Merging Technologies NADAC 2 and 8 Channel DACs Nearing Debut

[bmoura]

The announcement of a U.S. and Canada distributor for the 2 and 8 Channel editions of the NADAC (Network Attached Digital to Analog Converter) from Merging Technologies indicates that the NADAC is finally getting close to its debut.
Very interesting!

http://positive-feedback.com/industry-news/nadac-distribution-for-north-america-is-finalised/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWSsEFwSo5A?start=1057&end=1380&autoplay=1
http://nadac.merging.com/news

 

[Steve Williams]

Congratulations to our own Philip O'Hanlon here on that one. When I was at his house a few days ago he said the first NADAC would be arriving this coming week

 

[bmoura]

The first review of the 8 Channel NADAC is in and it's a rave review from David Robinson at Positive Feedback.
Robinson says the NADAC-8 tops all prior DACs he has heard - including Playback Designs. Wow.

http://positive-feedback.com/audio-discourse/impressions-the-merging-technology-nadac-mc-8-dsd-dac/

 

[Nyal Mellor]

Beyond the Ethernet interface I wonder how different this is to the Exasound.

 

[dallasjustice]

Beyond the Ethernet interface I wonder how different this is to the Exasound.

That's a pretty big "other than", Nyal.

There's no other consumer DAC with a multi-channel AES67 interface. I think that's a really nice thing. These DACs have way more I/O flexibility than any exa box. And there's a decent power supply too.

 

[Nyal Mellor]

That's a pretty big "other than", Nyal.

There's no other consumer DAC with a multi-channel AES67 interface. I think that's a really nice thing. These DACs have way more I/O flexibility than any exa box. And there's a decent power supply too.

What are the benefits of AES67 apart from ability to put the source computer anywhere on the network?

Is this an Exasound ++?

 

[YashN]

The first review of the 8 Channel NADAC is in and it's a rave review from David Robinson at Positive Feedback.
Robinson says the NADAC-8 tops all prior DACs he has heard - including Playback Designs. Wow.

And he's buying the review unit too.

 

[YashN]

Congratulations to our own Philip O'Hanlon here on that one. When I was at his house a few days ago he said the first NADAC would be arriving this coming week

It will be interesting to hear the NADAC paired with the Vivids in Philip's setups.

 

[Bruce B]

It will be interesting to hear the NADAC paired with the Vivids in Philip's setups.

I heard the NADAC in Philip's room paired with the G1's. Some of the best sound I've heard!!

 

[Nyal Mellor]

Done some more reading on this at the NADAC website, seems like a cool technology. Particularly the 8 channel unit, as there are few options for consumer MCH DACs beyond the Exasound E28. I am curious though whether the sound will be much different / better than the E28. Merging don't provide any details on the ESS implementation, and the Exasound has what looks like to be better measurements (though not sure if noise floor and THD are really that relevant, and they only publish the E22 measurements, not the E28): http://nadac.merging.com/nadac, http://www.exasound.com/e22/e22Measurements.aspx

 

[dallasjustice]

Nyal,
AES67 isnt just another ethernet connection. A lot of DACs claim to be "future proof" but there really are some nice advantages to using a Ravenna network in MCH systems in larger rooms. Rooms wired for speaker wires aren't needed. There just needs to be a network connection to sync up multiple DACs and even ADCs.

I have no idea, though, how Merging will do with their ASIO driver. I hope for the best, but Merging has been dedicated to Pyramix for a long time. I don't know how the execution will be with this new standard with a multitude of softwares. I know the Merging people, like Dominque, are great people and will do whatever it takes to make it perfect. But I wouldn't be surprised if there were a few speed bumps at first.

I think the pricing is pretty high. But these are the rare couple of DACs without any direct consumer competitors. I hope other manufacturers step up and build more Dante, Ravenna or other AES67 gear to compete since this standard IS the future and USB is on the way out.

Done some more reading on this at the NADAC website, seems like a cool technology. Particularly the 8 channel unit, as there are few options for consumer MCH DACs beyond the Exasound E28. I am curious though whether the sound will be much different / better than the E28. Merging don't provide any details on the ESS implementation, and the Exasound has what looks like to be better measurements (though not sure if noise floor and THD are really that relevant, and they only publish the E22 measurements, not the E28): http://nadac.merging.com/nadac, http://www.exasound.com/e22/e22Measurements.aspx

 

[bibo01]

One surprising thing, in my view, is that NADAC has ES9016 chip whereas Hapi has ES9018.
I asked Dominique - I would like channel mapping implemented in driver.
ASIO driver very stable once is setup properly, also with a good PCIe ethernet card.

 

[astrotoy]

After Phillip gets the mch NADAC, I'm scheduled to get it to go against my E28. I was positively impressed hearing the stereo NADAC back in mid June in Geneva in an extended listening session. I've been using earlier Merging hardware and software for my ripping project over the past five years (Pyramix and Mykerinos card). I'll also be able to compare the NADAC against my Model Two and my consultant's Berkeley Audio Reference Dac for stereo playback.

Larry

 

[YashN]

I heard the NADAC in Philip's room paired with the G1's. Some of the best sound I've heard!!

Thought it would be!

Was it with the Luxman DAC and Audirvana+?

 

[Bruce B]

Thought it would be!

Was it with the Luxman DAC and Audirvana+?

Sure was. Was using Luxman Pre and monoblocs and Audirvana+

 

[bmoura]

I heard the NADAC in Philip's room paired with the G1's. Some of the best sound I've heard!!

I can imagine having been in Philip's room. NADAC in Philip's place would be something.

But I will say that the NADAC demo in David Robinson's room at The Show Newport definitely turned some heads.
It's going to a contender at the high end of the DAC market, no doubt about it.

 

[Sauerball]

This is one of those threads where I need to hold onto my wallet as I read.

Go on.

 

[Sauerball]

At the moment I'm listening to a middling Sonos system in a rental house in the Caymans. Yet, at least three times today, I've caught myself thinking of a Merging DAC.

 

[bmoura]

After Phillip gets the mch NADAC, I'm scheduled to get it to go against my E28. I was positively impressed hearing the stereo NADAC back in mid June in Geneva in an extended listening session. I've been using earlier Merging hardware and software for my ripping project over the past five years (Pyramix and Mykerinos card). I'll also be able to compare the NADAC against my Model Two and my consultant's Berkeley Audio Reference Dac for stereo playback.

Larry

I'm just starting to put some hours on the 8 Channel NADAC here. But Multichannel DSD is already impressive on the NADAC MC-8 model.
They are going to do very well with this one.