In praise of the NAIM ND5XS

Posted by: Thorsten_L on 19 April 2012

I am a vinyl-lover, but I just wanted to congratulate NAIM for such an outstanding hifi-product.

 

Yesterday, I had several "goosebump"-experiences (without VINYL...) and I was "shocked" at how awesome this streamer sounds...It didn´t matter what I used as a source, the music was just magical in every aspect any hifi-cliché can express.

 

AND: My machine is still very new, without a Hi-Line, without a Powerline and without PSU...yet...

 

This machine has the biggest "groove"-factor I ever experienced with an owned NAIM-product.

 

Fantastic.

Posted on: 22 April 2012 by caftan
Originally Posted by totemphile:
Originally Posted by MusicLover:

...some hifi-magazine preferred the ND5XS over the NDX...


You have to qualify that statement Thorsten, the NDX they tested the ND5XS against had the old streaming board, so not the current 24/192 version. It's probably not that clear cut with the old NDX either but rather a question of preference. Suffice to say the ND5 is a great product all around.

 

Enjoy

tp

 

+1

 

Please ask for the upgraded version of NDX if you are going demo it on store or at home. IMHO there is quite a lift in SQ even when playing normal 16/44 cd rips.

Posted on: 22 April 2012 by totemphile
Originally Posted by Gale 401:

TP,

Same as when you were doing your testing.

Its just better to let people be happy.

And don't question.

You wont win the race.

Stu.


What race?
Posted on: 22 April 2012 by MangoMonkey

For what it's worth, a squeezebox touch + nDac was way ahead of the ND5XS. Into a nait xs, with the Kudos C2 speakers. The ND5XS just sounded like they were under a lot of strain. I tried using a squeezebox touch into a ND5XS and the sq very unexpectedly improved. No expectation bias here: I totally expected the sbtouch into ND5XS to sound much worse that the ND5XS plain. And at that point, doing a nDac + SBTouch instead of a ND5XS makes a lot more sense.

 

Currently, i've got a powerline going into the linear PSU of the SBTouch, and running a NaitXS bare. Crazy me, but this is the best SQ ever.

 

Having said that, congrats on your choice, musiclover. I'm sure your system sounds great, and you made exactly the right choice in your system, with your music, your network, you speakers etc.

Posted on: 22 April 2012 by jfritzen
Originally Posted by mudwolf:
But got burgled when away on a trip so time to get that setup again.

Bad luck!

Thankfully they only took the iMAC Left my much more expensive stereo alone.

Big luck! Perhaps because Naim boxes don't look as expensive as they are. Or the gang only had Apple products on their shopping list.

... and BACK THINGS UP!!!!!!!!

Definitely.

Posted on: 22 April 2012 by Thorsten_L
Originally Posted by totemphile:
Originally Posted by MusicLover:

...some hifi-magazine preferred the ND5XS over the NDX...


You have to qualify that statement Thorsten, the NDX they tested the ND5XS against had the old streaming board, so not the current 24/192 version. It's probably not that clear cut with the old NDX either but rather a question of preference. Suffice to say the ND5 is a great product all around.

 

Enjoy

tp

 

Tp,

 

thank you.

 

My bad.

Posted on: 23 April 2012 by Thorsten_L
Originally Posted by Gale 401:
Originally Posted by totemphile:
Originally Posted by MusicLover:
The ND5XS is IMHO more musical than the CD5XS into the nDAC. 

Have you listened to both in an A/B comparison or is your opinion based on recollection of what the CD5XS/nDAC sounded like back when you owned that combo?

 

I got both the ND5XS and nDAC at home but haven't done any comparison of the two yet, not enough spare time at the moment. Might do this at some point though and report back. I'm quite curious to hear for myself how the ND5 stacks up.

T and his mate are going from memory .

Dont pick a fight.

T always waxes lyrical about changes in his system.

No sign of  the Blacks being Blacker though

Stu.

