N50 + Naim Ndac or ND5XS

Posted by: Chrissw19 on 10 February 2016

I've received a lot of tips and suggestions to improve my set-up for low level listening. Budget is tight so I would like to get some comments on the following --> I keep my Pioneer N50 and add the Ndac with a view to replace the N50 in 12 months or do I sell (if I can) the N50 and get the ND5XS?

Cheers!

Posted on: 10 February 2016 by sjbabbey

How wedded are you to your current preamp? Have you considered selling the 202, HiCap, napsc along with the N50 and getting an N272 ?

Posted on: 10 February 2016 by Sloop John B

If I were getting the nDAC I'd be going to the second hand market. Buying a new DAC which hasn't got asynchronous USB is unnecessarily limiting IMHO.

Why not buy the ND5x first?

(having said that I've seen some good value NDX on the second hand market)

I dislike getting a streamer plus DAC (ND)and then buying another DAC. Separating these into 2 products gives much more scope to future proof.

There are products from Melco, Aurender, Auralic, Sonore etc. which are worth considering. I'd be careful I wasn't painting myself into a corner by currently buying what is effectively pretty mature technology where there are a lot of changes happening. Still if it sounds good today it will also sound good tomorrow.

<edit: I think streamer in the amp (272) is a total dead end, which I'd personally avoid >

SJB

Posted on: 10 February 2016 by Chrissw19

I'm attached to my pre but I could sell. The contributors of my last post didn't think that a move to the 272 would improve the sound and were keen to recommend the 282 instead.

Posted on: 10 February 2016 by hungryhalibut

The simplest thing to do is to get a used NDX: you can find them for around £1,900 or so. This is the natural partner to the 202 and 200.