ND5XS2 vs ND5XS + nDAC

Was the NDS the same age as the nDAC?

Was the NDS clearly better when using the HDX as a source, or was it similar?

the NDS was at least a couple of years younger. Detail and refinement were noticably improved with the NDS vs HDX/nDAC/555ps but it was not night and day like moving from a 282 to a 252 and thats down to how good the nDAC is IMHO. The NDS utilised the 555PS fully with 2 Burndys which must account for part of it. The suspended electronic also play a role im sure. Both were great sounding sources voiced a little differently i felt.

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Did one have more musical coherence than the other?
Iā€™ve heard it said by some members that they thought the NDS was detailed and hifi but not as a musically compelling as some other Naim dacs and streamers.

I would say the NDS had slightly more detail but was no less musically compelling to my ears, both the NDS and the nDAC were fantastic sounding sources when powered by the 555PS and its taken an awful lot of investment to surpass them.

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Thanks - I just read your profile.
I too started with an all-Naim system with the same NAC and NAP as you did.
But my then local dealer (Oranges & Lemons) didnā€™t install the gear and didnā€™t demo a FC for me.
So I never realized what difference a PSU would make.
(until I finally bought a 555dr recently, 15 years later)

Does this mean buying the ND555?
or have you improved the network side and server or other things too?

I have heard it said that some owners preferred the Ndac with a 555 non-DR PS - is that something you are aware of too?

yeah i went to the ND555, seemed the right fit to compliment the investment already made in a 552DR/500 and ive never looked back. Had to flog my second system 252/SCDR/300 to help fund it but was totally worth it. My second system was really going to waste. Didnt get nearly enough play time. Ive since dusted off my origianl bits so have the ND5XS/nDAC running into 112/150/FC2 which look really good together all being slim boxes and still sounds great.

Network side of things i invested in AQ Vodkas years back and never looked back. I could look to make changes here, currenlty use a netgear switch but the urge to tinker has subsided.

I preferred the 555PS DRā€™d myeslf.

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I had my 150x serviced a year ago by Darran at Class A and it improved the amp significantly.

Do you stream from Qobuz or Ttidal?

Or just stream files locally?

(Sorry for thread drift).

my 150 started smoking when i plugged it back in :flushed: so back to naim it went. Sounds great now. think its 18 years old.

I listen to locally stored files mainly on that system, use Qobuz frequently on the ND555 via Roon but thats all about to change :slight_smile:

Yes, for you one FW update and youā€™re streaming Qobuz natively.
Must be nice.

Is there a significant SQ difference between local and Qobuz streaming in either of your systems?

Or have you not tested that?

People like BirtBird and SiS are saying that Tidal or Qobuz are now the same SQ or extremely similar in their systems.

I do not currently have a server or NAS, and am trying to figure out whether to get one or invest in an NDX2.

I think youā€™ll find this is using Roon rather than the Naim app, which, like BubbleUPnP server, levels the playing field between local and web streaming.

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I was going to hold off on doing that comparison again until after native streaming came in. On previous examination i found the SQ better through the naim app streaming locally rather than through Qobuz/Roon. Its a fine line but as far as i am concerned its there, its palpable. Its so hard to describe, its the air around the notes, the decay, the naturalness. The things the ND555 does so well just seem a tad better when streaming locally from the NAS and i used the HDX to serve it up usually, though i do have Asset available to me also. Apologies to the OP for digressing.

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The quality of the SPDIF output of the Allo DigiOne Signature very much depends on the quality of the PSUs used to power the clear side and the RPi side of the device.

If you power both sides of the DigiOne Signature with the standard 11$ Allo PSU you should not expect great results. The Allo Shanti is supposed to be much better but I have not tried it. I power the DigiOne Signature with an UpTone Audio JS-2 (RPi side) and with a LPS-1.2 (clear side) and I am very satisfied with what I ear.

That said, the JS-2 and the LPS-1.2 add about 1500$ to the price of the DigiOne Signature. Thus, the total costs of DigiOne Signature + PSUs can be higher than the cost of a second hand ND5 XS.

From this perspective, the DigiOne Signature is not a very good value for money.

On the other hand, I would expect the DigiOne Signature with good PSUs to perform better than a ND5 XS transport. But I have not done any direct comparison myself.

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Have had a 30 minutes session comparing Chromecast Audio using optical input to my ND5XS comparing that as a streamer against the one inside ND5XS. I cannot for my life hear any difference at all. Iā€™d consider me rather well trained in terms of audio and acoustics. Surprised to find this out since there are so many saying the streamer inside the Naim products are superior to the 30 bucks Chromecast Audio. For those looking into a CA as an option for say an nDac I will say, go for it!

Maybe I should purchase the nDac using a CA for a while and see if that improves on the ND5XSā€¦

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FWIW I stream tv sound via optical into nDAC over a 5m AQ Forrest - it is exceptionally good. My Innuos Zenith into nDAC is better. It just proves that ultra expensive electronics are not needed to create a SPDIF stream that is enjoyable. I think the nDAC/555DR onwards in my system delivers the SQ I want.

Phil

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Yes, I think thatā€™s normally the case.
My 2019 555DR had a transformative effect on my system.
Itā€™s just that Iā€™ve occasionally heard it said that the nDAC was tuned to sound best with the 555PS non-DR version, and that the DR version may be a little overpowering with it.
But then for many others, inc Phil, the DR version works very well.

Did you try the 555DR with the nDAC?

My 555PS was non DR when i bought it and i had it DRā€™d during the time that it was supplying the nDAC and i loved the DR upgrade. money well spent.

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Was the rest of your system DR by then?
It seems that makes a difference for some.

i think the Supercap had been but the NAP 300 not. I never did get round to the power amp, replaced it with a 500 non DR instead and then eventually sold the 300 on.

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