ND555 Impressions

Two power supplies were worth the outlay for me on the NDS, but they don't cost buttons. The performance level of NDS/555PS is still superb (I would go as far as to suggest peerless) at its price point. I would be willing to bet that if a ND555 and CD555 stood side by side, the CD555 will gather dust and its PS will be added to the one already on the ND555. Once you hear a streamer you love, everything else seems a bit awkward and clunky compared to sitting down with an iPad or something of that ilk. But what do I know? Each to our own.

Clive. You'll doubtless be happy to know that we didn't break it and have put a few more hours on it for you. Ian will be picking it up tomorrow first thing.

My right foot is tired. No really. No joke. It's been tapping 20 to the dozen for two days, often without my realising it. I have been trying to do ABs from memory and comparing how music I am familiar with sounds different on the ND555. It's not difficult to hear the differences but time and again I have just ended up listening, as opposed to evaluating. I still think the ND555 is a bit on the forward side, but the presentation is compelling. I also think that the head unit isn't giving of its best yet. I think it will loosen up. Bert, other owners and longer term testers will be able to share this. 

But make no mistake. In its one week old, probably part run in state, the ND555 is a winner. As would be expected at this level. Those with the desire and the resources are in for some happy times. And those who are hoping to snap up a good S/H NDS (still IMO the second best streamer in the world) are going to be equally happy, and less compromised in the back pocket. 

We will send Ian away with an order tomorrow. Not that we're in a hurry., but we might as well get on with it before the price goes up. The NDS will tide us over just fine, and those long winter nights will be rather more special this year. Now, where's that ice pack for my foot?

Alba1320 posted:

Bert Schurink posted:

Alba1320 posted:

^ FWIW, the instructions posted above are in answer to the following question:

Doesn’t work for me selected the option, but the screen is still on.....

Don't shoot the messenger!

Did you get a 'tick' as confirmation?

Try it again, going through each step carefully, and see if it works this time? If not, perhaps you have discovered the first 'bug'?

Hi Bert, sorry to hear that it doesn't work for you - it works with my NDS. Best to follow the advice from Alba and try it again. Also put the ND 555 on standby and power it up again - maybe this does the trick...?!

I'm here - but otherwise engaged in this grand weather; enjoying my new BMW motorcycle.

Right - so - yes - What Mike said. I've always felt/heard that NDS and CD555 are not poles apart. Different flavours, but pretty much on a  sound quality par. The ND555 is whole different kettle of fish; very obviously improving upon the venerable silver disc spinner, almost with the ambient noise or applause before a track starts. From the first note; one is aware that it's a bit special.

Greater information retrieval; improved spatial layering, resolving backing vocals etc more effectively. Better bass control and grunt; enhanced mid band transparency; top-end sparkle and a bigger soundstage. Better boogie factor too; and the ND555 manages to sound more 'analogue' than the CD555 in that it seems to remove a layer of digital hash - making the sound 'easier' and prompting one to turn up the wick.

Well done to the folks at Naim who have clearly put a lot of work into the next generation of streamers.

Also interesting (as Mike has stated) was that an audiophile quality server, sited locally, seemed to bring additional sonic gains to some extent; proving that attention to this aspect of a streaming set-up is worthwhile.

John.

Great feedback, thanks John.

blackbird posted:

Alba1320 posted:

Bert Schurink posted:

Alba1320 posted:

^ FWIW, the instructions posted above are in answer to the following question:

Doesn’t work for me selected the option, but the screen is still on.....

Don't shoot the messenger!

Did you get a 'tick' as confirmation?

Try it again, going through each step carefully, and see if it works this time? If not, perhaps you have discovered the first 'bug'?

Hi Bert, sorry to hear that it doesn't work for you - it works with my NDS. Best to follow the advice from Alba and try it again. Also put the ND 555 on standby and power it up again - maybe this does the trick...?!

Power up and down did the track, however that’s kind of odd for a normal setting.

Thanks to Michael and John for the reports of their findings. John hinted at it sounding more analogue-like than the CD555 (that must be quite some achievement), but did you compare it to anything played on Michael’s LP12?

I am looking forward to hearing it at home this afternoon in my system. I do hope I remember to compare some tracks to the LP12 and also to lock the credit card somewhere out of harm’s way. 

Clive although we did not get around to doing a direct A/B comparison with the LP12 we did remark along the way that the ND555 had that great ease of presentation we love about the turntable. I am happy that they are both going to sit alongside each other as superb sources in my system. I for one would never ditch my vinyl, no matter how good digital replay becomes, having been a record collector since the beginning of the 1960s my records are such an important part of my enjoyment of life.

Enjoy your dem this afternoon, it will be interesting to read your findings, although like me I am pretty sure you will agree with all that has been commented on thus far.

