NDX2 + NDAC

Surely buying a brand new NDX2 only to plug it into a nDAC (or any DAC for that matter) is a giant waste of money. There are dedicated hi-end streaming transports out there that would be a better option if you were dead set on using a DAC.

Remember you can use the NDX2 as a DAC for your CD5XS also.

Hi and thank you for the swift response.

Keeping the CD5XS and using the DAC in the NDX2 might be a very good solution. My only concern would be that I am trying my best to embrace new technology and wanted to ditch the temptation of just spinning silver discs.

I mention using the NDAC and the NDX2 together as there was lots of posts around the time of the launch of the NDX. Some preferring to use these together and healthy debate about which unit to attach the power supply to. 

Maybe the story has moved on since the launch of the NDX2 and the advancement of the digital to analog converters used means that this question is redundant.

I would be keen for feedback.

Cheers

Should be worth reporting back in a little while with your impressions of all the possibilities.

HamiltonNZ posted:

Has anyone yet had the opportunity of using their NDX2 with an NDAC? I currently have the CD5XS coupled with the NDAC.

The plan is to sell the CD player, but I am unsure whether there are any SQ benefits of utilising the NDAC. I will be able to bench test this properly when I pick up the NDX2 in a weeks time but wondered whether there was anyone out there that had tried this already.

I plan to move the XPSDR currently connected to the NDAC over to the NDX2 when I get it.

 Cheers 

I spoke to Jason (Gould) from Naim who thought that a bare NDX2 would be better that my ND5XS/nDAC/XPS.  This was after the ND555 demo at Moorgate Acoustics.   For me this would be a nice upgrade in the future; fewer boxes and better music - what's not to like 

If you still want to keep the NDAC but want a Naim streamer, I would have gone for the ND5XS2. It’s got the same streamer board as the NDX2, and as you will not be using the DAC section, seems little point in the more expensive NDX2.

feeling_zen posted:

There are dedicated hi-end streaming transports out there that would be a better option if you were dead set on using a DAC.

Owning a nDAC I wonder what a good dedicated hi-end streaming transport would be. Though I am thinking about getting an NDX2 and selling the nDAC. Anyway, do you have suggestions? 

Exactly ????

I’m incredibly excited if your dealer is right and there is a significant SQ improvement along with all the other benefits of streaming.

How many more sleeps?

michael1702 posted:

feeling_zen posted:

There are dedicated hi-end streaming transports out there that would be a better option if you were dead set on using a DAC.

Owning a nDAC I wonder what a good dedicated hi-end streaming transport would be. Though I am thinking about getting an NDX2 and selling the nDAC. Anyway, do you have suggestions? 

In the Allo DigiOne Signature thread, an NDS owner suggested that the DigiOne Signature can compete with the NDS as transport only. If my recollection is correct, he actually prefers the Signature as a transport. 

P.S. I have just seen that you already use a DigiOne. So obviously you are familiar with Allo kit. In the other thread the Signature was described as a "black box update". So you might want to try the Signature with your nDac. You might be happy and forget about the NDX2.   

The Signature with the battery pack is definitely a significant upgrade to the DigiOne.  But the NDX2 is still better. The usability of the battery pack is awful, and powering it up in the wrong sequence switches left and right channel. Ultimately mine was broken and I returned it. 

Meanwhile I am using the first DigiOne again till I go for the NDX2. Buying the Signature and the right power supply (which ever it is) costs money that would be better invested in the NDX2 in my opinion (if you can return the nDAC for a reasonable price too).

Do you live in a place where you could easily compare your nDac/DigiOne against the NDX2? Or maybe you have already done this? 

The Dutch guy on YouTube -- Hans B-something -- suggest SBooster as PSU for the DigiOne (and in fact other transports like SoTM 200 and MicroRendu), or a cheaper French PSU (Audiophonics?). These two aren't overly expensive, especially the French PSU (less than 100 Euros I think). 

HamiltonNZ posted:

Has anyone yet had the opportunity of using their NDX2 with an NDAC? I currently have the CD5XS coupled with the NDAC.

