I’m not sure what sort of design changes you believe Naim would introduce in order to achieve this? They put a great deal of effort into designing the 2nd gen streamers, especially the ND555, in a way that makes them much less susceptible to the effects of their electrical environment compared to the old models. It certainly wasn’t cheap.
Heard Vega and have 272.
272/XPS combination has much more musicality to me vs Vegàs detailed sound.
2 Likes
Agree, sterile is the word
1 Like
Hi JimDog
Once again my post lacks precision. I am referring to phonostages and amplification. I can’t comment really on the streamers in that respect apart from the fact that they follow the same heritage design approach w.r.t.power supply and head unit separation.
Yes this is the same old same old… excuse i hear from Naim. I will not publish here what i have heard in reference to the superline but i thought it was rather defensive and quite arrogant. Fine let’s leave it at that shall we.
I could very well say the same. The Aries is only half the story. Maybe you should try it with the Vega. FWIW i think @bruss had similar experiences to that when he only had that unit.
That said, i really like my Naim system but at that price i expect more from the brand.
This is a Naim forum and not an Auralic forum, so out if respect i stop there.
If they prioritized immunity to EM noise over SQ they would easily achieve it.
I’m intrigued. Are you saying that some noise mitigation methods are detrimental to sound quality?
I hardily imagine that better decoupling from RFI noises could have a negative impact on musicality.
No one can say if Auralic or other brands have done a better job on that matter. However I tend to think that Naim streamers are not hard stable vs the network, vs some other brands, from what I can often read here.
But I have not found until now a more musical digital source than Naim. Maybe Linn, but without the Naim urgency.
I’m not sure what these ups and down moments are from Naim electronics. My mood is up and down, but the 272/250DR consistently plays music. As I’m sure, your Aurallic does the same.
1 Like
Yees, the things one reads on a Naim forum…
I’ve not only heard the Vega and not only it was better than youtube, but I sold my NDX2 XPSDR to have it
Auralic top flight DACs and Naim amplification make for something quite special
3 Likes
All I was trying to do, was communicate my HiFi journey, I found with Naim and Auralic. It is just my opinion, not something carved in stone. HiFi opinions are like bottoms, everyone has one and they all come in different shapes and sizes.
I have heard so many different manufacturers equipment over my long years, it is hard to remember them all. However, I have found that some very impressive sounding or idiosyncratic HiFi, is not something I could live with in the longer term, when compared to a baseline
Really glad for you that the Vega has worked out for you. As I stated it is very, very good piece of equipment. It is only when I have a choice between Auralic and Naim, that I personally prefer Naim.
In all probability, if there was no Naim, I would now have a full stack of Auralic equipment. I do not think I could give Auralic more praise than that.
5 Likes
Same here, I set up my new Naim system properly 18 months ago and it has sounded great ever since. Some days I don’t adore the music quite as much but certainly that’s more easily explained by my mood than magical changes in the setup. And since it’s fine again the next day, that’s most likely what it is.
Of course if I were to fiddle with cables every time, without controlling for other factors like mood, I might attribute a subsequent change to that.
5 Likes
Wise words
The prescription for those off days is to play Sonic Youth’s ‘Sister’ album loud. 
2 Likes
There’s no mood issue that I can’t cure by the first lines of Stereo Sanctity and it even seems to address the issue:
I’m keeping my commission to faith’s transmission
Two speakers dream the same and skies turn red
Satellites flashing down Orchard and Delancey
I can’t get laid cuz everyone is dead
Hey - gold connections
Analog soul waving in yr hair
Hey - hylozoic directions
She’s talking blue streaks everywhere
Your spirit is time-reversed to your body
Stereographic mix-up field on field
It started growing up the day your body dies
Only apparently, real to irreal
Hey - stereo stations
Perfect image, kneel down
Hey - hypostatic information
Come on let’s hear you turn it around
2 Likes
Agreed. I don’t want to contribute to the pollution of this thread by repeating issues that i have already talked about let alone generalise with arguments. Just to say that i believe Naim systems are inherently sensitiveto a number of issues.
For the sake of this useful and enlightening thread, i think the on topic was the feather weight Auralic Vega 2.1 in the left corner and the heavy weight 272/555PS in the right hand corner
2 Likes
At Axpona i heard an Auralic into atc 100 towers active and it sounded pretty darn good! Would love to compare vs Naim front end into those speakers
1 Like
The key thing with this scenario is that the current 555/XPS power supplies can still be used on the new preamp streamer.
That’s 2 boxes, but only one solution (to the problem of wanting to listen to recorded music).
If Naim launch a new streamer/pre, i.e. a 272 replacement, it seems most unlikely that they would choose this moment, with all that is going on with global supply chains, to make it incompatible with the XPS and 555DR.
Also that would not encourage purchase of it by most 272 owners.
2 Likes
Thank you for the correction, I had got ahead of myself. The other item will be a power amplifier, imho.