ND555 Impressions

just to illustrate slightly different perspective – my active system is supplied by a 10mm sq radial circuit terminated by an MK double socket. one socket connects to 552PS and the other to an Olsen 8-way star-earthed block. Order of components on the block matters a LOT in my system. I used to have a special hydra with 5 double sockets star-wired, plus a dedicated earth – this worked extremely well too – but was rather temperamental.

I don’t believe there is a “size that fits all” – I suspect what mains configuration will work for one will be different for another.

enjoy/ken

1 Like

Ken is exactly right - and I recommend people find out what works in their system best.

My own system - and my own listening preference - is for the deep-bass musical waveforms to be done right as perceived by me in my room and then everything else seems to sit atop that and do what I expect.

If people find exactly the opposite sequence or something else works best for them then that is the correct solution. My aim here is for people to use their minds and abilities to do this stuff for themselves, albeit with some ideas and suggestions to try.

I don’t like any unthinking approach following a perceived authority and I don’t want to be that myself. I like to share and learn stuff - that is why I’m on this forum…and to share my joy in the experiencing the magic that music can do in life via the HiFi.

DB.

2 Likes

well illustrated – whereas mine is:

emotion; sense of musical performance with any nuances apparent; presence etc etc. The problem of course is that even these descriptions can mean different things to different people.

enjoy/ken

Ken - it is not that I’m enjoying a bass waveform - that was a description of what I hear happening that throws everything off when it is too exaggerated or over-lean.

When the largest signal in my system is happy I’ve found all the other musical things I enjoy happen but underpinned by the bass, rather than in-spite of it.

My set-up gives an almost holographic image with integrity LF to extreme HF so it all just sounds happy and the music just happens and I can then lose awareness of the HiFi.

Some components I’ve added add neutrality, like the S1 Pre did and to a lesser but important extent the SL cables. By neutrality I do not men ‘boring’ but even-handed accuracy that seems to anchor the performance and lets me just immerse myself in the music.

DB.

understood DB and thanks for elaborating. I suspect you are much more sensitive than I am to the sort of contributory factors you mention above. in my case (and again that is not to suggest that somehow this is a better approach), whenever my focus is drawn towards issues such as frequency response, imaging etc – then I find this interferes with my enjoyment of the music.

I envy you with you S1. last time I listened to it – I simply got “lost” in the music… it was quite a powerful experience!! I am currently slumming it with a 552 and NDS4.4 :slight_smile:

enjoy/ken

The 552 is very capable when attention to set-up is done right IMO.
The S1 Pre is just easier to set up to begin with as it is an unmovable slab that requires no set-up apart from initial leveling - then later once you realise it is deforming your floor under its weight.

But it is a silly cost - you can do very well with the 552 and for me it was a gateway product into high-end HiFi with its ability to resolve note-structure, especially decay harmonics. A lot of HiFi did attack but almost nothing rendered decay well until I heard what the 552 did. The S1 extends on that a lot for a lot more outlay.

DB.

yes, I agree re:552 – its a great preamp - until you hear an S1 :frowning:
Oh dear!

(un)Fortunately, I have 2 constraints against owning one – I cannot afford it (mind you, I said that about the 552! :slight_smile: ) and in any case it will not fit in my listening toom/office …

enjoy/ken

And another take on it, this time with passive 500 on NBLs and no superlumina.
I have a 10 mm sq radial too with an MK unswitched double. On this I have a chained extension block made with single unswitched MK sockets. There are 500, 552, SC, TTps, 555ps, DVD5 and a NAD tuner to accomodate. The DVD5 and ND555 can both act as signal earths but here it gets interesting. Setting the ND to floating and playing around with the plug order with the results assessed by listening to LPs resulted in the DVD5 taking first socket on the block, anywhere else and the music was more disjointed, it just didn’t engage as well, this was audible from the kitchen too. The problem with this was that the ND555 didn’t perform as it should and wasn’t much better than the DVD5 when I compared them. Setting the ND to provide the signal earth and giving it first socket let it demonstrate that it could actually be considered something of a bargain, for a digital source anyway but meant as soon as the DVD5 was connected to the pre the music lost its mojo again, whether the turntable or ND was providing the signal. The only way to get sound out of the DVD5 without messing up the ND555 is to use a digital cable between the two so as not to upset the earthing scheme. The other awkward item to accomodate is the NAD tuner, which has a certain sentimental value and sounds a lor better than its ~£100 in 1981 price woud suggest but if plugged into the block with the Niam boxes it has a rather too detrimental effect on the whole system, not if plugged into the second wall socket though so that’s where it goes. All this experimenting was prompted by my dealer who had suggested that the turntable would grow in stature if its ps was plugged into the first socket of the block rather then the last, well it did plugged into the second so he was nearly right.

Many years ago I looked at a then glossy Naim booklet when 552 what top of they Reference Range - before DR and Statement existed - and 552 was about £10k I thought 'I’ll never afford that’! Then within 2 years I had one and it was the first serious HiFi upgrade I’d made for twenty years from my then Active system I ran with a mix of Exposure Pre old Naim power Amps (250) and home-built hobby stuff. It then seriously went downhill (uphill?) after that and I realised after passing my 50s and having fewer debts I could decide where to enjoy money available. I’d certainly not recommend my path but I enjoy the old hobby I had in my 20s now I’ve made it into my 60s. :bear:

DB.

It’s rather strange the very high end, say a full statement system can be looked at as over indulgent. But a different hobby such as boating is OK. If I look at the money bobbing up and down in any marina…to me , music is played every day, not just a few weeks a year. Each to their own…just enjoy while you can.

4 Likes

I was toying with the idea of buying a boat but you have put me right off.

Thanks.:grin:

3 Likes

Gazza, thanks for making me feel a bit better about my frightening (to me of course) hifi outlay :slight_smile: I don’t know whether this is will be acceptable at the ‘pearly gates’ though :worried:

enjoy/ken

I will probably be just outside asking for tips, forgiveness in spades…but no pirates in sight, I hope. Just enjoy.:wink:

So you think they ask ‘Expensive HiFi owner?’ and if no then then you go to a different level? :open_mouth:

DB.

Naim will do a custom ‘in-boat’ HiFi for you so no problem!

DB.

1 Like

I’m the “other guy” that got the rare faulty unit (with the same fault as Gazza) and my replacement ND 555 arrived about 2 weeks ago. Honestly, I am not listening to, or for, any run-in changes. The music is fabulous…and that’s all that matters :sunglasses:

ah, so I am safe with a ‘just’ a 552 then!.. you will have a lot to answer for DB! :slight_smile:
enjoy/ken

I edited my post to include you again Ken!

DB.

Damn you DB !!!

I will have my share.

DB.