ADDING POWER SUPPLY TO HDX USED TO FEED NDS

If it’s only use is as a NAS/server for your NDS, I would be surprised if there was any benefit. Even if there was, Naim PSUs are not cheap, and the money might be spent more effectively on an upgrade to your main system. 

I too think there would be only a minimum return for money on any power supply upgrade for the hdx used this way

I guess if your dealer is friendly ..you could try it and see...but probably better to ask his advice on where to spend the money on your system

If I recall correctly, a separate power supply on the HDX feeds the analogue circuits. In that case your money is better spent elsewhere in your system.

The NDS has the option of being fed by 2 x 555 PS, you do not mention your current set up. Best to talk to your dealer.

NDS, 555dr, twin Burndy, 252, supercap dr, 300 dr

That’s a nic system. You have the option of adding an extra 555 ps dr to the NDS, not sure how much benefit this would bring. The next big upgrade is a 552 preamp, see the thread by Nick in Suffolk of a week or so ago, he is one happy bunny. The HDX would be a bit of a dead end IMO.

Thanks for all the replies. You have nipped an expensive idea in the bud. Forgot to mention the speakers - Allaes. Any ideas on upgrade? Smallish room so no giants!

Allaes are a nice speaker

But... definitely a limiting factor in this great system

The Allaes will be a hard act to follow as I presume you want a compact floorstander not too far from rear wall. I would try the PMC range, say 25.23 they are £3 k new, and fairly tolerant of room placement.

I agree with Gazza,  the HDX is a dead end,  it still has value for someone who wants to fully utilise it,   but its limited & is limiting your NDS potential.  I would get a NAS & copy over your HDX albums (after seeking how to do this from the forum peeps who know how) then sell it on.

Interesting set of responses from people who don't appear to have any direct experience of what the op is proposing to do.

Fwiw adding say an XPR to an HDX serving an NDS does improve the sound but you would,as always, need to check for yourself to determine if it was worth it. 

The HDX is not limiting the potential of an NDS and a NAS would not necessarily result in an improved sound. 

I currently use an HDX as a server to my NDS so do have direct experience. The only difference is that I'm using a NAS to store music as this provides more storage capacity.

Thank you. I did not understand why an NAS would provide better quality than an HDX. You have hands on experience 

normally, an hdx/ power supply with nds in ethernet mode should be better than nds/ nas....but some members seem to prefer nds/ nas combo.

My linear ps on my unitserve improved the sound with streaming from an nds.   If i was the op, i would try to find a second hand xps for the hdx.  Or wait until the uniticore is stable and free of actual software problems....

If you set up a NAS for your music files and ran something like Asset or Minimserver on it, you might be surprised . Been there, done that. No longer have the HDX. But I did put a second 555PS on the NDS. Now, that really was something special.

Harry posted:

If you set up a NAS for your music files and ran something like Asset or Minimserver on it, you might be surprised . Been there, done that. No longer have the HDX. But I did put a second 555PS on the NDS. Now, that really was something special.

you really noticed a big improvement vs one 555ps on the nds?  what kind of improvement?  details, dynamics, soundstage...?

It was a significant change on both the musical and HiFi level.

The HiFi stuff is easy to describe but as subjective as ever: Multi tracked sections resolving into more discrete tracks, as in two guitars turning into three or four. Voices more accurately placed as point sources with harmonies more easily separated into component voices with identifiable positions relative to one another. Real voices in the room. More tuneful and easy to follow bass. Easier to hear texture and timbre Seemingly endless treble which ranged to infinity with no harshness or apparent cut off. More pinpoint sound staging.  More stage height and depth. 

Not that the NDS could be described as deficient in any of these areas with a single 555PS. But it had more to give. Even considering the  price of a second 555PD(DR), the change in presentation was worth the outlay - to me. 

The non HiFi stuff is even more subjective and ephemeral. For what it's worth: timing, interplay, arrangement, who was leading and following, how and when they swapped over, stuff like that. How singers used and phrased their voices. How players tuned and hit/plucked/blew/jumped up and down on their instruments. The care that was taken. The skill and virtuosity that was on display.  It's difficult to describe and impossible to quantify. 

We did a two week home trial. I became used to the new presentation and communication in an evening. The acid test, as it often is for me, was reverting back to the previous configuration. It worked just fine. It sounded every bit as good as I knew it would. But it no longer sounded good enough.

As a side point. We had an HDX which we ran with a NAS. I initially did some internal HDD versus NAS listening tests with some of my favourite music and neither Helen nor I could hear a difference. So we went NAS because of redundancy, recovery, scalability etc. It was later converted to SSD. After some years of enjoyment and faithful service, it became the server for our NDS. And it could perform other functions too. Including CD playback (which we never ended up using). When it dropped its boot sector it went back to base for that, a CMOS battery and a bleeding logo. As a temporary fix I set up Asset on the NAS and was surprised by how quick and easy it was to get the music playing again. What I wasn't expecting was the bigger sound and increase in clarity which came through. This wasn't selective frequency emphasis, it was a clean up right across the board and from top to bottom. If the HDX hadn't bugged out I would still be none the wiser and as happy with it as ever. 

very clear and useful, thanks.  I will see in next future if i will try to find a second hand 555ps for my nds. But perhaps an nds2 will arrive soon or something new....I am not in a hurry for now....