ND555 at Olive System

Is tin foil an ok interim solution? Do I vaguely recall that being mentioned at one point!?

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LOL - that’s what I thought :slight_smile: But I feel better with a non rocking case - as 4 feets have contact, even if one is not on glass. These shims must be (and will be) very tiny - a piece of paper is not very thick :slight_smile:

Again, not tried but possibly would favour in theory over paper.

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Yep!

Tin foil - I have to go to the kitchen for that. Try to avoid it :slight_smile:
Melitta Topits … Will go for it. - thanks :slight_smile:

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No problem. Just below the post I link to Richard suggests the proper shims really ought to replace the foil at some point. Thought I’d draw attention to that :slight_smile:

Be adventurous, kitchens aren’t scary places :wink:

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Thanks - replaced paper with tin foil - looks much better and the kitchen did not bite :rofl:

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I believe you can even do this without using the tubular aluminium box section tube and just use the threaded bolt and spike.

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Here we go… I will go deeper - as the very nice luxury packaging says.
Sorry - this will go longer.

ND555/555PSDR arrived yesterday - so did EE8switch and clearway ethernet cable
(only powerline missing - will be send by the dealer).

First impression and installation:
These boxes are very nice - my first 500 series contact. Very nice finish - love the casing with brushed aluminium very very much. Well done, naim!
Burndys are my challenge - again I need to massage and relax it to be in position. So it is as everyone uses different setup location - especially, when (like me) as preliminary test setup.
I have beaten this challenge and burndys are relaxed all plugs are not overtightened (have not touched them) with tiny play - as it should be.
Remote - nice. Oh - never thought I have missed the remote. Maybe it comes with age… Nice Gimmick - but without motion sensor :slight_smile:
The display on the ND555 - nice looking - but I do not need it. If there has been a non display version…

Took lavender cable and one of my leads fron powerigel. Hi-line is in the box, but as a lavender fanboy it should do so far.
A few worries I had before …

  • Rattling on the sprung boards. Yeah - you can hear them a bit on the sprungs, when I go hard on the (not hard) floor. Totally normal - they do not bang at each other!
  • PSU Humming. Oh yeah - I was afraid, as I read somewhere that the 555PS could be a hummer. But… :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:. This is by far the most silent PSU I own. And I own a lot of them :slight_smile: YEAH!

ND555 placed - 555PS placed - both on fraim.
Now the EE8 switch - tiny nice little box. Placed it under the OLED - same place as former TP-Link (10 euro). Installed in a bit - took it a bit forward on the board, to avoid it flipping over due to the cables pulling down. Sits - fine. But the mini LEDs are not my kind of thing. Found a solution to cover them with some felt :slight_smile:
Now the clearway cable to ND555 - god, it is awfully stiff and curly. When final dressing is at schedule, this will take some time and nerves.

Installation of ND555 is done in a bit. Remote paired and in the APP all is visible.

Both ND5XS2/nDAC/olive XPS and ND555/555PS are connected to the 52. Both set on floating - DAC is chassis.

The moment
Here it comes … this is the moment everyone loves most I think - the first tone coming out of the new gear… drumroll…

Lisa Mitchell - Warriors…

… this is definitely a lot different … A totally different sound scale - compared to my TT or ND5XS2

After extensive sessions (deep into the night) my results so far are…

  • This ND555 is very much capable!
  • 52/135/SBL are no bottleneck
  • ND555 delivers a complete different soundsspectrum. Ears have to adept! This is my first contact with a DR box. This might be one of the reasons.

