Have New NDS with older 555PS should I go for 555dr ?
Posted by: musicfan51 on 01 March 2016
I had an HDX nDAC/555 combo. I traded my nDAC in towards an NDS which I have had for 7 weeks! It sounds great! Using a 5 year old 555 power supply. Reading on the forum most of you think highly of a 555dr. Should I buy a new 555dr and sell or trade on my 555? Or is it worth it to keep the older 555ps and use both power supplies on the NDS. How significant an upgrade is the 555dr to the older 555? And is it a notable upgrade to use the 555 with the 555dr on the NDS? Or small enough that is might be better to sell it? Opinions.
The NDS started life fitted with a well used 555PS and while it did clear it's throat a bit, stretch it's legs and become a little sweeter in the first week, we didn't experience a roller coaster run in or a huge uplift in performance in the medium term. But both new 555PS-DR did take a good six months, not that either sounded bad out of the box, they just kept getting subtly better for a compatatively long time.
Taking delivery on a new 555DR on Sunday. Excited!
Nice. Let the fun commence.
555DR installed. Dealer had put 12 days on it at store. Notice more detail & resolution! Does not flow quite as nice yet as old 555 but sure that is a matter of burn in time.
The 555Dr has 21 days on it so far, and since I have gotten I am amazed at how much it has improved! And someone on thus thread said the magic does not really happen till 2 months of burn in! Wow! Debating if I should put my older 555 on the NDS. Right now I do not ha e room for it but if I move things around it may fit. Thinking I want to wait at least another weak before I try it. Most of you said it was a great improvement with two you saying it was not for you. Guess it is try it and find out. But I will say the 555DR opened up more today and it really is a noticeable improvement over the original 555PS.
The full extent of rhe DR benefits can take a long time to come on stream. I found this less so with the 555PS on the NDS, whereas I'd put the 252 at around eight months! It just goes to show how people's ears and systems can differ. While the musical character was more natural with DR and I would not want to go back, the second 555PS was (for me) the big one. Even a non DR one on the digital side. But again, what it does for your set up and how it sounds to your ears is something no one else can say. It's down to what you hear and what you think of it.
I have no experience of a 555 DR as yet but I have recently added a second (non Dr) 555 to my NDS and can agree that it does have a very positive effect on the music flow. I did buy the second 555 for my cds3 for when it comes back from Naim Hospital, but can now see myself looking for a 3rd!!
Addictive (and expensive) stuff this upgraditis!
Paul
I have heard the CDS3 with XPS2 and 555PS. I thought it sounded better with the XPS2. Well, when I say better I mean more CDS3-like. Probably just previous conditioning and inability to listen outside the box.
Hmmm ... Will have a word with my dealer and see if I can borrow an XPS2 and do a comparison.
The 555PS may well sound better to a majority of people. We all have different ears and tastes. When the CDS3 was still in production and more frequently discussed, some preferred the XPS2 presentation but IIRC, more liked the 555PS and a fair few bought one.
Pertaining to using both a 555DR and an older 555ps is it always the best to put the 555DR on the analog side ? I need to move a component and re-arrange everything to fit the second 555. We are going to try it out next weekend. Also I noticed the sound changed a bit on the 555DR today and it sounds a bit fat in the bass today. Are changes like this normal as it is burning in?
Last two questions were pertaining to the NDS as far as burn in and connectioning two 555 power supplies.
Got my components moved around so I can fit my older 555ps on my NDS in addition to my new 555DR. Which Brundy input on back of NDS is the digital and which is analog? I saw one thread that said they did not care for having the older 555ps mixed with the 555Dr. Is this not going to improve my sound ? Do I have to have two 555DR to make it sound better? Or is this a case by case basis?
Like said earlier: Socket 1 (right one from front looking) digital, socket 2 analog. It will definitely improve your sound. I have non DR & DR mix in place, DR to analog side. At least in 3 different setups what I have tried there is a big difference. There are personal taste opinions & maybe some setup issues but in general it will change & in my case improves clearly the sound. Remember 2nd 555PS warmup before making analysis & take enough listening time e.g. a week/two, then remove 2nd PS to see what happens.
Thank you so much Gandalf. Just making sure it is worth the effort. I saw on another thread that someone said putting the second non-Dr 555 left the sound cold and he did not like it! Right now there is no extra money to send it it in for a DR upgrade! I would imagine more than a few NDS owners have experimented with this! Appreciate the reply!
Nope, 2nd non DR adding makes the sound more warmer, natural, increasing separation. Just listen singing vocals or how bass is improving -> there comes out more tones. There must be something wrong if it makes it more cold.
Thank you for the reassurance Gandalf.
The second non-DR 555 is installed on the digital side of NDS just now! So now I got let it warm up! Excited and hoping it makes a notable positive difference in SQ. The New 555DR has a full month on it as of today. Been playing the NDS non-stop.
So after 48 hours of having the second non-DR 555 install , it it really changed the sound of the music. Sounds like music on steroids! Everything is bigger, sound stage, stereo imaging, deep bass, textures. On great recordings it can be really something! On not so good recording it sorta magnifies what is wrong with the recording. I need to listen for 3 or 4 days longer to see if it is the sound I want!
That sounds like the impact of a Hicap on a CD5x, which I described as like music on steroids - everything turned into a 'performance'. It was not a good thing.
On some recordings it sounds very good! On others not as much. Very rich and full. Now the I have take into consideration that the 555DR is only been burned in for a month and will mellow with more time. But at times the sound a bit too over the top.
We disconnected the non DR 555 and just used the new 555DR by itself with the NDS. The Naim rhythm and pace was back. The enjoyment factor was back! My wife and I listened carefully and the 555DR by itself was much more enjoyable to listen to than having the non DR 555 and 555DR both connected to NDS. I guess everyone has a different listening experience when doing this!