NDS or NDX 2?

it’s just what is called buffer. The file has been in some way stocked .

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Do you mean the music stopped?

Yes! Music stopped. My old streaming solution wasn’t very resilient. I really LOVE my new setup. No drops, almost instant-on access, easy to use app, less wires/connections and for my GF, less clutter.

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Meicord!! Ethernet cat-6 is what you need bud^^
Available from (No Name mentioned here) Ebay will find your only UK Source…
I strongly urge you to^^

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Thanks for the recommendation. I’ve not tried Meicord. I’m currently using Wireworld Starlight from Core to Cisco 2960 switch, and Designacable Belden Catsnake from Cisco to NDX2. Weirdly I’m getting great SQ with the Starlight and Belden Catsnake combo so I’ve stopped swapping cables around for now. I may try out Meicord at some point.

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Does it have to be a streamer? The NDS is a great DAC but with an obsolete streaming platform. The NDX 2 has a more recent streaming platform but a slightly lesser DAC.

You could also go for a DAC without streaming platform (see Sub 5 grand DACs) and replace the HDX with something like a Melco, a InnuOS or an Allo USBridge Signature or DigiOne Signature, depending on the DAC.

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Hey Goid buddy!
I am also using Cisco 2960 switch, to Core, NS01 and NDS. I was extremely surprised the huge improvement the Miecords brought to the SQ. Their efficacy is breathtaking, they disappear out of the equation leaving you with,
clarity, image depth, awesome definition and dynamics, to my ears an almost vinyl like Natural Warmth and extremely easy to listen to.

(Oct 2012)
The Meicord Opal ethernet cables were reviewed in Hi-Fi Critic …
For their cost compared to SQ^^ an absolute No-Brainer!!

I forgot to mention I am using 213Mbps Virgin S3 Router to Cisco

If you really want to go cheap - and still get NDS level replay - and same features - grab a s/h UnitiQute 2 + a Naim Dac.

you really think that uniqute/ ndac is on the level of the nds?

As you know I have a very high regard for nDAC + 555DR PS, but sourced from a high quality SPDIF.

Phil

I really like the Naim Dac but IMO you need a higher quality source than a UnitiQute2 to get anywhere approaching the NDS sound quality

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Might I kidnap that comment? I have an ndx and really enjoy it. However the ndac has caught my attention. Is it a worthwhile investment to better the ndx or should I focus on a xps? I’m only considering used for financial reasons so 555ps is out of the question no matter how much better it is.

I would expect the Naim Dac to work really well with the NDX and provide a noticeable upgrade. From memory, I think that the NDX has the Burr-Brown PCM1791A dac chip inside but the Naim Dac has the better PCM1704K as used in the NDS and ND555.

With the current price of the Naim Dac 2nd hand it would be easy to buy a used one to try for yourself and if you don’t like it you could sell again for pretty much the price that you paid.

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yes, but the uniqute is not nds transport…

Try the Meicord by all means but also try Blue Jeans and Connectix - they’re a lot cheaper and also certified cables.

I considered this move when I had a bare NDX.

Whilst I didn’t listen I had a feeling, based on other people’s experience that I would end up adding a PSU to the Naim DAC over time. This would have meant 3 boxes for a source which seemed to many to me.

So instead I added an XPS DR to the NDX which gave a worthwhile improvement, then I changed the NDX to NDS which was a significant improvement. It never ends though and this week the XPS DR was swapped for a 555 DR which has yielded a similar improvement as NDX > NDS.

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Well - look at the difference in outlay. The NDS by itself won’t even work - so the UQ2/ndac is already way ahead.

Now - if you want to get a nds/555DRPSU, it would already be unfair to compare it to UQ2/ndac. When you start saying UQ2/ndac/555PSU - things are closer.

Simon used to run ndx/ndac/555DR and was never convinced of the NDS…

Still - at this point even the NDS is fairly cheap s/h so this is a moot point. (Saw it for US $4K on the US HiFi s/h site recently- and still no buyer). Still - UQ2/ndac allows me to use no PSU. :slight_smile:

Simon had the minority view here. He preferred also bare cdx2 vs cdx2/ xps2. All tastes are possible, no problem for that. However a lot moved from hdx/ ndac/ 555ps to nds/ 555ps. Hdx is better vs uniqute.

As an NDS/XPSDR user, I would love to hear more about the difference with the 555DR. I can not afford a 555DR at this time, so took a little different route, and added a Chord TT2 to my NDS/XPSDR. To my ears, this was an improvement, but I am always yearning to use both those Burndys I have sitting in the box, by adding a 555DR.

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If you currently prefer the presentation of your Chord DAC, I suspect that upgrading your XPSDR to a 555DR is not going be enough to persuade you to abandon your Hugo TT2. A NDS/XPSDR/HugoTT2 sounds to be a very competent combination. Maybe the next move would be to audition an M Scaler?