What is your experience with how much different XPSDR vs XPS on CDX2/NDX2?
Worth the price difference? How you see SQ of both?
Andre I assume you are talking about the classic XPS 2 ?
Personally I wouldn’t bother with the XPSDR
I’ve been running the CD5XS/nDAC/XPS2 for quite a number of years and at one stage has just the CDX2/XPS2 like yourself
Even my dealer ( of 35+years) said don’t bother. Yes there is a difference but it’s a side by side comparison
I’m running the XPS 2 with the NDX2 and it’s great
If you can get a XPS2 for an excellent price and build in a service I’d go for it
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Hi Bevo, yes, I was talking about XPS2. In fact I do not have one at the moment and want to get one to use with my CDX2 and, maybe later, with NDX2. So was not sure should I target for DR version or not. Sounds XPS2 good to have.
A bit of confusion was from similar threads NAP250 vs NAP250DR, where many strong opposite views which one is better 
Thank you.
I have had an XPS2 with a CDS3 and now with a CDS2. XPS2 is alot cheaper than an XPSDR. The 555PS is better but costs more still. An XPS2 is excellent value for money. With a fresh service it will be perfect for 12 to 15 years with a CDX2 or NDX2.
Also note that a 555PS won’t always sound better than an XPS2 in that some sources are designed to go with certain power supplies. For example the CDS3 was designed to work with an XPS2. Some will prefer the sound of an XPS2 and some will prefer 555PS.
Personally I haven’t used an XPSDR but plenty on hear rate them. Naim make excellent power supplies so you won’t go far wrong with an XPS2, XPSDR or 555PS. Sometimes it is a question of budget and which sound you prefer from the different power supplies.
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Dan, thank you for sharing! Indeed, mix of various source/PS combination might give various results and seen differently by users, that is mentioned in number of threads.
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That is an interesting question, which i asked myself numerous times, since i have a very similar system to the one mentionned in the topic. I bought my XPS freshly recapped so it would be kind of silly to replace it within its 10-15 years.
The XPS-DR will probably be discontinued later this year and there are several discounts to be had now. Older XPS will surely need a recap which last time i checked costed more than 500€ here in Germany. And it cannot be DR’d in the future as far as i know. If i had no power supply i would probably lean toward a more recent XPS-DR to partner with an NDX2 or CDX2 if the price gap is around 1k, which is kind of realistic on the used market nowadays.
Another factor to consider is the used market price if you are not completely sure how your system will evolve in the future. If you plan to keep it for many years and do not plan to sell it within its service cycle the used marked value becomes much more irrelevant.
Ultimately a side by side comparison will allow you to see if the 1 - 1,5k difference is worth to you. Don t forget the cost of the additional burndy when shopping both, it does now always come with one on the used market.
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Good to see a bit of Real World logic appearing.
IMO, the ‘difference’ will be between having an XPS (of any type) and not.
[ I have an XPS(2) non-DR powering my CDX2. ]
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Ian, how do you like/compare CDX2 with and without XPS?
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When I added the XPS, it was ‘better’.
I have never disconnected the XPS since then, other than to dust it… 
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Curious as in the past was not impressed by FC on CD5, but like what FC did to Nait5.
If improvement of XPS to CDX2 same as did FC to CD5 for me no sense 
The FlatCap and the XPS are - by design and in size - very different beasts.
The XPS is supplying multiple DC feeds to the CDX2 or NDX2.
See here [picture copied from Naim website] :
[+/- 10V DC, +/- 22V DC, +15V DC, +15V DC)
A FlatCap or a HiCap just supply two +24VDC feeds.
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Dan - you’re the Man - you talk sense / not over the top
Sensible stuff 
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I found the DR to be a significant improvement over the original when I upgraded it on my CDX2. To be honest I was surprised at the difference I heard - but I found the same on the NAP 250 when I went to DR as well. My ears, my system, etc. I certainly think that the XPS in any form is worth adding to the CDX2 if it is going to be a well used source. Cannot comment re the NDX2 as I have never even heard one.
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XPS DR energises the host component more effectively resulting in a cleaner, grippier, tightly focused and punchier quality.
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My CD is a CDS2 so it came with its PS. However I got an NDX2 and added an XPSDR after a few months. It was a big improvement, probably comparable to swapping olive 250 for a 300DR.
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I had the unfortunate experience of adding an XPS-DR to CDX2 and then found that CDs skipped where they had not skipped before. The result was the CDX2 went back to Naim for service. There is a small risk that the CD player may need a service and this only becomes apparent with a more regulated supply to the CD player mechanism. Sorry to put a dampener on the idea. However, when it is right, it is very, very good to my ears.
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Malfordlad, thank you, interesting case. Could it be just coincidence?
Also would be great to understand if PS just show fault earlier or be fault catalyst?
How many various problems could be due to PS use, if Naim shared that information.
If your CDX2 went to service and Naim fixed it, what it was?
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It’s my thinking the CD player mechanism was ageing. The machine was nine years old when this happened. The PS just showed the fault was coming sooner than I would have noticed it from the internal CD player supply. Naim replaced the CD player mechanism and the dimming naim logo, all was good after that.
I have gone on to use the XPS-DR with a NAC n272 and that works very well, so I don’t believe there is any problem with the XPS being out of spec.
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I have not compared XPSs on a CDX2 or NDX, but I did use an XPS on my nDAC and had this upgraded to DR when that was offered by Naim. I also had my HiCap upgraded. To my ears the HC upgrade was a much more dramatic change (on SN1) than the one on the XPS even though the latter was twice the price. For me, the SQ improvement was still worth the cost, but I’d have been happy to continue using the original PS.
Roger
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Roger, interesting, thank you. It might be that XPS gives much more to CDX2 than to nDAC? I would consider HiCap, but it cannot be an option for CDX2, so more cash to spend 