That’s more or less how I reacted to the 300DR after 250DR.
Presumably 135’s are equivalent/better than the 300? No wonder they’re keepers. I’ve never heard them.
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I think 135s are comparable with 300. Some say better. 300DR is a notch up.
They on about the same level. Personal preferences come into it at this level.
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Another happy owner of 135’s, had them about 15 years now (serviced about 7 years ago). They just play music extremely well and for me, better than the 300.
There’s a reason Naim has gone back to a pair of monos 
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You need to try harder @Mike_S. Play really loud drum n bass, techno or death metal. Come on man! 
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Get the sound to clip your speakers slightly then turn it down from that. Then play loud for 2 hours and those fans will kick in. Probably afyer 10 mins. Lol.
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Indeed, but any louder and I won’t hear the fans as my ears will be ringing . Maybe I’ll have more success in summer when the room gets hot. Or maybe some vinyl might work in harder - the drivers always move more with vinyl for some reason.
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Mike, it’s all that horrible noise and vinyl rumble, lol…
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Not wanting to de-rail your thread @Dan_M. But you asked. 
….
I havent had the journey you have Dan, but i have had a year of medical malady - through months of (uncomfortable) testing. I found out I have a genetic flaw which has been causing my body to poison itself with Iron. The treatment is giving blood initially weekly until the lron levels drop, then every few months for the rest of my life. Which doesn’t sound too bad, but its been very tiring for the 4 months Ive been having the initial treatment. It took the medical profession probably ten years to diagnose this issue, and the symptoms had been getting progressively worse over that time. A middle aged man with a young family doesnt get much in the way of sympathy from GPs when complaining of being tired and fatigued (I felt like a hypochondriac from all the visits to Drs I’ve had) - it took an intelligent consultant funded by BUPA to find and treat it and it was found by mistake whilst we were looking for a different problem. Thankfully we caught it just before it was life limiting so I should make a good recovery. It has unfortunately damaged my joints which sadly wont get better plus i regret the impact on my life and career over many years.
However I honestly feel like Ive won the lottery. It could have been a lot worse.
I relate to the retail therapy; having purchased full fat fraim, NDX2 and 555PS this year etc. As I come to the end of my initial treatment, no doubt I will want to mark the occasion somehow.
Right back to your thread and sorry for the diversion.
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I wish you well @haydj. Health as you get older is the most important thing. I am 50 and with diagnosis of cancer given 12 months ago is major stress and worry. They say I am cured but am being monitored. They say it may come back but I am getting on with things.
It sounds like you have got things back on track and I wish you the best with a long and special time with your family.
I am single but have 4 kids ranging from 3 to 18, two different mothers and I am not ready to give up on life no matter what.
And besides I have a fantastic system and sometimes I think I live for that. It is me and part of me and a bit more than a hobby. My system developments give me a buzz and a home project which is enjoyable outside my busy job as a builder.
Very best regards,
Dan
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The NDS is now back today, just plugged in and used as a DAC only with ND5XS2 used as streaming transport. Early days but sounding velvety smooth.
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If my NDS was working fine and worked quickly with NAS and even worked with Tidal I would have left it alone.
Fact is it never worked right not with NAS or Tidal. Only with internet radio or Spotify.
Now its seamless. Worth the extra stack of shelves and ND5XS2, cables and rest of it. Plus stack is lower and looks alot better.
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Must feel great to be free of all those NDS niggles and just able to focus on the wonderful sound.
Functionality aside, how do you think NDS compares with ND5XS2 sound-wise?
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There is a sound difference. It sounds like its on steroids. Just like I said earlier. It has tuned up clarity, bass and made it really full on. Has changed character of NDS a bit.
Sounds really full on, dark and mean. If you have heard CDS2 with XPS2 and then change to 555PS. That’s how it sounds only NDS with 555PS is clearer. So adding ND5XS2 sound like a different streamer.
Would be interesting to compare to ND555.
I have heard 333 with 300NPX and this is in different league.
Although not as clear or clean. But it has so much depth and velvety sumptuousness.
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The sound with NDS and ND5XS2 is more bouncy and makes you want to dance or move more. More springey. Difficult to explain. But Naim have kept this quiet!
A few people have done this before and also enjoyed it a lot.
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Has anyone else done this with NDS and ND5XS2? I know quite a few do ND5X2 with NDAC and 555PS and alternative DACs.
I wonder if there is any difference. NDS has suspended chassis and 2 Burndys. NDAC has 2 power supplies as well, one mains and one from 555PS.
Be interesting to compare. My gut instinct reckons there is little in it. And of course NDAC doesn’t have streaming boards so it maybe better in some ways but not in others.
Anyway, I like what I have and system makes me smile.
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I did it with my former NDX2 as streamer into NDS and 555PSDR. I agree with what you say that NDX2 (same streaming board as ND5XS2) as streamer added clarity, more bouncy, springy but in the long run I did prefer NDS as intended. To my ears NDS with NDX2 lost warmth, earthiness, and the mature laidback beautiful way of presenting music. It got to hot for my ears with NDX2 as streamer and I prefer the more laid back NDS on its own. No wrong or right here but indeed different 
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I was going to grab a used NDS and use my NDX2 as a transport, but I procrastinated and the NDS had sold before I made a move on it. So now I have a new ND555 and no NDX2, thanks to the fire sale down-under.
Money to burn mate 
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Very interesting what you say. Like I said it sounds like its on steroids. I have been liatening to my CDS2 with 555PS and that sounds hyped up from XPS2. So I completely get you.
It creates different sound signature. I liked the NDS sound but was never happy with functionality. For me it never worked as I wanted. I am very happy with the new sound and functionality from ND5XS2.
For me this is a big improvement.
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