Xp5xs

[Fabio1]

Hi all,
how does this gear perform with its partner ND5XS?I was offered one, used of course as it was dismissed in 2018,to match my ND5XS.How does the sound will improve?Is it worthwhile?
Thank you!

[Bevo]

Hi Fabio 1

I tested one with a CD5XS which would be at a similar level to your streamer

Had for about a week, it did nothing for me at all, I moved up to the XPS-2

Regards

[Innocent_Bystander]

The dealer I had bought the ND5XS from a year before persuaded me to buy because it would make a big difference. The difference was very marginal, no way worth the money even ex-dem. I sold within a month and bought a Hugo DAC for less money: what a difference! A big improvement to sound quality – much mire natural sounding - and started me on the path to where I am now.

[james_n]

@Bevo

I tested one with a CD5XS which would be at a similar level to your streamer

How did that work ? The CD5XS doesn’t have a Burndy socket.

[Bevo]

Sorry forgot to mention - Cd5xs/nDAC/ XPS-2

[GraemeH]

Made no audible difference to a streamer I tried it with. I don’t recall which.

I almost felt guilty selling it on.

G

[simon.pepper]

From when I had a ND5XS, the XP5XS I found made an improvement, mainly to Redbook CD playback.
So recommended.

I keep the XP5XS and used with a NDS as an interim measure before a 555DR was picked up.

[Fabio1]

Thank you so much to anyone.So, what would be a better black box for my ND5XS?

[HiFiman]

I used an XP5XS on a 272 and found a nice lift in performance but I also used a PowerLine on the XP5XS also full fat Fraim.
My reasoning using the XP5XS disabled the inbuilt transformer within the 272 keeping things quiet in the 272. I also tried an XPSDR but hardly noticed any improvement over the XP5XS it took a 555DR for me to change.

[Innocent_Bystander]

@Fabio1

what would be a better black box for my ND5XS?

The Hugo I got was black. Nowadays there’s Qutest as well as Hugo, or if you have greater resources the TT2 - and if you only have digital sources that could also replace a preamp (even power amp if you have efficient enough speakers,) all are available in black!

[Fabio1]

[Christopher_M]

I am almost reluctant to mention it since my experience was with a CD player (and possibly irrelevant to this thread) rather than a streaming box, but I found the XP5XS very good on my one-time CDX2 and not hugely improved upon by my later XPS.

[NO-QUARTER]

I tried one with my 272, and noticed virtually no improvement over the on-board supply. I ordered an XPSDR and that made a big difference.

[Wayne]

I had 5 XS series boxes and decided to sell one as a first step of an upgrade path (that hasn’t yet materialised), and it was between the Flatcap XS and XP5 XS. After extended listening I decided to sell the FC and keep the XP5 connected to my ND5 XS.
For me the XP5 adds more control especially in the bass which goes deeper and hits a bit harder, and the removal of the FC opened up the soundstage and improved the dynamics. Altogether more pleasing for me.

[Fabio1]

Thanks for your replies so far.I’m not in a hurry,so I will take my time. Main source in my set up is Gyrodec into hicapped SL,then my loved McIntosh MR 71.I was just thinking to upgrade the streamer without spending a lot.Thanks again.