Today I auditioned the NDX2 and the ND5 XS2, there was no ND555 available, if there had been one, poor me.
I started with the NDX2 and then the ND5. Both into a Nait3 and PMC 25.24.
To shorten the story, I ended up with the NDX2 in my house, on loan from the dealer for a couple of days.
I couldn’t ear any difference between the NDX2 using the USB port and the Ndac also using the USB port. And of course the NDX2 is much better than the Ndac feeded by Mac + Audirvana.
I have to try my CDX2 into the NDX2. Generally speaking I prefer CDs played by the CDX2 but sometimes I like the sound using it as a transport into the Ndac. I’m thinking that the Ndac is going to be redundant if I go with the NDX2.
I have several more doubts and concerns, but let’s start with these. Any comments are welcome.
If the NDX2 sounds no better than your NDAC, it seems like a lot of money to spend. If you want the extra functionality of the new streamers, perhaps keeping the NDAC and feeding it with an ND5XS2 would be worth trying.
Try the CDX2 via the NDX2’s DAC and compare it to the nDac.
How does the bare NDX2 compare to go through the nDac?
Or you could feed your nDAC + Gustard U12 from an Innuos Zenith or similar music server as I do.
Phil
Indeed. And spend the remaining money on upgrading the Nait. Lovely amp, but the bottleneck in all this.
I don’t think that’s the case at all, although I’m beginning to understand that it can be seen like this from afar.
If it was my $ I’d have a look at the Sonore Signature streamer. I use their microRendu (1.4 board version) with their Power Supplyinto the USB of a DAC V1 and it’s amazing for the cost and I’m hard pressed to imagine something even better. At more than double the price, the Signature must be really something (and still half the cost of the Naim).
I’m going to try. Talked to the dealer and he can facilitate the ND5 to audition at my place.
Also he can receive the Ndac.
In my main kit I feed the nDAC with a MAC (Audirvana) through a Gustard U12 but the NDX2 (bare) and all the rest equal is much better.
I’ll see if I can find Innuos to audition.
I auditioned at the dealer facilities using a Nait 3. That’s why I brought the NDX2 home to test in my main kit.
I have 252 250 pmc20.23. It sounded very good.
So you already store your music on the Mac. I went for the Audiophilleo + PurePower USB to SPDIF sitting on the back of the nDAC. The various Innuos models from Zen Mini to Zen to Zenith then just got better and better. Got a decent deal on a Zenith mk 2 which effectively got me into streaming from CDX2. The U12 is supposed to be good.
Whatever you do unless you go down the Chord DAC route a 555 PS is going to make a big difference along with good racks and setup.
Phil
Yes. I have some music downloaded and some CDs ripped in external HDD and in my MAC Book Air, which I use almost exclusively for music. I don’t have a lot just about 1.5 TB.
I still maintain my CDX2 because I have some 2.000+ CDs I haven’t ripped and I don’t imagine myself finishing the task in the near future.
I have not compared the U12 to anything, but it has been working flawlessly for 2-3 years.
After you mentioned the Innuos Z I have been googling the brand in my country and there is no dealer stoking it.
I use an Audiophilleo + PurePower which is as jitter free as they come for £1k (3-4 Gustard U12s). It’s powered when idle from the nNAC rear USB and connects with a BNC to BNC connector (no expensive cable to buy). At the heart is the chipset used in the DAC V1.
I have just bought these bits to connect my iPhone to it. It sounds as good as the Innuos Zenith Mk 2 on first listening. So the Zenith gives me a storage, ripping and a good means of playing my music from my Apple devices using iPeng (interfaces to LMS on the Innuos). The Innuos will of course work over the home network should I ever choose a (Naim) Streamer. It wins hands down for ease of ripping though, even classical. I could run Roon on it.
1TB holds about 1600 albums in ‘wav’ format. You have lots! I’m 1/3rd full. I can always use my CDX2 for my deceased cousin’s opera collection.
I would think a 555 PS a good step forward first while you decide whether you want to ‘stream’ in some fashion. Try the Audiophilleo + PurePower (I bought mine half price from a dealer with 12 months guarantee).
Phil
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