Upgrade advice 52 or 552 or Radikal 1 Urika upgrade to Lp12

I used to have an ND5XS which sounded quite good and then added an external DAC and it sounded very good. The NDS with 555PS trounced it by a big margin.

I don’t want something to sound worse than NDS as its my main source!

I will get the screen fixed and then maybe demo at the dealers how it sounds with ND5XS2!

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Dan, I’m sure the NDS sounds just fine. Get the interface to Quobuz sorted and it will be great. To be honest I do not yet subscribe to any of these things with my Auralic and just use it with ripped CDs and internet radio. It is great just with that alone and it travels between two systems. That’s really a great thing with streamers where you can put your entire CD collection in a SSD memory. Hopefully fixing the screen is easy but not an essential ingredient like mine which I configure to switch off after a few seconds with the lightning DS app

You can’t adjust settings easily without the screen on the NDS, so it is workable but not ideal ! Service coming up tomorrow.

Enjoyed a break going round York today.

There was a good reason why I did not get excited about Naim streamer when they started coming out. I must say I’m very happy with what I have in all respects from sound quality to the software solution to usability and functionality. However, they are even going crazy with prices now. I have also to admit I have never tried a Naim streamer primarily because of the cost

Glad you had a quality day off. They are what it’s all about and should make the most of them.

I bought the NDS a good few years ago used for £3000 and then there’s the 555PS. I would say the sound quality is fantastic.

The streaming platform is dated and suffers from lack of compatibility with newer apps. If you are just using internet radio and ripped CDs from a NAS drive then you can leave it be.

The work around solutions may well work. Sounds like I need to buy a laptop and make subscriptions to a workaround if I am going to do that. So it is not a simple solution. Shame Naim don’t sell modules to modernise their legacy streaming products.

It will make these units doorstops in the end.

Will look at getting screen fixed. I think only Naim are authorised to do the repair. You can buy the screens and fit them yourself but it looks like you need to know what you’re doing!

So it’s not simple to get the NDS how I want it!

Just waiting for Darren now to drop off units at 10am.

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I’m evaluating Tidal HIFI, Spotify Premium native on NDS versus Qobuz + Audirvana here again. It’s a dramatic different in my system where Qobuz + Audirvana us superior. The money spent on hw to make this work is well spent money. Maybe you can borrow a computer to evaluate it. I’m 99% sure you will end up with that if you try it.

I’m a big fan of Spotify premium. I tried Tidal for 30days but just went back to Spotify. I keep getting told my NDS is wasted on 320kbps but that’s not my experience at all. Maybe system synergy come into play more than we realise.

Listening to new 300 system at moment.


It certainly looks great.

Sound is very different from Naim Classic and Olive.

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Good to see you have some spare Naim there in the background, you know, just in case :joy:.

Happy auditioning! BF

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Yes, my eye was drawn to the background too… :smiley:


System going through some nice PMC speakers.

The 300 series is very different on first listening. They won’t let me turn it up as they are working and I didn’t book a demo!

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If I squint really hard, I can see your living room in the background. :wink:

No Fraim here. Racks are bowing with weight of boxes!

For those interested or worried about their Olive or Classic systems versus the New Classic.

I wouldn’t worry.

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Darran has serviced the Supercap 2 and XPS2. He has been on the 52 for a while now. Waiting with interepidation so I can start the long haul home. :rofl:

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Different in what way according to your ears?

I have heard the New Classics twice now and remain underwhelmed by them. Too far removed from the sonic perfection (imo) that is the Olive series. In all fairness, they probably weren’t run in when I heard them and I should have another listen sometime, but I can safely say my Olive system is staying with me.

I’m very excited for you with your recently updated and newly serviced system. Late nights ahead for you! :sunglasses::notes::notes:

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The 300 series was 333 with NPX300, 332 and 2 x 350s.

The system is not run in yet. They reckon 3 to 4 weeks in will sound better.

So fresh out of boxes at mine 52, Supercap 2 and XPS2 all freshly serviced and now playing!

Sounds amazing and in my opinion better than what I have heard today with 135s, NDS, 555 PS and CDS2.

Still, as Darran said it will take 3 to 4 weeks to come on song.

Have got round to fitting Powerline for Supercap 2 as well.

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I reckon the 300 is very refined. Accurate and neutral. It did grow on me. I think it the 332 needs an NPX300 as well. They didn’t have one on it.

In contrast my system sounds bold, dynamic, full bodied and toe tapping straight away.

Very different. I can imagine the 300 being good for classical and very detailed modern recordings.

Look, it’s very very good. I just prefer mine though. And I have heard 500 and think that’s better still.

Comparison not completely fair as 300s not run in anywhere yet. I don’t think anyone is adjusted to them and their sound yet.

But like I said if you have Olive or Classic you don’t need to worry.

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I tell you what my system is making me smile. :grin:

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