NAD M50.2

Take this with a grain of salt, but if you’re using USB, then as long as your DAC is using asynchronous USB and your data is clean (the NAD performs error checking when ripping...if the track’s checksum doesn’t match the metadata on the CD, it rescans) then, well, data is data. I don’t see how any digital source can be any better than the other, especially if you’re processing the PCM through a standalone DAC. 

As I mentioned, the NAD mounts network drives, so all you need to do is scan your network on your PC and the drives pop up.  You can, if you choose, to simply drag and drop the files from there or attach a USB drive and go to the BluOS app and select backup, which will make it mirror the internal files to the external USB drive. Pretty easy. 

Thanks for the info, avlee. When it comes to digital, with me, all bets are off. I used to have a PS Audio Perfectwave transport. It supposedly took data off the CD numerous times, and dumped that data into a buffer. So, in theory, the data should be "perfect". I just auditioned the new PS Audio Directstream transport. No contest. The Directstream kills the Perfectwave. Why? Clocking errors or clocking precision? I don't know. It also sounds different moving from AES/EBU to coaxial. It even sounds different swapping between different brand digital interconnects. Why? I don't know.

It may sound different because the dB levels coming from each different type of connector might be different from the transport.  Volume affects tone.

I caution you about thinking that any conductor will provide a different profile than another.  Conductors are conductors.  Audioholics had a great article which actually shows data.  That being said, I'm not going to try to convince you of anything.  Cables...are a sensitive issue for many.

Keep in mind that PCM data is PCM data.  If something sounds different, it's because the DAC is interpreting the data differently.  If there are bit-level differences, digital audio is not like analogue audio.  You'll hear pops or discontinuous audio, not fuzzy static or interference.  I can't speak for PS Audio, but if you listened to a Directstream transport in the store, you can't compare that to how your system at home sounds.  Or how your memory thinks it sounded.  Speakers, DACs, room layout and acoustics...these are going to all confuse the issue.

With regards to the NAD M50.2, it's a solid piece of kit, and I just set up the trigger in system to turn it on when I activate the correct input on my surround processor.  It's a clever device which fills 90% of my needs.  Airplay would be nice (or Airplay 2?) and if they allowed me to transmit DSD via HDMI, I'd be on cloud 9.  We'll see what they end up doing.

Thinking about it, if the transport does some minimal equalization or processing, it could alter the data, but I'm also assuming the transport does not.  I don't think the directstream transport does that, but the directstream DAC's firmware updates have been said to change tone.  I assume the firmware updates are changing some equalization settings.

Hi avlee,

I don't want to blow up this thread by jumping off topic, because I truly am interested in the 50.2.

But let me say this, I currently have my Perfectwave transport sitting one shelf directly above the Directstream transport. All I have to do is swap one end of a digital AES/EBU and I can compare transports. They Do Not sound the same. Not even close.
And starting another cable debate seems fruitless, but I offer that Anyone could hear the differences between a Fururech Digiflux and an Audioquest Diamond digital cable. They are like night and day.