I have 5 shelves of fraim with 4 shelves containing 300+PS, 252+PS. The lowest shelf is in use for my Sonore Rendu with dedicated PS and my Hugo.
The battery in my Hugo has given up on me for the second time unfortunately. It’s failing power every once or twice a day which is annoying but not that bad.
I wish however to step up my streaming and spend a fair amount of cash but I have one constraint: I can / am willing to only use one shelf.
I’m mainly listening to Roon (with Tidal) nowadays. The NDX2 would fit I guess, but knowing that I’m not using it to it’s full potential without the 555 would keep me occupied I’m afraid. Which streamer would you recommend best for about 5-6k?
I’d get the NDX2. You could always splash out on a 555 later, and get another Fraim shelf at the same time. The practical benefits from linking the 252 and NDX2 using system automation shouldn’t be underestimated.
As you have the Sonore Rendu and like the Chord sound, then maybe it would be worth looking at a Qutest, TT2 or perhaps the DAVE, rather than going down the single box streamer route ?
Putting these constraints does rather limit your choices. Whether a £6,000 source can match happily with a £20,000 amplifier is for you to decide. Might a NDX2/555 and a 250 be a better way? Maybe a Linn Klimax or a DCS, but either will blow the budget.
Agree that the TT2 is the obvious choice when the Chord sound floats one’s boat. With the given budget a used DAVE might be tight, but maybe worth a few weeks on beans and toast — or its functional equivalent in Amsterdam… I never had the pleasure to listen to a DAVE, but rather enjoyed the TT2…
P.S. And the headphone amp is magnificent — your cans will love it….
Box count and shelf-space seems a topic these days…
Thinking about future upgrades, I don’t want to add any boxes or shelves either (I have 5 shelves too). I’m not at 252/300 level but a bare NDX2 is magnificent with a 282/HiDr/200|250 (recently had a 250DR to audition for 10 days).
I’ve just have the NDX2 installed and it’s magic already. But a contender was the HifiRose RS150B. Also stunning and with a good SQ. But I wanted the automation, so easy.
I heard Lumin X1 recently, with Nd555 on a same system. At less than half the price it was a bit better vs the Nd555. But I preferred the Naim presentation.
There were previous posts recently on source first. The Ndx2 is more appropriate to SN3 . 252/300 need at least Ndx2 / Xpsdr or 555 dr.
In any cases the OP need to try. My proposition is just a feeling. The OP could also prefer the bare Ndx2 of course.
Ah, that makes more sense, as the Lumin X1 is a much higher level player than the T2. Like you, I would not use a bare NDX2 with a 252/300. I have mine with a SN3 and it’s a perfect match, but with a 252/300 I’d want a 555PSDR to go with it. Of course, the NDX2 will still sound good, but it’s not an ideal match. As I suggested above, if five boxes is the absolute limit, a NDX2/555, 252 and 250 would be a much better match than NDX2, 252 and 300.
If I had £5-£6k I wouldn’t consider an NDX2, as good as it is. You could - just - find a used Chord Electronics DAVE. Alternatively a TT2 and a used MScaler. All you’d need is something to feed it with, like a laptop or something like a MacMini that can access Roon. There is absolutely no comparison, in my opinion, with what Chord are now offering. And plenty of room on the shelf. It’s moons better; a NDX2 and 555PS is also an insanely expensive proposition. There’s lots of chat about romantic presentational preferences etc., but even objectively the Chord stuff is way ahead technologically.
Having secured an nDAC which will be used with XPSDR we’ve been looking at streaming transports. Lumin U1 mini with a TP PSU looks quite compelling, for same price as used ND5XS2, with great features and possible upsampling etc.
Comments above saying NDX2/XPSDR minimum required for 252. I wonder how Lumin U1 mini/TP PSU/nDAC/XPSDR would compare.
I imagine so, and it may well depend on the speakers and room interaction. But with a 5 box limit, a NDX2/300 versus NDX2/555(or XPS DR)/250 would be a worthwhile comparison perhaps.
