It is indeed all subjective. It’ll be interesting to know how you find it after a few days of listening. My first reaction was WOW. I wish that was still the case 
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Wow - a subwoofer update …
Dead can dance live (if you refer to newer one and not to „toward the within“) is recorded a bit artificial. Here the hot highs are not so hard. But Lisa’s voice is too shouty for me.
It was the newer one. Moved onto some Eels. Daisies of the Galaxy and Electroshock Blues. Both good at lower volume. I can’t turn it up as my wife is working upstairs.
No detectable difference to me, so it has not improved. I wish there had been that option to vote for instead though.
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Does there seem to be a split developing? I.e. NDX 2 owners seem to prefer the update, while '555 owners seem less pleased?
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I’m a 555 owner, I loaded the firmware after a couple of weeks of not using the system and was very happy with the sound. It’s hard to tell whether there was a material improvement or just the usual shock of hearing so much in the music after a break.
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I’ll tell you what, Naim are absolutely incredible, and we should thank them dearly for all of their hard work❤️!
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I agree. I really love what they did for everyone with the Internet Radio updates. Makes me want to purchase a Mu-so Qb 2 for my home office just for Internet Radio.
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I’m happy with the update esp with the internet radio improvements. I wonder if /suspect there are extenuating circumstances with the criticisms we’re reading about.
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Currently 8 users find the new software performing worse. 147 think it sounds the same or better. I would be super surprised if Naim spent a second on those 8 given all other priorities but who knows.
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I’m a Tidal user so my firmware upgrade was quite significant. It is incredible of Naim to give such an amazing SQ upgrade for free! With the SN2 it is a match made in heaven. The day before the firmware upgrade, I had a NAC332, NPX300 and NC250 connected to the NDX2 and it was a very good 5 box system and huge improvement over the bare SN2. I returned the new classic demo units planning to purchase over time. The next day I installed the SN2 upgraded the firmware and wow, I was stunned. This is not the SN2 I remember. It might even sound better than the NC amps or at least just as enjoyable. The NC amps were not quite as good at low volume as the SN2 was and now the SN2 is even better. The NC amps were very clean, detailed, smooth but loved to be cranked up a bit to sound its best. Now after the firmware the SN2 is also cleaner at higher volumes making it sound like a more powerful amp, especially with the more tuneful bass. I’m wondering if this brings the NDX2 level close to the NSS333 performance? I feel like I need to listen to the NC amps again as I’m sure they will sound incredible but for right now this firmware upgrade is very satisfying with the SN2. There is great synergy with this all OC 3 box system. I always felt that with the NC amps that I needed the NSS333 but maybe not now with this firmware update.
I can see how it could be too bright on some systems and that is unfortunate with the ND555 owners. My system is brighter sounding now but still very smooth sounding.
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I really meant this is not an automatic/forced update. We don’t have to update at all currently, but I think I also mentioned in earlier or other posts about security updates/bug fixes etc.
I’d imagine some people are blissfully unaware of updates even if they’d be advisable.
The 333 has had the firmware update as well and had an equivalent uplift in SQ so I would expect the difference to remain. However, if you are now happier with your system as is, I think your idea to stick with it makes a lot of sense. I think it might be that the NDX2 and SN2 have a system synergy that the NDX2 doesn’t have with the 332/300/250, I think a bare 333/332/250 system would be better than your current system but it would be a very big financial outlay, especially if you decide to add 2 NPX300 at a later date.
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Upgrade for me running an ND5XS2 into a Chord DAVE, no side effects with the new update. DAVE wants more, an exceptional DAC…
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What I’m wondering now though, with the firmware upgrade, is there better synergy now with NDX2 and NC amps? I bet there is.
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But why are we seeing any of this when, according to Naim, they have made no changes to the sound!?
Can we conclude that the perceived changes are accidental?
In which case should the changes not have been spotted by Naim during listening?
It can’t be both ways, really!?
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I seriously believe this is all paranoia and there is no change to SQ at all. I am sure many will vehemently disagree; but that is my opinion all the same. After spending a long time worrying about whether my system was optimised/not sounding as good as it could or should…I have just let go and decided to enjoy it instead. It has never sounded better and so I firmly believe the firmware upgrade needed is in your head and not the box 
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I have only been using Tidal and now it is Max. Maybe I got the biggest increase in SQ. The cool thing is, even the 16-bit music sounds better than what I remember. I’m pretty sure the uplift isn’t all in my head. If I was using Qobuz maybe I wouldn’t notice any difference.
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Would have fully agreed with you if me Impression had been a singular incident.
But all the ones complaining about negative sound shift are finding the exact same with their system. I tend to exclude the imagination going viral in a very same manner.
I think there is a real change in SQ, which some like as it pushes more forward. Others dislike it as it is too much for the upper systems with the „loudness effect“ going over the top.
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I have changed my vote from improved to not improved. There is much that I like about the change but the more I have listened, the more I have realised there are negatives along with the improvements, mostly in the mid-high frequencies. Turning off all unused inputs and moving the chassis switch to floating (in theory, it should be set to chassis for my setup) has tamed it significantly but it can still be a little strident at times.
I have voted “no improvement” because on balance, there are both good and bad with this update. This is not a vote for no change, as it most certainly has changed.
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