NDS v ND555 compare time

Streaming Audio
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Its compare time
Well borrowed a Nd555 and 555dr ps to compare against my NDS and non naim555 ps.
Got both connected to the 552 with highline cables, the nds oncthe cd input and the nd555 on tuner ( next one along) loaded both with the same track and hit play on both.
Switching between the 2 inputs whilst they are playing so I can instantly here any difference and it’s so minimal it’s very hard to tell them apart on all but most tracks, even got my 21 year old daughter and her boyfriend to listen and they came up with the same conclusion.
The NDS sounds a bit smoother, while the ND555 was a bit more in your face, but really hardly any difference and at a more normal listening volume that became just about impossible to tell the difference.
Now I know the power supplies could be making a difference and it’s a shame I can’t try them on each, but right now I am 100% glad that I have tried this out, as I was expecting move, especially given the price difference.

Also I have a melco attached that both streamers ran through and to be fair the ND555 is straight out the box cold, but it is run in as 6 months old

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Curious. What’s your system? Having heard the NDS, I very happily hung on to my CD555, but the ND55 won me over immediately.

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552
3 x 250 amps
Ovator s600 active

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I’ve heard the ND555 demonstrated by Naim and compared to the NDS. The ND555 was streets ahead of the NDS.

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A great system. How long has the ND555 had to warm up and how are they plugged in?

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Give it some time…it needs to bed in . I heard it numerous times and it did not pass my test. Then a great demo and i heard the music i was looking for.

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Strange ?? I have been using a ND555 for twelve months in my system upgrading from a NDX/XPSdr a few weeks ago the ND555 dropped it output !!!

After contacting my dealer they installed a loan NDS later that day.

As I had never heard a NDS before I was very surprised how much better the ND555 was and as Guinnless said the ND555 is streets ahead.

The ND555 was returned and installed just over three weeks later and I am glad to say normal service has resumed the ND555 is simply so much better.

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Well as said straight out the box cold and hoping for an improvement once its had a few days to warm up.
But right now not much in it

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Something’s amiss: straight out of the box during the home demo, I could clearly hear its strengths over the CD555.

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Well I will put it in the rack tomorrow as leaving it to warm up a bit more tonight.
Hoping for more performance tomorrow

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“So minimal it’s very hard to tell them apart” - This means that there is either something wrong with ND555, or else with your hearing. I presume the former…

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I’ve been using a Uniti Nova as a streamer for some time, and while I aspire to the ND 555, at the moment it’s going to be NDX 2 or something completely different.

The Nova was purchased while my older active SBL system was in storage, and I’ve gradually got the bits and bobs back home. The Nova is now a variable output source feeding a recently acquired 282 along with Olive HICAPs and 250s I’ve recently had serviced.

I have an NDX 2 on loan and on initial listening it seemed thin/bass light, with lack of authority and I preferred the Nova. The NDX 2 has improved consderably after several days of being powered up, but I’m still not hearing a big difference between the two which is rather surprising me - either the Nova is punching well above its weight, or I’m going to have to consider waiting or other upgrades.

I think it just really shows the importance of demoing purchases in the context of your own system.

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Looks like you installed the ND555 yourself, and that you have been moving in and out of your rack for the testing. Are you sure that it is still properly suspended? If it has moved off it’s suspension, it will not perform to spec., and that may well be why you are not hearing the major advance over the NDS.

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2 streamers connected to the same pre, is it necessary to adjust the grounding switch?

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Does this mean that your NDS is properly installed in a decent rack, cables dressed, etc. and the ND555 isn’t? Possibly an unfair comparison.

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Like I said I will pop it in the rack tomorrow, but as I have also said out the box and running the same cables and the only difference being
Rack
Not warmed up
The difference is very small, but I am hoping for better things, if not I wont be buying it as right now its certainly not worth paying £500 more for.
I do like the display lol

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If you want a proper test, try them without using different external PSUs.

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£500 ?

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how can it move from its suspension ? it’s possible ?

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the nds is on 555ps, the nd555 on 555dr, so advantage to the later.
However i think you are right in absolute terms, it would be more objective to use the same ps, But you could not zap quickly from both. around 5 minutes to disconnect and reconnect, it’s a pain in your a … to do that.