NAD D 1050 DAC
As it is stated in the signature description of the NAD D 1050 DAC, it is "the best aid to connect your music computer to the Hi-Fi-system". Optimism is the inherent quality of the professional marketers, but the authority of the NAD still allows us to hope that this phrase has a big grain of truth.
It is a funny thing, but the design is one of the challenges while creating these DACs. The fact is that the stylistics of computer technology and Hi-Fi-equipment is very different. If you assemble the computer by yourself, you can take a special case, which will perfectly fit into the cabinet with the Hi-Fi-components. And so the best choice is the DAC which also corresponds to the classical traditions. But the majority of users have the ready-assembled machines, laptops and desktops which are designed quite differently. And the DAC should be a kind of adapter between the two types of equipment not only technically but also aesthetically and exteriorly go with that and the other. And it seems to me, David Farrage - the developer of the entire design of NAD D-Series - has managed to do it.
The top and the fore part of the device are made of translucent glossy plastic, so we can see the touch buttons and LED indicators (they display the active input and the signal sampling frequencies). The side panels are made of velvet soft-touch plastic. The standard position of the device is vertical, but the horizontal position is also provided - the supplied rubber feet are glued by the user and can be mounted on the side surface. In this case the inscriptions on the faceplate will fall on one side, but the subscripts on the rear connectors will become horizontal. By the way, its switching is more typical of the solid Hi-Fi-equipment: there are two traditional digital, coaxial and optical inputs and the usual stereo outputs on the RCA connectors are complemented with the balanced XLR. At first it seemed to me that they discord with the design of the DAC, but then I realized that the stressed-modern appearance and the serious stuffing is quite natural for the "intermediate element".
There is an external impulse power supply. The built-in one would have increased the size and weight of the device and eventually would have made it more expensive. The other advantage of the external adapters is the fact that they can be easily changed.
The disadvantages of the computer as the digital source are overcome with the help of the precision-guided clock generator which allows counting over the received signals. It goes without saying that the USB interface works in the asynchronous mode and supports the USB Audio 2.0 codec and in the result this allows transmitting the streams with up to 192 kHz resolution.
Following the ideal of "high fidelity" the developers went back of the volume control and made the fixed analog outputs. This is a wise decision, as the attenuators capable to handle with the signal carefully are quite expensive. The level is adjusted only at the amplifier input for the headphones. Unfortunately, there is the 3.5 mm connector, so you should use an adapter to connect the stationary headphones. Also that is a shame because the amplifier is made with the discrete components and according to our test it provides a very decent sound quality. It should be noted that the signal at the line outputs disappears when the headphones are connected.
The line output has a minimal resistance that leads to the low DC offset and the low sensitivity to the interconnecting cables. In order to shorten the signal propagation path, the assembly is made on the multilayer circuit base with the superimpose of the elements, the solder is free of lead and features a high silver content. According to the documentation there are the high quality components, but the exact ones are not reported. In this case the guarantee is a long-standing good reputation of the NAD. The brands entering the Hi-Fi market have to emblaze the entire assortment in detail. Here, it is not necessary.
I am sure that the majority of NAD D 1050 owners will use it via the USB, so I begin the listening with it. And first of all I install a USB-driver on the computer.
It shows the difference between the files of 44.1 kHz and 96 - 192 kHz D1050 very well and, of course, in favor of a higher resolution and provided that the record itself is done with high quality. It is interesting that during the reproduction of the orchestral pieces, the D 1050 features no audible compression, typical of many converters even of the higher price category, although we can still find fault with the lows. Most likely the static power supply unit is responsible for this - I think it makes sense to replace it with a more powerful and preferably line one that will cost, I guess, not so much. But the device with the standard adapter is also quite attractive, because the ultimate success in the market depends not only on the quality potential of the model (here it is quite high), but on the retail price. And here it is the right one.
