I’ve never done it head to head either, sessions with the NDS were on different occasions, but I suspect it will be marginal, and the deal was only against the NDX2.
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Well in practice both as the NDS was dropped at the same time.
Yes and that makes sense. I still like my NDS /555dr albeit it’s getting on a bit!
I never saw (heard) the value of the ND555 over the NDS, better yes but not to the point of the cost of upgrading to it.
Maybe a second PS on the NDS is a future consideration.
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That doesn’t constitute any link between NDS and NDX2. Lots of stuff may have been discontinued around that time. Architecture of NDS looks closer to ND555 than NDX2 from this layman’s viewpoint. As I said, that’s all completely irrelevant, what matters is whether you like it better.
2 hours in and impressions.
The ripping whilst there is a lot to do,700+ CDs, seems pretty straightforward and very impressed with the functionality, and so far even a luddite like me seems to be coping with the metadata and tagging🤞
Sound quality? Obviously very early days with the NDX2 but at this stage I doubt there’s much if any discernable difference, very fluid and organic. BUT on the Qb1 in the back room stuff played off the Qnap server even though it’s in the lounge adjacent to the NDX2 and therefore around the mains is so clearly better than Tidal.
More to follow.
Regards,
Lindsay
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Okay 24 hours down, left the NDX2 playing radio overnight. Ripped 50 CDs without a glitch, but the expertise of Phil @Cymbiosis has been a godsend, the rest I will do progressively.
Sonic observations, really can’t say that there is any massive discernable difference, the CDS3 might have a marginally broader soundstage and deeper bass, the NDX2 might marginally have better expression in voices and notation and textures, treble slightly smoother but a few more hours run in yet. The sound is a delight, compulsive, it’s obvious why Naim could allow the NDX2 to be the de facto replacement for the NDS. But one significant difference even the best CDPs with a Phillips laser would have a slight rattle and background noise, not now, true silence.
Finally, streaming from the NAS (FLAC>WAV) is very considerably an improvement over Tidal.
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I think the NDS has a DAC built around the same chip as the nDAC and ND555. The NDX2 sound very good but it sounds more like a delta-sigma DAC-chip (brighter, more details).
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I’ve had NDX2 and NDS with 555PSDR head to head and agree NDX2 is brighter and NDS more organic. I chose NDS.
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Perfect summary of nDAC vs NDX2 with a 555PSDR as well.
The NDS has a better dac than the NDX2; but the NDX2 has a better Streaming front end than the NDS.
NDS fed by a current streamer like ND5XS2 is excellent.
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Day 3 - I think streaming MIGHT be more organic, dare I say more like analogue 
?
Yes, streaming with Naim is more analog than vinyl! 
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Our French humorist Coluche was laughing about detergent liquids . He said that they wash more white than white, so grey.
A bit like more analog than analog, it’s digital 
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This NDX2/555 is a frankly sublime music player😎
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So 3 1/2 weeks in, a couple of glitches with dBPoweramp but all overcome. Occasionally I have a nag should I have gone Core? And might have been persuaded if it had had a CD replay facility. NDX2 continues to sound even more sublime, but still I’m still amazed over the improvement in the Qb with a local file as opposed to Tidal, and that’s hardwired across the mains no fibre.
And as I rip I’m rediscovering my CD collection.
Regards,
Lindsay
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Do it
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Good on ya, Lindsay……welcome to the nerdy streaming club. Just avoid all rabbit holes!
If you get tempted by posh Ethernet cables, switches, clocks and linear power supplies, have a cold shower and have a firm talk with yourself!
(Having said that…
)
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Full loom but half on the moon
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