Upgrade ND5 XS, with Naim DAC or XP5 XS?

Upgrade, why? Bare always sounds more fun and engaging to my ears.

Robiwan posted:

Upgrade, why? Bare always sounds more fun and engaging to my ears.

Because with Hugo at least, it is a significant step up, with a very natural sound - a common description is more analog-like.

Of course you can also upgrade the rendering side, but with much less dramatic effect other than cost.

Robiwan posted:

Upgrade, why? Bare always sounds more fun and engaging to my ears.

I have no immediate intentions on upgrading just more a curiosity question since the ND5XS-2 won't be able to have it's power supply upgradeable.  Regardless I'm looking forward to hearing the improvements

Robiwan posted:

Upgrade, why? Bare always sounds more fun and engaging to my ears.

I've never found a Naim power supply not make things better. That not say bare is poor cos it aint. ☺

Guinnless posted:

Robiwan posted:

Upgrade, why? Bare always sounds more fun and engaging to my ears.

I've never found a Naim power supply not make things better. That not say bare is poor cos it aint. ☺

Better is relative. XP5XS made ND5XS better, but very marginally : the money can bring much better improvement in another way...

The results of a PSU uprade would of  course be affected by downstream components. 

Guinnless posted:

The results of a PSU uprade would of  course be affected by downstream components. 

Indeed (despite the source first brigade suggesting otherwise) - as of course would a DAC upgrade.

Clemenza posted:

I have an ND5XS too. I preferred to upgrade with the nDAC and then maybe add power supplies to that down the road instead of maximizing the ND5XS. I also bought a used Hugo to hear what all the fuss is about. The Hugo is a different presentation and excellent, easily on the level of the nDAC and maybe beyond, depending on your taste. Used prices on both are compelling now. I enjoyed the Hugo presentation for about 6 months and then switched back to the Naim nDAC to see which of the two I would be selling. With a Blue Jeans BNC cable (Blue Jeans was the brand used for the Hugo, so to get a better A-B comparison, I used similar cables on both) the Naim nDAC was more engaging to me than the Hugo and I haven't gone back to the Hugo since. There's something about the nDAC I prefer, especially when using the Blue Jeans BNC cable instead of the Naim DC1. Both Hugo and nDAC are fantastic options for the ND5XS.

 

I'm using a blue jean bnc cable to connect my Qute to SN now. In your opinion is it worth the cash to upgrade the BJC? Since you've heard both VHC and DC1. Just curious. 

Preferred True Signal audio cable to DC1 or BJC and some others, between my Nova and the Core.

Clemenza posted:

There's something about the nDAC I prefer, especially when using the Blue Jeans BNC cable instead of the Naim DC1.  

I am assuming you it had been updated to v4.11.8. While different and of a more “modern presentation”, slightly brighter and less dark or matt, 4.11.8 is more fluid, transparent and of a deeper soundstage. The gain obtained with an external PSU, XPS or 555, is also less obvious. ????

Chag -

I went through the same conundrum a few months ago and ended up adding an XP5 to my ND5.   nDAC would have probably been better but that opens a new route of upgrades which I wanted to avoid. 

Perhaps it depends on room and speakers etc. but in my setup adding the XP5  made a significant improvement, especially in the bass department.  I feel I have a beautifully balanced hifi.  

wrc posted:

I went through the same conundrum a few months ago and ended up adding an XP5 to my ND5.   nDAC would have probably been better but that opens a new route of upgrades which I wanted to avoid. 

I’m curious - you can avoid upgrades simply by sticking with what you have at whatever point you wish. If nDAC would probably have been better, how could its potential to improve further later on make you decide to go for something that was [probably] less of an upgrade?

spurrier sucks posted:

Clemenza posted:

I have an ND5XS too. I preferred to upgrade with the nDAC and then maybe add power supplies to that down the road instead of maximizing the ND5XS. I also bought a used Hugo to hear what all the fuss is about. The Hugo is a different presentation and excellent, easily on the level of the nDAC and maybe beyond, depending on your taste. Used prices on both are compelling now. I enjoyed the Hugo presentation for about 6 months and then switched back to the Naim nDAC to see which of the two I would be selling. With a Blue Jeans BNC cable (Blue Jeans was the brand used for the Hugo, so to get a better A-B comparison, I used similar cables on both) the Naim nDAC was more engaging to me than the Hugo and I haven't gone back to the Hugo since. There's something about the nDAC I prefer, especially when using the Blue Jeans BNC cable instead of the Naim DC1. Both Hugo and nDAC are fantastic options for the ND5XS.

