Adding a high end DAC to Nucleus, is this all I need for a great setup?

[RBM (René)]

Oh… We agree in principle. It’s just a matter of terminology.

[DJM]

Thanks for explaining that Martin.

One important thing that I forgot to mention…My stored music files are on a eight year old, cheap Qnap T112 NAS, which is on it’s last legs. Having a SSD storage option on the Nucleus is also very appealing!

Are you using the Nucleus with SSD storage?

[Bill_Turner]

Similar situation where I was looking for a v good usb DAC. The Chord TT2 and MScaler where also on my shortlist. Having had many discussions with someone in the business, I was recommended an Aqua La Scalia MkII Optologic. Yes it’s a touch more than £5k, but you can get a young used unit under your budget. It’s a seriously good sounding DAC. It has that all important analogue feel and sound to it. The Chord are more on the clinical side to me, whereas the Aqua sounds more organic

Good luck in your search

[Martin_Kelly]

I have both, an internal SDD and also USB 3.0 HDD.
If you have a choice, go for the internal SSD option - MUCH faster, and also silent too.

[DJM]

Cheers Bill.

[DJM]

Forgot to ask you Martin, have you got the Nucleus, or the + version?

Definitely SSD!

[evand]

Please could you expand on what you mean by, “middleware streamer that claims magical properties and inserts itself between the Core and DAC”. Thanks

In essence if I were in the market for new kit knowing I’m using Roon (whether Nucleus or some other server running Roon Core) my thinking would be as follows:

• 1st priority - find a great DAC I really like the sound of that can play all the music formats I envisage using
• is there a Roon Ready version (understanding they’re now called streamers instead of DACs). If yes, and I’m not paying for all sorts of features I’ll never use that’s my choice right there because I can plug into LAN and play.
• if not Roon Ready, ensure the DAC is capable of working in the Roon ecosystem (most DACs with a USB input will work fine, but Roon tested means it’s known to work) and add a RPi as an endpoint. Then if I really don’t want to use USB input on the DAC add a suitable USB > SPDIF / AES/EBU converter.

The type of streamer I would avoid is the all singing all dancing type that prostitutes itself to every streaming protocol, offers a plethora of digital outputs, probably does analog out too, does memory playback etc. yada yada yada. These are toys parading as hi-fi.

[Martin_Kelly]

Just the standard Nucleus Shirley.
Unless you have a massive library, and/or play music in multiple zones, then a standard Nucleus should be fine.

[DJM]

Thanks martin…A small library, 346 albums. At the moment, only played in the ‘listening Room’, with the possibility at a later date, to have a Bose wireless speaker upstairs somewhere.

[Woo (Greg)]

I started with a Nucleus/2TB SSD and Sony USB DAC in 2018. There was some incompatibility between them so I sadly had to lose the DAC. When it worked it sounded great though.

Now I’ve moved house the router and system are in different rooms, so I can’t use the Nucleus with a USB DAC. I’m using a Pro-Ject Stream Box S2 Ultra with WiFi and USB output, and my new Pro-Ject USB DAC arrives very soon.

If I were connecting the Nucleus via USB with a £5k budget I’d seriously consider a pre-owned dCS Debussy. In your scenario the Naim NDX is worth trying too, perhaps the ND5 XS2 as well.

[NipperDog]

Do yourself a favour and dispense with the notion that you need a streamer. It’s a load of hogwash from the ill-informed who have bought one and now need to rationalise the folly and dealers trying to sell you something you don’t need, from which they generate profit.

Buy yourself a Roon Ready Tested DAC and a Nucleus, go Nucleus directly to DAC via USB or add a Pi4 running Ropieee and use that as an endpoint. You most definitely do not need a streamer.

Thanks evand, this post was a revelation for me! I already had a Lumin D2 streamer when I bought my Nucleus last month but it’s good to know that if I decide to upgrade, a DAC will be all I need next time.

[Tom_K (Tom Keenan)]

As lovely as the Node 2 is, and their app is flawless, I feel that it’s time to upgrade my source.

I have a Node 2i as well as a Sonore ultraRendu.
I tried out a DAC/Streamer that was much more expensive than the Node 2i (~$2500). In rapid A/B testing between the Node 2i and the new DAC (which I’ve since returned), I could hear little if any difference in SQ.

YMMV. But if you are committed to the Nucleus, you might want to bring it home and try with the Node first before investing in anything else.

[Jim_F (- I'm Done)]

I don’t yet have a high end amp and speaker system. However, I bought a Nucleus in November and couldn’t be happier. I moved my Roon core from my Dell laptop to the Nucleus and connected my Oppo 203 via HDMI. I installed a Samsung SSD in the Nucleus for my very small music library. I am streaming Tidal and Qobuz with zero issues. I use my Dell and iPad as control devices.

[Jack_Bolton]

I’ve made comparisons between

1. running the Nucleus straight into my Nagra USB DAC; and
2. sending the signal via ethernet to my dCS Network Bridge (connected via XLR to the DAC).
   I slightly prefer 2, but I have no obvious explanation (if you discount that I’m prejudiced in favour of the Network Bridge because of its cost).

[Vule]

sending the signal via ethernet to my dCS Network Bridge (connected via XLR to the DAC).
I slightly prefer 2

Me too.
(Ayre QX-5 instead of Nagra DAC)

[David_Crosbie1 (David Crosbie)]

As many have suggested going straight to USB DAC cuts out a lot of unnecessary middleware, and as a lot of higher end USB devices are now designed to filter out noise etc, there’s little to no compromise in doing so.

I’d suggest a nucleus is also unnecessary. A NUC (or similar) running ROCK will cost a fraction of the amount and do the exact same job given the size of your library.

USB is USB and whether that socket is on a nucleus or a NUC will make zero difference to the sound that comes out, it’s just that one will cost you a lot more.

I understand there seems to be some defence for a nucleus if you’re running unusually large library or a high number of zones with DSP etc on them, but for most mortals, a middling NUC works just fine.

I run an HP 260 G3, which is pretty much identical in spec to a 7th gen NUC (except my i3 is actually a little faster). And it runs four zones, 700-800 albums and tidal subscription with very little pressure on the system resources.

Have fun whatever you do, just don’t spend money if you don’t need to!

[Jim_F (- I'm Done)]

I doubt a NUC is a fraction of the cost of a Nucleus. Retail price is $1,400 I believe. I got mine new for $1119. Not to mention, the Nucleus is fanless and totally silent if that’s important to you, as well as turn-key.

[David_Crosbie1 (David Crosbie)]

I’ve yet to hear the fan on mine kick in

And “half” is still a fraction

[xxx (Banned - toxicity)]

I doubt a NUC is a fraction of the cost of a Nucleus.

You can build an 8th Gen i3 with 8GB RAM and 128GB M.2 for around $375.

Load ROCK for free and you are GTG.

[Jacques_Distler]

A NUC8i3 retails for about $315. Add another $35 for 8GB (2x4) RAM and the total is about 1/4 the price of a Nucleus. You still need an internal SSD drive but, IIUC, you needed to supply for the Nucleus as well.

'Course, it ain’t fanless, you had to install the RAM and the OS yourself, and it’s not nearly as pretty. But it is unquestionably a lot cheaper.