Agreed, I found the NDX2 underwhelming compared to separate streamer and DACs I compared it with. Note this was without a PS though
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Interesting. I was afforded two separate occasions to listen and the second one was with a power supply. Whole family felt that it just wasn’t engaging us in both scenarios.
One has to take these things with a pinch of salt. One persons unengaging is another persons mesmerising.
Equally, the power supplies tend to build on what’s already there so if there’s a specific aspect you find unappealing on a bare NDX2 you might well take against it more when hearing it with a power supply.
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To be fair I have found very few DACs I really like and they generally err on the smoother side of presentation
Update - following @mikehughescq comment I’m rethinking, either a ZENith with DAC, or more likely, contrary to my earlier instinct, the NDX2 with QNap. More to follow.
As ever guys thanks for the inputs.
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FWIW, my two pennies worth…
Having used, Naim App, Innous Sense and now Roon, found Sense to be a very easy and intuitive UI. Maybe better than Naim App. (All thinks being equal, even a reason to go for Innous products).
Also, maybe add Innous Pulse range into your mix ?
Just a few days ago (at a dealer) was listening to Innous Pulse → external DAC and thought this to be a very capable streaming solution.
So, something like Innous Pulsar with DAC might be a credible alternative, (to ZENith with DAC).
Good luck
R
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Early days, the pulsar is running in still but it is a very clear step up from the pulse in my system. Innuos imply it is above a zenith and closer to a statement. Never heard zenith or statement so cannot comment on that though
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I’ve found the Innuos people to be spot on when describing where stuff sits so if they say it’s between Zenith and Statement I would believe them. That aside, it’s an easy sell to believe as the Pulsar builds on the tech in the Phoenix net and USB and so logically minus the disruption of a ripper and SSD that’s exactly where I’d expect it to sit. I needed the built in ripper and SSD so the streamer only range wasn’t for me but if it’s as enjoyable and glitch free as the Zenoth et al then it should be lovely.
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Given you have a Naim power supply, you could try a s/h ndac and primare NP5 streamer/Ifi power supply.
Cost around £1600, and you wouldn’t lose much if you decided to sell.
I was considering buying an Innuos pulse mini at one stage. But decided against it, delayed launch and they seem to be chasing their tail bug fixing the app. 
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I’ve just been reading your 252/300 thread which I hadn’t seen recently. I’m sorry about the interruption caused by your illness, but congratulations on the upgrade. I suspect the streaming dilemma will be taking a back seat for now. I’m finding I get in what may be a similar situation - I begin to think about the switch over but then bump up against various questions (as in your thread here) that don’t have an unambiguous answer. I then retreat and put on another CD or LP and think how excellent my straightforward system sounds.
Clive - I’ve just reached another indecision point, the CDS3 just sounds so wonderful.
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Lindsay, that’s exactly what I was expecting to hear! I remember your wise advice to me a number of days ago - you don’t have to do anything. There was a man with a rather upper class demeanour where I worked some years ago who defined his preferred approach to difficult problems as ‘masterly inactivity’ - this seems apposite.
So, what’s the end game Lindsay, what are you trying to achieve?
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If you wanted to use your 555PS, nDAC works very nicely fed from my Audiophilleo + PurePower connected to Zenith.
Phill
Nigel,
That’s the billion dollar question and something that it’s easy to lose sight of. I just want to listen to my music with the most authentic reproduction possible and that’s why I’m so enthralled with the 252/300 upgrade, whether vinyl, CD or FM the music just sounds so realistic and not in the slightest forced.
All that said one of the advantages of my Qb/Tidal is that I can try just about any music and play individual tracks on a whim so convenience comes into play but I’m not very computer literate and certainly have no interest in switches etc! Further, IF I make this change in whatever form will it entertain as my CDS3 does which as you observed in our offline exchange is now almost the optimised pairing with the 252/300/Titans. Also I don’t wish to put the good guys @Cymbiosis to a lot of effort by doing an installation which I then want undone, so perhaps better to put a hold now. An old cliche we use a lot but as @CliveB acknowledged I don’t have to do anything.
Regards,
L
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I like that, which is in many ways similar to my long-preferred “make haste, slowly” approach to solving things.
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Better than “hurry up and wait” which I recall being subjected to far too many times at work over the years.
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I think you need to put it on hold until you know exactly what you want. There is nothing worse than running around in circles getting nowhere.
I would have thought you would have wanted something easy and convenient with an acceptable sound quality. Something that doesn’t need constant attention to get the best out of it. You have your Xerxes for your quality listening followed up by your trusty CDS3 which is sounding better than ever after your recent amp upgrade. When the unthinkable happens and your CDS3 mechanism eventually fails and isn’t replaceable you can then upgrade the streaming side if you need to.
Kind regards
PB
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That was my house motto at school, though being my school, it was of course in Latin.
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fasten your lanterns …
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