I am at a T junction and need to take the turning direction decision;
I have ND5-XS2 feeding SN3 with HCDR.
One option is SH Ndac+555PSDR.
Second option is New Chord-TT2
Third - upgrade the nd5xs2 to NDX-2
All are of similar cost
Wonder why Mr. T upgraded the streamer and chose the basic Dac (all reviews state how TT2 is so much superior with double sampling rate) I didn’t demo the TT2
I had a long weekend auditing the qutest and Ndac w/o psu. While Qutest is bit more detailed I think Ndac was more musical. Now when 555PS-DR is added or TT2. Who knows.
Some people had the Ndac with PSU then went up to Chord Dave.
…and some people who had NDAC/555PS went ‘up’ to a Mk1 Hugo.
I think there is a huge amount of personal preference here, as well as some bias, sample variation, and other factors that affect the outcome. ‘Listen and decide for yourself’ was never more relevant than here.
Be prepared for the consulting answer “it depends”.
I have had most of these options except the NDAC with 555DR (over to Jim on that combo) on the ND5 XS2.
I have ended up with a NDX2 with XPS-DR, before I added the XPS-DR I reckoned it needs an external DAC (Qutest / Hugo 2 level) to reflect it’s cost profile and improve sound clarity. Now it is more a matter of preference on the day - the Chord Hugo2 I have is still more detailed and the XPS-DR gives the NDX2 a slightly darker sound. Quite an investment though. A lot of people on the forum run NDX2+XPSDR (or 555DR, for mega bucks) with SN3.
The ND5 XS2 is almost as good as the NDX2 before any external DACs or PSUs are added, and with the cheaper streamer that becomes financially easier to do that. Then it becomes a matter of DAC preference, rack space & budget. Noting that the nDAC like many Naim components shines with a compatible PSU. I suspect @JimDog has a very nice option there.
I had a TT2 (initially with my then ND5 XS2) with non-Naim streamer options. I liked it a lot but it’s an expensive device if used as only a DAC - it comes into its own more as a headphone amp and pre-amp. Forum opinion leads to matching it with a Chord power amp such as Etude. I eventually decided to swap out the TT2 and Sonore streamer in favour of the NDX2 with Hugo2 leading to buying the XPS-DR referred to above.
I used to have a Melco N1ZH/2 (uk model numbering) like you,and thought it great (and still do), I had to sell it when I had no work/income during the first Covid lockdown in the UK, and now I have decided to use mainly streamed music from internet radio and Qobuz.
I now keep my music library, backed up from the “old” Melco (to where it was ripped using a Buffalo ripper), on a 1tb SSD plugged into the back of my Atom and played mainly from my new ‘back to work present” the NDX2. If I had the funds for both NDX2 and the Melco N1ZH/2 I would buy another Melco (but I just also bought a 252 & SuperCapDR…!)
I have a second SSD, with the same library contents, plugged into my Intel NUC (roon Server) which I don’t use much any more.
How do you compare the TT2 Dac part compare to Hugo-2/Qutest Dac (in a Naim system?).
Per users and magazine reviews the TT2 is a much more advanced and detailed. Hi-Fi World review mentioned TT2 lacks warmth. However, Fabulous DAC with analytical and precise sound and great sound from CD.
I trialled the ND5XS2 and it is a quality bit of kit, went for Nova instead purely to keep box count down and for other ( non audio);reasons to do with replacement of amplifier.
If starting completely afresh with the same budget that would be my first bit of Naim equipment to go in the rack.
I have an ND5 XS2 and recently upgraded my dac to a Qutest from a Rega DAC. I really like feeding the streamer through the DAC. Now considering an M Scaler. I guess this is an alternative upgrade path to the NDX2 but very much personal preference.
I really got to get my hands on an nDAC. Many seem to prefer it over the Qutest (even without PSU). While I’ve never had the pleasure to audition it, I did the DAC V1 and there was absolutely no contest for me. I went from the Rega DAC (in my Saturn) to my ND5 XS2, which was quite nice, very warm but detailed. In the end the Chord Qutest was king in nearly every category. I can only imagine what a TT2 would bring. However, an nDAC with PSU would be something, too, even if a bit expensive. If going the Chord route, I agree an M Scaler is very tempting to consider for me down the road. I was immediately hooked on the Chord sound, so from here, for me, it will be a part of my upgrade path if/when that should happen. @Biggles is right that it is very much a personal preference.
Yes - but to establish one’s preference is only possible by listening to the different streamer dac combinations, ideally at home - or in a good dealer’s listening room, or at a friend’s house.
If those are not possible - as many are finding this year - then the buyer has to sift through forum reports (and the perhaps even resort to the perilous waters of professional hifi reviews!).
How true. I had no option, either, and just bought unheard. I researched and read a lot before pulling the trigger, though. It seemed a safe enough experiment if only because of favorable resale. I suspected, though, based on the Qutest’s universal description, that it would end up a keeper for me.