Michael posted:

Clive although we did not get around to doing a direct A/B comparison with the LP12 we did remark along the way that the ND555 had that great ease of presentation we love about the turntable. I am happy that they are both going to sit alongside each other as superb sources in my system. I for one would never ditch my vinyl, no matter how good digital replay becomes, having been a record collector since the beginning of the 1960s my records are such an important part of my enjoyment of life.

Enjoy your dem this afternoon, it will be interesting to read your findings, although like me I am pretty sure you will agree with all that has been commented on thus far.

Didn’t want to call it analogue during my review as it would be pretentious for me not owning the black gold. But the ease of presentation is indeed remarkable.

J.N. posted:

 

Also interesting (as Mike has stated) was that an audiophile quality server, sited locally, seemed to bring additional sonic gains to some extent; proving that attention to this aspect of a streaming set-up is worthwhile.

John.

Thanks for your usual excellent report John. I also learned that the quality of the music source was indeed very important. The steps in going from, initially, using an iMac via USB to DAC, then optimised Mac Mini, before settling on the Melco, all yielded increasing sonic benefits. I did experiment (as you do!) with using the same QNAP as Mike's, and then fiddled at length with a Pi2, (the setting up of the latter would have sent you screaming out the front door), but both gave significantly inferior sound quality to the Melco.

Here’s one from left field. I would love to A/B this new nd555 with a cds2 for share musical enjoyment/fun/pRat. I gues the nd55its going to be the winning but at a new car price difference winner? I think Naim Audio have had it very good for a very very long time.

Just  in a county where  £30,000 is average yearly income and these get picked like a six pack of beer.

oh I’m glad and happy such a thing exists but how much better than a cds2/555ps. Is it really worth it really?

I know people work hard to be at that level, I have no envy only respect. It blows me away to read a form thread like this.

Sorry if you feel I crashed the thread  apologies.

Respect 

Time for some initial impressions I think... I have spent a couple of hours this morning exploring what  the new ND555 can do with a wide range of music that spans my collection, including  - 

Alan Parsons - A valid Path - Return to Tunguska

Chicane - Giants - Middledistancerunner

Lindsey Stirling - Lindsey Stirling - Elements

Hungry Lucy - Before We Stand... We Crawl - Fearful live and unplugged

Blue Coast Collection - Garett Brennan - The Dog Song

David Gilmour - Rattle That Lock - Rattle That Lock

Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman - For My Lover

Tanita Tikaram - Ancient Heart - Cathedral Song

Patsy Reid - Bridging the Gap - 1st Movement (Baby Broon)

Otto Klemperer - Mozart - Die Zauberflöte - Der Holle Rache

The ND555 reveals new insights in just about everything you listen to, irrespective of whether its a 16/44.1 CD rip, or a 2.8MHz DSD. New layers are exposed in a wide multi-dimensional soundscape that seems to completely envelop you. You just keep finding yourself smiling and saying 'wow'. On strings, whether plucked or bowed, there seems to be far more timbral depth, with more of the overtones present. Notes decay naturally and there is a much greater sense of space and atmosphere. Bass lines, whether natural or electronic and delivered with fantastic pace and depth, but completely under control; really visceral stuff that you can feel in your guts. There is also a really strange time-dilation effect... in other words time flies as you become lost in exploring your musical collection, but unfortunately I have some other jobs to do today so the music will need to wait until later.

Please somebody tests Tidal...... i have high hopes for it with new platform..

Sounsfaber posted:

Here’s one from left field. I would love to A/B this new nd555 with a cds2 for share musical enjoyment/fun/pRat. I gues the nd55its going to be the winning but at a new car price difference winner? I think Naim Audio have had it very good for a very very long time.

Just  in a county where  £30,000 is average yearly income and these get picked like a six pack of beer.

oh I’m glad and happy such a thing exists but how much better than a cds2/555ps. Is it really worth it really?

I know people work hard to be at that level, I have no envy only respect. It blows me away to read a form thread like this.

Sorry if you feel I crashed the thread  apologies.

Respect 

Musical memory is unreliable but it is all I have to go on.  At its price point with XPS2 the CDS3 was peerless.  The NDS with one 555PS well and truly beats it. The ND55 goes well beyond that.  Of course, there may be people who prefer an S level CPD to any streamer. In this case, the price difference is irrelevant.

DaveBk posted:

 

The ND555 reveals new insights in just about everything you listen to, irrespective of whether its a 16/44.1 CD rip, or a 2.8MHz DSD. New layers are exposed in a wide multi-dimensional soundscape that seems to completely envelop you. You just keep finding yourself smiling and saying 'wow'. On strings, whether plucked or bowed, there seems to be far more timbral depth, with more of the overtones present. Notes decay naturally and there is a much greater sense of space and atmosphere. Bass lines, whether natural or electronic and delivered with fantastic pace and depth, but completely under control; really visceral stuff that you can feel in your guts. There is also a really strange time-dilation effect... in other words time flies as you become lost in exploring your musical collection, but unfortunately I have some other jobs to do today so the music will need to wait until later.

