power supply for N272

All I can say is that the XPS makes a very significant improvement and I'd suggest that this or the 555PS is the one to go for, particularly as you are using a 300. Don't get the XP5 just because it's cheap - get the one you really want even if it means waiting. 

If you are an upgrade guy sooner or later you will get a 555DR! 

My logic was that 272/250/XPS will be followed by 372/300/555, a NDS level streamer pre which will sell lots of 300/555s as well.

And I will be ready for it with a small investment.

Your already have the big boy of the trio, 300DR

Wait for it, wait for It! 

When I make a change of equipment I do tend to keep with it for quite a while so I want to make the right choice now, a 555 seems like a hell of alot for a power supply for the N272 which is nearly half the price of a 555.

I went for the XPS for that reason. They seem natural partners, and it really does make an extraordinary difference. 

Same as 250dr vs 300dr, the price difference I mean

372/300/555 is what I had in my mind, I see the as my end game set up until my retirement so I went for it with tears and a smile at the same time

When I was deciding between the two at first I didn't notice that the XP5XS is not available in a DR version; after consideration and consultation with my dealer I ponied up for the XPS DR, with no regrets.

555PS mk1 or DR I say no more...

Having an external powersupply for the hybrid preamps is almost certainly going to make a big difference. Having the transformer effectively disabled in a case of dense low level audio electronics will really help.. even though Naim specify the shape of the transformer field strength a large source of electro magnetic radiation will have been removed. I suspect the differences between XPS2 and 555PS will be largely presentational

I have always made a point of only buying 2nd hand if it is a product I am specifically targeting.   Over the last few months I have seen loads of speakers that I may have liked but it would have been a punt.  

In the case of XPS5 it will clearly have synergy with the 272 but whether it enhances the performance as you would wish is another matter. HH's comments above apply in my experience. 

Regards,

Lindsay

In a similar position here looking at the three PSU options for a 272 (with 250DR), XP5 XS looks like a good used bargain, plus the TP version of the XPS2 is very cost effective (but not known how it performs), but it does seem that XPS DR or 555PS or even 555PSDR are the ones to go for.

I recall a thread for the OP perhaps to search, that someone did all the testing for all options and left their thoughts on how each performed.

I purchased a sh 555ps for 2k fantastic I now have the option to dr.  Suggest you look round for sh 555ps ... it made a staggering improvement to my 272.

This thread caught my eye because I too bought the PS555 DR for my 272 thinking there may be a "reference level"pre amp/streamer without an internal power supply in the near future. In the meantime I am enjoying them with the NAP 300 DR and Sopra 3s. Still tweaking the speaker placement.

Hi JS how are you enjoying 272 with 555dr?

jsaudio posted:

This thread caught my eye because I too bought the PS555 DR for my 272 thinking there may be a "reference level"pre amp/streamer without an internal power supply in the near future. In the meantime I am enjoying them with the NAP 300 DR and Sopra 3s. Still tweaking the speaker placement.

I see we have the same system and your stateside

The sound quality is excellent.Enjoy streaming from my NAS and Tidal HiFi which to my ears is as good and with some music,even better than some of the HiRes downloads.

This is my first system in about 30 years and so I have nothing to compare it to i.e. versus XPS power supply. I simply thought I was future proofing with the 555PS.

Greekspec2, did you consider other speakers i.e. Wilson Sabrina and have you heard the Yvette? close in price to the Sopra 3. How do you like the system?

jsaudio posted:

The sound quality is excellent.Enjoy streaming from my NAS and Tidal HiFi which to my ears is as good and with some music,even better than some of the HiRes downloads.

This is my first system in about 30 years and so I have nothing to compare it to i.e. versus XPS power supply. I simply thought I was future proofing with the 555PS.

Greekspec2, did you consider other speakers i.e. Wilson Sabrina and have you heard the Yvette? close in price to the Sopra 3. How do you like the system?

no prior I had Aria 926 and Sopra 2 then when I heard in late May they were releasing the Sopra 3's I sold my 2's and they are what I wanted from the get

greekspec2 posted:

jsaudio posted:

This thread caught my eye because I too bought the PS555 DR for my 272 thinking there may be a "reference level"pre amp/streamer without an internal power supply in the near future. In the meantime I am enjoying them with the NAP 300 DR and Sopra 3s. Still tweaking the speaker placement.

I see we have the same system and your stateside

+1 same logic here

greekspec2 posted:

jsaudio posted:

The sound quality is excellent.Enjoy streaming from my NAS and Tidal HiFi which to my ears is as good and with some music,even better than some of the HiRes downloads.

This is my first system in about 30 years and so I have nothing to compare it to i.e. versus XPS power supply. I simply thought I was future proofing with the 555PS.

Greekspec2, did you consider other speakers i.e. Wilson Sabrina and have you heard the Yvette? close in price to the Sopra 3. How do you like the system?

no prior I had Aria 926 and Sopra 2 then when I heard in late May they were releasing the Sopra 3's I sold my 2's and they are what I wanted from the get

how you compare sopra 2 vs 3s? 

Emre posted:

greekspec2 posted:

jsaudio posted:

The sound quality is excellent.Enjoy streaming from my NAS and Tidal HiFi which to my ears is as good and with some music,even better than some of the HiRes downloads.

This is my first system in about 30 years and so I have nothing to compare it to i.e. versus XPS power supply. I simply thought I was future proofing with the 555PS.

Greekspec2, did you consider other speakers i.e. Wilson Sabrina and have you heard the Yvette? close in price to the Sopra 3. How do you like the system?

no prior I had Aria 926 and Sopra 2 then when I heard in late May they were releasing the Sopra 3's I sold my 2's and they are what I wanted from the get

how you compare sopra 2 vs 3s? 

first off I prefer the dimensions of the No3's I was a little disappointed in the size when I first had the No2, as for sound they were exactly what I was looking for that the No2 never quite gave me, I believe it could do with not only bigger drivers but the actual speaker placement being higher up on the cabinets so the music hits the ears different sort of say...and these are 100% voiced and designed by Naim and Focal engineers together so more or less the Ovator replacement I assume

I just had the opportunity to get a XP5 XS for $1,350 and took it. The particular unit in question has been boxed from the factory & unused in a dealer's inventory until about 3 months ago, so it is essentially brand new, barely burned in, and should not need service for about 10 years. I went for it after considering the info on this thread, because I really don't see myself having the funds to be able to go for the higher level PSU options any time soon, if ever.

And of course it came with the Burndy.

As is my prior experience with Naim PSU, it seems to have dropped the "floor noise" from the 272 - a floor noise that one was not even aware of prior to adding it. People often refer to the "blackness" and that seems to be the net effect of adding the XP5 XS.

I thought long and hard about Nigel's advice above, but I know I was not going to be able to afford and a used XPS-DR; in fact when I bought the 272 & 250  DR he had the XPS, but the additional $4K or so was just not in the budget, But I think it was still a pretty good VFM.