Master Fidelity NADAC DAC and Clock

[Davidny]

This should be very interesting and perhaps groundbreaking.

 

[audio.bill]

Said in the video to be about four times as expensive as the Mola Mola Tambaqui DAC.

 

[Nuforce]

Unless mistaken pricing is around £22k/$26k no??

 

[audio.bill]

Unless mistaken pricing is around £22k/$26k no??

Think the price reference may have been for the DAC with separate clock as pictured.

 

[Nuforce]

Master Fidelity NADAC-C Ultra Low Noise Master Clock (CONTACT US BEFORE PURCHASE!)

SHIPPING END OF MAY 2024 FOR BENELUX, GERMANY / AUSTRIA PURCHASES: CONTACT info@spiritofturtle.com FOR ALL OTHER COUNTRIES CHECK: official MF NADAC distributor list. Model:NADAC-C PDF MANUAL NOTE: SPECIAL DISCOUNTS ON THE PLATFORM DO NOT APPLY TO MASTER FIDELITY PRODUCTS About NADAC-C Timing is...

spiritofturtle.com

No that price is just for the clock I've just realised .Nice that they actually quote the unit's phase noise Typical Phase Noise 114 dBc @ 1 Hz；

That's a crazy amount of money for pretty average clock performance...

A Mutec Ref120 is what, 1/4 the cost for 120 dBc @ 1 Hz.

The actual dac is £30k/$35k I see. Yowzer.

 

[fast.freight]

That price Bill referenced is for the Nadac DAC and Nadac Clock.

 

[Hyperion]

The official prices according to the manufacturer (excl. local VAT):

NADAC D: 21’250 EUR (DAC)
NADAC C: 25’000 EUR (Clock)

/ Marcus, www.perfect-sense.se

 

[Davidny]

 

[Davidny]

Last weekend I was fortunate to have a fun listening session with Bill Parish, GTT Audio, in his big listening room (Vivid Giya G1 Spirit speakers, Audionet Heisenbergs and Stern, K-S Realization cables) and his new, but burned in, Master Fidelity NADAC DAC and clock. I’ve heard Bill’s system before, most recently with a Grimm MU1 & Tambaqui DAC.

As longtime audiophiles, we are all conditioned to dismiss the usual superlatives that accompany the latest new piece of gear. However I wanted to share my impressions because this DAC & clock IS extraordinary. We listened to a full range of music; violin and piano sonatas, duets, concertos and full orchestras, and some acoustic jazz. We finished up with the last movement of Beethoven’s 9th, a musically very dense piece of music which I’ve heard live a few times over the years and which no system i’ve heard could come close.
In summary, the newest recordings, in high resolution (DXD, DSD256) stored locally, sound like live music. That’s an achievement I did not think was possible. The following day I attended a cello & piano recital at Zankel (Carnegie) Hall which helped recalibrate my brain to the gold standard, live music. I still stand by my assessment of this DAC and clock.

There’s never a substitute for hearing for yourself and making one’s own decisions. But if you have the $’s and the inclination go to NJ to hear this for yourself. My name is on the waitlist.

 

[PYP]

Last weekend I was fortunate to have a fun listening session with Bill Parish, GTT Audio, in his big listening room (Vivid Giya G1 Spirit speakers, Audionet Heisenbergs and Stern, K-S Realization cables) and his new, but burned in, Master Fidelity NADAC DAC and clock. I’ve heard Bill’s system before, most recently with a Grimm MU1 & Tambaqui DAC.

As longtime audiophiles, we are all conditioned to dismiss the usual superlatives that accompany the latest new piece of gear. However I wanted to share my impressions because this DAC & clock IS extraordinary. We listened to a full range of music; violin and piano sonatas, duets, concertos and full orchestras, and some acoustic jazz. We finished up with the last movement of Beethoven’s 9th, a musically very dense piece of music which I’ve heard live a few times over the years and which no system i’ve heard could come close.
In summary, the newest recordings, in high resolution (DXD, DSD256) stored locally, sound like live music. That’s an achievement I did not think was possible. The following day I attended a cello & piano recital at Zankel (Carnegie) Hall which helped recalibrate my brain to the gold standard, live music. I still stand by my assessment of this DAC and clock.

There’s never a substitute for hearing for yourself and making one’s own decisions. But if you have the $’s and the inclination go to NJ to hear this for yourself. My name is on the waitlist.

Just curious whether the MU1 was used as a server. If so, would you know if oversampling was used?

Regarding budget, do the two (DAC + clock) cost about $50k? And did you happen to hear just the DAC?

 

[Davidny]

NADAC D & C is optimized for USB input, so upstream was an Auralic Aries G2.1 & Nucleus with external power supply. No Grimm. I suspect as Bill finds better upstream solutions the sound should improve further.
For optimal performance the DAC and Clock are necessary, so I didn’t think of listening to just the DAC. These are in such short supply that I believe Bill will only be selling the DAC & clock together for a while.

 

[Nuforce]

The clock is easily bettered by something like a Mutec at far less cost so I'd go for the dac on it's own.

 

[PYP]

NADAC D & C is optimized for USB input, so upstream was an Auralic Aries G2.1 & Nucleus with external power supply. No Grimm. I suspect as Bill finds better upstream solutions the sound should improve further.
For optimal performance the DAC and Clock are necessary, so I didn’t think of listening to just the DAC. These are in such short supply that I believe Bill will only be selling the DAC & clock together for a while.

I assume this combo and the Lampi Horizon are in the same budget category. Would be interesting if someone compared the two. Of course, solid state is not the preferred choice for tube lovers (and probably vice versa). But if some owned neither and was seeking top level DACs, that might make for an interesting review.

And/or, comparison of NADAC combo with top solid state such as MSB, dCS and the like, which are pricier. In such company, the NADAC might be a best buy. Digital continues to evolve...

Congratulations on your new purchase!

 

[fast.freight]

The clock is easily bettered by something like a Mutec at far less cost so I'd go for the dac on it's own.

Have you compared these? Has anyone? with the Nadac D? Very curious, Thanks!

 

[matthias]

NADAC D & C is optimized for USB input

NADAC D use the Amanero USB Audio interface.
Now Amanero launched a new one, the Combo768:

https://amanero.com/drivers/Combo768-D.pdf

Do you know when the NADAC D will get this new one?

 

[Nuforce]

Have you compared these? Has anyone? with the Nadac D? Very curious, Thanks!

https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/master-fidelity-nadac-dac-and-clock.38731/post-966391

What's to compare? The lower the phase noise at 1hz the better and -120 is considered state of the art. Their clock measures -114 according to themselves (and it's great that they report their own measurements, many don't ).

 

[PYP]

https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/master-fidelity-nadac-dac-and-clock.38731/post-966391

What's to compare? The lower the phase noise at 1hz the better and -120 is considered state of the art. Their clock measures -114 according to themselves (and it's great that they report their own measurements, many don't ).

That is interesting. Cosmetics can account for some of the price difference, but still a large delta.

 

[fast.freight]

What's to compare? The lower the phase noise at 1hz the better and -120 is considered state of the art. Their clock measures -114 according to themselves (and it's great that they report their own measurements, many don't ).

What's to compare? I would say how it sounds. For me I listen first and then might check specs. Thanks!