I am really sorry if I offended anyone with my enthusiasm.

My aplologies.

 

Yes, it is not really a bona-fide A/B-comparison, since I really spoke from memory.

 

BUT: I certainly can say what I experienced then and what I experience now.

 

I like the sound of the ND5XS more than a bare nDAC with USB-sticks.

 

I certainly remember the musical pleasure with the nDAC and I now compared the pleasure I get from the ND5XS.

 

Again, sorry for being not scientific enough. 

Posted on: 23 April 2012 by Thorsten_L
Originally Posted by totemphile:
Originally Posted by Gale 401:

TP,

Same as when you were doing your testing.

Its just better to let people be happy.

And don't question.

You wont win the race.

Stu.


What race?

The rat race.

I am not playing, though. 

Posted on: 23 April 2012 by analogmusic

Thorsten's post is ok, I don't see any issue with it.

 

It's all personal preference and I don't think anyone would spend NDAC/ND5 money without being able to audition.

 

No need for anyone, especially Thorsten to apologise.

 

Stu - thanks for asking.

 

I am considering a number of source upgrades from my current streamer which I won't mention because it isn't really Naim quality.

 

Choices are NDAC/ND5/Logitech transporter SE (apparently available)

 

April 30 is the deadline before Naim prices go up again.

 

Thorstens post make the ND5 a very viable choice... no jitter, no non naim source to worry about, just music....

 

 

Posted on: 23 April 2012 by Thorsten_L
Originally Posted by analogmusic:

 

Thorstens post make the ND5 a very viable choice... no jitter, no non naim source to worry about, just music....

 

For this amount of money...definitely.

 

Pure musical fun.

Posted on: 23 April 2012 by mudwolf

I bought ND5 xs without audition, they finally had a streamer that had all the things I wanted. Naim's reputation for good sound and solid build was enough for me, been an owner and never displeased. I wasn't going to go up any higher and wanted the FM and all digital connections. I'm very happy with it and still figuring out what is on there and how to use it.  When my life settles down I'll make fuller use of it.

Posted on: 19 May 2012 by Thorsten_L

I just ripped a CD I very much love (Coheed and Cambria - No world for tomorrow) as AIF (lossless) on the PC.

 

Then I transferred the files to my IPOD CLASSIC 160GB.

 

Then my jaw dropped to the floor, because the sound was superb.

 

Easily on par with the US-stick-music...

 

This ND5XS really is a great winner...at least of my heart. 

Posted on: 20 May 2012 by Stefan Vogt

Hello MusicLover,

I enjoy my ND5XS plus iPod Classic as well! ALAC is good, but some (e.g., Barry Diament) recommend AIFF over ALAC lossless compression because of 'a sonic cost' during uncompression of ALAC. Does anybody find this, too? I am still not sure if I should rip in AIFF or ALAC (using a Mac)! Naim's choice of WAF over FLAC seems to speak for the uncompressed format, too...

Best,

Stefan

Posted on: 22 May 2012 by Stefan Vogt

Sorry, I did not mean to silence this nice topic.

The ND5XS is so lovely because...

- it sound even better than the Superuniti's streamer (hope so!)

- it is served well by eLyric software running on my Mac,

- it will never be superceded by a naim streamer+preamp combo such as the DSM (hope so!),

- ... your turn!

Stefan

Posted on: 22 May 2012 by Thorsten_L

- because EVERY MUSIC I play through the thing sounds incredible.

 

Even mp3´s (320), IPOD,....

 

Until now, my best NAIM-buy.

Posted on: 22 May 2012 by Steve J

Until now, my best NAIM-buy.


Compared to your Z-Plug Thorsten? 

 

Enjoy 

 

ATB

 

Steve

Posted on: 22 May 2012 by Thorsten_L

Z-Plug was the best value-for-money-wise.

 

The ND5XS is just awesome boogie-woogie.