NDX/XPS(DR) -> NDAC/XPS(Olive) anyone tried?

I’m afraid I can’t answer your question, but I’d be prepared to bet that a single 555 on the DAC would be a better upgrade than two XPS’s. 

Lose the NDX. Get an Allo Digi One ($200). The XPS-DR should go on the nDac.

There will be very little benefit to powering the digital transport with a stand-alone XPS.
Essentially the typical set up is: NDX + nDAC + power supply on nDAC.

As Chris noted - the greatest benefit for the nDAC will come from a 555PS (I actually prefer the non-DR version there).

When I was using a CDX2.2 into a nDAC and was tempted by adding an XPS2 to the nDAC I found that the performance was best when, instead of using a single XPS2 on the nDAC, I used two PSUs: an XP5XS on the nDAC and a second on the CDX2.2.  Since the XP5XS was about half the price of an XPS2, the price of the upgrade was about the same.  My dealer's explanation for the result was that separating the PSU from the digital transport provided a performance benefit. That said, I don't know if an NDX would similarly benefit.   

As it’s a good price if you get the XPS DR now you can plan to replace the NDX, Ndac and olive XPS with a nice used NDS. By the time you have traded the 3 boxes you will only have to shell out a few hundred pounds to make this change. Then you will be down to a simpler setup which should sound better.

I have just changed from an NDX/XPS DR to the NDS and the improvement is monumental.

Adam Zielinski posted:

There will be very little benefit to powering the digital transport with a stand-alone XPS.
Essentially the typical set up is: NDX + nDAC + power supply on nDAC.

As Chris noted - the greatest benefit for the nDAC will come from a 555PS (I actually prefer the non-DR version there).

I don't agree with that Adam,  it might apply to a CD Player but unlike a PSU on a CDP where all the unit from DAC downstream is not used,   with a NDX the DAC is a long way down the signal path.  Significant pre-DAC stages include ARM Controller, Streamer Module,  DSP,  various buffers,  clocks & opto-isolation stages.    Before DAC is a sizeable chunk of the streamers processing stage,  take a look at the NDX White Paper   ........  https://www.naimaudio.com/site...te-paper_oct2010.pdf

-> Chrissu, thanks for your input, I also heard 555PS with nDac bring the most out of nDac,  however not sure the price justify the improvement and I certainly can't afford it , at least in the near future...

MDS posted:

When I was using a CDX2.2 into a nDAC and was tempted by adding an XPS2 to the nDAC I found that the performance was best when, instead of using a single XPS2 on the nDAC, I used two PSUs: an XP5XS on the nDAC and a second on the CDX2.2.  Since the XP5XS was about half the price of an XPS2, the price of the upgrade was about the same.  My dealer's explanation for the result was that separating the PSU from the digital transport provided a performance benefit. That said, I don't know if an NDX would similarly benefit.   

MDS, interesting to know PS on transport can also benefit. Is the improvement mainly on the background being quieter or something else? 

trickydickie posted:

As it’s a good price if you get the XPS DR now you can plan to replace the NDX, Ndac and olive XPS with a nice used NDS. By the time you have traded the 3 boxes you will only have to shell out a few hundred pounds to make this change. Then you will be down to a simpler setup which should sound better.

I have just changed from an NDX/XPS DR to the NDS and the improvement is monumental.

that sounds like a good idea, however I wonder how much better NDS/XPS DR sound over NDX/nDAC/XPS DR? 

Unfortunately I can't try my NDX with the Olive XPS, but bare NDX is not as pleasing/even rough compare to NDX/nDAC/XPS(Olive), but then again, it is a 3 box source...

Mike-B posted:

Adam Zielinski posted:

There will be very little benefit to powering the digital transport with a stand-alone XPS.
Essentially the typical set up is: NDX + nDAC + power supply on nDAC.

As Chris noted - the greatest benefit for the nDAC will come from a 555PS (I actually prefer the non-DR version there).