Sound is:

  • Much more in front of the speakers - ND5XS2… is held back in comparison. That’s what I love with naim!
  • Details, Details, Details … never had thought that so much details are in the digital recordings (For Details I always preferred vinyl)
  • 3d Soundstage is a tiny bit less prominent as ND5XS2… ND5XS2 has a much smoother a bit darker sound and therefore it is a bit more 3d (only backwards)
  • Sound is a bit brighter with ND555 - not too bright. I think it is very well balanced - At some points I feeled the sound of ND5… a bit dark. Dark but very smooth … also a VERY fine machine, especially with nDAC/XPS.
  • Voices are totally nailed and so clear with ND555
  • all is very transparent and has a lot of dynamics (DR-Effect?)
  • acoustic Guitar… that’s what he is made for. Always missed at bit on ND5… (actually feel that with Guitar HDX was even better). ND555 brings Jack Johnson to another level!
  • High frequencies … there is a lot more - also a bit more prominent. With latest updates the HF were more detailed but lacking some presence. This is back - is it more digital? I do not think so. Guitar strings with any detail - bells. But no stress for my ears. My old SBL tweeters can do it :slight_smile:
  • Bass … yes. This was, what I had most feared. When bass gets more detailed and defined it is less prominent in the room. And my room - SBLs … you might know what I am referring to.
    With ND555 there is tighter bass - at some songs a bit too tight for my room - with even Vinyl giving more. But with other songs the definition and detail in the lower frequencies it totally stunning. This was a weak spot of ND5XS2… There is a bit more bumpy bass - think it is a nDAC speciality - but you can not hear if it is coming from a bass guitar.

This morning - very tired - I had even a moment when it sounds totally identical to ND5XS2… but this was my tired head.

The ND555 delivers a very balanced spectrum - some buzz words:

  • More of everything
  • Cloth is away
  • Definition and transparency

The hard part will be the comparison to vinyl … A week ago (with ND5XS2…) I had definitely voted that vinyl is better in all situations. The details were always on site, when the stylus is going through the vinyl disc. ND5XS2… could not compete in any way… it has been a smooth digital alternative for late night listening.
The ND555 brings a lot of detail - maybe in some cases even more as my TT (do not know). Think that with vinyl (Phonosophie perfectly matched to olive) it is like a blues club - with ND555 it is like Elbphilarmonie (coming from Hamburg I can compare :))
The ND5XS2… is very good. I had some moments where I liked it even better. It is the “Nait effect”. I have a nait2 with CDX (maybe soon ND5xs2…) and nSAT in a second room. nait is not very detailed, but so involving.

At the end the ND555 is what it is. A very much high-end product. And when my ears manage to fully adept (that’s what I am looking forward to) it will be a miracle machine.

… testing 555PS on NDac - which I will do in some days - is the setup I am most afraid of…

Dunno - but assume, it is a very long text with tipos inside.

Hope you enjoy reading it - as ever … a full set of emotions with naim from

drago :slight_smile:

Edit: what nd555 also does is showing best of good recordings, but also in very rare cases showing others the door. The better the equipment gets … this is fine.
By the way - think I stay lavender and quobuz with cd quality. Hires is not my cup of tea.

Edit2: nd555 had run for 7 months - but I think not very often and was in storage for some months I assume. Could be some burn in or re-burn in necessary

Edit3: I really think that at the end I prefer vinyl, but… as I have a lot of ripped cds and like quobuz…

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Congratulations and great write-up.
Yes, those first sounds/beats after fully setting up a new component can be scary/exciting/apprehensive but sounds like it’s working as the ND555 should.
Enjoy the music :grin:

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A very enjoyable read. It’s a great feeling when you first set ears on a new box and they don’t come much better than a ND555.

Enjoy!

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Think this would be a bit unstable - and even more strange looking :slight_smile:

Have to ask, my Burndy’s are quite firm and when in position they kind of snap into position (sorry if this is not proper English). I always assumed this is how it should be with Burndy’s?

Burndy plugs should always be fully locked/engaged to the sockets.

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Sorry - they are fully locked. The strain relief has tiny play as you suggested to be best - not too tight not to loose. The cables are 7 months old.


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Listening to the new album of daughter … have also the vinyl.
ND555 is soo good :heart_eyes:

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I should probably stop looking at this thread I can smell danger :smile:

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I can post some more pics :rofl:
You have an nds with 555ps… this is a not so huge a step, I think.
You still own a metal feeter :heart_eyes:

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Be strong young man.

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Hi Nigel

I had followed the evolution of your system with interest for some time but notice you’ve changed direction with your recent addition of melco and removal of the ND555, hope all is working out with the changes?