Naim 555 PS DR vs XPS DR ?!

Hi-Fi Corner
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I has the ND5XS first, then with NP5XS - which gave improvment to Redbook replay, not necessarily HiRes
Then jumped over NDX straight to a NDS but still with the NP5XS - what a shift, improvment everywhere
Then to 555DR where there was just more of the improvement over the ND5XS.

At this time, I was using a RPi2 running Asset UPnP server and music stored on a NAS. Which worked wel with the Naim App - however all feature/functionality was being made against Naim own UPnP servers and not 3rd party ones.

Today I have a Roon environment, with ROCK server for the Roon Server, and the SonoreUPnP Bridge to push the playback path to the NDS. I don’t use the Naim App or UPnP server for Playback.

You then get all the Roon goodness in terms of better UI, metadata enrichment, a better Tidal integration with the ability to play Tidal Masters, playback of local MQA files, QoBuz integration, better internet Radio integration (with the last 1.7 release), ability to playback files not supported by the NDS (DSD128, DSD256, 24/384, 24/352.8 of which I have about 10 albums out of the 6,500 on the server) and a whole bunch of DSP capabilities, which I don’t use). Much better than the Naim App and using the NDS at what it does best - Ethernet based playback, and cheaper path than a ND555.

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The nDAC is a big step up from the HDX IMO delivering a more natural, detailed, organic sound. Very musical. A power supply on the back of it just makes it sing even more.I could and did live with this setup for quite a long time.

1 Like
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Conventional wisdom would connect the 555PS to the nDac fed by a bare HDX.

However, to my ears, using HDX+555PS to feed a bare nDac sounds far more musical.

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…thanks for your time / info’, much appreciated ! :grinning:

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…thanks for your time, much appreciated.

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…thanks for your time / info’, much appreciated.

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I believe you. Some prefer the 555 before the Hdx, other before the Ndac. Have not tested personally.
However I know that some went from Hdx/ 555/ Ndac to Nds/ 555 . Some also kept the Hdx as a Nas for the nds/ 555.

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I have to say that my audio memory from 5 years or so ago is somewhat fading - and of course i went from using the XPS on the HDX to the NDAC … but as i recall there was a significant uplift in resolution / ability to hear what’s going on / make sense of it all. For a grand (which you’ll get most of back if it’s not your cup of tea) I think it would be a safe punt!

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…thanks; I think this IS the way forward for now! :grinning:

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