 

I'm using a blue jean bnc cable to connect my Qute to SN now. In your opinion is it worth the cash to upgrade the BJC? Since you've heard both VHC and DC1. Just curious. 

In my system I don't think there's enough of a difference between them sonically to merit the price differential. I'll swap the DC1 back in to see if I prefer it, but seriously, the difference between the two would come down to that.

Chag... posted:

Clemenza posted:

There's something about the nDAC I prefer, especially when using the Blue Jeans BNC cable instead of the Naim DC1.  

I am assuming you it had been updated to v4.11.8. While different and of a more “modern presentation”, slightly brighter and less dark or matt, 4.11.8 is more fluid, transparent and of a deeper soundstage. The gain obtained with an external PSU, XPS or 555, is also less obvious. ????

Chag -

Hi Chag, yes I updated it to 4.11.8 a couple years ago. That was a very noticeable change in presentation!

spurrier sucks posted:

Clemenza posted:

I have an ND5XS too. I preferred to upgrade with the nDAC and then maybe add power supplies to that down the road instead of maximizing the ND5XS. I also bought a used Hugo to hear what all the fuss is about. The Hugo is a different presentation and excellent, easily on the level of the nDAC and maybe beyond, depending on your taste. Used prices on both are compelling now. I enjoyed the Hugo presentation for about 6 months and then switched back to the Naim nDAC to see which of the two I would be selling. With a Blue Jeans BNC cable (Blue Jeans was the brand used for the Hugo, so to get a better A-B comparison, I used similar cables on both) the Naim nDAC was more engaging to me than the Hugo and I haven't gone back to the Hugo since. There's something about the nDAC I prefer, especially when using the Blue Jeans BNC cable instead of the Naim DC1. Both Hugo and nDAC are fantastic options for the ND5XS.

 

I'm using a blue jean bnc cable to connect my Qute to SN now. In your opinion is it worth the cash to upgrade the BJC? Since you've heard both VHC and DC1. Just curious. 

I used DC1 for years between my USB bridge and Naim DAC. Then I decided to give BJC a try and after a while decided to keep it and sold my DC1. I did some serious testing between DC1 and Belden. Differences were easily audible and always the same. DC1 emphasized the usual Naim traits with very forward, fast and aggressive sound. Belden sounded more natural and better balanced, also more extended in the low and high end. I actually ordered few different digital cables from BJC but the Belden 1694A (the one they also recommend) was the best one in my system. This same cable is widely available from other sellers also. For the price it's a true bargain. 

Innocent Bystander posted:

wrc posted:

I went through the same conundrum a few months ago and ended up adding an XP5 to my ND5.   nDAC would have probably been better but that opens a new route of upgrades which I wanted to avoid. 

I’m curious - you can avoid upgrades simply by sticking with what you have at whatever point you wish. If nDAC would probably have been better, how could its potential to improve further later on make you decide to go for something that was [probably] less of an upgrade?

You say 'you can avoid upgrades by sticking with what you have at whatever point you wish'... so true but not realistic with this hobby (at least not for me)!

At first I was reluctant to add another box, taking me up to 5 in total albeit slimline XS, but it was a relatively cost-effective upgrade and kept everything within the same series. As an audiophile on a budget this was an important consideration.

If I went down the nDAC route I would no doubt have wanted a PSU for it soon afterwards. I cannot entertain the idea of a 3-box source. I also wanted to avoid unbalancing the system.

So an nDAC might have been the *better* option according to many on the forum, but for me the PSU was the better option. The XP5 has been a significant upgrade and gave me so much more of everything (more than I expected) so no regrets here.