NDS upgrade with NDAC has it been attempted??

Posted by: Name on 28 November 2016

I still have fond memories of my first introduction into streaming music which was ndac/555ps and unitiserve.

I made the progression to the NDS/55ps, but do remember the juicy bass of the ndac/555ps.

i understand the conventional wisdom regarding upgrading the nds is via dual 555PS's.

Has anyone had the opportunity to do try NDS, 555PS with digital out to an NDAC and 555PS. Is it possible and would this be an upgrade?

Thanks for your help.

Posted on: 01 December 2016 by Adam Zielinski

MDS posted:
For quite some time I was of exactly the same opinion as Simon in preferring the nonDR 555PS on the nDAC. That's was when I was using 282/SC/250.2. However having DR'ed the SuperCap, replaced the 250.2 with a 300DR, I then demo'ed a 552DR in store and then at home. The home demo was initially missing something compared to the in-store demo. And then the penny dropped: the in-store demo was with a 555PSDR whereas at home I was using the nonDR 555PS. Once my dealer brought around the 555PSDR all was well so I promptly ordered an upgrade on my 555PS. The conclusion I reached was that the 555PSDR only really showed its true potential when working with other DR components in the system.

Now I'm intrigued.... nod

Posted on: 01 December 2016 by MDS

In summary, Adam, when I originally tried the 555PSDR at home as a potential upgrade over my then XP5XS I found the bass a bit too much and the top-end too 'digital'. It was as if the 555PSDR was pushing the nDAC and rest of the system a bit too hard, rather like turbo-charging a car engine without also attending to brakes, suspension etc. I had the 555PSDR at home for about ten days so it wasn't a fleeting impression. Dealer repositioned the speakers which helped bit with the bass but not enough. So the 555PSDR went back. However, as luck would have it a little while later my dealer took as a trade-in an immaculate 555PS non-DR and so we tried that. The top end was smooth, bass tamed etc. The nonDR version didn't have quite the detail of the DR version but overall I much preferred the nonDR so bought it.

Fast forward to early this year by which much had changed in my system. As well as the DR kit mentioned above, my rack had been upgraded with bamboo and bronze spikes, an SL full loom was in place, and the firmware upgrade on the nDAC installed. This time the extra detail that the 555PSDR was enabling my nDAC to produce seemed to be fully utilised by the now more capable system: the top-end was no longer hard/digital and the bass wasn't too much but was deeper, faster and more tuneful.

So whereas I wasn't originally convinced that Naim had got it completely right in DRing the 555PS, I've since come to appreciate what it does and that Naim had got it right all along. A bit like the synergy of the full loom SL, I think there's a synergy in more components in a system having the DR technology.

Hope that helps a bit.

Mike

Posted on: 01 December 2016 by Simon-in-Suffolk

Mike there is definitely a Naim synergy - but sometimes i have found that synergy plateaus out and you can benefit from mixing some new blood into the Naim stock just to avoid any slight tendency of inbreeding

Posted on: 01 December 2016 by Adam Zielinski

MDS posted:
In summary, Adam, when I originally tried the 555PSDR at home as a potential upgrade over my then XP5XS I found the bass a bit too much and the top-end too 'digital'. It was as if the 555PSDR was pushing the nDAC and rest of the system a bit too hard, rather like turbo-charging a car engine without also attending to brakes, suspension etc. I had the 555PSDR at home for about ten days so it wasn't a fleeting impression. Dealer repositioned the speakers which helped bit with the bass but not enough. So the 555PSDR went back. However, as luck would have it a little while later my dealer took as a trade-in an immaculate 555PS non-DR and so we tried that. The top end was smooth, bass tamed etc. The nonDR version didn't have quite the detail of the DR version but overall I much preferred the nonDR so bought it.
Fast forward to early this year by which much had changed in my system. As well as the DR kit mentioned above, my rack had been upgraded with bamboo and bronze spikes, an SL full loom was in place, and the firmware upgrade on the nDAC installed. This time the extra detail that the 555PSDR was enabling my nDAC to produce seemed to be fully utilised by the now more capable system: the top-end was no longer hard/digital and the bass wasn't too much but was deeper, faster and more tuneful.
So whereas I wasn't originally convinced that Naim had got it completely right in DRing the 555PS, I've since come to appreciate what it does and that Naim had got it right all along. A bit like the synergy of the full loom SL, I think there's a synergy in more components in a system having the DR technology.
Hope that helps a bit.
Mike

Thanks Mike - appreciate the insights.

Adam