Dusty "Never Does Streaming".....NDS!
Posted by: Dustysox on 21 July 2012
Hi, I know there are quite a few posts on the new NDS. I just wanted to add my 2pence. I got a call from my dealer on Wednesday..."it's here". Cool I'll pop round later, no worries, have it for the weekend..YIPPEE! How old am I, too old and should know better....what the heck!!
My system is a 552/500 and NDAC driven by 555P/SU and NDX driven by XPS, my "trusty" Logitech Transporter which I still love and is so easy to use with Ipeng. It's a joy for listening to "new stuff" which I read about in the music section which normally results in CD deliveries. Which makes some days feel like my birthday when parcels turn up! Like I said...how old!! Back to the NDS. First off I powered it with my XPS, and from cold playing some very familiar music my jaw was on the floor. I know others have shared a disappointment with NDS from cold, my experience is some what different. Every track I played was a joy. What I was hearing was so much more than my NDX/NDAC/PSU's. I connected the NDX back up going via NDAC and 555 P/SU and running wireless whilst the NDS was connected via ethernet and XPS....drum roll........the NDS was far superior, to my ears anyway. By some condsideable margin. I was listening to the Cure "Lullaby", and the NDS was beautiful on evey musical layer...more er... musical. Imagine a grid between your speakers, and each band member standing in every individual grid square, well with the NDS every band member was well defined and could easily be picked out on every square. The NDX config does this but not as well. The NDS brought more clarity. I hope my thoughts cause healthy debate on this matter. It is not my intention to undermine the NDX config. I have enjoyed this set up for a long time, and will continue to...until my NDS order comes through which I have just placed. I had heard the NDS at Bristol and more recently at Tom Tom, and on each occasion driving home I thought, nice but not wow. This only goes to echo all good advice I read about on this fine forum....home dem. It really is the only way to find out.
Obviously this reduces my box count quite considerably. The two Fraims now look more symetrical (something that pleases the wife....always a good move in my book). The family are out and I'm able to reach concorde volumes, something that generally causes a "turn it down dad!". Wow, that glorious bass, so well controlled and defined, where did that come from, and that Naim 3D sound just got bigger. I mentioned Ipeng earlier. It's a joy, my frustration with the basic limitation of Nstream is something I've kept to myself..well no more (AllenB are you listening)! Playlist city or what. Fantastic. Works really well, brilliant in fact (well done TJ & all @ Naim). Really easy, and that's it's strength. I can now create any genre/mood playlist that I want. One small request, a "quick" home button and maybe the option to edit home page, favourites. No harm in asking!
Naim have once again stepped up to the mark, they have not let me down. As i,ve mentioned before, in Naim I trust (corny i know!). There was always going to be a high expentancy on a "reference" streamer by Naim, so many comparisons (CD555). But this leaves us with two excellent source products, and to each his own...choose your weapon. You will not be disappointed.
This NDS goes back to my dealer on Tuesday, and I will be very sorry to see it go. It has quickly become one of my Naim family. And now as I gaze out the window listening to Barbra Stresand (yup, I love her voice and she's my guilty pleasure!) wondering how long will I have to wait until my NDS turns up. So if anyone at Naim is reading, can I authorise loads of overtime!!!!!
Dusty...does do streaming and loves it!
Hello Dusty,
If I may inquire, what has happened to your Logitech Transporter? How do you rate it compared to the NDX into the DAC and also with the NDS?
Thanks,
Arun
Hi Arun, good to hear from you.
I still have my "trusty" ol Transporter. I have quite a few logitech products (Duets, Booms etc) around the house. i could never get rid of them. I mainly use the Transporter for Spotify, for tracks that I read about in the Music section. Great option. Also, one of the functions of the app is "crossfade" which enables one to (albeit, very crudely) mix sonds up to a ten second period ( i used to DJ a million years ago, and I can't seem to shake the mix thing off).
As you may of read on threads i have written that the Logitech was for quite a while my prime source. I did things back to front. I invested in the 552, 300 NDAC, Naim PSU's etc first. I was keen on streaming from the off, loving the ease and convenience of making playlists, creating different genre playlists (again it's a DJ thing!) rather than selecting a CD.On some of the ones I enjoyed maybe three or four tracks really got played, the remainder of tracks in my opinion were not as strong..
So, in answer the Transporter held a good account of itself. It was not up to NDX-DAC with PSU's and I wouldn't expect it to be. Through the DAC with XPS and then with a 555 PSU it was good but not as good as NDX. Pros n Cons. I guess the answer is...I still have mine 
Thanks for the info Dusty and yes I did follow your posts (and Allen's) very closely. I enjoy my SBT into DAC/XPS2, so much so that I bought another SBT before they're all gone. It's the versatility of the Logitech streaming software that is wonderful. I don't get into playlists too much but I hope this improves with Naim, especially by the time I do get around to having a home dem of an NDS. But I didn't think the NDX was worth the expense over the SBT into DAC. That and the lack of Android software.
I do not hide the fact that I still prefer listening to my CDS3 for any serious listening though. I will keep monitoring this section of the forum for NDS updates. Please keep them coming 
Arun