ND555 Impressions

I will decide over a few days use. As I try to communicate, it is not a ‘better-worse’ thing but a balance of strengths and weaknesses that may over time irritate me.
I’m exploring the Beldens with the fall-back to the known performance of the Vodka if I find longer-term they do not satisfy. I’ve been told they run-in and experienced that to a big extent already but do not know where they will end-up; if the bass loses a bit more ‘fluffy’ openness and firms-up (which has been reported it will) then I will like them longer-term.
Presently they are delightfully interesting but with odd lack of control effects - may be run-in.

The reason I recommend trying the Beldens with the Melco - especially if people are finding it too clean-clinical is that it can have that effect with some cables I found and it just sounds happy with some cables more than others.

To also be clear - a poor Cat5e makes the ND555 dull and over-soft so all this idea that it is immune from Ethernet cables is rubbish. I even directly asked the Designer about that and he said there were large and - to Naim and him - unexpected and for reasons unknown effects positive and negative.
Not wishing to speak for Naim but I think they feel a customer may waste a lot of money on some expensive cables that ruin the ND555 performance and would do better using cheaper cables that when they go wrong do so more gracefully - and don’t cost a lot to fix.

IMO this is where a good Dealer that knows their products and has experimented will be able to advise what to use and try.

DB.

Hi, a data switch will correctly switch data on its switchport, no matter it’s quality, assuming it’s functioning correctly.
A quality switch will however typically have a more stable serial physical link clock. A more stable stable clock means less sidebands and intermodulation effects of the serial clock on the Ethernet link. This ultimately means less coupled undesirable energy into the host streamer. Less un wanted elements into the streamer will usually result in a more precise output and possibly cleaner audio signal from the streamer.

Can’t say I noticed any burn in effect on my Beldens they sounded fine from the off. But I have struggled to tell.any difference with any network cable. When I tried a Cinnamon I had to really concentrate to hear anything different at all, if any I though it was a tad brighter but nothing that would make me say altered the overall presentation. Never really played with directions of cables either, other than ones that give you an arrow. I may give it a try to see.

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Perhaps Naim have tried the ethernet cables out on the Core, not Melco etc. I did try AQ Vodka and others with Core and Nova etc and really did not find any benefit. Decided on Melco ethernet leads. I follow the thread with interest and now with a nd555 i will try again at some point.

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had you tried to connect your hdd drive to the usb imput of the melco?
it doesn’t work ?

It’s very natural to trust somebody,when everything he says looks logical to me,I also heard your server 2 month ago and was really good ,also with vodka ethernet as yours,but this one I got the last days n1h for audition i was disappointed,also because of my cheap cables and music files not mine,anyway I’m waiting for my order to arrive next month n10… it’s okey DB I’m a big old guy,everything is my decision at last,for good or for bad .

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Excellent! :slightly_smiling_face:
Good to avoid ‘hang DB - he made me do it’ is all.

I think you will be OK, providing you put a little care into the installation.
The lowest Melco in the range I’ve never heard as my Dealer, knowing the rest of my system as he well should having sold it all to me, told me that the next one up was for my level of kit and the bottom Melco was very entry-level.
The next one up I think I have and then there was an SSD version of that which is also very good - then the present top-level one (n10) which does a lot of musical things I value even better again.

I find the Melco presents a clean harmonic structure that removes lots of noise and has excellent start-stop timing in a 552 Pre sort of way - but - it can also interact in ways that make it too bright with no bass or loads of out of control bass - I’ve heard both and what causes them.

If I had the n10 at home to play with I’d probably in the end prefer it over mine - or possibly not as I’m keeping away from more big upgrade temptations this year at least as I’m really enjoying all the improvements small cost changes are making on what I already own.

Post when you get it and how it all goes.

DB.

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the n1a2 is actually the second in the range. For 2700 euros i hope it will offer a better sound vs an usb stick or hdd drive connected in the front of the nds or nd555.
With non expensive ethernet cables and netgear switch, the sound between my unitserve / linear ps and usb stick into the nds was very similar.
However, with the cisco 2960 switch and my audioquest cables, the unitserve / ps sounds better vs the usb stick.
Normally, i hope the melco n1a2 will sound better vs the unitserve / ps , in direct mode .

So i am a bit surprised that @Meni prefers the usb hdd drive vs the melco. Maybe the switch, the ethernet cables? or maybe the n1a2 is not so good ?

Db I ordered n10 because the dealer never had it yet in my country, he wants to published this one,for this reason he gave me a good deal,very close to the price of yours,otherwise I would take like yours,because your server was also great.so if yours is so good probably the n10 will be great,nothing to risk for.

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The 2nd ps give such a level of refinement with classical piano, that it will be even more nice to listen to this type of music. The full spectrum is available and a certain harshness is gone while the soundstage is deeper.
A great upgrade.

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I ordered mine a week ago last Friday, together with an extra Fraim shelf, to take advantage of the promotional offers. Unfortunately I won’t be able to take delivery until late September or October as we’re having the kitchen remodelled and I’m taking the opportunity of all the chaos to have a separate electrical supply wired into the music room. It’s reassuring reading your current posts, Bert.

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Clive Hi… I was looking at your exiting equipment you have,so I need to know how much you’re happy with yours Nbl speakers because mine are sl2, for 5 years,thinking to switch to those as yours … the question is for all forum…thanks

I’ve only ever heard SL2 at Naim Audio demos, so I may not be best placed to comment. However, I did own SBLs for several years before swapping to the NBL. Compared to the SBL, the NBL is quite a lot bigger and has a much bigger audio presence. Owing to its separate box design though it remains quite an agile loudspeaker. One thing you’d need to bear in mind though is that replacement bass drivers are no longer available, so if one of those were to fail you could have difficulty finding a replacement.

The mid range too I believe, fortuneately the tweeters are the most likely to go and there were still some left last I heard.
Mine have come to me to die (which might be when I move as I don’t have boxes for them) or will stay until I do.
Am I right in thinking the only Naim speakers with drive units that have perrishing surrounds are the DBLs? I’ve never heard of anyone refurbishing any of the others but I remember an ex member having a set of DBL bass drivers done.

I’ve not tried this - but where are we as to what happens if one disconnects the ND555 from the network while it’s playing back. Does the track continue to the end?

If so . . does the undesired sound resulting from the use of an ethernet cable not to one’s liking cease when that cable is disconnected? Or are the contents of the ND555’s buffer already infected?

Unless the network cable is broken the buffer contents are never ‘infected’

Is that the same as saying ‘bits are bits’…

I’m confused!:wink:

Im just wondering how one might isolate the effect of the ethernet cable.

If the buffer is filled, removing the offending ethernet cable whilst the buffer plays out should remove the sonic hindrances one attributes to said cable.

Bart, it is a good test, I am just being sarcastic.

The lowest form of wit, my Mum used to say.

Ha ha there’s actually a lower form of wit. Penis jokes (“d%$* jokes” we say in the States).

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