NDX2 questions

I also have the SN2 and its going to sound amazing with the NDX2, which is what I had on my demo
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I have extracted this little snippet from a really favourable review via https://www.avforums.com/review/naim-nd5-xs2-network-audio-player-review.16022

“Combining that sweet and inviting tonal lift with the sheer clout that makes a Naim product what it is, represents a useful step forward over what has gone before. Combined with the Supernait 2, the ND5 XS2 will outperform a Uniti Nova although, at an additional £1,350 with fewer digital inputs, we should probably expect nothing less.”

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mind you the same review has this to say…

‘‘Against this lurk two issues. The first is that the Uniti Nova and Star really do get pretty close to the performance of the dedicated streamer. Were it my own money (and it isn’t because I don’t have any), I don’t know if I could ignore the saving to the Nova or Star unless I had a bigger room and confidence that further upgrades would follow. The second is I’d have more confidence in this belief if the control functionality was a little less Spartan. Living with the ND5 XS2 has had just enough moments of frustration at certain points to have me looking slightly wistfully at its ancestor with its display and remote.’’

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I listened to both the ND5 XS 2 and NDX 2 in a number of different system configurations with the target being a new streamer to pair against a system driven by a SN2 + HiCap DR.

I was prepared to stretch to an NDX 2 if I felt it added sufficient enjoyment over and above what the ND5 XS 2 had to offer.

The decider for me was hearing a run in demo ND5 fed in to a NAC552 + NAP500 DR system in turn driving Focal Grande Utopia speakers. The point my dealer was trying to make here was that even in a system where the ND5 was punching well above its weight, it performed very well.

We also sampled a number of sources including a Melco N1A and a vanilla LAN setup streaming from a local NAS and the Internet, this again revealed subtle differences which gave me more metrics to make a decision from. We also then switched back and forth between the same sources and the ND5 against a ND555 with 2x 555 PS DR (annoyingly good as expected) and my conclusion was that the ND5 did a very good job across a broad range of setups.

I’ve been running it for a few months now and been very happy with it so far. I had a bare Gen 1 ND5 previously which I enjoyed a lot and had in a NAIT XS system, however the current setup is a lot more composed and controlled and for my modest needs more than capable.

I think for others it will mostly come down to budget in the end, I would have spent the money on an NDX 2 but in my case the conclusion was I got what I felt I needed from a streamer from the ND5 XS 2 and so far it hasn’t disappointed.

Their design approach and focus on sound output has really paid off here and for me the minimalist feature set is on the money, I don’t miss a front panel display and rarely use the NARCOM from the SN2 as the Naim app on iOS ticks all the boxes including automation.

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Useful info there, so when you automate the ND5 and SN2 what do you see on the app - have you a numerical vol control or just a slider or how does it work?

I hate the volume control on the Naim app, at least for my 282. It’s just a set of ± buttons with no visual feedback that they are doing anything.

@Hollow
You enable system automation in the Naim app and the volume control becomes a - and a + with a Mute button. It works much as it does with the NARCOM RCU in that the 3.5mm minijack connection between the ND5 XS 2 and the SN2 is just bridging the IR commands ordinarily received by the RCU anyway. The light on the SN2 volume control lights up when you change volume and the volume from the speakers is my guide of where I want it to be, I don’t personally feel I need any more than that. I tend to just tap it up to get it where I want it or hold it to go down to minimum volume as needed (if I join a conference call for work for example or it’s dinner time)

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I know you mentioned this before, and it’s slightly off topic, but would you recommend the HiCap DR as an upgrade for the SN2, and what does it add. I run mine with NDX2 as I needed a screen and buttons for family use (an App would be a steep to far for my wife…).

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Same …wife and tech just dont mix, she even uses her phone upside down :crazy_face:

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@Mike_S Hi Mike, a good question you pose there. The back story in my case is I had a chance to offload a Naim CD player a few years back and in the process ended up with a almost new HiCap DR PSU.

The reasoning at the time was that I could use it on the NAIT XS I had at that time and then keep it as I swapped that out and moved ultimately towards a NAC282. It certainly added a level of refinement and control to the NAIT XS however it also lost a little of it’s musicality and sparkle. It sounded more controlled but less fun I guess!

I swapped out the NAIT XS and that was replaced by the current Supernait 2 which has always had the HiCap DR looped in to it. In terms of comparison against a bare SN2 it adds a little more control to the bottom end and some improvement to the timing, having said that the bare SN2 sounds very good and given it has a DR enabled internal PSU the benefits compared to the uplift I found with using it on the NAIT XS were more subtle.

If you don’t have an upgrade plan beyond the SN2 you’d probably not find a major uplift by adding the HiCap DR, the SN2 works very well as is, despite being able to add a PSU as I have. I’m actually now thinking I may trade in the HiCap DR and a few other bits including the NAIT XS and get a SuperCap DR, use that on the SN2 for the time being then move the SN2 as a bare amp to another system in another room later.
So summing up, I didn’t really add it with the goal of performance improvements to the SN2 in mind it’s been a good fit across multiple upgrade paths and has potential value across the NAIT XS, SN2 and NAC282 path I had in mind!

If you can I’d try and demo adding a XPS DR to your NDX 2, it’s of course more cost than a HiCap DR but you may well find if your NDX 2 is your main source that you’d get a better uplift in performance overall with that vs adding a HiCap DR to your SN2.

Nice to have choices of course :slight_smile:

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That sounds like good advice thanks. The next challenge would be fitting a XPS DR in my set up. I think I could jimmy up a glass shelve above the NDX2, or hide it around the back somehow, not sure how long the leads are?

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NDX2 firmware update coming soon apparently

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The burndies are 1.25 m standard length, but Naim can make them longer. And i think xpsdr on your source will be better than a hicap on the SN2.

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I am Planning to add a ndx2 to my 552/300 combo, my other source is cd555

İ am very curious to compare them, maybe i can even use 555psdr for both source

One month CD one month streaming:)

Nd555 is far too expensive and the technology is far too fast

Without a separate power supply the NDX2 may disappoint compared to the cd555. You may want to rethink?

The NDX2 will come alive with the 555psdr :wink:

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Good thing that i can try the one i got

Thanks for that @Gazza. I’ll do a measure up re the cables. I tend to agree on the XPSDR before a HiCaP. The 555PSR may be a step too far…

As much I value the DAC and output stage of my NDX2, it simply is not in the same league in my opinion as a CD555… do audition carefully.
If the CD555 is your reference and you want to use Naim DACs then I suspects it’s either a used NDS or a ND555 for you.

BTW the Naim technology has matured quite nicely with the new streamers which has allowed Naim to focus on significant sonic refinements over the first generation streamers…
I would say the most leading edge technology in the new streamers is the Zigbee remote control and low noise colour display, the other technology is fairly well established, but refined.

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