So, you’ve got one of the best 4K TVs going; you’ve got one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars and some of the best wireless speakers dotted around your home for great hi-res audio, hooked up to your NAS drive. But what if you want to level things up a notch?
That’s what the Luxman NT-07 network transport is here for; to make what you have work that little bit better. It’s essentially a specialized component that enables playback of a “comprehensive range of digital file-based and streaming audio sources – for integration into quality component audio systems”.
The NT-07 accepts digital sound from your local storage NAS drive (or of course from the best music streaming services) via Ethernet, USB, and HDMI (in and out with ARC; so it can work its magic on the audio from your TV, Blu-ray Disc player, games console or other video source). It then outputs to any external digital-to-analog converter (DAC).
As you’d expect from something honing in on audiophile sound quality, Luxman’s engineers say they’ve identified and reduced all sorts of noise. The NT-07’s core stages include the Japanese company’s latest generation of high-speed processor modules, which should have ample zip and power to improve whatever movie, track, or album they’re dealt. The power supply section is “especially robust” according to Luxman, in that it is fitted with a custom high-capacity transformer plus a pair of special 10,000 µF filter capacitors.
Of course, central to the Luxman NT-07 is its ability to corral and control all your premium audio sources. To that end, its RJ-45 Ethernet port, which receives stored audio data via Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) as well as the OpenHome platform, makes it especially suited to your NAS drive. Front or rear USB 2.0 ports can accept files directly from thumb drives and larger USB drives if you tend to swerve streaming services (although those can also be accessed), and Roon certification is apparently in the works.
As noted above, Luxman NT-07’s HDMI inputs and outputs with ARC are a big draw, since these can support Audio Return Channel (ARC) and two-channel HDMI audio output with PCM encoding up to 24-bit/192kHz sampling – or very hi-res audio for movies.
The NT-07’s biggest selling point? Intelligent resampling
The NT-07 requires a connection to either any outboard digital-to-analog converter or a disc player featuring internal DAC access, via its digital inputs – Luxman might point you towards its own D-07X, D-10X, D-03X, and D-N150.
But (stay with me now) the NT-07 provides digital output via USB, optical or coaxial terminals, and the USB subsystem supports PCM sampling up to 32-bit/768kHz, plus DSD sampling up to 22.5 MHz (at 1 bit, because that’s DSD for you). The optical and coaxial outputs boast up to 24-bit/192kHz sampling. To work with the widest range of DAC modules, the NT-07 also provides MQA decoding with three selectable modes: Off, Core Decoding, and Pass-Through.
For best results, Luxman says the intelligent resampling function of the NT-07 matches the sampling frequency and bit depth supported by the connected DAC and supports PCM at sampling rates from 44.1k to 384 kHz. Luxman provides individual up/down sampling settings, so you can actually play with the levels of resolution, which is a very neat unique selling point.
One other thing I like about this separate, apart from its large organic LED display, is that the front fascia has just one solo control – a power switch. You’ll probably operate the NT-07 via your smartphone or tablet, thanks to the free Luxman Stream app for iOS and Android, which allows users to configure, select sources, pick songs, and generally control playback. That said, an aluminum IR remote control is supplied, so you can operate it without grabbing your phone and launching the app.
How much will all of this set you back? The Luxman NT-07 network transport is available immediately, at a suggested retail price of $7,495 / £6,500 (around AU$11,450). No, you read those correctly; that’s high-end audio.
