Having listened to Nd555 with one ps at my dealer place, with a similar system, I found the Nd555 having a bit more authority and effortless sound vs the Nds. But when I got the PhoenixNet, the gap is reduced, and I even tend to think that an Nds/ PhoenixNet or Etheregen / good ps is very very near of the Nd555 with a common switch, maybe identical or even better.
However I know I will buy it when the moment will be right, and if the second hand price is low. But would never sell my Nds for 2k and get a new Nd555 at 10 times the price.
I have not yet heard a non Naim digital source that would satisfy me more than my Nds. Of course there are better in the market, but with a sound signature that doesn’t involve me in the same way, be it Linn KDSM, Dave , Rossini, Lumin and Meitner. Better doesn’t mean systematically more musical to someone tastes.
The bit I struggle with is making the mechanical and electrical comparison.
555 DR PS - same
brass suspension mounting - same
DAC chip - same
That leaves a small window of opportunity to justify the extra spend imo
I know you love your NDS, and that’s fine as i also loved my NDS, and they are naims biggest bargain going by a mile.
But if you ever get the chance, go and spend an hour or two with the new apex version’s of the rossini or even better the vivaldi as the apex certainly has changed things without giving any off the detail, huge sound stage and dynamics it had before, its just added to it all with a new layer of tone thats just so nice and extremely musical. I was shocked by the difference and the difference over the rossini the vivaldi was.
The only problem is price as that’s getting very silly
I don’t know where you live, but you really need to go find a good hifi shop and go play for a day.
I’m near Cardiff. Most of my gear is from Peter Tyson so mail order. I’ve always found them excellent but too far for a demo.
I think everyone’s setup is different. Comparisons of equipment probably indicate which is better in the same setup/room. Changes could improve both to the extent some differences go away hopefully because both boxes improve. I’ve given up fiddling or even taking the system apart. I would be interested in a 500 series DAC, but not an ND555 x 2 555PS as I am settled on my Innuos Zenith into nDAC.
BTW The Littlest Birds is rather enjoyable.
Wishing you and everyone a Hsppy New Year
Phil
Shame as i am in Northamptonshire, so quite a gap, as I would have invited you round
Your local Audio T store seems to be well-regarded, and appears to carry a good range of equipment (albeit not dcs).
An obliging dealer who does home trials is well worth having, and having a good local dealer is a definite asset if any problems arise.
I heard once the Rossini bare and preferred easily the Linn KDSM. The Rossini Apex / clock is logically much better, but I doubt that its sound signature is different from the bare Rossini, as the sound signature from an Nd5xs2 is similar to the Nd555.
But even if it’s not the case, my budget will not be bigger than 10/ 12 k. So Apex , additional clock are way above my budget.
Thanks very much for mentioning this group. Enjoying the The Littlest Birds and it sounds great on my 272/555dr. Happy new year.
To start with, you don’t have to have the clock, it works very well without one, and that’s exactly what i am doing now.
As for the apex, its all about the analog output stage and it has changed things quite a bit, as every review will say, it has certainly moved digital on in a big way.
It’s lots better.
I was a happy user of the NDS/2X555PS-DR. It had a wonderful, flowing, organic delivery which was both musical and effortless. I regard it as a kind of spiritual successor to the CDS3/XPS2, which had a similar, easy going yet authoritative delivery. They both nail timing superbly, although the NDS digs out a lot more detail than the CDS3 without losing coherence.
Having spent long auditions on several occasions with the CDS3 and the CD555, I anticipated that the ND555 might be somewhat akin to the CD555, which is to say (and according to my subjective ears) hugely impressive, world class, but somehow too clinical for me. It’s hard to describe but it was off-putting at some level. I always preferred the CDS3.
If I listed everything the ND555 can do that the NDS couldn’t quite get to, it would take a long time. Timing, detail, texture, realism, musicality, sound stage, you name it. There is no catch - past the asking price. Of course, knowing what the NDS can’t quite get to is only possible if you spend some time with the ND555.
Summary: Your ears must be the judge but your time will probably not be wasted. The ND555 is a superb all rounder that justifies its asking price. The NDS is one of, if not the best value for money DACs you can buy used.
I went from an NDS to the ND555 and there was a big difference…more detail, impact, etc etc more of everything. However, I will say this…the NDS is highly enjoyable with an organic quality…I would imagine a second psu on the NDS would be really enjoyable…
We will see , when you will get your Vivaldi clock, if the clock gives a minimal improvement or huge. I feel it will be more the later. Clocks with DCS are like big ps with Naim. Difficult to go back after.
It’s my feeling after having read some threads elsewhere, or even here with some DCS owners.
But I have absolutely no experience with it.
As for the Apex you suggested, it costs 30 k. So maybe in 10 years, on the used market, it will cost 10 k and I will be able to buy it lol.
The clocks do inpove things as they link all to the same clock and give the other clocks something to lock on to.
Everything will sound slightly better linked up as us humans are very well at timing apparently.
Naim dacs, etc would also benefit from it, as would all dacs.
This becomes even more beneficial if you have a CD player in your system and use a separate dac as dCS do.
But linking all devices to an independent clock is where the big gains are and dCS developed this years ago as radio stations and recording studios first used it and it made a very big inpovement in sound quality.
But its not necessary to have one and if like me just running streaming then the gains if any are questionable as streaming apparently is not subject to clocking issues, which in turn, turns up all the guys running clocks on switches etc.
I have had my ND555 for about a year now and really enjoy it. Had it with a non-DR 555 PS, then one 555 DR PS, then two, and back to one. It’s a great piece of equipment that seems to really fit with the 552 and 500. I would like to try a DCS sometime and was close to making a decision blind to go for it but opted to stick with the ND555. @Dunc, you have the Rossini? What interconnects do you use? Happy New Year everyone!
First off, happy new year everyone.
I did have the rossini and clock and was going to get it apex’ed.
But in the end i went vivaldi apex dac and have since added the upsampler/streamer.
I use standard dCS cables right now and then the rest on my naim kit is all morgana from witchhat.
I’ve not heard a ND555 and as this forum has already cost me $1,000s I’ve decided to take the plunge and mute this thread. 
You found one 555PSDR was enough?
I’d budget for 2 at the rate you’re going 