Anyone done this comparison… finding it difficult to relinquish nDac…thanks.
If you’re running your NDAC with an XPS and using a Sonos as source I’d say that giving it a better SPDIF source would be worthwhile, and should be a very capable front end to your system. I haven’t made a side by side comparison between NDAC and 333, but having heard both I think a 333 without a PS upgrade would be hard pressed to match what you’ve got. I certainly wouldn’t make that change without first having a thorough demo.
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We demoed the 300 series.
332 
350s
333 
2xNPX300.
332 offers more detail than 252/SCDR, but a quite different presentation.
350s are awesome.
Couldn’t see the value proposition of the 333/300. Different presentation than nDAC/555PSDR but there wasn’t any more detail and some of what we love was lost. Not for us. For the price of bare 333 could get used ND555 which is much better.
Others will have different opinions and advice.
Chris’s recommendation of a better transport is good advice.
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I think this aspect is underrated. A good transport and good networking makes a DAC sound even better.
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Yes.
An ndac/XPS with a poor front end is not as good as ndac/good front end without XPS.
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Whilst my ndx2 had a ( perhaps unnecessary) holiday to salisbury, i had to use a node2 to feed my ndac/555 in my main system. It was not bad at all. Yes, now the ndx2 is back, that wins, but so it should.
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Thanks all… yes…am running nDac xps dr …being fed by Sonos connect 1… 252 scdr …nap300dr…by adding a transport I add another box… albeit I can ditch the Sonos…buying the nss 333 for transport only seems daft? What other transport options are there for this type of system… or do I have go up to the nd 555 …seems there’s no middle ground…
There are plenty of folks that use the ND5XS2 as a transport to the nDAC. I also know of at least 2 folks using the NDX2 as transport to the nDAC or Chord Dacs.
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Most here use Nd5xs2 as transport into Ndac/ with or without ps.
So yes, you can ditch the Sonos which is holding back your system.
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Quitte same answer in the same time 
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Must have posted at the same time. If I would have seen your response I would not have posted.
No problem, it’s just quite funny.
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Our SMSL PO100 Pro (USB to SPDIF) sounded very decent into nDAC from iPad.
We were using it for Tidal hires into NDX2/nDAC.
The NDX2 was always better as a source into nDAC at 16/44. (vs SMSL at same bitrate).
Now that mConnect can be used to send hires Tidal to NDX2 it’s our preferred source.
There’s no substitute for a great source into nDAC.
One only hopes that naim can deliver Tidal hires native and Connect during 2024. We’re almost one year since Tidal launched max and many other brands supported Tidal max as early as September 2023. naim have chosen not to do so, and the longer this goes on the higher the loss of sales must be.
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I still have ndac in my second system.
NDAC is wonderful - with xps or even 555ps it is perfect
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nDAC with 555 does punch above weight. Really a very enjoyable listen.
Given naim’s reticence to support Tidal max we feel very vindicated in our 2022 decision to separate streamer and DAC.
If naim don’t ultimately choose to support Tidal max we’ve heard Innuos Pulse as a streamer and it was very very good. Wider soundstage.
Slippery slope.
Weiss 502 and Dave are very interesting DACs, different but detailed. Still prefer ND555 presentation.
The 332/350s are fantastic kit, paired with a cutting edge digital front end we can imagine hifi nirvana. Priorities…first class streamer into nDAC, or new streamer/DAC, negates need for any amp changes.
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The Sonos is your week point. I did the demo with a nDac +555ps.
Thanks all… lots of insight and good ideas there…
plus didn’t about the Tidal Max service… am using Tidal Hi Res…
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Agree, as you suggest, Pulse is very very good, for price point.
Pulse, with a decent external DAC, such as nDAC ( for Naim sound signature) or maybe Chord Hugo TT would be a fine digital source.
I highly doubt there are a significant number of people avoiding Naim streamers based on anything related to TIDAL. Naim didn’t jump on the MQA train either and they now look smart for avoiding it. TIDAL is late to the party on hires as it is. Anyone who has wanted true hires has been using Qobuz for years which Naim runs natively.
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At the near £9K price point all 333 sales are significant to naim dealers.
The day before we demoed the Pulse that dealer lost a 333 sale because the potential customer, using Tidal, had to be told why the 333 only played CD quality when the Tidal app showed hires availability. With no timescale publicly available from naim for hires the sale was lost to another brand.
In any multi franchise dealership the 333 is up against an array of cheaper, fully featured streamers. The 333 is probably most attractive to people building a complete naim system, and with deep pockets. Niche.
Look at something like the new Hifi Rose 250, and the price point. That is where someone looking to add streaming to an existing system, or upgrade from an entry level streamer, is likely to end up.
In the current market the 333 must be a hard sell.
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