It’s worth knowing that the ND555 can not process DSD; I think the SRC will transcode to PCM.
I think the only way for younto fully appreciate SACD in your system is via a decent player😀
It’s all good fun though and very much worth trying stuff out 
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In Cambridge player setup you can choose how it process the DSD - bitstream native or digital converted PCM
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I believe so, but are away for a few days, so will check when we get home.
100% sure, it’s same as mine
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This is probably a factor favouring the hi-res Bluray route then?
I’m not looking to change the player, it’s superb for Bluray to the ND555, especially now with the HDMI de-embedder.
Yes, totally, and I’m still interest in exploring it. Meanwhile I’m playing the 50th Anniversary Atmos of DSOTM on Apple Music through Air Pod Pro 2’s (adjusted for hearing loss) and it’s very good - silly good for the level of tech. They are great with spatial audio movies.
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Perhaps I need to see the context of the full article… any format does nt have a sound, but it is the encoders and decoders/DACs that create the audio for the format that create the audio style … so that statement you refer to appears a truism to me.
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Thanks, part of this discussion seems to be whether the ND555 processes DSD or converts to PCM, and whether this favours Bluray audio or SACD?
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Wouldn’t it of been far simpler if you didn’t have a Bluray Player that plays SACD, like me with my Panasonic 9000!
But Im learning a lot, thanks to all the contributions.
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Ok, well the Naim ND streamers convert DSD to PCM in the SHARC processor I believe… so that will give the sonic character in part to DSD decode.
Bluray supports three lossless formats, LPCM which is mandatory and optionally DTS-HD Master Audio, and Dolby TrueHD.
So I would suggest the ND streamers would favour Bluray over SACD generally, but that is no indication of personal preference of course.
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I did wonder if this would be the case. It might also well explain why the bluray’s have the edge over local streaming in WAV from the Core for the same hi-res recording?
Thank you Simon , thing is that if you were to output to an Atom it has an HDMI Arc input, my ND5XS2 doesn’t have a HDMI input
I think HDMI ARC is limited to 48khz on your Atom.
There are DACs around that accept high res PCM and DSD over HDMI. Frankly though, 24/192 on a ND5XS2 sounds very good, so not worth faffing about with DSD unless you want to get in to DSD sources. I only use SACD discs rather than play DSD files.
It;s worth remembering that file format is one thing, but mastering/mix has a reall imoact on end result. I;ve many discs, alongwith streamed files, at 16/44.1 which sound better than high res versions (mastering coming in to play here).
Overall though the best master on SHM-SACD reigns supreme, ime.
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I was listening to 24/192 tracks on my ND5XS2 thru my Nait 50 last week and I was amazed at how good it sounded
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Got these babies today, ordered yesterday from Auckland and they arrived early this morning - great service. The two Pink Floyd remasters on SACD.
Currently playing the DSOTM SACD - it’s the bomb, should probably turn the volume down - yeah nah! Shows as SACD PCM on the TV screen (it will play without the TV on okay). Showing a 88.2kHz on the ND555. The SACD setting on the CXUHD is on “auto”, no sound if I change it to DSD - I assume this is because the ND555 is converting to PCM. I’ve no idea really. But it sounds the bomb! I’ve a used Bluray of the same issue coming from Australia for a shoot out.
Anyway, the SACD sounds great. Looking forward to getting into WYWH later. The booklets and packing are lovely too.
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I guess you know that your player can read iso images directly and other container formats without need to rip them on discs, it helps sometimes
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I’m not entirely sure what you mean? I can access the music files from my Core through the CXUHD etc - is that what you mean?
Core or other servers yes. It reads all formats on the fly
Firmware 66, have a look on the net
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