Maybe another option, sell or PX the NDS and get NDX2 instead of ND5XS2
Yes itâs that easy, however I use a nDAC instead of the NDS. Just donât forget to set the grounding correctly. i.e ND5XS2 = floating
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The other reason is Naim put the transformers on the front right of their kit intentionally to be furthest away from delicate output stages on rear left. If you put brawn on the left you end up with transformers and analogue stages next to each other.
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Seeing all them boxes, cables etc, takes me back, good luck with it all, as i feel youâre going to need it.
Although we need to see a photo of the end result, more interesting will be a photo of the back showing how you manage all the cables. Donât forget the benchmark set by Tony M, formerly of this parish.
Moderator and guru @Richard.Dane knows more than most here, and a 3 stack system works for him.
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Hopefully moving home not long from now and three stacks makes so much sense to me. Fraim is a bit of a pig when you want to access one of the boxes and you have two quite tall stacks! Isoblue was so much more practical from that perspective. Good luck with your Rubikâs shelving config!
Peter
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Itâs a puzzle. I think having two stacks of 6 is too high, especially with 2 medium shelves. Itâs difficult enough with two stacks of 5 at moment the phonostage and Lingo are currently on same shelf.
Moving to three stacks, will be lower and the cabling should be more spread out and although complicated should be easier to manage!
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Yup - I currently have two stacks of seven including base including one side with two mediums and the other with one tall. Not ideal, esp for the poor lp12 sat atop one of them!
Peter
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A 3 stack but not as much naim kit in Richardâs system. Dan will have quite a few more naim cables to deal with, and we all know about naims unshielded cables.
But Dan is probably right in that having 3 will be easier than 2, as when i had loads off boxes and a different rack i had 3 racks and made it work.
The biggest problem will be keeping them off the floor probably more than touching if i remember right
Totally agree. 4 shelves feels optimum for me both practically and aesthetically. 
This looks pretty good, however, my main concern would be having the CDS2 head unit right above the NAC52. The pre-amps really donât like having a digital head unit right above them. At the very least give them some distance, but better to either have the pre-amp on top or have something relatively benign such as a TT above instead.
@Graeme has posted a better stacking order and I like the symmetry of the Fraim stacks better too.
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Thanks Richard.
I think @Graemeâs will work well. Iâm looking forward to setting it all up once I have the missing parts of the jigsaw!
You will have a huge number of power cords to deal with. So think of getting Hydra from Grahams HiFi in London. Note that Grahams advise only using the Hydra for Naim equipment, so consider having the Linngo on a separate socket (or swap it for an Armageddon, which I greatly prefer to the Lingo anyway).
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Iâve got the mains cables sorted and things will work to my advantage as I have 4 powerlines and 2 double mains sockets on radial about 1.4 metres from the right hand stack, so will be room for running the cables. And theres a double socket for non Naim equipment. I have two blocks one for Naim and one for non Naim and plenty of powerline lites and other mains cables. I think it will done quite neatly.
Not sure if you saw my last comment:
âMaybe another option, sell or PX the NDS and get new or second hand NDX2 instead of ND5XS2â
I think maybe someone else also suggested on another thread but canât remember now.
What did you think, would this work better?
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I have already suggested it myself!
The advantage will be one less box and a nice screen. The NDS makes use of 2 Burndys and suspended chassis and a better DAC. And so with the ND5XS2 should sound better!
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The stacks are currently too high and having 3 racks makes sense. I may decide to reduce box count later down the line or use the CDS2 in a separate system.
A 333 would be better still.
I tried the NDX2 against the NDS at the time when i was looking at upgrading from the ndx5 mk1, obviously yearâs ago not long after the NDX2 was released.
I found the NDS sound nicer, but looking back this probably wasnât a fair fight as the NDX2 was bare, and the NDS had a 555ps on it.
Not sure if the outcome would be the same with both using a 555ps, probably not.
But more and more boxes do become a right pain, i have been just there, and at the time it all feels right, but now, the more simple approach is the one for me, plus the quality can be just the same or even better if done right.
But Dan is in box mode right now, but thingâs might change going forward.
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I think it will change. Right now trying out the ND5XS2 with NDS and 555 PS feels right. I have sold my CD players before and bought them again. Thatâs an option. A Radikal and Urika will reduce box count as well.
But for now want to go 3 stacks of Fraim and see how it pans out.
The more modern 300 series appeals but is brand new and would like to wait a few years and prices will drop.
Or maybe I will change brands and get less but higher quality boxes and not lots of power supplies.
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