555PS on Dac or 272?

Streaming Audio
1

Hello all,

Due to building work at home, my hifi is packed away.

At this moment I have the following: 250; 272; nDac v1 (recently acquired); 555ps.

I have a lumin streamer which I paired with the dac into the 272 when testing the dac worked before packing away from the dust.

Until I change anything, is the prevailing wisdom to sit the 555ps with the dac in this scenario or 272?

Or is there no hard and fast rule and I should test it all once the building work is over?

3

Difficult to say. On the one hand you’re getting better SQ out of the DAC, which will mean better sound quality out of the 272 on a ‘ better in - better out’ basis
On the other hand, you could leave the DAC as is and improve the 272, resulting in an improved output based on the better power supply.
So which brings the most gain? Fortunately it seems like an easy question to answer simply by listening to both combinations. I would imagine that the result could be somewhat system related….for example how good or bad is the existing power supply to the 272 and DAC?

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4

Are you sure you’ve got a V1? If so you can’t use a separate power supply with it.

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5

To the OP: Do you mean nDAC or DAC V1? 555PS can only be used in the former.

Roger

6

My bad. nDac. Thx

7

Arguments can be made for both so I’d let your ears decide.

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8

Yup, try both and let us know which you prefer. On source-first grounds, I suspect you’ll go for putting the PS on the DAC, but ….

Roger

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9

When we had a 272 we noticed a big improvement adding XPSDR on non digital sources (phono). So the PSU definitely greatly improved the preamp section of the 272.

The bare nDAC we’ve used with both a 272 and SuperUniti! Even without a PSU it has great detail resolution. You’ve already got an excellent digital transport.

I think with the bare 272 you’d find the pre the limiting factor with an nDAC/250 and so PSU could sit there, but only your ears will confirm.

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10

I had a 272 with a 555DR which sounded great.

I briefly tried 272/555 fed by a bare Naim DAC which sounded even better.

Obviously the 272 preamp with that large power supply to itself sounds great.

But of course, then you need a streamer to feed the dac.

And much of your 272 is redundant.

That’s why I ended up with a 52.

I still use the 555DR on my nDAC.

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