Bass light nd5xs

Takes a good 6 months to break in - having said that, it's the XS line sound, not the Naim Classic Series sound...

What are you playing this with?

Is your network setup properly? It sounds like it struggles to replay music when it's newer - also depends on the network? Are you using a SAN? or a Digital input?

Hi thanks for your reply. Its a demo unit. Not sure how much previous use.  im streaming from a Sony laptop as I don't own a NAS.  I'm thinking that its just the sound is not to my taste or it needs a longer settling period.  Its a pretty clinical, clear sound. But to me cold and with little weight In comparison to my cd player. Kudos xs speakers and 122/150. 

You sure it's not the amp?

I've run the ND5XS into the KudosX2 with a Nac72/HiCap with both a Nap200 and a Nap250 and it sounds great as a source!

Having said that, synergy is key. So if it doesn't work for you in your system, it doesn't. You have to live with it. 

Perhaps it's the quality of your audio files. Are they high quality, such as WAV or FLAC? If they are compressed MP3 files, they are not going to sound good. The streamer should be at least as good as the CD player in terms of performance. I've only heard the ND5XS once and it was excellent, and certainly not thin-sounding.

Out of interest, do you have a Flatcap 2x for your 122? If not, get hold of one, as it gives the 122 a huge boost. It will also do the same for the CD player.

Have you got the CD player or any other sources plugged into the Pre. If so worth checking that the ground switch on the ND5 is in the right position. 

Hi San,

Difficult to say, perhaps it's just not up you alley.

When I demoed my ND5 pulling streams from a u-Serve via ethernet into 152/155 combo, I found it to be as you describe compared to the nDac. But while that may be true to me, I also found the nDac less transparent and a little soft and the highs less clear when it was fed from the u-Serve via S/pdif.

it seems the streamers are optimised to use ethernet in my opinion, and this gives a slightly less weighty feel perhaps, while improving on transparency from mids to highs, perhaps less warm, at least compared to the fabled nDac.

In the end, I opted for the ND5 because I preferred the superior clarity over warmth thinking that I could compensate somehow with my speaker choice, after demoing PMC 23, ProAc I went for the neutral Harbeth Compacts 7's. 

I had previously been living with some rather cumbersome Eltax 400 Xtreme speakers that were...bass monsters. Perhaps my final choice was an antidote to those. So far my system has helped me appreciate those mids - high transparencies that were missing from my system for all those years. 

Anyway, I think I understand what you mean, so if you really fancy the streaming route, perhaps you should compare your CD with the NDX or an nDac?.

Jason.

Hi SAN999,

I have an ND5XS and it is definitely not thin sounding or bass light.

Playback from PC: you could try to use a better player than Windows Media Player. WMP doesn't bypass Windows internal mixer/audio engine thus degrading the sound. It is probably the least recommended Windows based media player.

You could try the free Foobar player in combination with Wasapi output. Or easier for a demo perhaps is to put your lossless files on a USB stick and play from there.

I am using Foobar with a M2tech Hiface USB-S/PDIF converter which improve sound quality by miles compared to using WMP.

All thaks for your replies. I did have ground switch in wrong position! No noticeable difference in sound to my ears but good suggestion thank you. Files are WAV 1411kbs and I have tried against one Flac file. Don't get me wrong the clarity is great its just the bottom end has gone.  my cd5xs doesn't seem to suffer from this and in comparison the streamer is to me tiring.  It could be its just not for me as suggested.  Dealer has offered a ndx to try also although it's a little outside budget at the moment!  Ill keep listening and comparing and see if it warms to my taste! Thanks all. Si. 

Hi Si

I got the ND5 when it first came out and it sounded great. However Naim brought out a firmware update, that for me, made it not only bass light but uninvolving. I added the XPS power supply that returned the sound and improved it also. It may be worth trying the XPS or the XS version to see if this helps. Not a lover of suggesting more boxes, but it really Improved things. 

Graeme

To be honest Si i dont recal that helping, although i dont tend to listen at high volume levels. Im by no means a bass freak either, but i like the weight to be there to drive the music along. I'd certainly suggest you borrow a PSU, it just may give you what your looking for. Ive not looked back since moving to streaming, the flexibility it gives you is fantastic.

Here we go, here we go, here we go....

