My home demo in February will target the difference between NAC 202 with ND5 XS 2 and the NSC 222 specifically whilst maintaining the NAP 200DR as the power amplifier.
I will be very interested to hear the difference…
Seeing that someone has posted on another thread that they have a channel lost on their NDX2, almost certainly a relay failed. I wonder if Naim have taken the opportunity to ditch the particular relay and supplier with the new architecture?
Perhaps @110db can give an answer?
Hi @Gazza,
We have changed to a new output mute scheme and we think it sounds better. It uses our input selection reed relay and a new armature relay. We do not use the previous change-over reed relays for mute anymore.
We have our input selection relay to connect the output signal when playing, these are best. Then when muting we use an armature relay, this is only used for shorting the signal and they are good at this. When playing music they do nothing.
Thankyou Steve….but does this solve the problem?
Thank you for your views and input, it is appreciated.
I will, hopefully be making a comparison next week, or the week after at my local dealer. Probably with the extra power supplies, in case my financial situation improves again.
My next purchase will be an AT95 for my Pink Triangle, with an upgraded stylus
Yes, it does.
We had too many mute relay failures with infant mortality for comfort. The mute relays were called ‘change-over’ reed relays. i.e. they either connect the output to the signal or change over to ‘ground’ (mute) depending if it was playing or muting.
All new classic use a new muting method, we do not use the change over relays. We use our input selection relays for the signal carrying part of the mute circuit. These have a life of circa 100,000,000 operations.
Thanks Steve, appreciated👍
Since two weeks I have the nsc222, npx300 and the new nap250. replacement for the ndx2, xpsDR and Nap300DR. The sound is formidable. It sounds like… I’ve never heard it like that before. The music never goes wrong and it takes some getting used to. If there are people who can’t get used to the naim sound. Too bad, this is 50% more naim in the good sense. The speakers are b&w 803D4. I’ll let you know more when it’s played.
we connected the ndx2 to the full nsc222/npx300/newnap250. the streamer/dac of the nsc222 sounded much better.
What preamp did you use with the NDX2/300DR?
That is positive news!
A couple of follow-up questions:
Did you listen to NPX300 PS connected to the NDX 2 and the preamp section of the NSC222? Did you have the chance to do a side by side comparison to your NAIM classic system?
Thanks…
No, the npx300 was connected to the nsc222. The npx300 can be used on the ndx-2, but the adapter cable is not yet available.
The preamp I used between the ndx2/nap300dr was a stereoknight. A passive preamp with silver-wound transformers.
Using a passive preamp with a Naim power amp is not likely to give it the best chance of performing well. It has certainly given disappointing sound when I’ve tried it, so this could be why this system sounded below par for you.
Thanks for the response. I believe, as @ChrisSU had mentioned, the uplift in sound may have been due to the preamp you were previously using vs the streamer section.
I did not have the opportunity to hear a side by side comparison at my dealer since they will not have cables available here in the US currently. I would be interested in hearing the NDX 2 using the NPX 300 power supply within a classic system.
It is great that you are enjoying the current configuration vs your previous system.
Meaningless comparison then. Racks of Naim kit but no preamp available?
Comes down to system synergy fundamentally, all these “A is better than B” tests are subjective at best, not least the fact there’s only a handful of truly run in 200 Series systems out there (the ones used by Naim staff during development that is)
The NDX2 is no slouch as a digital source and with well matched components performs admirably in many system configurations.
The more interesting aspect is the overlap between Old and New Series from a system evolution perspective, in particular the power supply options and to an extent the new NAP 250.
I expect once the new 2/300 Series preamps materialise we’ll be in a better place to make meaningful comparisons between systems, the NSC 222 is optimal with an NPX 300 and 200 Series NAP 250, the general concensus being the new 200 Series is fast and lively in presentation, tuned more to a younger market perhaps, or keeping up with trends in the wider market, not better or worse but certainly different to what many of our ears are accustomed to with Old Classic systems.
Pretty fair way of putting the new kit vs old.
congrats for your new purchase.
I understand the appeal for only 3 boxes, but you have lost a lot of money selling your ndx2/xpsdr/nap 300 dr . You could have a Nac 252 instead , which , with your ex Ndx2/xps dr and Nap 300 dr , would for a system at a higher level than the new NSC trio.
However it would be 6 boxes instead of 3.
I suggest to hear the new classic combo. What @ariescholten is finding is the same I’ve heard myself. The NC series is something special.