Adding the 555PS to the nDAC

Posted by: Consciousmess on 26 May 2012

Hi all,

I know this is far from a novelty for many of you, but for me, the audiophile journey is as fun as a journey taken on holiday.  I have bought the 555PS so I could use the nDAC to its near maximum (no powerlines yet) and I would like to share with the forum my opinion on how the sound improves.  It definitely does improve, but this is how I feel it does....

The listening experience becomes more immersive.  The presence of voices expands and the detail in the higher tones increases with slightly more space around instruments.  The bass also becomes slightly deeper and controlled.  But I need to add that to someone who is not an audio fan would not place the magnitude to be as great.  Having said that, after listening to a full album I know very well, the Gestalt effect occurs and it is wonderful.

To be honest, it just sounds 'right' now and that is a concept I never imagined saying.  But then again, I know our brains try to always stream together coherency, so I do not know at what point my brain's detection faculties will be exhausted!!

Jon
Posted on: 26 May 2012 by AMA

Congratulations on 555PS which is a really exception piece of gear.

 

I don't think upgrading from XPS to 555PS is a huge step up but 555PS comparing to bare nDAC was a breakthrough in my case. It transformed nDAC into a much higher class machine. 

 

I admit that difference between 555PS and XPS can be bigger when applied to a better source than nDAC. 

Posted on: 26 May 2012 by GraemeH

I'm just beginning my nDac/555PS - HDX experience, having previously run the 555PS with a CDS3.

 

Been too busy ripping to have a serious listen.....may report more fully today, but early signs are very good.  G

Posted on: 26 May 2012 by Simon-in-Suffolk

Jon, congrats. The 555PS is a very effective part of the Naim portfolio. It seems to make a significant impact over the XPS with the ndac, turning it into the best DAC I have ever heard. (with careful mechanical and electrical isolation)

To me the XPS excelled with the CDS3, but I found the 555PS was disappointing with that CDP, it made the audio exaggerated to my ears.. But as you say when adding the 555PS to the ndac, it makes Redbook  audio sound correctly proportioned, dynamic and natural with no hint of boredom or flatness or at the other end artificial brightness Ie just right, and the stereo image seems to come forward further from the speakers.

My tip... Put a Powerline on the aux power into the ndac, as a priority over the lead for the 555PS. This to my ears helps make the audio from the ndac sound so convincing  and not exaggerated. Ie paradoxically it allows the 555PS as the other power supply do its stuff even more convincingly.

The ndac has a great powersupply design which allows complete isolation between digital and analogue circuitry, with the ndac's own inbuilt power supply providing the former.

 

Simon

 

Posted on: 27 May 2012 by james n

Good news Jon. Glad you've got the nDac to sound the way you wanted it to.

 

James

Posted on: 27 May 2012 by Harry

Congratulations Jon and all the best with it.

 

The big change for me was tightness, stahing and separation. Although it took the absence of the 555PS to hammer it home. I was using the nDAC with an XPS2 and on first acquaintance the 555PS didn't seem to bring about a big step change. Having listened to it for three days I was happy to return it. It was not until I removed it, put back the XPS2 and listened again that the full picture emerged. And it wasn't subtle.