San,

I  had a cd5xs into 155 / 152 and decided to stream. Demoed the uServe / nd5 versus uServe / nDac.

Serve/dac won by a long way - more of everything, absolutely no contest - Naim dealer with me on that too. I was concerned that I wouldn't have a screen if I didn't take the nd5, but the iPad with the nServe app is brilliant.

Also nDac opens the way for future upgrades ........

Streaming is the best thing I've done in the stereo world - buy the cds , rip , then listen to far more music than ever before...the cds go to the car and to the work cd player.

Dis,

I have to echo your findings.  There is no going back for me.  But save your money ...I recently held my breath, sold my CDS3 and XPS and added  PS555DR to the nDAC.  What a wonderful upgrade path.  

It totally reaffirmed my choice to start same as you, and like you I am listening more and more and more.  

Enjoy the music!

SAN999,

Using the search function, here's one cherry picked post that sort of echoes your impressions:

https://forums.naimaudio.com/to...65#13956224334026765

All else was equal ie amp, speakers cable etc. To my ears, the ND5XS was significantly better than the CD player in every department. In fact, swapping from CDP to streamer was like lifting a curtain off the speakers. Better clarity, deeper, tighter bass, better vocals.

(My emphasis.)

For some, tighter bass may subjectively sound as lighter bass. Just try pushing back your X2 a little bit closer to the back wall to get a slight bass reinforcement and see if it sounds better to your taste (of course, it may also make your CD5XS sound more bass-rich and you would have to find an acceptable compromise). Any change in a system may lead to a need to adjust the loudspeakers position.

Mark your X2s position with some tape, then experiment. Might even be fun, lead to unexpected results, and it's free anyway !

Not more than 2p,

Maurice

Why not try a UnitiQute2? I know it sounds (and should sound) like a backward step sonically but they are awfully good sound per pound, and in some ways is more 'listenable' than my SuperUniti (more forgiving!)

As an aside I tried to compare streaming with CD playback on the SU last night (CD via dig. in from Sony blu-ray player) and guess what? Slightly more mellow and slightly fuller lower midrange, no doubts about it, but when the volume goes up the extra 'fuller' sonics exponentially rise and it's a muddle. The streamed content remains rock-solid in transients and tonality, if a little drier.

Si,

Sorry to read this. At least I tried.

(By the way, just noticed an error in my posting, of course I intended to suggest you try to move your speakers closer to the front wall !)

I tried the UnitiLite, the Uniti, and the SuperUniti at the dealers a few months ago, and the latter was the one that was sufficiently good to allow me to ditch the CDS2, 82/250 system. It's a wonderful machine, and it's great to have everything in one box and all the CDs either in the loft or in boxes under the stairs. It was a radical step to take, but three months on and 2,000 CDs ripped, it was the right thing. The time needs to be right though, and if the 5xs doesn't do it for you, it's the wrong solution.

Hi

Graeme mentioned the Firmware update that changed the sound of his ND5. It did the same to my NDX, less warm and less involving. I think it was unfair of Naim to make such a change. They no doubt concidered it an improvment and I am sure that many users agree,but not all. After all we buy our gear after having a demonstration and liking the sound at that time. To have it changed at a later date not knowing weather users would like it or not is unfortunate. Perhaps Naim could issue a further update just returning the sound to its original state. I for one would much appreciate it

Philip

Hi Philip,

Is this actually a fact?

I would be surprised if Naim contiously alter the inherent sound of the unit by a firmware upgrade, at least without informing/warning people.

I had read on a previous thread some time ago that Forum members were saying they were hearing a sq improvement after a firmware, but then it transpired that it was just gremlins on shoulders And mind games. I even think someone from Naim had to pop by and deny any such tampering.....

Anyway, happy to be corrected on this.

Jason.

Indeed! And how does posting that info. (true or otherwise) help the OP with their current problem?

Jason, on a previous firmware version, I was beta testing a build for Naim. I had noticed a change in SQ on my NDX. I wrote back to Naim as part of the testing and queried this. I was informed that the DSP code had changed and so it was quite possible the sound may have changed slightly.

With the latest version of firmware (v3.21) I heard no change in the sound.

To thevOP, I think it's a case of you comparing the DAC/presentation of your CD player with the ND5XS, and you quite understandably prefer the former. If you wish to stream it might be just a case of trying a different product / DAC.

Simon