ND555 Impressions

The NDX2 was demoed without PSU. Very interesting setup indeed. It was the first time for me with Harbeth/Naim and I really liked it. I have heard Harbeth 40.2 in a great non-Naim system. 

I have the ND555 at home for a a tryout . It is replacing the NDS .  So far it has been playing for an hour and it is very impressive. Wider and deeper sound stage , faster transits , vocals sound fantastic. Separation of instruments is better . A real treat to listen to . Great musicality!  Fun 

Still singing well here this evening. Detailed, airy,, musical and obviously in a different league to the NDS, even with only a day on it. The wake up lag remains awful. If this is something being experienced more widely, I expect the next FW iteration will address it.

Harry posted:

Still singing well here this evening. Detailed, airy,, musical and obviously in a different league to the NDS, even with only a day on it. The wake up lag remains awful. If this is something being experienced more widely, I expect the next FW iteration will address it.

Vocals sound sumptuous!  

Can Dusty come out to play?

musicfan51 posted:

Harry posted:

Still singing well here this evening. Detailed, airy,, musical and obviously in a different league to the NDS, even with only a day on it. The wake up lag remains awful. If this is something being experienced more widely, I expect the next FW iteration will address it.

Vocals sound sumptuous!  

I'm geeking out to female vocalists on my ND555.  First Adele. (Not sure how well engineered her first album is.) Holly Cole right now.  The vocals sound sumptuous.  

I’ve had a complete nightmare with the latest version on the app with my NDS. The worst version since I turned to streaming 6 years. Is this Naims way of pushing us into the new streaming platform ?

IanG posted:

I’ve had a complete nightmare with the latest version on the app with my NDS. The worst version since I turned to streaming 6 years. Is this Naims way of pushing us into the new streaming platform ?

It synced up with my UnitiCore fine 

nigelb posted:

Can Dusty come out to play?

I already am...

IanG posted:

I’ve had a complete nightmare with the latest version on the app with my NDS. The worst version since I turned to streaming 6 years. Is this Naims way of pushing us into the new streaming platform ?

I’m confused by this comment. Are you referring to the app or to the NDS firmware ?

The app. On a decent length listening session, it keeps sending me back to the “rooms” page before I can change anything. On occasion I’ve had to reinstall the NDS using its IP address. This never happened before the last update and nothing has changed on my home network so I can only assume it’s the app. Complete cr*p in support of such an expensive lifestyle product.

Someone else experienced what I reported a few days ago with my poor App performance with my ND555 home-demo. Kept going to 'rooms' all the time too.

After being told it was just me and the App was perfect and the finest of its kind in known existence, perhaps an update from Naim will fix these things.

I've ordered the ND555 nonetheless on the basis that I have workarounds until the App gets fixed and the music SQ is exceptional. But it would be nice to have a more stable experience with the App - it remaining in the last 'room' it was in would be a good start when it thinks it is lost - and not getting lost in first place.

DB.

nigelb posted:

Tonight I sat down to listen to music for the first time in a week and I was really looking forward to it. As I queued up the wonderful Kandace Springs, I annoyingly started to think ‘should I upgrade my pre amp or my streamer first’.

And then Kandace started to sing. I was immediately transfixed by how lovely and beautiful this artist sings and how spot on her band were. No thoughts of upgrading, no analysing the performance, no reservations about if things are just right. Just sheer enjoyment and relaxation.

And all this with a broken NDS and a 252 and a meagre 250DR.

Why do I need to upgrade, I simply don’t.

Thanks for the Kandace Spring mention!  I was not familiar with her, but downloaded Soul Eyes from HDTracks as they are having a sale this weekend.  I've been listening to a lot of female vocalists lately, and she's another great one.  This is a fabulous sounding album -- the music just draws me in and I'm not listening to hi fi; I'm listening to music.

ND555 really shows off female vocalists in a big big way ! 

musicfan51 posted:

ND555 really shows off female vocalists in a big big way ! 

interesting... good omen, I guess...

enjoy/ken

musicfan51 posted:

ND555 really shows off female vocalists in a big big way ! 

It was a strength - very open and detailed top-end.

I recently attended a demonstration of the ND555 in which one of the tracks played was "My Treasure" from the album "Waiting for Dawn" by Sinne Eeg. I had never heard of Sinne Eeg, but the sound quality of this track was exceptional. It consists mostly of just double bass and vocal (with a piano interlude in the middle), but the quality and timbre of both the double bass and her voice were breathtaking and definitely the standout track of the demo I attended.

Not normally my type of music, but this track was so outstanding that the first thing I did on returning home was to listen to it on my own system via Tidal. To my delight (and some relief) the track sounded (to my ears) even better on my system than when played via the demonstration system. I have now become a fan of Sinne Eeg and her music and I'd definitely  recommend a listen to the fabulous "My Treasure" in particular. 

Dustysox posted:

nigelb posted:

Can Dusty come out to play?

I already am...

Yeah tell us about your experiences so far, if your old ears still hear the difference...., or you are already considering handing the beast over to a friendly forum member with younger ears..... ????

I,ll flip a coin for it with @Nigelb

Gazza posted:

I,ll flip a coin for it with @Nigelb

I knew others would be willing to help, a lot of good people in the world 

Bert Schurink posted:

Gazza posted:

I,ll flip a coin for it with @Nigelb

I knew others would be willing to help, a lot of good people in the world 

I'm happy to make a sacrifice and just relieve anyone with the burden of a broken NDS.

Darke Bear posted:

After being told it was just me and the App was perfect and the finest of its kind in known existence, perhaps an update from Naim will fix these things.

 

It isn't. Not remotely (no pun intended). But Naim will keep at it and it will improve. It might be that the ND555 FW needs updating.

Congratulations on the ND555. Naim seem to be shifting them by the score at the moment. 

to all those proud owners of the new ND555, can you please report on how long it needed to fully run-in (if it needed this at all)?

enjoy/ken

ken c posted:

to all those proud owners of the new ND555, can you please report on how long it needed to fully run-in (if it needed this at all)?

enjoy/ken

Given people have only had them for days or weeks and it normally takes weeks or months to determine 'end of improvement' I think it premature to be declaring it perfect and no change from the box just now!

My demo one certainly sounded 'good' from the box cold, bit it warmed-up and by day 2 dome brightness had gone and by day 3 it was really opening-out and sounding exceptionally good - and that was on a Demo ND555 with three weeks on it.

The device is strong enough in performance that it stands its ground well as the run-in happens from within it. It did inspire confidence that it did not need run-in as much as some may fear. I hear via another source that it can have a blip on week 2-3 but no personal experience, but since all other Naim stuff I've had did similar it would be odd if there were not a run-in process.

DB.

ken c posted:

to all those proud owners of the new ND555, can you please report on how long it needed to fully run-in (if it needed this at all)?

enjoy/ken

 

Mine is still running in after 3 weeks.

Initial impressions when raw was extremely sibilant in the highs and clouded in the mids. It sounded rather disjointed.

Things became much better after a week but it really took 3 weeks for mine to shine and show what the beast is capable of. 

YMMV though.