ND5XS2

Forgot to add their order stock of ND5XS2 is expected in November.

Thanks, interesting. Now that I have a NaitXS-2 I have an itch for a matching-size source. Yesterday, at my dealer's, I could hear some Tidal (from an NDX2, to be honest) and was very surprised at the sound quality. Plus, I find the lack of display and the nudity of the ND5 XS2's front panel totally seducing. But that would mean another major change in my life...

M.

Massimo Bertola posted:

Thanks, interesting. Now that I have a NaitXS-2 I have an itch for a matching-size source. Yesterday, at my dealer's, I could hear some Tidal (from an NDX2, to be honest) and was very surprised at the sound quality. Plus, I find the lack of display and the nudity of the ND5 XS2's front panel totally seducing. But that would mean another major change in my life...

M.

That could be a good system. I’ve been impressed by Tidal Hi Fi to, not that far off a good local rip from my Core. A display with certain albums art can be seducing to.....

Mike,

I'd surely control an ND5 XS-2 with my MacBook Pro, and cover art wouldn't be a problem.. 

M.

Just used the ND5XS2 as a Roon Endpoint & the artwork is all on the Remote device, plus you can now, with the latest Roon release, display it on any Chromecast source or browser, so a TV or WIFi connected tablet.

There’s no need to have a display on the streamer and certainly no need to be displaying album artwork on a front display.

simes_pep posted:

Just used the ND5XS2 as a Roon Endpoint & the artwork is all on the Remote device, plus you can now, with the latest Roon release, display it on any Chromecast source or browser, so a TV or WIFi connected tablet.

There’s no need to have a display on the streamer and certainly no need to be displaying album artwork on a front display.

You have one already? (Or is that a spurious ‘d’ and you were making a suggestion rather than saying you’ve done it?)

You are correct - it was a spurious 'd' - it was a suggestion to use the ND5XS2 - it sounds like it is a good unit. I had the ND5XS/XP5XS for a couple of years, before making the upgrade to NDS/555DR.

However the advantage of the ND5XS2 is than it is already RoonReady

[@mention:29865740417128064]  That new display feature in Roon is really cool IMHO. 

Massimo Bertola posted:

Mike,

I'd surely control an ND5 XS-2 with my MacBook Pro, and cover art wouldn't be a problem.. 

M.

I too have a preference for boxes without a display, but you need an iOS device (iPad or iPhone) to control a Naim streamer. You cannot control it from a computer (Mac or Windows) unless, as Simes_Pep  says, you use Roon, but that's a whole new ball game.

The ND5XS was an extremely underrated player in the first place and now getting rid of the display screen which was pointless anyway and along with the further improvements  Naim have made makes the ND5XS2 a really interesting looking streamer.

There used to be a third party app that allowed you to control a Unitiqute 2 from your MacBook but if you are paying for a new ND5XS2 it might be worth investing in a cheap used iPad to use as a remote.                 

Bob the Builder posted:

The ND5XS was an extremely underrated player in the first place and now getting rid of the display screen which was pointless anyway and along with the further improvements  Naim have made makes the ND5XS2 a really interesting looking streamer.        

I don’t know About the ND5XS being underrated: indeed, when I bought mine it was on the basis of good ratings by  the hi-fi press. At that time I didn’t even know that Naim did sources, but once I learnt more its place in the Naim hierarchy seemed right. Personally I found it a respectable player, returning similar sound quality to the CD player it replaced, which I regarded as good. Once into streaming it was not long before I learnt that better was possible for the money if one was prepared to put in some effort - but that does not negate the XS if a simple solution is more important than absolute sound quality. But indeed, if, as anticipated, the ND5XS-2 has improved noticeably on the original then given its price point it will be better value for money and so more desirable.

As for the display, that on the original model was useful for initialising in the system, for firmware updates and fault indication/troubleshooting (and as a bonus, if there was something wrong with the network there was still control to be able to play music on a usb stick), but of no value in day-to-day use. My only question regarding the absence of a display is whether the app’s connectivity is robust enough to be able to fulfil setup and troubleshooting functions.

