So, after a few weeks I can say that I don’t regret my move towards a single ND5XS2.
Not that many hours of burning in, but I can already tell that the sound is much more to my liking…I love vinyl and so really love the sound of the ND5XS2.
It just sounds better in all areas…soundstage, bottom end, dynamics and less digital edge…actually NO digital edge at all.
Kudos, NAIM.
That’s reassuring news. Awaiting mine for next Wednesday with a Hi-line…having never heard it before. A leap of faith.
Brgds.
Sat listening to mine now feeding a new SN3, all good, I’m sure you’ll enjoy yours equally.
Everyone says that. Enjoy. 
Just waiting for the real bottom end to kick in with my nd5xs2 and the PMC 20-26’s. Getting better than a week ago though. From cold, i.e. new, it was hopeless.
Leave it on streaming Internet radio with the volume down/muted when you aren’t using it for a few weeks and that’ll help bed it in. You need to give it time to reach it’s optimum. I’ve just had mine fired up the past few days having been boxed up and offline for around 5 months and it’s nice to come back to it, reminded me what I was missing!
While a new device might need some time to run in, you should probably not rely on run in to essentially change the sonic signature of a streamer. If a new ND5 XS 2 sounds “hopeless” to you, it will not become acceptable after two or three weeks of run in, I would argue. There is nothing wrong with this, we all have different systems, ears and expectations.
When I first plugged in my Naim, the sound was very 2d. I still had my CA cxnv2 plugged in and could instantly do an A/B.
But after a few days the soundstage was really improving. And the low end started to appear. My PMC 20-26s only disappoint on the bass front of there isn’t any. They are driven by a JSAudio modded MF A300cr. Trust me this thing will deliver very controlled bass if it’s there.
By now the Naim is really starting to perform. It’s been on 24/7. The CA has been removed. That was my previous benchmark and is now longer needed. Looking forward to any further changes in SQ.
Conversely to your hopes and expectations, I’m hoping that my new ND5XS2 (delivered next Wednesday) will produce LESS bass than now or atleast tighter, faster and more controlled. My rear-ported speakers are the culprit, but I needed to upgrade my source anyway…
Umm. Rear ported speakers. Always struggled to get any that I had to work properly in any of my houses. Given that speakers need to be wife friendly, mine have to go near a rear wall.
The PMCs only do tight low bass. Never boomy. But a lot of that could be down to the A300cr. That can make bass ( tight not boomy) come out if most speakers.
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