OK so I am new to streaming and NAIM in general, only 6 months or so.
Running Tidal and music from my QNAS NAS drive.
I know I have only had my ND5XS2 for a few months, but I may be in a position over the next few months in getting some money together and was thinking, should I …or shouldn’t I change.
I love the sound quality from the ND5 especially going into the SN2, but am I missing something,
Just a thought.?
Once again, many thanks for your advise
B
If you love the sound quality then why change?
If you have an itch to scratch though I would go to your dealer and compare the ND5XS2 with the NDX2 and see what you think.
Whilst you are there, ask him to pop a Hicap on to the SN2 to see which change you like the best.
Presumably you already have decent rack, and are using Naim cables throughout?
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Will do…
Yes I have naim cables and a good rack
Cheers
The HI Cap added quite a bit to my system and as we all know there is a decline pound per sound ratio , you might be able to increase the quality without a major spend.
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I have a very similar setup with ND5XS2 + SN2 and HC DR. I tend to agree that you should try what you have with a HiCap DR first. I spent a fair bit of time back and forth demoing an NDX2 and even for curiosity a ND555. A good test was putting the ND5XS2 in a 500 series system driving Focal Utopias which was the dealers ND555 reference system. We tried a number of sources and did some basic A-B listening back to the ND555. You could tell the difference in a number of ways but what it did show was that even what is classed as the Entry level product is still a very capable streamer. What was probably the most revealing was the source and to an extent input type. In my system I still have my CD5XS input over BNC coax, I have a USB SSD mostly with higher resolution FLAC and DSD and the rest I handle over Wi-Fi including Radio and Qobuz as well as streaming for YouTube and occasionally Spotify or Apple Music. I’d certainly try the HiCap and perhaps a Powerline on the ND5 first.
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Hi B,
I remember reading somewhere else on this forum that you were considering using NAC A5? Unless you’ve not done so already, I strongly recommend that you do this also. Have your dealer make your cables up at decent lengths and with the correct plugs on either end. 
Hi Stephen
I still haven’t done cables yet as trying to get the wife to agree a possible speaker move.
NAC A5 is also very thick and I may struggle gettiung them around or even under the carpet…
I have looked at Tellurium Black but it would cost me a small fortune as I would need at least 13mtrs per run.
B
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