I feel a need to upgrade my streaming setup. There is no problem with what i have but would like to see if i can get more musicality, detail and soundstage from streaming and possibly a screen showing whats playing. I mostly listen to Qobuz and radio paradise flac. I dont have any local/downloaded files.
Currently using a nd5xs2 and an nDac.
I’m not going to be able to afford an nd555 with 555ps so thats out. But i think a used ndx 2 and 555ps (non dr) could be possible. Or for a chunk less a ndx 2 and xps2. Both options keeping the ndac in the loop.
After reading a number of forum posts i believe the ndx2 is sonically better than the nd5xs2 and it also has screen but the psus are harder to differentiate.
So a couple of questions what are the diffs between an xps2 and a 555ps (non dr), both functionally and in terms of sound.
Can either of these psus power both an ndx 2 and the nDac?
I’m with @Martinzero my nd5xs2 isn’t going anywhere. I have both the nd5xs2 and nDAC.
Adding a PS to this combo makes it hard to beat for SQ but the drawback is a 3 box source. I couldn’t afford a 555PS but I found a great deal on the XPSDr and it’s phenomenal in my system. You could try adding an upgraded network switch(made a difference for me). I have a powerline on my nd5xs2 it helped but it was subtle.
If you need a screen maybe swamping your nd5xs2/ndac for a NDX2 makes sense for you. For me the nd5xs2/ndac combo even without a PS was more to my taste for SQ.
To answer your last question, yes either of those psus can power either the nDAC or NDX2 (if you can find a 555PS (non dr) I’ve heard it’s fantastic with the nDAC, the caveat being the new 300 series PS can’t power the nDAC but it can power the ndx2 with a special cable IIRC.
Pretty sure that’s not possible. The PS can supply power only to one box at a time. I think I read someone tried this combo ndx2 → PS-> nDac → PS but it didn’t sound as good as one would think it should.
What you are proposing (and there is at least one person doing this) is ndx2 → nDac → 555ps. In this scenario the ndx2 only acts as a digital transport to the nDAC.
Unless you need the screen then stick with the ND5XS2 and N-DAC - its a great combination and plenty here agree.
Adding the XS5 XP power supply as a cheaper PS upgrade doesnt seem to bring much to the party. A XPS2 , or better PS, of course brings another level of extra insight but you really are grabbing that last portion out of the set-up at that point (other system / room elements caveat applies !).
Having added the N-DAC to my ND5XS2 two weeks ago, and even with a new Mark Grant BNC cable still running in, its a joy to listen to; and none of it is leaving the rack.
When compared them, I found the NDX2 and ND5XS to sound the same when using the SPDIF output, so adding an NDX2 to your system would just be a rather expensive way to add a screen and a (very poor in my opinion) remote control.
Adding a 555PS to the NDAC is a great upgrade, and like some others here, I found the older non-DR power supply to sound a little better than the DR version when used with the NDAC. Do check the service history of these older units though, or be prepared to pay for a service if required.
Ok from what has been said so far it looks like my best option would be to add a used 555ps (non dr) to my nDac and leave the nd5xs2 in place.
Then if i start getting an upgrade itch again i could try and borrow an ndx 2 and see if it makes any diff over the nd5xs2.
It makes sense that the most important part is the dac then the power and finally the transport.
Might also upgrade my chord digital cable for one of those mark grant hx1 jobbies.
Great choice. I think someone else pointed out you may need a service on the 555ps (non dr). Regardless based on my experience with the “lowly” XPS-Dr it’s going to take a lot of $ to improve upon this setup.
Digital cables can make a difference I have the Naim DC-1 cable.
I’d agree the NDX2 clearly bests the ND5xs2 as a streamer. However as a transport into a NDS or nDAC for that matter, there isn’t much difference besides the NDX2 having a slightly larger internal PS due to the screen I guess.
They are the same. Something about UK regulations that they had to keep the name the same else risk having to go back and re-certify. Someone in the UK can probably explain further if necessary.
When I first started I had a choice of NDX2 or nd5xs2. NDX2 standalone sounded better but I couldn’t afford it at the time. Year or so later nDAC came on the market. Retried the NDX2 and a Chord dac for comparison but neither held my attention like the nd5xs2 into the nDAC.
Even with trade-in it was still cheaper to add a second hand nDAC so I didn’t really give it that much time to see if the NDX2 into the nDAC was that much better.
My brief time with it I couldn’t tell the difference (my setup etc) when I saw the cost savings I could get better SQ and a trip to Mexico.
I’d agree as the CD555PS DR with my NDS was a significant boost vs the XPSDR I’d had previously. Recapped the 555 for about $800 Can via Naim was a further boost, and needed as > 10 yrs old.
