Well I’ve decided that I’m going to upgrade my system in the new year. I’m currently running a Qute2 into the HiCap/202/200DR and so the plan is to upgrade the amps to 282/250DR. However, I thought I should start with the source first and looking to replace the Qute2. Now the obvious Naim solution for the source would be the NDX2 but that’s going to stretch more than I wanted to pay at this point. The other two options are the original NDX and the ND5-X2. I like the idea of a screen but I suppose the lack thereof doesn’t matter so much with the app nowadays.
Now I have the chance to buy back an NDX that I had a few years ago which I sold to my mate whilst I was trying out other streamer options but decided I’d stick with Naim but in the meantime I just stuck the Qute2 on the front end. He’s since upgraded to an Auralic something or other and the NDX is sitting around doing nothing. Anyway, he’s agreed he’ll sell it back to me with suitable cash adjustment (wear and tear) so that’s up for consideration.
Now the tech in the NDX may be getting a bit out of date now (I don’t know) It will certainly be a step up from the Qute2 and it won’t break the bank allowing me to upgrade the amplification sooner with a longer term plan to upgrade to an NDX2.
So the question is, how would the NDX perform against the newer and current ND5-X2?
I would say that the NDX is still a more capable streamer than the ND5XS2, but it has limited support for some services, as does your Qute, and there’s a possibility that any components that fail could be unreplaceable.
If you’re happy with the Qute and just want a sound quality boost, another possibility would be to use it as a streamer into a separate DAC. If you can find a used NDAC that would give you a bigger upgrade than an NDX or ND5, or there are plenty of non-Naim DACs you could choose.
@ChrisSU That makes sense but my thinking was if I replace the Qute2 with the NDX I’ll see an improvement straight away. Then another when I replace the 202 with a 282 and then again with the 200DR with the 250DR and yet again when I replace the NDX with the NDX2. The only streaming services I use are Spotify and Tidal.
Not sure if the current firmware supports them natively on the NDX but they’ll work fine from the app.
I’m not really up to speed on what constitutes a reasonably priced DAC nowadays so open to suggestions if I do decide to stick with the Qute2 for now though but I did quite like the NDX and probably should have kept hold of it. I seem to have kept hold of most of my other hifi largely down to the fact I cba to list it. I don’t really like ebay and not sure where else is best to move it on. I could easily fund this upgrade if I sold just some of it.
It’s all British stuff. Linn, B&W, Musical Fidelity(the stuff still made here), Chord, Quad and Naim.
Yes, the NDX would give you an immediate improvement, but so would a DAC upgrade. To keep a system well balanced, I would say that at 282 level the NDX is barely enough unless you go for a power supply upgrade for it, such as an XPS.
The NDX does have native support for Tidal and Spotify - it has the exact same streaming board as your Qute and in terms of streaming functionality it’s the same.
If you consider a DAC upgrade, Naim’s NDAC is a great choice. I like the Chord DACs too - maybe a Hugo, Qutest or TT. Try to listen to some if you can, personal preference is a big factor.
If they have the same streaming board then won’t they sound exactly the same? What else is in the signal chain that would improve the NDX over the Qute2? Remember, the NDX will only be a stepping stone in the upgrade. It will be moved on again at some point when the amplification is upgraded. I do like the chord DACs. I borrowed a Qutest a few years ago and quite impressed with it and almost bought one. I did buy a mojo on the back of that experience for portable listening or just streaming off the laptop when away from home. Great bits of kit really. Build quality is great. The quirky colour changing spherical switches are an interesting idea if you can remember which colour relates to which bit rate.
Remember that the NDX has a DAC as well as a streaming board. Also, despite that actual streaming board being the same, the implementation is different, with a much larger box that isn’t shared with an amp allowing better optimisation.