Better SQ: NDS or NDX into nDAC?

Tallan posted:

I am interested in upgrading my ND5XS + XPS which currently outputs digital to nDAC + XPS, and am wondering which would sound better, replacing the ND5XS with a NDX or swapping out both it and the nDAC and going for an NDS?

Currently I'm using third party XPS units but would hope to upgrade to Naim 555PS down the road on the NDS, or Naim XPS x 2 on the NDX and nDAC units if I went that way.  As the saying goes, however, "If wishes were horses beggars would ride."

So dealing with immediate reality and budget which would have the sound quality advantage, NDX + XPS into nDAC + XPS or a NDS + XPS combo?

 

if you go to the "search " in this forum, you will have this topic already treated.  But the response is simple:  nds/xps is better, the dac inside the nds is better than ndac.

But some prefer the sound of unitserve or uniticore with ndac/xps to nds/xps/ unitserve in ethernet ( a minority), like some preferred cds3 vs cdx2....

The XPS on ND5XS or NDX if using digi out to NDAC isn't contributing anything...it's a bit 'extra' as my daughter would say.

NDS is the best option.

Or a 272/XPSDR !

G

GraemeH posted:

The XPS on ND5XS or NDX if using digi out to NDAC isn't contributing anything...

I don't think that is correct G,   it is correct for a CDP as the XPS powers a lot stuff downstream from the internal DAC.    The streamers have most of the digital processing components upstream of the DAC.   Have a look at this white paper    https://www.naimaudio.com/downloads/white-papers

Tallan posted:

I am interested in upgrading my ND5XS + XPS which currently outputs digital to nDAC + XPS, and am wondering which would sound better, replacing the ND5XS with a NDX or swapping out both it and the nDAC and going for an NDS?

Currently I'm using third party XPS units but would hope to upgrade to Naim 555PS down the road on the NDS, or Naim XPS x 2 on the NDX and nDAC units if I went that way.  As the saying goes, however, "If wishes were horses beggars would ride."

So dealing with immediate reality and budget which would have the sound quality advantage, NDX + XPS into nDAC + XPS or a NDS + XPS combo?

 

An oblique answer, and offered simply in case it provides food for thought: I found ND5XS into Chord Hugo sounded better than ND5XS+XP5XS. Then I found that another renderer (Audirvana on Mac Mini) sounded better than ND5XS acting as renderer - though how much was due to renderer and houpw much the removal of vagaries of a network given the combined store and renderer I cannot say. 

I own and use the following two sets for my two main systems:

NDX + nDAC + 555PS (on the nDAC) and NDS + 555PSDR.

If I had to choose one (fortunately I don't have to make that choice) I would go for NDS + 555PSD.

Keler Pierre posted:

 

But the response is simple:  nds/xps is better, the dac inside the nds is better than ndac.

Amazingly both nDAC and NDS use the same Burr-Brown DAC chips PCM1704....

Adam Zielinski posted:

Keler Pierre posted:

 

But the response is simple:  nds/xps is better, the dac inside the nds is better than ndac.

Amazingly both nDAC and NDS use the same Burr-Brown DAC chips PCM1704....

the burr-brown dac chips is not all.  The nds, used only as dac, in spdif, is better than the ndac, for what i have often heard and read.... but some prefer the ndac too....

Definite upgrade and a decent one at that going to from NDX/nDac/555 to NDS/555. For me it's a no brainer if you have the funds. 

Enjoy

I would add that the NDS only delivers its full potential with the 555DR. The difference in SQ between NDS/XPS and NDS/555 is not subtle.  

Chag - 

I ran the NDX into NDAC/555PS for a few years and I loved it and preferred Ito the NDS555PSdr for most music... I really enjoyed the vibe and organic sound of the NDAC.  There were some genres that I did prefer from the NDS such as choral and cathedral as well as some hidef.. but on 44.1/16 it was the NDAC/555PS hands down...if you search I wrote a lot about this at the time on the forum

One very special experience was listening to a NDX/555PS into NDAC/555PS into 500 based system driving Kudos Titan speakers.. it was phenomenal.. yet to hear it bettered from a Naim source for my ears.. I have not heard a  NDS into NDAC/555PS though

Just a thought...

Swap the cuddly toy on the nDAC for a 555DR.

That'll give you most benefit from one upgrade (leave the cuddly toy on the ND5 XS - it does improve it) and then you can upgrade to an NDS (or NDX to use with the nDAC) as and when - the 555DR will still be good in both scenarios.

Huge, no doubt a good suggestion, although I always preferred my non DR 555PS on my NDAC...