I think I should clarify that my comments aren’t a criticism of your good advice, which is appreciated. It was a reflection that having to disable inputs to optimise sound quality reflects poorly on a product specifically designed for, and promoted, to use multiple digital inputs.
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If you still have the PN it has got to be worth a try, it is quite a step up from the EE8 switch (OEM Thunder Data) with it’s Sean Jacob’s power supply and design.
There is also a thread elsewhere here, " [Musicworks Mains Blocks]" offering some comment on optimising power.
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i can’t see that disabling UNUSED inputs to optimise quality SQ reflects poorly - the effect of unused inputs may be very different to the effect when they are connected
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Unfortunately the PN went back to the dealer. I am currently trying to source another demo unit.
I have been using Musicworks Mains Blocks for 25 years, so I think I have the dedicated mains sorted, but you can always learn something new. I will take a look at the thread. Thanks!
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I see you have Server Mode ON. Why is that? Are you sharing an USB drive?
Server Mode ON means that the device does not go into standby mode, right? Maybe that is a reason for more consistent SQ, because the device does not cool down?
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The inputs are obviously there to be used, but being able to disable them is a valuable option if it improves SQ, as it often does.
If you find the difference worthwhile, I suppose you could always disable/re-enable them as you use them. It’s a win-win.
I get that it would be great if having them all enabled did not influence SQ, although possibly desirable to avoid all the extra shielding etc. that may be required.
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I have not looked into any deeper reasons of why or how - I just turn things on/off and play music and decide if it sounds better one way or another.
This is how I navigate these things - a bit of a chore at times but interesting when you detach from what you want to hear or not hear and just percieve the changes and then decide.
I think being unencumbered by any preconceptions helps. I certainly am interested in why and how, but these come after the empirical experimentation results are in first. I think it can be easy to be trapped by a dogmatic approach that pre-decides how things should be before any experiment and even thereby preclude any need for experiment as people think they already know the result without bothering.
I’m stating a more general mode of approach that is very common for various good reasons - it takes effort and anything that precludes the need for a personal effort and instead following an authority figure or system is a lot easier…but often wrong I have found.
I don’t get on with my own tweaks and sometimes after a few days aspects of changes emerge into my perceptions that it optimised one form and style of replay excellently buy other music types faired less-well and sometimes I take a step back and revert to a previous configuration.
I keep track of all changes with little notes on backs of envelopes (always the best way) of what the changes were - and it helps me un-pick some changes to start again.
But I hate tweaking and just because I put myself into a mode where I can tolerate doing it does not mean I enjoy it or want to be doing it, but just as a means to an end. I want a good musical experience, I know it is ‘in there’ of the components and system I have, but something is ‘off’ and I am thereby motivated to find a solution. The end-result is often so amazing (to me) and satisfying that this is the payback and I can forget the tweaks and HiFi and just enter the musical world again.
DB.
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I agree with all that DB. Listening to high end hifi at least can be a real labour of love and also defy logic at times. The thing that I should write down 100 times is “if it sounds great don’t change anything looking to squeeze that bit more out of it”. Then of course the last eight months of FW releases has not helped with that reasoning because if something doesn’t stay “great” we have no option but to tweak or feel underwhelmed.
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Agreed - the latest FW allows for me to experience some things done better than I have heard in terms of clarity especially in lower frequencies - and the image is now so much better and more clearly open that this helps.
But there are aspects I still struggle with in top-end tending to have brash edges on the louder passages, but not always so with quieter voicings and stuff, so I think there are still a lot of noise issues in there, but Naim have, to me, shown they have taken a lot of effort to understand and resolve the problem that I think hit them in the face unexpectedly and unprepared with the 3.10 code changes.
I think they have shown they are getting on top of it and for many people and systems it will be good enough to keep things rolling while they probably learn more ways to further improve things - is my hope ahead!
On your visit, if some more things can be set to ‘user choice’ via the App, like the Multiroom stuff or in general things that give owners the choices - it can be hidden in sub-menues if they do not want extra clutter on the App perhaps.
