NDX!

Hi,

Just checked out on line, Maplin do them.

Does this mean you could have one cable between preamp and NDX and another between NDX and NDAC, via N stream?

Update!

I compared the new ADS to NDX and NDX/DC1/DAC for the second time in a full Naim system (282/Hi Cap/250/NACA 5/Ovator 400) and this time the bare NDX was clearly better than ADS - this was very astonishing for me after my first experience with the two components and we used the very same players again. After the first listening test I prefered the ADS - especially its presentation of voices. This time the NDX offered a deeper bass with better resolution, more details in the midrange, faster transients with guitars and drums and to my ears the NDX sounded simply more natural. Voices sounded more realistic with the NDX, too. The soundstage was wider and deeper.

With the recording "Belafonte at Carnegie Hall" I had the feeling of sitting right in front of Harry Belafonte whereas the ADS only offered me a seat in the very last row where I was not able to hear all the fine details. Besides that the ADS sounded too slow - of course I know that it is not too slow, but if an ADS was a turntable I would always feel the need to make it turn a little faster.Trying to find an explanation for my two different results I can only imagine that the additional burn in time did wonders to the NDX. By the way: Both players where powered up between my two listening tests.

Adding a DAC to the NDX made a little difference, but I am not sure if the NDX really needs a DAC...

Hi John R,

Good post/read. Strange how you found adding DAC made little difference. Curious because Naim suggest NDAC as upgrade, which begs another question, if this is the case why do they not include DC1?

Interesting observations on the Signals website:

http://www.signals.uk.com/naimndxsignals.html

The NDX is Naim's new utterly purist audiophile network music player. It can access music files located on a local network via wired or wireless ethernet (the former is recommended) and offers the new and bewildering world of internet radio. There is the option of an in-built FM / DAB radio tuner too for additional cost.

The NDX bears the closest relationship with the Naim Uniti and Uniti Qute products and it can be controlled by the same n-stream 'app' on the Apple iPhone / iTouch / iPad. At this point it diverges smartly away from them, however.

The Uniti products are high quality devices but they are about convenience and space efficiency too. The NDX comes in a reference sized case and comes filled with a large toroidal transformer and a substantial DAC and analogue circuit board. It is not exactly devoid of facilities though, having digital inputs, a digital output, a port to allow upgrade via XPS or 555PS supplies and the option of DIN or Phono outputs.

A very nice touch is that the NDX includes some output sockets that can drive infra red blasters or be connected directly to current Naim components (pre-amp, CD player, DAC etc). This allows control of volume, input, tracks, etc from the iPhone application. Nifty stuff!

So, does it sound any good? Jeepers yes! I'm still trying to figure out if I was lucky or not to hear the sample at the factory last summer. It blew my socks off, so to speak, and led to us advise potential HDX customers to hear the UnitiServe / NDX combo before jumping in. Had we realsed that about six months would elapse before production . . .

Anyway, it is here and it currently sits at the very top of Naim's networked audio replay range. As has been established with the Uniti products, the 'serving' of data, the quality of the network (keep it separated from printing / internet traffic etc) and the quality of the CD rip all impact on the results. Our HDX SSD has been relegated from ripping / serving / replay duties in the main listening room to doing this from a secondary location but it still serves the files to the NDX. To maintain access to above-CD level of resolution, you need to ensure that the HDX is passing on UPnP data at its native level.

As a stand-alone device, the NDX gives a very good account of itself. Switching to it from an HDX SSD running through the Naim DAC which was itself powered via an XPS was, erm, interesting. The NDX seemed instantly more open, alive, resolving and simply more musical. OK, so that is a sonic upgrade moving to something that's about £6500 cheaper. Yikes. Mind you, the serving job still needs to be done to maintain this level.

After a few days warm-up, it was time to experiment with the PSU and DAC upgrade possibilities. The gist, so far, is that if a single extra box can be afforded / accommodated, then it should be the DAC. Adding a powerline to the NDX does (substantial) stuff, so it should be the first step, I guess. Adding the XPS improves the timing / control / structure but the DAC gives more resolution and tonal colour. It's a bit like audio painting by numbers. The PSU improves the outlines but the DAC does the filling in.

Under these circumstances we found that, even with the DAC functions outsourced, the choice of mains cable to the NDX remained very relevant. Adding external power supply to DAC and then to the NDX brought even more gains. In fact it was surprising to find that in this advanced situation of running into a 555PS-fed Naim DAC, a single brand new and rather 'stressed' (poor love) Burndy lead from XPS to NDX was actually holding things back until it was manipulated and relaxed. I did that, never realised I had the tallent. Currently feeling very proud!

The sound we are getting from this combo is well up to the level of the 500 series electronics. For some reason, I am playing more music on the system than in a long time. Good CD rips are magical, poor sounding CDs seem less dissected than with the (single 555PS-fed) CD555 and HD music, pretty much anything at 24 rather than 16 bit, sounds truly remarkable.

Gentlemen (and ladies), we have progress!

Aah, so I'm not feeling quite such a freak now! These were the two things I noticed most, or rather, had the most impact on me. But I also agree about the depth and bass.

Steeve

John, what has changed in the setup since the first audition? Or was it just a burn-in factor?

Hi AMA,

When will you be able to dem NDX? Is it on your radar? I ask because from memory i think you are using Logitech Transporter like me,and I would be very interested to hear your thoughts.

I'm still waiting for updates from a local dealer. Once it comes to Dubai I shall put my hands on it and post my findings.

I also think of trying a new Bryston BDP-01 as a digital transport to nDAC/XPS.

Very interesting device, with much lower S/PDIF output jitter than TP, one box solution and no hassles with client/server. Just hook USB drive on it and it's done -- all the way up to 24/192.

It's getting the raving reviews across US and carrying affordable price tag.

Hi AMA -

The BDP-01 should be an interesting review for you!

There is a long thread over on audio circle that you may want to check out.  Lots of positive comments, as well as the usual new product growing pains.

Are you also going to try the BDA?  Some are claiming unique BDP/BDA synergy, and one guy says that the "...the BDP plays even better with the BDA than my dCS Paganini DAC...".   Seems like an over-the-top remark, but who knows...

I find this product interesting because it avoids UPnP.  But before I could become seriously interested, it would need to support CIFS shares.  Otherwise, unless I am missing something, how would you keep its USB drive in sync with whatever you are using to rip and manage your library?

Hook

Hook, BDP has ethernet connection which shares over the network all USB drives attached to BDP  -- so you can easily perform a backup program (to a NAS for example).

Then I was mislead by one of the reviews that said the ethernet connection was for web/iPod control only, with no mention of presenting the local drives!  Good to know -- thanks AMA!

James, I must have been misled by some of the reviews. I'll check it again.

Regarding PS Audio, they don't have a streamer AFAIK.

They do have a network bridge which only works with Perfect Wave DAC.

NDX playing since yesterday voa 282/250 which replaced Supernait (awesome improvement by the way) and now seems to sound much better than before whereas Majik DS still sounds the same. Very happy now with the NDX and will definitely stay.

Congrats! Good choice G.!

Ralf