I would say doing it this way is the complete opposite off what you are say, and the box swap would be more in line with your statement.
If the difference doesn’t hit you in the face, then sorry but it’s because, there is no difference or the difference is so slight you can’t tell.
This could be due to a few reasons like, your ears aren’t good enough to hear it or the gear not good enough to show it.
But for me the jump up in sound quality doing it this way has always been easy to hear from the off, and it’s why i have what i have now.
I’ve done the same to A/B the ND555 and my LP12, the only variable being to adjusting the volume when you switch sources on the remote. Still, you get a pretty quick impression of the differences. I haven’t had a dealer do this either.
Well, that’s great news for all ND555 owners - because if you’re correct that the NDS is no better on sound quality, then all of them who value sound quality above all (i.e they don’t need the colour screen and better remote and better streaming section) can just sell their their ND555’s and buy NDSs (after doing your flicking back and forth method of testing).
ND555 sales should crash as people get wind of this bargain hunters dream - and the price of NDSs should increase proportionally.
Just saying how i found it back then.
Nothing to get upset over.
As said it’s what i found, we are all different.
Some can’t hear what a clock can do in the right system, as the brain works differently for us all.
I am not saying that the ND555 isn’t any better, but what i am saying is that i couldn’t hear any real difference between them, especially when you used the same ripped file.
But i guess like what i even thought when i went to upgrade to the ND555, i just took it for granted that the difference would be better, and it was only by chance that i got to try them like i did, as if my other power supply would have worked with the ND555, then i wouldn’t have had the dealer’s 555ps to run both at the same time.
I guess i would probably still have the ND555, 500dr, and probably a S1 by now, if things hadn’t turned out that way.
It will certainly be interesting if Dan gets to try it.
Especially after not hearing any upgrade in SQ when he added the ND5XS, and this by all accounts is a worthwhile upgrade if you go by whats been said on here ???
Had it for a week definitely or maybe 2.
If anything the NDS was more at a disadvantage, as that sat on the floor with the power supply next to it. Plus it had been switched off for a few day’s minimum.
I don’t remember exactly as it was a long time ago now, but the ND555 and it’s power supply was in the rack for certain.
I understand things need to warm up, but even so you should be able to hear a difference right from the start, as if not then it’s not going to happen really is it.
The ND555 was a year old and the dealers demo unit, it was time for him to move it on.
So it had been powered up all it’s life and well run in.
Plus it was removed from the shop and 2 hours later back powered up again.
I’ve had that done in a home demo by Cymbiosis between CD555 and ND555 at home and CD555 and NDS in their shop, but playing the same track on one immediately after the other, which is how I prefer it, because you are then also evaluating how you are affected by the music.
The difference between the CD555 and NDS was sharply in the former’s favour. I kept my CD555. Between the CD555 and ND555 overall but not in all respects with one PSU and very convincingly so all round with 2. CD555 sold and ND555 bought.
There absolutely is no doubt in my mind about the difference between the NDS and ND555. I’m afraid I can only conclude there was something amiss with your set-up and your dealer’s or your dealer’s demo ND555.
Its strange you mentioned the ND555 and maybe at fault.
As i did just that and the dealer got it checked by naim before he sold it, as after he was also un sure.
It came back as nothing wrong.
I moved from NDS with 2 x PS555DR, to ND555 with 1 x PS555DR. In my set up (552/300), the ND555 with a single PS, comfortably outperformed the NDS with 2 x PS.
Unfortunately, I could only afford to make the change to ND555 by trading in my NDS and one of the PS555s, so needed to be sure this made sense. It did.