The plan is to sell the CD player, but I am unsure whether there are any SQ benefits of utilising the NDAC. I will be able to bench test this properly when I pick up the NDX2 in a weeks time but wondered whether there was anyone out there that had tried this already.

I plan to move the XPSDR currently connected to the NDAC over to the NDX2 when I get it.

 Cheers 

To the best of my knowledge, there are so far no detailed comparisons of NDX2 alone vs. NDX2 + nDAC.

The second solution would imply bypassing the NDX2's internal DAC and thus represent a significant waste of resources.

On the other hand, the combo NDX + nDAC has been the first choice for many Naim users, a few of them preferring it to the NDS.

If the NDX2 alone will turn out to be better than (or as good as) the NDX2 + nDAC and if you are satisfied with the NDX2's streaming platform, then your choice is clear: sell the nDAC, move your XPSDR to the new NDX2 and connect your CD5XS to one of its SPDIF inputs.

This will give you the possibility of exploring streaming while at the same time relying on your current CD-based solution. I think that it is very important not to give up the CD5XS too early. Streaming works fine but ripping and organizing a sizeable CD collection is a work that requires time and patience. If you move to streaming with a poorly tagged music collection, you might be disappointed.

If one of the two "if" above is not met, than a more rewarding solution could be to keep your current setup and add an Allo DigiOne (or DigiOne Signature) source to the nDAC. This would be a modest investment (as compared to the NDX2) and would give you a possibly more functional streaming platform than the NDX2. Sound quality wise there are again very little detailed comparisons so far.

No matter what you do, do not hurry. With its many SPDIF inputs, the nDAC is a very good basis for comparing different approaches towards streaming and to make yourself a clear picture of what best fits your taste, habits and budget.

I agree with Gazza, if looking for a transport into any separate DAC, I would want to listen to the NDX2 vs ND5XS2 to see if there is any advantage to be had in paying more than double the price.

michael1702 posted:

The Signature with the battery pack is definitely a significant upgrade to the DigiOne.  But the NDX2 is still better.

...

Is the NDX2 alone better than the Signature into the NDX2 or is it better than the Signature into the nDAC? Thanks, nbpf

nbpf posted:

michael1702 posted:

The Signature with the battery pack is definitely a significant upgrade to the DigiOne.  But the NDX2 is still better.

...

Is the NDX2 alone better than the Signature into the NDX2 or is it better than the Signature into the nDAC? Thanks, nbpf

The NDX2 (with XPS) is better than the Signature into the nDAC. Didn't try the Signature into the NDX2.

ChrisSU posted:

I agree with Gazza, if looking for a transport into any separate DAC, I would want to listen to the NDX2 vs ND5XS2 to see if there is any advantage to be had in paying more than double the price.

Why bother with a Naim box? If you don't intend to use the analogue stages or DAC in a Naim streamer, I'd look at something built just for the purpose like an Esoteric N-03T streaming transport. 

I think the OP would want something cheaper than Esoteric at £9.5k....though I agree with the don,t spend on bits in the box unless you use them.  But perhaps he just wants the Naim front end and App?

feeling_zen posted:

ChrisSU posted:

I agree with Gazza, if looking for a transport into any separate DAC, I would want to listen to the NDX2 vs ND5XS2 to see if there is any advantage to be had in paying more than double the price.

Why bother with a Naim box? If you don't intend to use the analogue stages or DAC in a Naim streamer, I'd look at something built just for the purpose like an Esoteric N-03T streaming transport. 

The Naim streamers work very well as transports into a separate DAC - at least, I think my NDX does. OK, so there's a redundant DAC chip and analogue output stage in there, but I can live with that.  

ChrisSU posted:

feeling_zen posted:

ChrisSU posted:

I agree with Gazza, if looking for a transport into any separate DAC, I would want to listen to the NDX2 vs ND5XS2 to see if there is any advantage to be had in paying more than double the price.

Why bother with a Naim box? If you don't intend to use the analogue stages or DAC in a Naim streamer, I'd look at something built just for the purpose like an Esoteric N-03T streaming transport. 

The Naim streamers work very well as transports into a separate DAC - at least, I think my NDX does. OK, so there's a redundant DAC chip and analogue output stage in there, but I can live with that.  

