Denafrips Ares II / Naim Nait XS Incompatibility!

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by kiddo4, Nov 24, 2022.

  1. kiddo4

    kiddo4 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Europe
    Has anyone tried working with this combination?
    My Nait XS enters a "panic" mode where it protects itself and mutes everything every few seconds when playing through the Denafrips.
    They can't work together.
    Both working fine with other equipment, but this combination is an absolute no-go.
    Never ran into anything like this.
     
  2. chris geary

    chris geary Forum Resident

    Location:
    Hopewell NJ, USA
    that is weird. is the DAC putting out too hot a signal for the preamp section of the Nait?
     
  3. kiddo4

    kiddo4 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Europe
    That's my suspicion too, but what's so special about these two combined?
    I also can't help but wonder how come this issue wasn't mentioned before. Am I the first to try this combination?!
     
  4. Naka9

    Naka9 music first audiophile

    Location:
    Portugal
    Is the Aries ok with other amplifiers? Did you try all the amp’s inputs?
    My Pontus II works very well with my Naim pre-power amp, even using dac’s balanced outputs.
     
  5. kiddo4

    kiddo4 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Europe
    Both are working fine with other components.
    I tried two of the Nait's line input and had enough - It's not a pretty sight to see the amp panic.
     
  6. Naka9

    Naka9 music first audiophile

    Location:
    Portugal
    Very strange indeed.
    Try to report that on the Naim Forum: Hi-Fi Corner

    I have got good advice there :)
     
  7. Ham Sandwich

    Ham Sandwich Senior Member

    Location:
    Sherwood, OR, USA
    Are you connecting cables to both the XLR and RCA outputs of the Ares at the same time?
    The outputs on the Ares (and other Denafrips DACs) are shared and not designed to have both XLR and RCA connected at the same time. If you're doing that then maybe it's causing the Naim to detect something is wrong.
     
    kiddo4 likes this.
  8. kiddo4

    kiddo4 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Europe
    No. Only RCA interconnects to both ends, and the Denafrips is the only connected device.
     
  9. jfeldt

    jfeldt Forum Resident

    Location:
    SF, CA, USA
    Are the power cables to both devices connected to the same outlet / outlet strip / power conditioner?
     
  10. kiddo4

    kiddo4 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Europe
    Yes of course.
     
  11. Art K

    Art K Retired but not tired!

    Location:
    Corvallis, Oregon
    I have an Ares II which works just fine with my XS3.
     
  12. kiddo4

    kiddo4 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Europe
    Mine is a Nait XS. Not XS3.
     
  13. Art K

    Art K Retired but not tired!

    Location:
    Corvallis, Oregon
    I know.
     
  14. Helom

    Helom Forum member

    Location:
    U.S.
    Try a different set of RCA cables, especially if you’re currently using Audioqueefs.
     

Share This Page

molar-endocrine