I find that moving the ground switch to floating with my SN3/HCDR & NDX 2/XPS-DR makes the mids and mid-highs muddy and I lose significant reverberant detail. I much prefer the default position.
Not invalidating your observation, or calling it into question. Just sharing my data.
Funny - I had just decided and did the same.
A lot I like on some types of music it is better - but on other music it has too much HF hardness and lack of extension I had before that makes it fatiguing.
It sounds like the order or shaping of the digital filtering had been tweaked to improve mid to LF detail and extreme LF phase is now far better with some music I previoulsy found muddled of thought may had been poorly-corrected in mix, is now excellent.
But the extreme top-end is now rather poor and blunt compared to what I know is possible.
Hopefully there will be some fine-tuning of this ahead without detracting from what had been done well with improvements.
For now I’m enjoying some music I did not play as much before and finding some previous favorites hard to listen too.
DB.
Tbh I haven’t noticed anything different, however my system was off for all of September. Spent a lot time listening in the last few weeks and I think it’s sounds wonderful.
Most people streaming via Internet on this forum use Qobuz, and most people hear a difference after this new firmware was installed.
Almost certainly this release of software was expedited to address the web radio situation. The consequence is that not all bugs found have been currently addressed or full optimising of the code execution digital noise profile (which changes the ‘SQ’) has not been achieved.
It’s highly likely a follow on release will not be so long away, and we can hope the code execution timing optimization for different products can then be more fully evaluated and adjusted for its sonic profile on those products.
A perfectly reasonable comment. On longer listening I don’t know that I wouldn’t find the same but I was listening specifically for the way the mid-high/high frequency hardness was affected. It may be the loss of detail you observed is what I perceived as a taming of hardness, simply because that is what I was listening out for. I had previously preferred the switch in its default position.
Precisely.
Precisely my findings after listening a lot over the weekend, the update benefits some music but other stuff can sound a bit weird - all with my favourite test tracks that I’m familiar with. There are certainly positives but overall I think I would now prefer the previous version - it was more consistant. Hopefully Simon is right and a fully optimised version will be forthcoming. My main gripe is that my speakers normally have a slightly warm and nicely textured and layered tone but now this has all but vanished for a more strident presentation.
The more I listen the more I find wrong with the whole presentation and musicality. Listening to one of my favourite tracks for demonstrating liveness, vocal projection and the correct tone of a piano is this…
On my ND player her voice has become particularly strident in the upper registers killing the pure power and projection this track normally displays. The piano no longer seems to have correct attack and decay of notes, which just makes it sound wrong. Even the background audience noise doesn’t have that sense of presence it once had.
I then played the track back to back against my Node feeding the ND and instantly I can tell the Node sounds more natural in all the areas I’ve listed above. I constantly find myself having to make this volume adjustment between the Node and the ND player to reduce edginess the ND shows in these upper registers, which is something I’ve never had to do before. I agree with you on the bass but only on some tracks. On others I’m still finding it too full and muddy.
@drago , your chances to have another firmware update are increasing, as now Geko, DB and Eiffer found some HF hardness, after more listening.
Maybe other, with 555 and twin ps will follow. And you Gazza, still entirely satisfied?
Just tried this song. Very good recording and if it becomes strident something really is wrong in a system at the level we are talking about. Everything sound fine
A lot of live venue feel with room and audience. Her voice is crystal clear. Nice song. Thank you!
Strange that this track sounded a little strident to my ears before the firmware update. Now it sounds glorious…
I should clarify. I don’t have an ND555. I just commented on this particular song. On my NDS and all Gold Note system it sounds great.
Thanks and Yes… the plot thickens! And I am very thankful for the lobby here. I really think there is also rumor on this beyond here in the forum.
Upgraded software last week after being away from home for a few weeks. The system has been running flawlessly since I installed and the music is sounding sublime!
Thank you Naim for the update and making it a seemless installation…
Life is great and the music is sweet!
Lot of talk about the negative impact on the nd555.
Just wanted to reiterate that the humble nsc222 is also affected by an increased (and unnecessary) emphasis on HF. Certainly for me anyway.
My patience for a solution is wearing very thin. I desperately want to get back to loving my music 
Same here - but naim is on it and I really trust in their great work! My heart tells me there is a perfect solution for all of us soon.
Have Naim told you that something is being done?
How long can you wait? Maybe try a different streamer on the ND555 for a while for fun 
Lindemann Bridge II for example. German quality. Perfect synergy with my NDS.
Spending any money on this is not my cup of tea. I bought a perfect streamer and as I trust naim to have an eye on their „high rollers“ (there are some) I will wait. But this is really bad - have not fully enjoyed music ever since the update. One song nice, next…
I am surprised that the streaming section is the „bad link“ - though the DAC was affected.
