Upgrade assistent

Posted by: Fokkelman on 06 August 2013

I hope you could shed some light on the following. I have an olive Naim set consisting of 2x135's, nac52 and the CDS2 plus B&W 802. The time has come to gradually update the system which still sounds amazing.

I was thinking to start with the source: the NDS to replace my CDS2. I can't buy a new PS yet, but was thinking to keep my olive one for a while to replace it with a better one, say the XPS-2 DR or the even better one 555PS when funds permit me.

Will the NDS out perform the CDS2 much or should I follow another upgrade path?

Posted on: 06 August 2013 by greentg

I'm afraid you can't run an NDS without a power supply (unlike the ND5 XS or the NDX) as an absolute minimum you would need an XP5 XS. Although I doubt you would find anyone recoomending anything less than an XPS - 2 DR.

 

regards

 

Tony

Posted on: 06 August 2013 by Fokkelman
Originally Posted by greentg:

I'm afraid you can't run an NDS without a power supply (unlike the ND5 XS or the NDX) as an absolute minimum you would need an XP5 XS. Although I doubt you would find anyone recoomending anything less than an XPS - 2 DR.

 

regards

 

Tony

I was thinking of running it with an olive XPS for while until I buy a XPS-2 DR or 555PS.

Posted on: 06 August 2013 by greentg

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the ollives power ssupplies are not compatible with any of the streamers. Basically only  three powers supplies will work with them: -

 

XP5 XS, XPS and 555PS. All of them would power an NDS all be it to a limited degree, in the case of the XP5 and XPS.

 

Regards

 

Tony

Posted on: 06 August 2013 by greentg

Just to be clear when I refer to the XPS, it's the "black" model

Posted on: 06 August 2013 by Fokkelman
Originally Posted by greentg:

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the ollives power ssupplies are not compatible with any of the streamers. Basically only  three powers supplies will work with them: -

 

XP5 XS, XPS and 555PS. All of them would power an NDS all be it to a limited degree, in the case of the XP5 and XPS.

 

Regards

 

Tony

No bad news at all. Now things are clear to me. So, the an XPS-2 DR is an option to power the NDS, but not an olive one. 

Posted on: 06 August 2013 by greentg

Yes that would be fine.

 

Tony

Posted on: 06 August 2013 by hungryhalibut

If you are aiming for the NDS, it would really make sense to get the 555PS, as it can then get the full potential out of the streamer. It's more expensive, but would be better in the long term. It would also give a massive lift to your CDS2 in the short term.

Posted on: 06 August 2013 by Fokkelman
Originally Posted by Hungryhalibut:

If you are aiming for the NDS, it would really make sense to get the 555PS, as it can then get the full potential out of the streamer. It's more expensive, but would be better in the long term. It would also give a massive lift to your CDS2 in the short term.

Yes you are right. It's better to start with the 555PS and afterwards the NDS. Nice place to slowly replace my old Naim set.

How does the sound quality compare to a CDS2(3)/555PS and NSD/555PS, does anyone had the experience?