anybody replaced their Connect with a Port?

The 3020 was well known for being able to deliver a heck of a lot more than 20W into difficult low impedance loads during transients, assisted by the soft clipping feature. I had one back in the 80s and, even when I’d replaced it with more expensive pre and monoblocs, I’d still dust it off for party music. Pretty much indestructible.

Good luck with the Port into your Arcam Rdac. A small tip: either run the volume in Fixed mode or if you use Variable keep the volume below about 85-90%. Above that the Port will begin to apply soft-knee limiting on the very loudest digital samples, which can under extreme circumstances introduce just a smidgen of harmonic distortion. 

Thanks Ratty, I think the connect has the same issue doesn’t it? 

You may be recalling a fault on some models of Connect a while back where a soft knee limiter was found to be in use for Fixed volume (which is clearly wrong). As I understand it this has now been corrected. 

Soft knee limiting (compression) with variable volume is not uncommon, particularly with upstream EQ. It’s to avoid the much more unpleasant distortion that would arise should hard clipping occur.  

I replaced my ZP80 with a Port - no issues, works pretty much the same - I was using the digital output into an older Yamaha receiver (RX-V665 ~ 2010.)

I use variable volume on the connect at the moment. I use the coaxial out to my DAC/NAD then use the analogue outs to my Sub. Set the volume of the Nad to about ¾ & then use the volume control on the app. Works really well. I thought there might be a slight delay when streaming through the DAC but it syncs with the sub beautifully. I know technically I get a ‘bit perfect’ output in fixed mode but that would discount me using the Sub in this way. 

If it were me, I'd probably have found a way to use the preamp out on the NAD to feed the sub, but your current arrangement should work fine with the Port. 

Most DACs won't introduce any perceptible delay. They don't require buffering the same way as a network device. 

I used to use the Pre-outs with ‘Y’ connectors into the sub. I changed it to the connect outs as I was worried that somehow splitting the signal would degrade the sound. The Kef Sub is also connected to my Denon Receiver. I have a switched input so can use the same sub with my AV set up & the Nad.
 

So, if I keep the volume below 85% in variable mode the output into the DAC will be the same as using ‘fixed’? Or is ‘fixed’ mode the absolute best way of feeding the DAC? 

As the Nad doesn’t have a remote the convenience of using the App for volume is one that I’m loathe to lose. 

The 85% volume thing was just a rough guideline. When I passed a Full Scale single-frequency test through the Port, with flat EQ, I noticed soft limiting effects just beginning to appear when volume was above that level. If I’d applied positive EQ the limiting would presumably have begun a bit earlier. Note that this was an entirely artificial test; with real music a tiny bit of odd-harmonic distortion for very brief periods should pass unnoticed. I did say “extreme circumstances”...

Decently recorded music shouldn’t hit Full Scale that often anyway, though the infamous ‘Loudness Wars’ have unfortunately conspired to compress modern music into the upper reaches of the available dynamic range.

I suggest you simply set things up as you have with the Connect and see how things go. Above all, remember to listen to the music, not the equipment. 

Hi Ratty, hope all is good?

Received my Port today plugged it in, sat down & felt underwhelmed. The sound just didn’t seem as engaging as the connect. As a comparison here is what I did. 
 

I had my connect plugged in via coax & optical both going to my DAC. Often did a quick A-B test between these & there is no audible difference between the two connections.

Plugged the coax into the Port & left the Connect wired with the Optical.

Been switching between the Port & the Connect & there is quite a difference between the two even running through the DAC. Had these set up as a group & the volume set to the exact same level in variable mode. 

The Port has a much narrower soundstage compared to the connect, sounds a lot more ‘boxy’. 

Surely the Port is just throwing out 0&1’s?

How can this be possible?

Definitely there. Had my son switching between the two & not telling me. Can pick out the Connect & The Port every time! 
 

Also, plugged the Coax back into the connect & no difference between the Optical & Coax there. 
When I’m paying £280 for a inferior product to the one I’ve already got it kind of sticks in the craw.

Especially as this is pretty much been forced upon me. 

Any thoughts? You seem like a guy who knows about such things. 

I think that unless you had matched the levels with an instrument to better than 0.2dB the test is not that useful. Even with that small difference, which would be imperceptible, a human will typically subconsciously prefer the louder signal.