NDX2/552 vs ND555/252

I had to wait 3 months for my 552 which is being installed in 4 days time. I decided to jump to 552 over 252 and supercap from my 282/Hi cap.

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How are you finding NDS/555dr against the NDX2 / 555dr? It’s a move I’m considering?

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Have been running NDX2 ‘bare’ for just over a week back to back with NDS/555PS, not as good (as you might expect) but reasonably close, more so after 3.6.0 FW update.
S-XPS arrived yesterday, so 555PS transferred to NDX2…interesting :smile:…give me a couple more days of listening, and a quick revert back to NDS for a final comparison…will update, however I have a growing expectation that a new streamer may be coming…

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That’s interesting, reading on here most seem to hold the opinion that the NDS is better but my dealer was subtly encouraging me to try the NDX2. I’ll be interested to hear how you get on.

Regards
Gary

After some days of listening, the NDX2 with 555PS has a more pronounced, enhanced bass that is a little compressed/congested. The NDS offers a more balanced and detailed presentation.
If you want a more bass presentation the NDX2 may work, if you want a more articulate, balanced presentation then the NDS…it was close, however the NDS is staying at the mo…IMHO of course…

Enjoy

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Thanks for that, it does seem to confirm the consensus that whilst the NDX2 is good and has the new platform it is not an upgrade on the NDS per se.

Thanks
Gary

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I think that is fair.

When I asked the Naim rep about the new gen streamer range at the Bristol Show a few years ago, and why there was no replacement for the NDS, he told me that the NDX2 was so close to the NDS that there was no room in the new range for a NDS2. When pointing out the huge price gap between the NDX2 and the ND555 (with the PS555DR of course), I was told it was not possible to have an interim streamer that gave a sensible price/performance step between the NDX2 and the ND555.

So yes, the NDX2 is way ahead of the NDX, but just a match for the NDS IMV. The ND555 however, well that is a whole different story….

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I have upgraded from 272/XPS DR to 552 DR. Because the step with 552 DR, 555 and 555 PS DR was to big, I bought a NDX 2 with the 552 DR which I powered with my XPS DR. This was one of the biggest steps in upgrading for me.
I was very happy with my NDX 2/XPS DR. So the next step in upgrading was to replace my 300 with a 500 DR. Also a big step in SQ. And I was still very happy with my NDX 2. It is a really good streamer.
The last step in upgrading to a complete 500 system came in 2020. A home demo pointed out that the 555 is better in sound quality than the NDX 2 without a doubt. But it was not day and night.
So I would go for the 552 first. But the 555 would be the next step. Who knows what will be the end game?

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Thanks for that insight, I am on the threshold of a similar upgrade - 272/250DR/555PS to 552/ND555/500 - also incrementally over the next 2-3 years; what were the main changes in sound/experience that you noticed when you moved the 272 out and the 552/NDX2 in? A year or two on do you feel the investment is fully amortised by the improvements?

I will probably start with the ND555 - for the immediate functionality - and because moving a pre-owned NDX2 here in Australia might prove difficult I suspect…

552 is the last pre amp for me, it would be inherited by my sons in X years when I am dead and I am confident that it will be a very good retro pre. Can you say that about ND555?

The technology is fast and you are getting very good dacs and streamers for a very low cost

So if you have limited resources go with the 552 and finish that chapter.

It lets you enjoy every source…

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Well tough one. Many people would rightfully say 552 before ND555 and they would be right.

I’m a source first guy

I could have upgraded to a 552 but chose to upgrade my source from a Hugo to a Dave

No preamp on earth can transform a Hugo into a Dave

4 years later any regrets ?

None whatsoever… still enjoying my 282 Hicap. As @frenchrooster says, I interpret in my way as : when the amplifier is good enough why not upgrade the source which is what is really playing the music.

But still despite all this I would advise to go for the 552

The 552 is good enough to be lasting many more years.

The ND555 on the other hand? Not so sure… there’s a lot of competition in digital sources.

Not much competition for a 552

In my case there’s not in my opinion any competion for a Chord Dave so I made my choice and not exactly slumming it with a 282

The gains in Soundstage and detail I wanted were brought by Dave in my system.

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And here we go again…

Linn released their 30k streamer with Organik Dac Fpga based with Flip Flop 32 element discrete Dac

I would love to hear the new Linn product :smiley:

Not that I can afford it though :thinking:

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The 552/NDX 2 is another league than the 272/XPS. It is much better in everything than box count: dynamics, detail, soundstage, depth. You can hear your music in a complete new way. So I have never regret the upgrade. I do not know, how to measure when the invest has fully amortised. For me it was simply the right decision to go the 500 path. But there might be lots of people who would not make such an investment only for better sounding music. It is up to you!

Thanks for the feedback, I think it’s clear each step will be a notable upgrade! In every sense… I think I’ll add the nd555 to the 272 first as a bizarre experiment and then follow up a year later with the 552; the nap500 might have to wait a couple years later.

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