It should be aligned against what is on the back of the case inputs/outputs.
So the left is analogue output/filter stages - Middle is DAC and digital and right (caged) is ethernet stuff.
DB.
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Sorry, was a plane for the day, as in Nairobi for the week.
Yes, from left to right you have the analogue output board. You can see the power input wiring from Socket 2, the output to the DIN/RCA connectors at the back and the analogue output from the board next to it.
So unlike the NDX, ND5XS designs (1st and 2nd gen) this board is physically separated and isolated. The other streamers have a large main board plus have to make way for a mains transformer and power supply components. Plus all the electrical pollution these bring inside the case work.
The next board is the DAC processing board.
On the NDS you can see the Analog Devices SHARC device which is performing the oversampling on the digital signal.
The DAC chips are under the metal cans, surrounded by Tantalum capacitors and on the NDS the black voltage regulators.
On the ND555 what I have read and tried to work out from pictures is that there are DR based voltage regulators either on the underside of the board or on a second board underneath. This board is also separate and isolated.
On the right is the streaming board, in its galvanic isolation cage. So here is the Networking cards (100BaseT Ethernet, WiFi etc), S/PDIF digital inputs/output, the rear USB connection, the ARM based microprocessor to control the network stream, provide the integrations etc. The power for this is clearly from Socket 1, with outputs to the front controls, display and USB socket. All this type of circuitry is electrically noisy, so in the cage and a metal divider. Again this level of isolation is only on the NDS and ND555, the other have a daughter board arrangement over the main board. So electrical pollution can occur.
Is is where the cost goes - separate boards, the isolation, the additional wiring, component selection etc. You are getting a lot for the investment 
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Yes it is 
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As a comparison, hereās the ND555 interior vx NDS. Probably as many similarities as differences which is probably why the ND555 holds the number 1 spot with the NDS second as far as Naim streamers go, although current issues may have reversed this hierarcy!
ND555
NDS
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I donāt have a 555 so canāt comment on any changes apparent to users with the firmware upgrade but a word of caution comparing 555 to NDS. They are not the same beast sound wise. I have an NDS and demo the 555. I didnāt like it, too analytical, too forward for me.
They will sound different anyway and personally I prefer the NDS. Itās not better, but it is different.
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I own both nds and nd555 and can tell that I fully agree with your description. But currently the nd555 is running low on fuel.
So no fair comparison.
Yes - they are different and I really look forward to the real shootout. There is a chance I as well will like the nds more.
Thereās a bare used NDS up for auction here at the momentā¦.
Do it! I really love it! I think when it comes to textures the nds beats the 555. nds is less hifi than nd555. but do not know how it is working with 300dr. The 300dr is smoother than 500dr.
But risk with nds is not overall big for you. Itās like listening to vinyl. Really!
No issues with a 300DR and NDS here!
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I would wait a month or two , waiting for the new firmware . Past this period, I would think on alternatives. There are plenty of Nds to sell, and they are very cheap, around 2k in Europe.
If you buy now, it will be hard to sell, because there are a lot of them on the second hand market.
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Yes - there are some. But a good one is always hard to find. I could have chosen from 3 nds. Was lucky - there had been times with none of them at all.
But only one of 3 was perfect. There is not much to loose when you need to sell him again. But to win for the moment.
You own one - you know how good he is.
The most important is that is not our money, but Mikeās. 
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I must take it back. Found another one - newer than mine and 10 min away by car
End of 2016 - mine is mid 2015.
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Is that bare, or with the PS. This one has no PS and is ā¬1k reserve in an auction. Iām not that keen, the firmware issue must surely be resolved at some pointā¦. and Iāve noticed the NDS had less inputs.
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They come bare here very often.
The one is 1k Euro? Bidding is still going on?
Here you get a good and newer one for 2k.
Fortunately the ND555 is putting in a stellar performance this morning with some loud rock 
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Bare of course. Would be Santa to find a 555 ps for less than 1k.
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Iāve got to disagree with you there. The textures are warmer on the NDS but less detailed in my opinion.
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Hard to tell from mindā¦ I must admit. Currently the nds Beats the nd555 by a margin with textures. With the old FW it might have been as you mentioned. Warmer with nds and more detailed with nd555
It was why I never bought an NDS but stuck with my CD555 until the ND555 came out.
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