ChrisSU posted:

Massimo Bertola posted:

Mike,

I'd surely control an ND5 XS-2 with my MacBook Pro, and cover art wouldn't be a problem.. 

M.

I too have a preference for boxes without a display, but you need an iOS device (iPad or iPhone) to control a Naim streamer. You cannot control it from a computer (Mac or Windows) unless, as Simes_Pep  says, you use Roon, but that's a whole new ball game.

My brother-in-law controls his HDX from a web page on his 21" iMac. He also has an app for the iMac: is it an older app, and now it doesn't exists anymore? Anyway, I have more than one iOs device. Thanks,

M.

Bob the Builder posted:

There used to be a third party app that allowed you to control a Unitiqute 2 from your MacBook but if you are paying for a new ND5XS2 it might be worth investing in a cheap used iPad to use as a remote.                 

Thanks, this is a good idea and I'd also have another use for a 2nd hand, older iPad.

Max

A caution re older iPads: if buying one, first check whether it can run the minimum IOS version required by the Naim (or other) app. I have an old (first generation) iPad that other than basic internet and email is now limited to clunky VNC remote control of my player because the proper control app requires a more recent IOS, so I presently use my work iPad, but it seems a shame that an old but still excellent condition device is confined just to stand-by duties.

Massimo Bertola posted:

ChrisSU posted:

Massimo Bertola posted:

Mike,

I'd surely control an ND5 XS-2 with my MacBook Pro, and cover art wouldn't be a problem.. 

M.

I too have a preference for boxes without a display, but you need an iOS device (iPad or iPhone) to control a Naim streamer. You cannot control it from a computer (Mac or Windows) unless, as Simes_Pep  says, you use Roon, but that's a whole new ball game.

My brother-in-law controls his HDX from a web page on his 21" iMac. He also has an app for the iMac: is it an older app, and now it doesn't exists anymore? Anyway, I have more than one iOs device. Thanks,

M.

For an HDX or Unitiserve (i.e. server) yes, you can use the N-Serve app on OSX for playback. The Naim streamers can only be controlled via the Naim app on iOS or Android.

I must be in a minority, I regulary use the keypad and display on my ND5XS. Very easy to select a new album or pull up a jukebox track selection (I use Asset UPnP).
Quicker than finding the tablet and firing up the Naim App.  I love the sound as well.

Its easy to use the Niam app on  a pc with BlueStacks it runs many google apps on a pc.

Peter1480 posted:

Its easy to use the Niam app on  a pc with BlueStacks it runs many google apps on a pc.

 

Hi Peter, is there a Mac version of this?

Mike Sullivan posted:

Peter1480 posted:

Its easy to use the Niam app on  a pc with BlueStacks it runs many google apps on a pc.

 

Hi Peter, is there a Mac version of this?

Yes I believe so google 'bluestacks for OS' but I've not tried it.

I wonder which is best; nd5xs2 with ndac or ndx2. The former should be cheaper now that the ndac go for nothing. Visually they are a good match!

Fred

Fred11 posted:

I wonder which is best; nd5xs2 with ndac or ndx2. The former should be cheaper now that the ndac go for nothing. Visually they are a good match!

Fred

For all we know at the moment, the ND5XS2 may be better on its own than with nDAC...

I heard a ND5XS2 with Supernait 2 very briefly being compared to a 272/250 dr, the ND5XS2 was better able to articulate, a piece of music that I quite frankly did,not like. If that gives some perspective to the ability of the new streamer.

Innocent Bystander posted:

Fred11 posted:

I wonder which is best; nd5xs2 with ndac or ndx2. The former should be cheaper now that the ndac go for nothing. Visually they are a good match!

Fred

For all we know at the moment, the ND5XS2 may be better on its own than with nDAC...

Well, there is some who prefers their Ndx2 with an ndac, so it should be better with one than alone. 

F

Not sure why “should”? (I seem to recall someone  suggesting XS2 may be better than NDX1, though that may have been pure speculation as I don’t think thare have been any detailed comparisons yet)

I like having the display on my qute. I routinely use the provided remote and select off of thw display. 

If I were in the market for a nd5xs2 I'd be very disappointed.  I'm still a bit bummed that there is no ND5si, but that is for another time .