[bhobba]

I have recently got one of those new NAD C390DD direct digital amps.

Very impressive and up there with some pretty high end stuff such as a Playback Designs and Mac 501's.  But feed it by the Off-Ramp using the SPDIF and a good cable WOW.  Quite possibly the best reproduction I have heard - certainly one of the best.  Very liquid and fluid but with dynamics that whack you and thump you in the chest - impressive.

To achieve this though you must use the Off-Ramp - some people I know used an AP2 - good - but not at this level.

Thanks
Bill

[mr_bill]

Bill,
Have you tried a thumb drive directly attached to the NAD or a Squeezebox Touch via coax?
Bill

[bhobba]

Have you tried a thumb drive directly attached to the NAD or a Squeezebox Touch via coax?

No - but I have read the thumb drive is not as good as standard USB.  The Off-Ramp simply blows away the standard USB.  I had a guy over today who was awe struck how good the NAD was and shocked with the difference the Off-Ramp made.

He agreed with me - if you are putting a system together simply get this NAD and then listen to other stuff to get exactly what you want - however you will be searching for a while to beat this.

It annihilated a Playback Designs MPD3 for example.  I originally thought it may have had my PDX by the short and curlies but it showed its true colours when fed into a heavily modded Spectron - yea that's the type of amp it takes to best this thing - I rate the Spectron above Mac 501's.

Thanks
Bill