ND5XS2 + nDAC home demo findings

I did but when I put it as described above I kept hearing a high pitched electrical noise through the speaker when it wasn’t playing music which was very annoying. When music was playing it sounded fine and I didn’t hear any weird electrical sounds.

I like a lot of different music but what I listen to most is 70’s 80’s rock such as Dire Straits, Pink Floyd, AC/DC, Rolling Stones. Then also often listen to classical music such as Andrea Bocelli. And of course some sixties like Johnny Cash and older rock n roll music. Not too much music from after 2000.
Basically, the Rolling Stone Magazine Top 500 sums up a big part of my music tastes.

Thanks. That link helps.

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I do like the fuller sound of vocals with the nDac but I prefer clarity without the nDac.
The bass without seems dryer and therefor more detailed without the nDac.
The big soundstage is great though with the nDac.
I will do some more intensive listening again tonight.
I would say it improves a lot of things but at the same time some things are better with the bare streamer. Therefor I wonder if the difference is worth the price of the nDAC. Maybe a hicap for the same amount would bring more to the table for my personal taste. Or an NDX2 in one year or so.

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OK, that helps interpret your findings.

I tend to listen to acoustic jazz piano trios, especially ECM recordings, and the wild and funky stuff Miles did in the 70s.

ECM (and much of what I listen to) is not at all compressed and is mainly not overdubbed much if at all.

So the main thing I’m looking for is whether the recording reproduces the sound of the instruments in the room.

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Funny I found the exact opposite. I was hearing some interference (famous Naim hum) then some friends told me about the grounding and it solved the issue. It could be an AV component is contributing as well. I made sure (within reason) no AV power cords were close to my Naim equipment (cable dressing etc). Regardless I look forward to hearing your results.

Hi Eoink, thanks for the link…I’d missed that one. I shall now break my “retirement resolution” and read it. :laughing:

On the subject of the nDAC, it has been (anecdotally) reported on this and other forums that the nDAC “gets better” as the quality of the input stream improves. Indeed, my own ad-hoc and totally un-scientific experiments with my RPi streamers would appear to support other folks’ findings. Interesting

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What power cables are you using for both ?
Myself and by observation others have noticed the Ndac is very fussy regarding set up/fettling and tender loving care given to it.
Although, perhaps simply that its warts and all presentation isn’t a great fit for your musical preferences.
By all accounts the ND5XS2 seems like a cracking bit of kit and maybe it’s strengths are in the same direction as your ears.

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@Hifi_Naim_CNNL,

Do you have a Naim CD player attached to your system, I seem to recall mention that if you do then every other unit should be set to “floating”

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No. Nothing else besides the streamer

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I’m using a Graham Hydra 3-1

This is my understanding also. There is no ground switch on my CD5…

Unfortunately, the OP doesn’t have a CDP - ah well, so much for that bright idea… I’ll crawl back in me hole :smiley:

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Funny, for my taste this would be a benefit of the nDac, not a weakness.

In my experience, the nDac is quite sensitive to placement, power cords, quality of source… just everything matters.

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I agree. I love the sound of the nDAC. Again I think the ND5XS2 is fantastic as well. Combined together = magic (IMHO)
FWIW I do have a powerline on the nDAC, a HiLine and it’s now sitting on a Fraim shelf. Guess I’ve bought into the Naim ecosystem. :slight_smile:

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Since you have done the nDAC comparison and found it inconclusive, I think I’d lean this way… personally I have some sort of psychological block that tells me it’s just plain wrong to buy a streamer with a perfectly good DAC and feed another DAC from it, although it’s a perfectly legitimate solution. I don’t think I’ll ever understand why someone would run ND555/555PS*2 and then run the digital output into a Chord. There must be far more cost-effective transports, but they’re happy.

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Or just enjoy what you have and stop chasing the capitalist dream :wink:

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This very thing has confused me many times over as I’ve read member’s posts, and/or checked out their systems. There’s a lot of expensive doubling.

ND5XS2 into Chord Hugo (rather than ND555 or NDX2) :grinning: :grinning:

There’s nothing common with capitalism, just sound quality realism. Audiophilia is not consumerism.

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