Not disputing that. I think the option to upgrade a Naim streamer, that is functionally otherwise still fine, with an external DAC is great. Especially to get more life out of unit as it ages.

But to add a DAC to a streamer from the start just means you should have bought a different streamer in my opinion. 

If an NDX2 isn't good enough for you, add a XPS. If that's not good enough buy an ND555. 

Worth noting, the OP could just buy a second hand NDX if they really wanted a Naim logo box as a transport. It's reclocking mechanism makes it preferable to an ND5xs as a transport.

feeling_zen posted:

ChrisSU posted:

feeling_zen posted:

ChrisSU posted:

I agree with Gazza, if looking for a transport into any separate DAC, I would want to listen to the NDX2 vs ND5XS2 to see if there is any advantage to be had in paying more than double the price.

Why bother with a Naim box? If you don't intend to use the analogue stages or DAC in a Naim streamer, I'd look at something built just for the purpose like an Esoteric N-03T streaming transport. 

The Naim streamers work very well as transports into a separate DAC - at least, I think my NDX does. OK, so there's a redundant DAC chip and analogue output stage in there, but I can live with that.  

Not disputing that. I think the option to upgrade a Naim streamer, that is functionally otherwise still fine, with an external DAC is great. Especially to get more life out of unit as it ages.

But to add a DAC to a streamer from the start just means you should have bought a different streamer in my opinion. 

If an NDX2 isn't good enough for you, add a XPS. If that's not good enough buy an ND555. 

Worth noting, the OP could just buy a second hand NDX if they really wanted a Naim logo box as a transport. It's reclocking mechanism makes it preferable to an ND5xs as a transport.

We all have a different take on this, of course, and there are no absolute rights and wrongs, but for me, I am not willing to add another expensive full sized box to my rack, so an XPS is not on my shortlist. A used Hugo for £600, on the other hand.....

feeling_zen posted:

ChrisSU posted:

I agree with Gazza, if looking for a transport into any separate DAC, I would want to listen to the NDX2 vs ND5XS2 to see if there is any advantage to be had in paying more than double the price.

Why bother with a Naim box? If you don't intend to use the analogue stages or DAC in a Naim streamer, I'd look at something built just for the purpose like an Esoteric N-03T streaming transport. 

I read that the sound is a bit on the polite side, from different reviewer.  But I effectively didn’t listen to it.

feeling_zen posted:

ChrisSU posted:

feeling_zen posted:

ChrisSU posted:

I agree with Gazza, if looking for a transport into any separate DAC, I would want to listen to the NDX2 vs ND5XS2 to see if there is any advantage to be had in paying more than double the price.

Why bother with a Naim box? If you don't intend to use the analogue stages or DAC in a Naim streamer, I'd look at something built just for the purpose like an Esoteric N-03T streaming transport. 

The Naim streamers work very well as transports into a separate DAC - at least, I think my NDX does. OK, so there's a redundant DAC chip and analogue output stage in there, but I can live with that.  

Not disputing that. I think the option to upgrade a Naim streamer, that is functionally otherwise still fine, with an external DAC is great. Especially to get more life out of unit as it ages.

But to add a DAC to a streamer from the start just means you should have bought a different streamer in my opinion. 

If an NDX2 isn't good enough for you, add a XPS. If that's not good enough buy an ND555. 

Worth noting, the OP could just buy a second hand NDX if they really wanted a Naim logo box as a transport. It's reclocking mechanism makes it preferable to an ND5xs as a transport.

Or second hand nds.

Timo posted:

Do you live in a place where you could easily compare your nDac/DigiOne against the NDX2? Or maybe you have already done this? 

I did a home demo with my dealer. The NDX2 sounds more refined. 

Gazza posted:

I think the OP would want something cheaper than Esoteric at £9.5k....though I agree with the don,t spend on bits in the box unless you use them.  But perhaps he just wants the Naim front end and App?

the OP should seriously be looking at a dCS network bridge . he would get a much better streamer than ndx an nd5xs and save himself a healthy chunk of money.

The Op will have an ndx2 in some weeks.  Why not wait to try ndx2 and compare to ndx2/ndac by himself.  If the ndac doesn’t improve the ndx2, he will be able to sell it after.