ND5XS

Posted by: Mariner on 02 May 2016

I have recently taken the plunge and bought a ND5XS and am thoroughly enjoying listening to Tidal through it.The convenience and quality of the sound means that I am listening to a lot more music than when I had a CD player

My amp is a Nait 5i ( the italic version) and my speakers are Neat Momentum 3i and being new to all this I wonder if Forum members would please offer their views on how best to spend up to £2000 that I have found down the back of the sofa to enhance what I'm hearing before I take the plunge and go and audition something at the dealers to see if it would make £2000-worth of difference to my enjoyment(a highly subjective decision I realise).

My research leads me to the XP5XS but would I do better to replace the amp with a Nait XS2? In a perfect world I would do both but the back of my sofa is not that accommodating!

I would hope my speakers could cope with the new kit (whatever it is) .

As someone who only ventures into this world rarely I would be most grateful for any observations/tips to ensure my budget goes in the right direction

Many thanks in advance

 

Posted on: 03 May 2016 by Adam Zielinski

I would always recommend a source-first principle.

This means adding a power supply to your ND5XS should be most beneficial.
Before you take a plunge you ought to test it at home.

Adam

Posted on: 03 May 2016 by hungryhalibut

While I agree with source first, in this case I'd tend towards getting a better amplifier. The Momentums are pretty expensive and revealing speakers that deserve more than a Nait 5i. Don't forget though, that if you sell your Nait for say £500, your £2,500 should be able to buy used examples of both the Nait XS and power supply for the ND5. 

Posted on: 03 May 2016 by Adam Zielinski

+1 to the above advice.

Posted on: 04 May 2016 by Mariner

Thank you to both of you.I had not even considered the 2nd hand route and a cursory graze on the internet shows some good second hand prices from reputable suppliers.This looks the way to go and I am most grateful to you.

Posted on: 04 May 2016 by hungryhalibut

I'm not sure where you are based, but with Naim dealers who do a lot of used stuff there is always the option to ask them to keep a lookout for specific items, and let you know when they arrive. It's also well worth looking at Pink Fish, which is where many UK Naim forum members sell their stuff. The advantage of using a dealer, of course, is that you get backup and warranty if anything goes wrong. It's unlikely, but it happens sometimes. 

Posted on: 04 May 2016 by Adam Zielinski

With amps try to get as new a model as possible. It should give you a longer use period, before it's due for service / recapping. Naim generally recommends somewhere around 10 years or so (depending on usage of course). 

Posted on: 05 May 2016 by David Hendon

Also if contemplating buying Naim kit on the most well known auction site, I suggest looking very carefully at who is selling it, where they are and what their provenance is, because there are lots of scams and it is easy to end up with no Naim and no money (also very true for selling there too of course).

best

David

Posted on: 05 May 2016 by Sloop John B

Just to prove we are all free thinkers on here, I agree with HH. 

Also I have always found that the next step in the Naim ladder is so much bigger than adding a PS to the step below. 

So after you get a better amp if the sofa is obliging I'd head for a used NDX where there is great value to be had. 

However I would take a wider berth with your next streaming upgrade. There is a lot to be said for separating DAC and streamer both to enable you to take advantage of the latest DAC technology and the latest streaming technology. ( for me that's Roon). 

Nothing goes out of date as quick as technology and I would fear current Naim streamers will appear as quaint as Nokias far quicker than anyone hear suspects. ( and this is from a chap who bought a CD555 4 years ago to find the times were a changin' faster than he suspected with consequent loss in residuals) 

 

SJB