No, I have never utilised a DAC with my 555. If I recall correctly, I first tested the n_DAC vs TPDac with the HDX and then transitioned to the NDS.
Of course @PeakMan the nDAC will probably have somewhat of a positive effect on a lot of streamers. My point is; that a DAC at a much lower price point beat it hands down in my back to back listening tests. For me that did not scream ‘best value’ by a long chalk and I quickly moved the nDAC on.
Back in 2011 I owned both an ndac and a cds2. I was feeding the ndac from a Rotel cd965, it was obvious the cds2 was a lot better, so I sold the ndac.
However, it is a fact that the ndac is very fussy about the quality of the front end feeding it. I don’t think you’ll find anybody on the forum who disagrees.
People using the ndac with gen1 Naim streamers didn’t really hear what it is capable of.
Use good quality modern streaming bridge and the ndac is a different beast. I know, I have one. 
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Agree. For a few years an NDAC/XPS fed via toslink from a Mac mini running Audirvāna was the source for my 252/300 system. Needing to replace the Mac, the loss of the optical digital out on the new Mac and the requirement of a upnp capable streamer (plus a kitten and the 252/300 needing a service) led to a wholesale change for about 10 years - but the NDAC was a good product and beat out CDs on a CDX2.
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AI - The bluffers guide to absolutely everything… As far as I can see the only people making money out of AI are the chip manufacturers. Maybe something good will come from it but to me it feels like a monumental investment folly.
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When I went from ndac/ps555 to nd555 using first generation bluesound node, and for a short time a chromecast streaming became much much better! Of course this is 5 years ago and before modern streaming services that is Tidal was on my system still only compressed. When I first changed to a nds2 with the Ndac, I just know something changed for the better on streaming. Of course today streamers have moved on.
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I ran into the same problem with the output from my Mac mini into the nDAC. From my dealer, I got a Naim BNC-cable and the Manunta HiFace Two, so I could connect it to the USB output of my now Surface Pro, which gives me a nice touch-screen.
It’s now clear to me that I will not sell my nDAC and rather look for a good powersupply for it; XPS DR or maybe rather the 555 PS and find a very good streamer, maybe the Lumin U2. That might take some years before I get that combination in place- need to save some money first 
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That should work well. 
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I remember well from the (previous) forum that when the nDac was fairly new, this was a popular solution in the big systems:
a Mac with Amarra or Audirvana software > HiFace USB-BNC > DC1 > nDac.
(also then I cheapskated, had ripped our CD collection to AIFF, on MacbookPro & Audirvana > ChordUSB > Dac-V1 > Nait 2 which was quite nice!)
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Rivo+ doing well? Care to share thoughts vs Limetree Bridge 2?
I have an Auralic Aries G2.2 it sucks they went belly up. It sounds excellent and I expect it will last for quite awhile. If I was looking for a new Streamer my top choice would be an Aurender. Well made, in S. Korea Lumin gets good reviews as do a few others
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Hi @gjhodgson
I’m not one who is comfortable describing how things sound as we all hear differently but the Rivo+/LineO 5 LPS has stayed and is rather wonderful. But of course this could all be coloured by your DAC (Chord Hugo2 in my case). The IU is good and offers lots of options so is not as simple as the Limetree app. More digital outputs available on the Rivo if that is need.
Plenty of reviews on YouTube - Pearl Acoustics, British Audiophile (actually reviewed the original Rivo but now has the Rivo+ in his setup), iWii etc.
The Eversolo T8 looks interesting as I have commented earlier but a screen does not interest me - it is a distraction from the music (too much screen time done by most already).
The Rivo+ is well worth a listen in my view.
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I’d suggest staying away from Chinese hifi. They seem from what I’ve read to have serious customer service issues. Long wait times for service. As an Auralic owner who has an expensive streamer that now had no support Caveat Emptor
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Post-purchase support, including realistic prospect of that long term, is of course something for the individual to weigh up together with price in any purchase decision, though that balanced by anticipated likelihood of need: In the case of a standalone DAC the only consideration on this last aspect is likelihood of breakdown, whereas with an online streaming device ongoing periodic support may very well be an essential need for ongoing usability, and making the continued availability of support long term a major consideration for the latter but not for a DAC.
The trouble is, there is no certainty of long term support capability from any manufacturer, however big or small or wherever located, as circumstances including the very continued existence of a manufacturer is never a certainty. All there can be is an estimate of probability based on the past - a challenge for any new manufacturer. Some people here have mentioned the benefit of software (firmware) being open source, so maybe that should be a decision factor.
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