Does an NDS require a service after (period of) time?

Posted by: ayisgroovy on 18 August 2016

Hi everyone, whilst a lot of attention is paid to upgrading pre/power amps, power supplies, and more recently the revolutionary Superlumina cabling, and of course the biggest impact is the DR overlay to the aforementioned. Even source components follow an upgrade/service path but what about the magnificent NDS? Here again we focus on the debate on using a non-DR or DR'd 555PS and the more esoteric configuration of using two 555PSs. Yet again, when or does the humble head unit require some Salisbury TLC I wonder? Being an NDS (of 2012 vintage) user myself I'm intrigued at the prospect. Would be great to hear from those in the know please!

Posted on: 18 August 2016 by Harry

The power supply/supplies will need servicing as usual. The NDS will not. At least that's the current situation. FW updates will keep the DAC and PSP in trim and up to date.

Posted on: 18 August 2016 by Foot tapper

My CDS3 head unit had lots of components changed (mainly tantalum capacitors, but don't hold me to this!) when it went to the factory for a new mechanism and mechanism control board. This was after circa 7-8 years. And it came back sounding a whole lot better than it had ever done before.

While an NDS is a different beast to a CDS3, there must be some similar/equivalent elements on the main PCB e.g. both have DACs and analogue output boards, so I would not be surprised if the NDS would benefit from a service after 10 years or so. However, this is speculation, based on experience as a CDS3 owner. It is not hard fact.

Posted on: 18 August 2016 by Christopher_M

Why do you ask? Has the sound gone off?

Chris

Posted on: 18 August 2016 by ayisgroovy

Hi Chris,

'the sound is fine ie. no noticeable degradation in SQ, but rather I ask out of curiosity. Could the NDS carry on producing consistent results over a 10, or even 20yr cycle without lifting the bonnet or any form of physical update (save for possible upgrades) whilst we are sending pretty much everything else back to the mothership for an MOT periodically?

Posted on: 18 August 2016 by Christopher_M

Thanks. My experience with my CDS3 is similar to FT's. NDS performs at roughly the same level (I'm told). So I have the same thought as FT that your NDS will need looking at under the hood in ten years-ish.

Naim are the people to ask

Posted on: 18 August 2016 by feeling_zen

Given the relative newness of the NDS as a product, probably Naim can only give a best guess based on the expected 'optimal' life of components. I doubt they have had any back for non repair servicing yet.

Caps and so forth will degrade over time. Anything in the analogue output stage will likely have stricter tolerances imposed by Naim. You could email them and ask. I'm guessing they suggest a service at 12 years but will not know the full content of such a service yet (though they might have a fair prediction).

Fairly sure the OLED screen would be swapped out given their short lifespans.

Posted on: 19 August 2016 by Dozey

OLEDs no longer have short lifespans, especially green ones.

Posted on: 19 August 2016 by feeling_zen

tell that to all the Uniti users that set their display to the clock only to have pixels start to die after 2 years.