That sounds so familiar it's spooky. 

Sounsfaber posted:

Here’s one from left field. I would love to A/B this new nd555 with a cds2 for share musical enjoyment/fun/pRat. I gues the nd55its going to be the winning but at a new car price difference winner? I think Naim Audio have had it very good for a very very long time.

Just  in a county where  £30,000 is average yearly income and these get picked like a six pack of beer.

oh I’m glad and happy such a thing exists but how much better than a cds2/555ps. Is it really worth it really?

I know people work hard to be at that level, I have no envy only respect. It blows me away to read a form thread like this.

Sorry if you feel I crashed the thread  apologies.

Respect 

Everyone’s opinion is respected, and I understand the sentiment. But  if you have the money to spent, it’s so good that it indeed beats everything I have heard so far. And at the same time it doesn’t disqualify all other sources. A strange remark in this context, but I think it’s good value for money.

I couldn’t have described it better, so let me reiterate Dave’s precise description of the ND555...

New layers are exposed in a wide multi-dimensional soundscape that seems to completely envelop you. You just keep finding yourself smiling and saying 'wow'.

But £13k worth !  Only if I could 

Hifi-Dog, I hear you. Too rich for me. I’ll give it a few years until some nice ‘pre loved’ and ex-demo units come on the market.

i will certainly ask for a new bank credit.....

when the NAC52 was launched long time ago, I recall swearing to myself that I would never buy such an expensive amp!

now I own and run a 552. (and I still have a NAC52 too!!)

I have a friend who has a very expensive canon camera set (body lenses etc) -- total cost last time I discussed this with him, around £50K...

relative values I guess...?

to all those guys who have just bought an ND555, i hate you all, but please ignore me and ...

enjoy

ken

ken c posted:

when the NAC52 was launched long time ago, I recall swearing to myself that I would never buy such an expensive amp!

now I own and run a 552. (and I still have a NAC52 too!!)

I have a friend who has a very expensive canon camera set (body lenses etc) -- total cost last time I discussed this with him, around £50K...

relative values I guess...?

to all those guys who have just bought an ND555, i hate you all, but please ignore me and ...

enjoy

ken

We are all so nice guys, you can’t hate us 

We don’t... just wish for a lottery win!!

I see my HiFi as an antidote to the stresses of life. Some people spend money on other stuff which is far more harmful to body, mind and wallet... my drug is music, it always has been and always will, so whilst I spend a lot, I also get a lot back.

Sounsfaber posted:

Here’s one from left field. I would love to A/B this new nd555 with a cds2 for share musical enjoyment/fun/pRat. I gues the nd55its going to be the winning but at a new car price difference winner? I think Naim Audio have had it very good for a very very long time.

Just  in a county where  £30,000 is average yearly income and these get picked like a six pack of beer.

oh I’m glad and happy such a thing exists but how much better than a cds2/555ps. Is it really worth it really?

I know people work hard to be at that level, I have no envy only respect. It blows me away to read a form thread like this.

Sorry if you feel I crashed the thread  apologies.

Respect 

Nice post.  The cost of these things is sobering.

20 years ago with a high-specced LP12, and active SBLs I thought I'd pretty much reached the peak of my hi-fi journey.  Even with inflation I suspect many of those older items are small change compared to current high-end Naim gear let alone Statement level gear.

I once recall joking the diamond on my LP12's MC cartridge probably cost more than the one I'd bought my partner!  This is no longer true I am pleased to say.

I'm fairly sure I could finance an ND 555 and required power supplies, but my older ancillary equipment would probably let it down, but sometimes I ask myself if it's better to 'go the whole hog' without interim steps when you know that's what you aspire to.  Equally, would I be better going for 'silly money' LP12 upgrades I'd previously dismissed, but when you have a large vinyl collection and have never really been bowled over by CD or digital audio......

I also wonder how life might have been different had I not spent so much of my disposable income on hobbies - hi-fi, cameras, computers/gadgets since I had a regular wage.

With regard to the last comment, yes the new streamer may be the price of a car, but I've never been that bothered by cars - if it gets me from A to B I'm happy (unfortunately current car is failing so even A to B is doubtful!).

So while some of us may spend our disposable income or credit allowances on dreams, as you get older you really do realise you're only here once, and if something ticks the boxes and provides unsurpassed pleasure and enjoyment perhaps it's money well spent.....

Another edit, but am I alone in wondering why music has such a profound effect on so many of us, but we are ultimately a minority who strive for excellent audio quality - do we enjoy it more or just differently?

Alley Cat posted:

(edit)

sometimes I ask myself if it's better to 'go the whole hog' without interim steps when you know that's what you aspire to.  

I do tend to agree with that strategy ............. but it only holds good until such time as Naim decide to launch some new kit which eclipses one's previously "top of the range" streamer .................... "disgruntled of North Yorks." ............ owner of a now obsolete and completely "broken" NDS.

Oh, the shame of it!