Blimey....

555?

666?

Enjoy Graeme. Are you going from bare 272? 

nitrous posted:

555?

Finkfan posted:

Enjoy Graeme. Are you going from bare 272? 

Yes. My experience in the past suggests I’ll enjoy it very much. It’s not a DR, but that can come later if needs be.

G

I’m sure you will. I’d only consider a non dr version. The DR would be a out of my reach. 

Blimey Graeme, going from a bare 272 to one with a 555 up its bottom is going to be a blast.

Keep us informed, but as you have called your thread the 'B' word, don't be surprised if the conversation strays a little!

I am just listening to the late, great Leonard Cohen Popular Problems album and it is just stunning with a 555 in the mix.

GraemeH posted:

nitrous posted:

555?

A lucky guess! It was the first thing I said when I picked my demo one up from the dealer! ‘blimey that’s heavy’.

Blimey...............................................a mullet

thin or thick lipped?

You’re gonna luv it.

yeti42 posted:

thin or thick lipped?

Or a nice bit of flange?

Interestingly (to me at least) the Tablette 10 is incredibly revealing, so I feel it will be a worthwhile investment.

G

I'm interested to hear how this trial goes as I have difficulty getting my head around investing in a 555 psu that is around twice the price of the 272. No doubt it makes an amazing difference, but I'd still find it hard to justify spending that kind of money. I might consider it seriously if I was in the audio-perfection territory of an NDS/Statement Naim user. But I'm not, and for now the XPS-DR is good, indeed very good for me.

Atherton posted:

I'm interested to hear how this trial goes as I have difficulty getting my head around investing in a 555 psu that is around twice the price of the 272. No doubt it makes an amazing difference, but I'd still find it hard to justify spending that kind of money. I might consider it seriously if I was in the audio-perfection territory of an NDS/Statement Naim user. But I'm not, and for now the XPS-DR is good, indeed very good for me.

Well there's always a VFM judgement to be made - I've said the same about expensive wires -but if you're looking to optimise around a streamer/pre then it makes sense.    

Regards,

Lindsay

Atherton posted:

I'm interested to hear how this trial goes as I have difficulty getting my head around investing in a 555 psu that is around twice the price of the 272. No doubt it makes an amazing difference, but I'd still find it hard to justify spending that kind of money. I might consider it seriously if I was in the audio-perfection territory of an NDS/Statement Naim user. But I'm not, and for now the XPS-DR is good, indeed very good for me.

I share your cost angst Atherton. Experience of adding an XPS or 555PS to CDS2/3, HDX, NDX & Ndac has shown me that the 555PS is really the appreciable jump. I hung out for a S/H (non-DR) one on this occasion. I know if I’d gone to an XPS, even ‘DR’, I’d always have that nagging feeling of wanting to hear the next step up.

Might hook it up tonight.

G

Come on Graeme, feed us a crumb or two!

Get it plumbed in tonight Graeme! 

The idea of a £6,000+ power supply on a £3,500 streaming preamp is certainly odd, but the 555 is rather special. Mine’s been running in for a few weeks now. I just sat down with a beer and put on a Joshua Redman album I’d not heard for a while, and it was just incredible. So different to before, so real, so captivating. Of course there is the issue of it running in together with a new power amp and new wires, but what can one say, other than ‘blimey’?

It’s just plumbed but kids home from uni sprawling around living room is not conducive to serious listening. I’’ll let it settle overnight...I wil, I will, I will.

G

It's curious that the 555 unit unpacked appears so heavy, yet when it's packed in its box it doesn't feel so bad. I guess it's about anticipated density. 

Anyway, enjoy the monster power supply. Blimey indeed!

Clive B posted:

It's curious that the 555 unit unpacked appears so heavy, yet when it's packed in its box it doesn't feel so bad. I guess it's about anticipated density. 

Anyway, enjoy the monster power supply. Blimey indeed!

I thought that about boxed vs unboxed too! This is my third 555PS so I should be used to that by now.

It’s absolutely minty, just one owner.

G

Hungryhalibut posted:

The idea of a £6,000+ power supply on a £3,500 streaming preamp is certainly odd, but the 555 is rather special. 

I agree, but I prefer to think of it as a choice between a £3.5k streaming pre-amp and a near £10k streaming pre-amp.  That's the way I think about my nDAC. Some manufacturers offer different models at different prices and the only difference on the dearer one is the upgraded power supply. Credit to Naim for transparency and offering the choices.    

Absolutely. The 272/555 is an entirely different proposition compared with the 272 by itself. 

Yes I remember at one show talking to the guys from Arcam about their latest amps and the difference over the old model and they were very clear it was down to PSU.