Just wanting a steer here.
Current system 252 SC Nap 300 non DR. PMC fact 3s Innuos Stream 3 and Moon 260d CD transport
A few years ago I had the Ndac 555 non DR. Loved it and wanted to reduce box count which has gone full circle. Just bought another one of these and sounding great.
My speakers I prefer the non DR power amp for the bit of extra smoothness. Does the same apply re the NDac- ie will the XPS2 DR not be as rich and organic as a non DR XPS.
If I can chip in here, I actually found a bare Ndac to sound very good and slightly preferred it like that. I did try it a couple of times with an XPS but went back to bare. It was only when I put a 555DR on to it that it became really special and completely addictive.
I’m intrigued, why would PMCs object to DR?
Hi Lindsay I prefer the non DR. I should have explained that better in my original post which i have changed. The bit of extra smoothness works better in my room -with the speed and detail of the Facts
My experience of DR equipment is that preamps always seem to benefit from a DR power supply, even if they are models that were developed before the DR power supplies were released. The NDAC on the other hand just sounds right with a non-DR 555 power supply, so if you can fond a good used one that would be my recommendation, and personally I would hold on and resist the temptation to go for and XPS.
That just shows how subjective our impressions are and why you need to be cautious about advice on here, particularly mine. When I had nDAC/XPS and PMC Fact 3s I did get the XPS upgraded to DR and to my ears it gave a significant improvement in performance, albeit not as much as upgrading the HiCap on my SN1. But I was seeking more detail rather than more smoothness and for me that was part of the appeal of DR.
Later, I was very tempted by a 555 PS but put off by the price and eventually swapped most of the system out for 272/250DR, keeping the XPSDR. But I still slightly regret not going for the 555 as nDAC with straight 555PS is a fine combination. My only concern would be that nDAC can be fussy about the transport it’s used with and how well it pairs with Moon I’m not sure.
Roger
Another thing to consider is, when people say they prefered this or that power supply with the ndac, they where probably using a first generation streamer.
Modern streaming bridges have improved a lot (like the one you are using) they sound more detailed and refined. Different.
I use an ndac with primare streaming bridge, sounds excellent, upgrading the power supply hasn’t crossed my mind.
Ndac with high quality transport will outperform ndac/power supply with poor transport. IMO.
XPSDR with Ndac has been transformative to my system. With the ND5XS2 into Nait 50 it’s going to be very difficult to improve on.
I have only a PS555DR-nDAC experience to share.
Living 14,000km from UK, there was no opportunity to try a non-DR 555PS, and as a dealer’s demo PS555DR was enticing me, I just chose it.
My two sources are the naim Core and ND5xs2 into the nDAC.
All I can say is that the above provides a very foot tapping musical combination ( into 72/HC/250) that is awesome and engaging. Can easily listen for 10 hours a day without any fatigue.
A search through this forum will yield happy owners favoring either versions of the PS555.
I couldn’t agree more. I use the nDAC with Olive XPS paired with the Nait50. The (recapped) Olive XPS provided a clear improvement with tighter bass and a lower noise floor. A 555 PS is certainly the ideal solution, as many here have reported. But to me, at a price of 4.5k and up, it seems too expensive for a 15-year-old nDAC. For the price of the nDAC plus the 555 PS, there are already alternatives (e.g., a used Chord Dave or switching to a used NSS 333).
I managed to snag a 2017 Ndac and a 2022 XPSDR so it was a no brainer. I’m sure the 555 sounds great but for my system it would be overkill. My local dealer is saying change the Nait 50 out for a SN3 for the biggest upgrade. I’m sticking with the NN50 and changing nothing at the moment.
I have experience with the nDAC, NAC552 and NAP300, using both DR and non-DR versions. For the source and preamp, I prefer the non-DR , whereas for the power amp I find the opposite.
Is an NSS 333 on its own better than something like ND5 XS2 into nDAC with a PS though? With the internal DACs seemingly at risk of firmware impacting DAC performance, is it the right way to go?
Very happy users of nDAC with all DR supplies here.
Written today that would read 14 years old.
I think the summary is that adding any 555PS (DR or not) to an nDAC gives a huge uplift.
The main upside of non-DR for me would be lower cost. The main downside would be greater need for service unless already done.
Roger
I don’t know, because I haven’t been able to compare the two. Some users have reported that the NSS 333 is better than the NDX2. For example, @Blackbird has shared positive feedback on the NSS 333 (bare), but also on the upgrade path with the NPX 300 and 555 PS. The ND5XS2 with nDAC and PS is certainly a very good combination as well, though it involves numerous boxes, cables, etc. And yes, I also had the impression that my separate streamer-DAC combination is less affected by firmware issues.
After several years of running the nDAC without an external power supply and then using a non-Naim PS, I decided to upgrade to the CD555 PS DR, thanks to the very positive feedback from the forum and my dealer. The 555PS DR completly transformed my entire system. It is simply a stunner! Unfortunately, I was not able to compare the non-DR with the DR, but I consider myself lucky to have located a unit that was fully refreshed in 2020. In my opinion, from what it brings to the table in terms of performance, the CD555 PS DR is a stone-cold bargain when found on the preowned market.