NDX DAC with XPS vs. NDX into NDAC

Yes I did a few years back... the NDAC /XPS2 brings a more detailed and involved experience... put a 555PS on the NDAC and that gets amplified by a fair amount. The NDAC (wirh previous firmware) had a lovely organic if not totally pristine clean, performance... really enjoyable.

The NDX’s DAC (analogue out) does a relatively good job, it really times well and has that Naim bounce... however ultimately the frequency extremes, dynamics and detail/precision is less than the NDAC... not surprising really.

The NDX in transport mode is a cracking streamer transport (set to feed DACs via SPDIF where the internal analogue stages are disabled)... absolutely first class.

There were plenty of topics on the above subject in the past few years.... a simple search may yield some interesting results.

Anyhow - NDX + nDAC = a cracking source.

I owned NDX, DAC and XPS, but I didn’t want to keep a three-box source, so spent a lot of time comparing. I ended up with NDX/XPS.  It always depends on your own tastes, but the NDX/DAC had less resolution and was less refined than NDX/XPS - I think DAC does need a power supply. The NDX/DAC is very exciting though, if you listen to electronic or dance, you might find you love that combination. DAC/XPS fed by NDX was absolutely the best source, but I really struggled with five powerlines, rack space and cable dressing to the point where I could get better results without the DAC.

I enjoy an NDX/NDAC combo currently into 282/HCDR/250.2 and I agree with Adam, the NDX/NDAC is cracking. Swapping the NDAC for a XPS would keep my box count the same which is all I have room for. I would be searching for a preowned low mileage XPS. Looking forward, the NDX2 that is Roon ready may be a possibility depending on price as Roon is definately in my future. I expect it will be fall 2018 in the USA before the NDX2 is available for demo and maybe a year from now for a stable software.

Simon, I did follow your adventure with the switch to Chord Hugo from the NDAC/555PS and I have read other posts of NDX with various PS's. I have a Chord 2Qute (2nd system) and have compared it to the NDAC. There are differences but kept the NDAC in the main rig. Agree that a bare NDX is very capable. Less detail etc than the NDAC but very smooth.

Seth, interesting results and yes I too have a boat load of PL's and everything else that is impossible to tame but a necessary evil I suppose. I'm at my limit for boxes though.