I’m currently using a NDX with my 300dr/282HC combo. I also have a Nova which has become redundant. I do like the sound of the NDX but I miss the looks and modern capabilities of the Nova.
Is there a way to bypass the Amp of the Nova and the connect it to the 300/282 so that I can use it as a streamer only?
If not what is my best option?
If you want an option that is a worthy match for your amp you need an NDX2, preferably with an XPS to power it.
The Nova would work, but you can’t bypass its preamp and it’s obviously not in the same league for sound quality.
You could add an Ifi Zen Stream to the NDX and expand it’s capabilities. Small enough to tuck out of sight so you don’t even see the extra box. Costs very little. Though more if you add a decent power supply.
The Ifi Zen Stream has probably the worst app experience on the planet, isn’t supported well, and it’s quirky in general. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.
If it were me, I’d sell the Nova and NDX and use the proceeds to buy an NDX2 or nDAC/ND5XS2 on the secondary market.
I’m not sure what that is based on. I have devices on the old and new Naim streaming platform via the Naim app. Used to have a device feeding a DAC with Audirvana. And now feed that with the Zen Stream.
By a wide margin, Audirvana presented the most problems with poor app performance and just riddled with bugs on the client app and unexpected issues needing manual intervention ever couple weeks on the PC running Audirvana.
The Naim app works well, but Volumio app works perfectly fine and adds more functionality. Volumio used by Zen Stream is very widely adopted and used. Currently in my 9th year of using the Naim app and 3rd of Volumio and neither gives me any grief whatsoever.
That’s the device they marketed as having Chromecast built-in (would come in an update in 2021), and that’s two years ago, three since launch, and it’s still not there. Their advertisement regarding Roon support was also misleading if I’m not mistaken.
There’s no mention of it on their site, but many dealers still advertise Chromecast support, so I guess they also haven’t put much effort into educating their distribution network.
Many people bought on that basis, and AFAIK have not been compensated in any way. It’s a company I’d steer well clear of TBH. They haven’t exactly been trustworthy.
I’d have a look at the Eversolo DMP-A6.
Thanks @n-lot . So that does support a lot of what @Smoothfidelity is saying then. I will stand corrected!
On the other hand if you primarily use it for Tidal, Roon (this did get done eventually), Spotify or local UPnP, then it seems to be okay. Not every user is the same of course. Clearly, the usage pattern I have hits on none of the failed/undelivered functionality. From what you say (which is supported by their developer update sadly) some users will have a poor user experience.
Though it does seem to be less bugs and more failing to deliver on promises. What works does genuinely seem to work well.
The misleading marketing is what bothers me, and the (supposedly) unwillingness to compensate users that bought on that premise. Not that the functionality is missing.
Regardless of the functionality, I’d rather just not buy from such a company. There’s plenty of alternatives for most, if not all, of their products.
Plug a Bluesound Node or a Wiim into the NDX. That should do you.
Sell NDX and Nova, and buy an ND5XS2 and a Naim DAC.
Or sell NDX and Nova and get NDX2!
There are many threads on this, but the summary is that eBay will help here.
Your system is plenty good enough to show why people on here keep recommending the NDX2. It will deliver all that you want imho. The only wrinkle with that option is that many rate ND5XS2 plus nDAC as being at least as good in SQ as NDX2 - it is also cheaper s/h, though you don’t get a pretty screen and need to find space for both.
In either case, adding an external PS to the streamer’s DAC will, in usual Naim fashion, bring a significant gain in SQ - albeit at a price.
Given that you also have a Technics SL1200G, the next upgrade (if there is one) after the above streamer change might be give it a PS - but it instead might be to swap 282 for 252 or to focus on the TT chain if you listen to a lot of vinyl.
Good luck!
Or sell NDX and Nova and get nDAC and NDX2!
Might not be quite enough money raised to do that? But we could keep this up all day 
My vote for ndac (best with XPs) and nd5xs2 … should be awesome with 282
And the only wrinkle in this option is that I recently heard that the nDac does not support system automation like the NDS does. So apparently, you can’t control the ND5 XS2 thru the Naim app which would suck. I haven’t had this verified tho.
SQ wise tho, it would be great.
If it’s modern capabilities that you want, but without losing SQ, there’s always the option to sell NDX, 282, HC and Nova to fund a NSC222. Then maybe add an NPX300 sometime in the future.
Streaming lossless from Apple Music sounds impressive to me, so a modern Mac computer, iPad, iPad could be an option.
The NDAC does support System Automation. The problem is that the current streamers, including the ND5XS2, only have one remote cable connection unlike their prececessors, which had two. So you have to choose between connecting it to the DAC (for input control) or the preamp (for volume and input control).
Either way, you still get to control the streamer using the app.