Is CDX2 digital output enhanced by an XPS? (or is it only the analogue out)
Posted by: rjstaines on 23 November 2016
Does anyone know for sure if an external power supply to a CDX2 improves the digital output SQ?
I would expect an XPS or 555PS to improve the analogue output, of course, but would like to know for sure if an external power supply drives the SPDIF output.
At the moment I'm running a 'basic' XPS2 - digital output - DC1 into my NDS which is 555PS powered. Is this going to give me the best I can squeeze from my CDS2 ?
Right at the moment I'm listening to my 'basic' CDX2 against a CD555 which has been stored in a cold garage for a couple of days. The 555 has been playing now for about six hours - the outer case is up to room temperature, but I figure it'll want an over night on continuous play before it comes 'on tune'. Nonetheless, I was expecting even a cold CD555 to outperform a CDX2... I'm surprised by what I'm hearing, but that's for another thread.
PS - to put into context - the CDX2 is 8 months old & the (cold) CD555 is 10 years old. And the big question is 'Do I want to swap my CDX2 for this CD555?'
MDS posted:Adam Zielinski posted:MDS posted:Thanks, Adam. I'll be very interested in what you find when you start experimenting with those options.
Mike
Certainly Mike. I will probably start another thread in a few weeks.
Adam
I'll look forward to it, Adam.
Me too Adam. I've bought the CD555 i was deming, so for the time being I'll be using one of the 555PSDRs to run it, but I'd like to get back to a 2x555PS + NDS system asap and a non-DR 555PS will probably be the way the finances allow to go. So then I'll have the same question, do I mix DR & non-DR on the NDS or do I revert from DR to non-DR on the CD555? I remember the thread about mixed power supplies & I think I remember it's OK to use a non-DR power unit on socket 2 of the NDS (that's the digital, isn't it?). So I wait enthusiastically for whatever your findings.
So we now have an 8 month old CDX2 to dispose of. The rumour is that CD players don't hold their price because everyone's streaming... a whole lot of finger crossing is coming up then and that perennial question- fixed price auction or no-reserve auction. Think I'll sleep on it. Meanwhile I've borrowed two replacement interconnects for CD555 to 552 - a SuperLumia and a Sarum Super Array... let's see if they are better sounding than the HiLine 
PS - just reading what DEV-B was saying about the Music cable - bright sounding... I concur with that, but would add that it allows so much more of everything to come through to the soundstage. Note though that I haven't borrowed a Music to try with the CD555, only S/L & Sarum SuperArray. One Music in the system is enough methinks.
Roger