I know I need to try this but I would be interested in the views of people with some experience of this as I have received conflicting advice so far.
I’ve recently added an XPS DR to my system which required me to remove my turntable from my system due to a lack of spare shelves. tbh I don’t use the turntable much so have mothballed it for another time.
The XPS DR was initially powering an NDX but I have now upgraded to an NDS which is wonderful!
My current stacking order is
NDS
282
XPS DR
250DR
Hicap DR
I asked 2 dealers and both recommended this, but a highly respected member of this parish says I should put the 282 on top. This may case an issue with the burndy touching the floor which is why one dealer feels that the current order is best.
Richard, I would certainly want to try it that way, at leats to see whether it makes a meaningful difference. Mainly because the pre-amp may well sound better above the NDS. I’ve posted before about digital kit and proximity to the pre-amp, which seems quite sensitive to this. With some deft manipulation you should be able to form the Burndy cable so it is nice and unstressed, yet also able to slip easily into the NDS and XPS Burndy sockets, while avoiding touching the floor or rear wall.
If you’re enjoying it so much, leave it as it is! It’s rare to be musically satisfied when you’re “an audiophile” I did find my 282 sounded ever-so-slightly more alive on the top, but not a huge difference I’d sweat over.
I have a similar setup to you, (NDS, 555, 282/Supercap/250)
I have mine setup similar to you; I decided to keep the NDS on top for the same reason - to keep the burndies off the floor.
I did try the 282 on top some time ago, but I if I remember correctly, the NDS still worked better on the top shelf. I ended up with NDS, 282,250,Supercap then 555 stacked in that order, from top to bottom. Sounds pretty good to me
In the meantime enjoy the NDS, I think it’s a wonderful upgrade from the NDX.
Ive always has my ND player on top, but also have read that most advise the pre-amp on top. When I split my Fraim into two stacks (and I’ll post another stacking order thread!), I’ll put the 252 on top.
Similar set up here (NDX2) I find putting the XPS on the bottom shelf made a big difference and the pre on the top best.
I have 252-NDX2-250DR-SCAPDR-XPSDR on Fraim
I tried both ways round but with a CDX2 instead of a streamer, the 282 was happy underneath and the system sounds better with it there, the 552 wasn’t and didn’t. You’re just have to get round to trying it for yourself.
On one Fraim I suggest preamp at the top. Also order the power supplies in order of size with the largest at the bottom and hence furthest away from the brains. Additionally, the cable dressing will be better using this layout.
Why have the 250DR above the HiCap? Transformers are the same size and so have the amp higher than just the PS IMHO.
Ensure to check your Fraim for tightness whilst you are moving things around too.
In the old forum many years ago now I posted quite a number of pictures on threads about best deployment of equipment on Fraim along with Frank F and Geoff P… Remember them? Very knowledgeable guys. Let’s hope the archived forum is back soon so as you can reference this useful and interesting historical info
KR, Peter
Even though I limit myself to a 3 shelf rack, I still find a small advantage to having 282 on top, NDX next, so in line with other people’s findings, I think.
For what it’s worth. Naim suggested I have the ND on top and the 552 on 2nd shelf on my “brains” rack on the left when I asked for advice about a month ago.
The 1 meter length of my SL DIN/XLR for the NAP 300 could have been a factor,making those interconnects less strained.This is not an issue for you and you have 1 stack.
I agree with the stacking order above, this is what my dealer communicated to me also, however, my NDX is on top as advised. I haven’t tried the 282 on top but think I will give it a try.
A question a little off topic. How do you like the NDS running with the XPSDR? And what were you findings with this setup over the NDX/XPSDR? My dealer has a SH NDS available and I’m wondering i it is worth considering as I won’t be in a position to get a PS555 for some time and I don’t want to in balance my system.
The NDS works really well with the XPS DR The change from the NDX was significant, a major uplift in sound quality.
I did discuss with the dealer some options (they are highly respected). I was advised a couple of things.
The 555 NON DR power supply with the NDS isn’t automatically better than the XPS DR, i.e. it doesn’t have everything it’s own way. I was advised to wait for a 555 DR model and stick with the XPSDR until then.
In their view the NDS was still quite a step up from the NDX2.
I did find my 282 sounded ever-so-slightly more alive on the top, but not a huge difference I’d sweat over.
