NDS is suppressed by CDS-2

Check the ground switch on the NDS, if you have a CDS in the system it may need to be set to floating

There my be something in the setup like stack or plug order that could be changed to improve things or it may be the CDS2 is just a Damn good player. Do you have a friendly dealer who knows what he’s doing who could help? 

SteveH posted:

Check the ground switch on the NDS, if you have a CDS in the system it may need to be set to floating

The ground switch is fine - floating when the CD-Player is connected and Chasis when it's not.

yeti42 posted:

There my be something in the setup like stack or plug order that could be changed to improve things or it may be the CDS2 is just a Damn good player. Do you have a friendly dealer who knows what he’s doing who could help? 

Tried various system setups, it changes some things, but the overall sound is the same - a bit boring, no depth (in comparison to the CDS-2).

Get it checked out with your dealer.  That doesn't sound like any NDS I've heard.

My advice would be the same as Richard’s I.e. have a chat with a dealer. I lived with a 552 that post a service just didn’t sound right despite it just coming back from Naim HQ freshly serviced. Months went by and I simply put it down to “burn in” but something was wrong and it was my dealer that showed me “the light” and the 552 is now back with naim to work out what is wrong. 

I loved my old CDS2 (with high line and sxps burndy) - very organic and natural with the right CD but definitely prefer my NDS - sound  and convenience. 

Good luck

Gary

the very obvious: transit screws?

Or possibly a duff Burndy cable?  Typically when it's wrong this can result in a flat and dull, lifeless sound.

BP what interconnects do you use ...... borrow a demo sl interconnect - (nds to pre) and try that...........

Perhaps you just prefer the CDP nothing wrong with that put it back into your main 500 system and use the NDS for iRadio and checking out new music and when you find something you like on Tidal or Qubuz then buy it on CD and pop it into the CDS sit back and enjoy, that is what I do except I buy vinyl not CD.

Maybe something is wrong with your NDS.

Thanks all.
It's been two years since I complain about "something" with the NDS, can't really put the finger on it, so transit screws and grounding switch are not THE problem.
I guess it's not the Burndy cables - they were new, didn't dress them a lot, just a bit.
All cables are SuperLumina (DIN-DIN, DIN-XLR, Speaker cables).

I think Bob is right, I just prefer the CDP. The NDS plays as it should be, give or take, but for absolute concentration and enjoyment - it's only the CDP for me (and the mighty LP12 of course).

It's still frustrating though, lot's of money on the NDS and the new UnitiCore (which added something, but still miles away from the CDP) and the Sarum T ethernet cable (which costs alone like a second hand CDS3 head unit).
And the NDS is soooo much better when it comes to convenient of regularly usage.

BP.

BP, do please have the Burndy checked.  What you describe is exactly what you get from connector strain relief collars that have been overtightened - even just slightly!  

Richard Dane posted:

BP, do please have the Burndy checked.  What you describe is exactly what you get from connector strain relief collars that have been overtightened - even just slightly!  

OK, Thanks Richard. I'll contact my dealer regarding this and report back.

BP.

Bob the Builder posted:

Perhaps you just prefer the CDP nothing wrong with that put it back into your main 500 system and use the NDS for iRadio and checking out new music and when you find something you like on Tidal or Qubuz then buy it on CD and pop it into the CDS sit back and enjoy, that is what I do except I buy vinyl not CD.

Done a Seminar, last week!

Seminar A:

"McIntosh Group representatives will be in attendance:

Jeff Poggi, Co-CEO, McIntosh Group 
Dan Wakefield, Vice-President of Sales
Aldo Filippelli, Audio Research Director of Sales
Will Klein, Sonus faber Account Manager
Bart LoPiccolo, Regional Sales Director
Bob Staples, Regional Sales Manager, Mid-Atlantic & Eastern Midwest"

Sonas Fabar $70K Speakers

Audio Research Tube Amplifiers $66K

Allante93!

BTW Source for Seminar A was the Archaic CDP.

$70K Speakers & $66K tube mono Blocks

750 watts 8 ohms!

I think a young man on this very Forum, is rocking Naim's Reference CDP Fronted with an S1 & Active Ovators!

A new Paradigm, depending on Music & Mood.

The Analog TT, Digital CD & Digital Steaming!

Someone who sees things as me.  Sounds like I’m exaggerating and possibly I am but in my experience my CDS3 blows away the NDS with WAV. 

Richard Dane posted:

BP, do please have the Burndy checked.  What you describe is exactly what you get from connector strain relief collars that have been overtightened - even just slightly!  

How can you overtighten the collars, don't you turn them until they lock in. Mine may be different CDS3, 252, 300.

Tony, I'm talking about the strain relief collars. Not something you want to mess with unless you know what you're doing as it's easy to cock up then its back to HQ for repair.

The Strat (Fender) posted:

Someone who sees things as me.  Sounds like I’m exaggerating and possibly I am but in my experience my CDS3 blows away the NDS with WAV. 

"NDS is suppressed by CDS-2"

i get this vision of a CDS2 player leaping onto the NDS and squashing it flat  

Debs

I would have thought that and nds would have been seriously demoed before purchase.

Claus

Richard Dane posted:

Tony, I'm talking about the strain relief collars. Not something you want to mess with unless you know what you're doing as it's easy to cock up then its back to HQ for repair.

Thanks Richard, I have just looked at them, do you mean the collar with the two screws. How do they get overtightened. 

FWIW, I do not find that my CD555 embarrasses my NDX-FM/nDAC/555.  

Have you tried swapping inputs on the NAC?

Nick

I suspect it most likely that Richard D's suggestion may bear fruit but I wouldn't rule out the possibility that the OP actually prefers the CDS2/555PSDR. Although conventional wisdom ought to mean that a Unitiserve/NDS/555PSDR would best my CD set-up (CDX2.2/XPSXS/nDAC/555PSDR), when I compared them at my dealer's, I still preferred mine.  The NDS sounded very nice indeed, and I'm not knocking it, but I felt the CD source had as much detail etc but gave more verve to the music. Just saying..... 

tonyi posted:

Richard Dane posted:

Tony, I'm talking about the strain relief collars. Not something you want to mess with unless you know what you're doing as it's easy to cock up then its back to HQ for repair.

Thanks Richard, I have just looked at them, do you mean the collar with the two screws. How do they get overtightened. 

They should be tightened to a certain tolerance but it's done by hand/feel I guess.  It's something I always check on the Burndy.  Beyond that I can't really say, as it's something I wouldn't recommend anyone try to fiddle with because it's easy to get wrong.  Easy to go too loose too and then the Burndy needs repair.

BP, I've floated back and forth about buying NDS in near term, but held off after dealer demo that included 500 gear.  Wish NDS/500DR equaled musical insight I get from my CDS3/555DR. Asking about 4-5 years ago that reaction to NDS, or other streaming was "generational sensitivity" to what sounds musically right, no different than LP which for some has inner soul that unveils music with distinctive face. I was told NDS with 2-555DR was only way to realize what it could present, though that is not spoken of frequently on Forum. Right now I wish Naim had not walked way from CD555 which sounded luminescent with two 555PS. 

BP, I'm very interested in what you discover as you adjust your system and what and why meaningful improvements emerge.  Like others I recognize Richard's experience and judgment , though his ears and ours may be connected to different brains, no disrespect, just grasping for how we engage musical representation.

Charles