NDX2 review in HiFi Critic

Posted by: simes_pep on 27 September 2018

https://www.naimaudio.com/site...NDX%202%20review.pdf

Nice review, however one error - the NDS is capable of DSD playback, natively supporting DSD64 since a past firmware update. It is Uniti Serve which does not support playback of dsf files, so you need a different UPnP server, such as Asset.

Given that DSD64 is from SACD is 99.9% of the DSD available, I have 1, 2 maybe 3 DSD128/DSD256 based albums, but over 700 in DSD64. This the same with DXD and anything over 24/192 format - very few, are they actual recorded at this bit rate?

Also given I feed my NDS through Roon & the Sonore UPnP Bridge any of the handful DSD128, DSD256, DXD, 34/384 recordings are transcoded to 24/192 or DSD64 anyway, which is what the SHARC based processing will be doing anyway in the NDX2, ND555 units, before being processed by the Multibit PCM1704 based DAC.

The ND555 review will be interesting, given that the NDS/555DR is still preferred & holding its own in this review.

Posted on: 28 September 2018 by ChrisSU

I believe Naim streamers have always supported DSD 128 as well as 64, although I don’t have any 128s to test this. 

If you have Roon, you can use that to play DSDs stored on the Unitiserve. Or if, hopefully, you have a backup of the US, run Asset or Minimserver for DSD. 

Posted on: 28 September 2018 by Mike-B

The so called legacy streamers are DSD64 only

Posted on: 28 September 2018 by David Hendon

It's Andrew Everard again, so not surprising that he says much the same as in the HFN review.

With all due respect to Andrew, I will be interested sometime to read an NDX2 review by someone else.

best

David

Posted on: 28 September 2018 by Andrew Everard
David Hendon posted:
With all due respect to Andrew, I will be interested sometime to read an NDX2 review by someone else.

Me too!

Posted on: 28 September 2018 by Gazza

That’s really very good????

Posted on: 28 September 2018 by Iver van de Zand
Andrew Everard posted:
David Hendon posted:
With all due respect to Andrew, I will be interested sometime to read an NDX2 review by someone else.

Me too!

below link has:

NDX+XPS vs NDX 2+XPS

 

Posted on: 28 September 2018 by woodleyside

I was present at Martin's main listening session on NDX2, so i guess my views were taken into consideration

jonh

Posted on: 28 September 2018 by Nagoya

I thought it was a very interesting review. One side issue—does anyone know why the ND5 XS 2 seems to have had a price rise (£300) before it has been realeased? Thanks!

Posted on: 28 September 2018 by French Rooster
Alba1320 posted:
David Hendon posted:

It's Andrew Everard again, so not surprising that he says much the same as in the HFN review.

With all due respect to Andrew, I will be interested sometime to read an NDX2 review by someone else.

best

David

The Hi-Fi Critic review has a second opinion from Martin Colloms.

And what Martin Colloms feels differently?   Did he said something different from Andrew, Alba?

Posted on: 29 September 2018 by Jason

FR, If you click on the link provided by the OP you will be able to read the separate report written by Martin Colloms.

Posted on: 29 September 2018 by Bert Schurink

Interesting read. I am still amazed on how much more points they gave to the NDS which is in a way good news to the people owning one.

Posted on: 29 September 2018 by Gandalf_fi

Based on this forum comments ND 555 should get 600 points  

Posted on: 29 September 2018 by Chag...
Bert Schurink posted:

Interesting read. I am still amazed on how much more points they gave to the NDS which is in a way good news to the people owning one.

It's all good. The obvious upgrade for NDX owners then, is the NDS. Its market value will bounce back a little while the ND555 hype will ease. I'll be there.:taré1:

Chag -

Posted on: 29 September 2018 by ken c

anyone point me to a good ND555 review, if any such exist?

enjoy/ken

Posted on: 29 September 2018 by French Rooster
Jason posted:

FR, If you click on the link provided by the OP you will be able to read the separate report written by Martin Colloms.

Thanks Jason, I have missed the link.    Good to know by a second reviewer that the nds is still the best streamer before the nd555.   I don’t know why Martin wrote that nds doesn’t play dsd.  Curious!

Posted on: 29 September 2018 by Jason

No problem FR, you're welcome. It is indeed curious why he missed the DSD playback, but I think the OP may have hit the nail on the head with the unitiserve he was using; whilst the NDS would play the DSD files, it seems that the unitiserve feeding his NDS isn't compatible with them.

Posted on: 29 September 2018 by French Rooster

I have nds and unitserve, and effectively the serve can’t play dsd.   But a memory stick with dsd on the front of the nds, will work.