I was surprised at how big some of these changes are and perhaps they can cause other knock-on effects that make other music aspects worse is true, but the open dynamic range I have now is larger than I’ve had - albeit I want the tendency to harshness gone or greatly reduced.
After I feel I have exhausted what I can do with the present source settings I may consider alternative ‘tuning’ things like cable changes, but with the Active set-up thse must not be mearly ways of attempting to hide a problem as that to me sounds worse - but that is ahead.
DB.
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I asked AI the same question you were asking and this is the response I got. - (In Your Setup (Naim 500 / ND555 / NAC 552 / CD555 / B&W 803 D4)You’re working with ultra-low-noise, reference-level gear. Naim’s modular design and precision grounding strategy make it extremely unlikely you’d experience any degradation from multiple inputs — unless a poorly grounded external device is introducing noise into the chain. Perhaps try a mains cleaner but your current set up should already be managing mains power noise and fluctuation well.
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I will broach your suggestions with Paul in IT at HQ DarkeBear (if Richard allocates me a slot).
I stand by my assessment of the FW’s from over two months ago. IMO the 3.8’s would be the gold standard sound to try and recreate should I be steering the ship. I am definitely not and have minuscule influence. But good as 3.11 unquestionably is I don’t want to be cherry picking the best sounding recordings or facing a fluctuating sound every session. So I favour ease, natural and stable if less impressive in certain other ways. I’ve yet to hear a well set up full Naim system sound over laid back or boring so it seems pretty clear to me how the FW should be voiced (if possible) for optimal results. Just my opinion of course.
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I’d be grateful if you could persuade those lovely people to bring back the option of switching off the USBs! 
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My system is sounding so much better with ND555. The higher frequencies are still a slight issue but overall I am happy that Naim have resolved alot of the issues.
For me 3.8 firmware was better. 3.11 has more detail but high frequencies have glare and seem to be unresolved still.
The sound could be more ‘natural’. I am hoping Naim can improve things further. The ND555 is now very listenable and I am getting good results.
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Sorry to bring that up again, but with nds it is truly stunning. No fluctuations-nothing harsh - all so real without being too smooth. Far away from Valium. 
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There is certainly still a tendency for HF “hotness” on some recordings. But for classical music and (most) jazz, the sound (after tweaking my set up) is actually much more natural than before (and my recollection of 3.8, although my encounter was brief enough, about 6 weeks, I can’t be sure). I was listening to the just published recording of Hewitt’s Mozart sonatas and her Fiazoli has not ever sounded better and I have had the same experience with older recordings. More importantly, there is more music in this FW, getting the musicians’ intention is easier. Changes to sustenato or una chorda more pronounced, resonances from the wood clearer (which players play on). In a recording I know very well (have had it for 45 years), the Brandeburgen concertos by Harnoncourt, when streaming on Tidal, I could hear that arpeggios were played slightly off string, etc. So, yes, the HF can still at times be a tiny bit hot, but still within acceptable range, but musicality is much more there with the kinds of music I listen to than ever before, including what I remember 3.8 to be. So, big thumbs up with musicality. My 2 cents.,
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Yes - fully agree. Still not running as it should. With 3.x fw there was only a very slight effect with input switching. This is all far from there where it should be…
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Very much agreed. I like the soundstage and the bass kick as well (maybe the latter less massive than the former).
But the top end being still too much energetic brings all down (for me)
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It doesn’t capture the young Schwarzkopf’s voice as well as 3.8 though….
Interesting. As I said, I only had 3.8 for 6 weeks so take my view with a grain of salt. Also, with any HI-FI change, some albums can become better, some worse, so it’s an average, and the average is good for me, given my tastes. Which albums of Schwartzkopf are you thinking of (one of my favorite sopranos)? Looking for more music to listen to :).
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Not at all @drago. I am very much tempted, but just like the 555 the NDS design and components are somewhat dated. At the moment I am inclined to try the PN and Chord ee1 plus to tame the top end. If that does not do the trick, I will be considering alternate brands at the 2026 Bristol Show. I guess I am just irritated by Naim’s response to FW gate, and it has soured by love of the brand.
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