Best NAA with USB output?

Audio Gear Talk HQ Player
1

Hello,

As I am using Roon DSP for EQ and DSD64 upsampling, I was advised by a fellow audiophile to test HQPlayer.

As my Lumin U1 mini is not a NAA, I was wondering what would be the best choice of NAA with USB output?

Current setup is
Roon Core / HQ Player Desktop trial on NUC8i5
Direct RJ45 cable to Lumin U1 mini streamer with SBooster
VDH Ultimate to Audia Flight FLS10 onboard DAC card

I have seen the list of recommended device but most of them are DACs, and other choices either do not have USB or not easy to find in Europe.

Do you have any recommendation?

2

Raspberry Pi 4 (not earlier models) is great and won’t break the bank account !

Raspberry Pi 4 Starter Kit - Elektor

Load the NAA RPi4 OS to the microSD:

https://www.signalyst.eu/bins/naa/images/naa-4112-raspberrypi4.7z

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3

Thank you. Indeed easy to find and possible to get a fanless case.

For the NAA use case, and therefore direct connection to DAC, should I get a linear power supply or the default standard one is good?

4

Get the default to start.

If you have a USB (5Vdc) powerbank you can try that too.

A battery powered RPi4 would ensure complete isolation for your DAC’s USB input (both ethernet isolation and AC power isolation). If you hear no difference between battery vs default, I wouldn’t bother buying a linear PSU.

2 Likes
5

Try a product from SOtM.

6

Thank you. I did try the SMS200 and Ultra version with SPS a couple years ago and had a bad experience: instability and crackling sound with DSD. Despite the very nice and reactive support, iterating through firmware update trying to find a solution was painful, one of the key reason why I ended up with a Lumin U1 mini.

7

Sorry for the bad experience with the SMS200.
I’m using a SMS 200 Neo and also a Lumin T2.
The first thing before seriously using the SMS 200 is changing the power supply, because the original one produces hums. After that, I’d never a problem with iit’s, also in using DSD (until DSD512).

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8

Here are a couple that are known to work great and up to 1.536MHz PCM and DSD1024. I have the AAeon UP-board gateway…1st link. I prefer it over the Amazon link with wireless options as I don’t need wireless but it may fit your need better.

Edit: added link for Europe. Mouser UK also carries UP Board.

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/AAEON-UP/UP-GWS01-A20-1432-A11?qs=%2Fha2pyFaduiqPaKHsTvEIjDEYu4O6sHmLjD52%2BUzjidN3XUuBDi9QCRZsVSwAsJS

and

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9

May i suggest
My setup is
Room Rock > Router > HQ Player > Allo Signature > DAC
Its playing everything in DSD 512 with No problems at all.
The Allo is running RoPieeXL for the HQ Player NAA
Whats u asking is the Allo, and…i have NOT try any R Pi4 DIY. Maybe its a solution for u, cant tell

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10

Thank you everyone. I will start with the pi4 to test.

I just found out that 3D labs transport is apparently compatible with HQPlayer. Any feedback on those?

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11

What was the DAC that exhibited this? The one in your first post?

12

At the time I had a Nuprime DAC-10H. So indeed, this might be different.

Note that since then I have been very happy with my U1 mini, never had any problem and enjoying music.

May I ask if there is any plan to include NAA as part of Lumin products?