Dilemma

Well I would suggest you listen to them all. If you just go thru the list and sell them on....that’s the most expensive way of getting to a final destination of ND555. If you had the cash for a ND555 and 555ps I would listen to that versus say an NDX2 with XPSdr and a 252 or 282 and power supplies. Nice dilemma 

Can I have your CDS3 please? ;-))

Hope you find a good streamer Patrick.

Chris

Hi Gazza, 

Thanks for your prompt reply.  ND555 together with its PSU is quite expensive and I am afraid that the performance of this combo is not justified to its price.  That means the price tag is hefty.  Well, my friend told me before that he just bought the entry level device or the flagship device.  He never considered or bought the middle class of the product range as it is the best or the worst out of the product range.  

Patrick

Hi Christopher,

I will keep the CDS3 as my second system in my bedroom even it does not work well recently.

Patrick

Hi Patrick, I'm sorry to hear it is not working well. I hope you know that the CDS3 is servicable and the flat fee is modest considering it will come back like new. But of course there are shipping costs too.

Best, C.

Darran at Class A is probably worth a shout, they're authorised Naim repair agents offering fixed pricing on Amps in the main. Other products (like CD's) on applicaton.  Lots of people on the forum speak highly of his work - I'm one of them.

Patrick Lam posted:

Hi Gazza, 

Thanks for your prompt reply.  ND555 together with its PSU is quite expensive and I am afraid that the performance of this combo is not justified to its price.  That means the price tag is hefty.  Well, my friend told me before that he just bought the entry level device or the flagship device.  He never considered or bought the middle class of the product range as it is the best or the worst out of the product range.  

Patrick

You really do need to listen to all of them.  We all have our own opinion on "justified to its price" -- or not.  No one can say whether an NDX2 is "justified" vs. an ND5XS2 other than you, your ears, and your bank account.

Good luck with your decision!

Not being rude but the rest of your system according to your profile does not come in the same league as the 555

So get the base model for best match

Naim always said "Source come first" and that's why I choose CDS3 as my source even the middle and the last train of the system seems does not match the source.   Well, I enjoy it very much of the system.

Patrick

How could you get to listen to the options? Dealership or at home? Naim system or something a dealer puts together from other companies? or are you condemned to buy one to hear one?

The ND5 matches your other components but you’re used to a CDS3 so it will probably disappoint. A ND555 plus ps is big chance to take unheard (one I took however and I have no regrets but the rest of my system already matched it).

Patrick Lam posted:

Naim always said "Source come first" and that's why I choose CDS3 as my source even the middle and the last train of the system seems does not match the source.   Well, I enjoy it very much of the system.

Patrick

If naim chose for you,and that worked out fine, then why bothering our useless advice on a comparo we do not even know at this stage? 

Just same as before buying CDS3/XPS2, I bought CDX2 and listened for a period of time and then to decide upgrade to CDS3.  It does not let me disappointed.  However, XS series is different from the "Classic" range.  It may not present the music as I expected and need to seek "useful" advice to made decision.

Patrick

Patrick, I apologise if I have derailed your thread with what may turn out to have been a stupid aside about your CDS3. If it is any consolation, we have similar amplification and if I could run a CDS3 today like you have done, then I would. But this is neither here nor there. Hopefully the forum will now give you the streamer advice you asked for.

Best, Chris

Since all 3 are relatively new, I doubt you will get enough informed opinions (ppl. who have actually heard and compared them). What you will get is go and listen - good advice, but not necessarily much help. However, by following naim hierarchy for other components you can probably get some idea of how much difference at each level. For myself, even if i could afford top level naim, I know that i usually choose mid- level , I assume I get most of the benefits,and may not be able to hear/take advantage of the superiority of top level. Just as they used to say - ONLY YOU CAN PREVENT FOREST FIRES- only you can decide. Either way - enjoy.

Unless you live in a country where no Naim dealers are around to demonstrate these for you, I fail to see the "dilemma" you describe.

You're quote right that it won't sound the same in your room as at the dealer's dem room. But these devices are not going to have such radically different character, like speakers, where one is likely to just fail to work in your system after sounding great at the dealer's.

So basically, when all become more readily stocked, and your dealer can show all 3 in a controlled environment (same system and speakers), you can surely determine whether you feel each one is successively better than the last and justifying it's price. If so, get the best one you can afford.

If you are in a country like me, where there is zero Naim presence, then even if there was a bounty of experience on the forum, few opinions will be reliable enough to bank money on. In such scenarios, if you trust Naim enough to buy blind, buy the best you can afford again. But I think that advice is universal to almost anything.

lots of choices either the new streamers - been to demo's of both NDX2 and ND 555 or the SH models which are now on the market with owners upgrading

I currently own 2014 NDX and really like the way the music comes through my system, in saying that NDX2 is a very good streamer

If it “must” be a Naim streamer and you are new to streaming I recommend ND5 level. 

You need to consider Ethernet cabling to it, ripping your current collection and storage of this collection and then whether you use the Naim app  or the Rolls Royce that is Roon. 

.sjb

I used to own an ND5XS and one of the few who really liked it, it’s just that after I added a better dac it seemed a waste to keep it as just a transport. 

If Naim have improved the ND5 as much as is claimed by removing the screen and upgrading the electronics then it could well be the 282 of the streamers. High end sound at entry level pricing and it might be very prudent to start by trying it first. 

Patrick, do you have a clue about your "endgame" to inform your streamer choice? Unless you plan quite a few big jumps in the very near future, an ND555 and NDX2 might not be a wise choice... Your current amplification does suggest an XS series streamer, as others suggested. 

I have just sent off my ND5XS to a "new home". Not because I didn't like it, but I want to explore the standalone DAC with separate transport route. I agree with Bob that using the ND5 as transport only feels a bit like a waste. Also I want to explore different interfaces, for which Allo DigiOne seems ideal. I tried the "regular" DigiOne -- liked it, but moved it on in order to soon have the Signature version, probably...  Unless I change my mind and get a different transport. More reading up might be required...  [In the meantime, I am on music "diet" -- Muso QB... ]