NAD C389 playback through Blu-OD MDC versus external streamer

Answered
mikeweadley+bluos

Hi All,

I have the NAD C389 amplifier with the Blu-OS MDC v2 module. I'm using it with Roon and it works.

I see that the Blu-OS MDC v2 module has a limit of 24-bit 192-kHz input.  My question is what happens when I try to stream music files that are more than 24-bit and/or more than 192-kHz?  I also have an iFi Zen Stream that I can connect via digital coax to the NAD C389 whose DAC works with these higher-resolution files.

1. Would you expect better sound quality through the iFi Zen Stream?

2. Does the Blu-OS MDC module support higher resolution files? Does the NAD's native DAC upsample the playback?

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Comments

4 comments

Date Votes
  • Official comment
    Tony W.
    Product Support Manager
    • Edited

    Your BluOS MDC supports 24/192 playback. Bluesound and NAD DACs both playback at the original sample rate and neither upsample nor downsample.

    Let your ears decide which you prefer.

  • Brian
    Lossless

    I own several NAD Bluesound enabled units among them an M33 and C658 as well as an M23 amp. As well I own several 3rd party DAC's with playback capabilities above 24/192 and I have DSD and high bit/sample rate files. I agree with Tony W. that your ears should decide what sounds better. 

    Best practice is that this sort of testing should be done blind so the listener doesn't know which system is playing by having someone else switch inputs randomly without the listener knowing which one is active. An important feature of the tests is volume matching since a slight increase in volume can be perceived as 'better' due to the nature of sound reproduction bass will sound fuller and have better decay at higher volume. The external DAC may output a louder signal so this can be tricky. See whether you can hear the difference more than 7 out of 10 times with the same source material.

    Make sure the NAD input for the external DAC is set to Analog Bypass so it doesn't get processed by the NAD's internal DAC.

    In my experience the M33 is completely transparent and its DAC implementation is among the best.

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  • mikeweadley+bluos

    Thank you Tony, thank you Brian.

    You've provided good advice for me here.  One quick question is that the Zen Stream is not a DAC, so I'm assuming I can just connect it via coax and do not need any particular settings for that NAD input. Correct?

    Mike

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  • Brian
    Lossless

    Mike you are correct. I hadn't paid close attention to the iFi model you referred to. Coax out to the NAD and will be fine.

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