sound quality” issues that the iMac makes would be cleaned up by the Moon 390 when the bits enter it to be processed.
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I assume that the Moon 390 is connected via ethernet as it is a Roon Ready device. Then, I would say no SQ difference. There may be an ease of use, maintenance or other quality that might attract you to use a Nucleus, though.
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I doubt if anything is going to give you a noticeable improvement in SQ unless something in your current setup is defective. Of course, you could spend a fortune on a very upscale pair of speakers that might make a difference.
Haha… brilliant. The “IT” guy has no interest in the purity of the signal, only that the signal is coming in.
Until you try it, you can’t comment…which I trust you haven’t
Looking at this and other like threads scattered around the internet it would seem to me that the effort put into the debate is inversely proportional to the ability of that being discussed to bring about significant improvement to sound reproduction. One wonders how many of those arguing for have even attempted dealing with their acoustic environment where night and day differences are readily attainable.
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If by an “impure” digital signal, you mean one that has had sex then, no, I don’t care about that either.
Perhaps you have in mind some other — equally nonsensical — notion of “purity of a digital signal.” But I suspect that if you don’t already understand why it’s nonsensical, no attempt to explain why it’s nonsensical will help.
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Sooooo, you are not aware that “noise” plays a very big part in the output of the signal? Removing that noise IE purity of the signal is required for the best SQ.
If you are not bothered about that, and purely in the bits are bits camp then fair enough. If you have not listened to/tested then I don’t see how you can comment.