I don't agree with that Adam,  it might apply to a CD Player but unlike a PSU on a CDP where all the unit from DAC downstream is not used,   with a NDX the DAC is a long way down the signal path.  Significant pre-DAC stages include ARM Controller, Streamer Module,  DSP,  various buffers,  clocks & opto-isolation stages.    Before DAC is a sizeable chunk of the streamers processing stage,  take a look at the NDX White Paper   ........  https://www.naimaudio.com/site...te-paper_oct2010.pdf

very interesting information indeed...

Has anyone tried this:

NDX/XPS(Olive) [disable D/A output] -> nDAC/XPS DR ?

Official NDX manual say it can't be used with XPS (olive), but if I disable the D/A output, will the olive XPS able to provide the needed power without damaging itself or the NDX?

Ken_NB posted:

MDS posted:

When I was using a CDX2.2 into a nDAC and was tempted by adding an XPS2 to the nDAC I found that the performance was best when, instead of using a single XPS2 on the nDAC, I used two PSUs: an XP5XS on the nDAC and a second on the CDX2.2.  Since the XP5XS was about half the price of an XPS2, the price of the upgrade was about the same.  My dealer's explanation for the result was that separating the PSU from the digital transport provided a performance benefit. That said, I don't know if an NDX would similarly benefit.   

MDS, interesting to know PS on transport can also benefit. Is the improvement mainly on the background being quieter or something else? 

In truth, I can't tell you what benefit each of the PSUs contributed to the overall system performance as I simply compared CDX2.2/nDAC/XPS2 v CDX2.2/XP5XS/nDAC/XP5XS. That said, I seem to recall my dealer saying that using a separate PSU on the digital transport would lower the noise floor. 

Ken_NB posted:

Has anyone tried this:

NDX/XPS(Olive) [disable D/A output] -> nDAC/XPS DR ?

Official NDX manual say it can't be used with XPS (olive), but if I disable the D/A output, will the olive XPS able to provide the needed power without damaging itself or the NDX?

I would be surprised if anybody has tried this given that the Olive XPS is not suitable to be used on the NDX. Naim is very clear about this.

If you try this, I would suggest having one of these at the ready.

Ken_NB posted:

-> Chrissu, thanks for your input, I also heard 555PS with nDac bring the most out of nDac,  however not sure the price justify the improvement and I certainly can't afford it , at least in the near future...

My logic was that if you can afford two XPS’s, you can afford one 555. Despite any forum ‘wisdom’, of course you would want to listen for yourself to see if it was worthwhile for you. 

trickydickie posted:

Ken_NB posted:

Has anyone tried this:

NDX/XPS(Olive) [disable D/A output] -> nDAC/XPS DR ?

Official NDX manual say it can't be used with XPS (olive), but if I disable the D/A output, will the olive XPS able to provide the needed power without damaging itself or the NDX?

I would be surprised if anybody has tried this given that the Olive XPS is not suitable to be used on the NDX. Naim is very clear about this.

If you try this, I would suggest having one of these at the ready.

well noted :-)

ChrisSU posted:

Ken_NB posted:

-> Chrissu, thanks for your input, I also heard 555PS with nDac bring the most out of nDac,  however not sure the price justify the improvement and I certainly can't afford it , at least in the near future...

My logic was that if you can afford two XPS’s, you can afford one 555. Despite any forum ‘wisdom’, of course you would want to listen for yourself to see if it was worthwhile for you. 

Thanks , that makes much more sense if you put it like that. Glad to hear good advice from many experienced Naim users.

So it now comes down to whether NDS/555PS will provide more benefit than NDX/nDAC/555PS ? And if investment can justify the improvement? 

Ken_NB posted:

So it now comes down to whether NDS/555PS will provide more benefit than NDX/nDAC/555PS ? And if investment can justify the improvement? 

I actually do own and use both combos. Ultimately NDS/555PSDR wins it for me. But the margin is very, very small. Goes to show how good a transport NDX really is and how capable nDAC is.

But NDX has one cool feature which gets used every day for hours - FM/DAB tuner.

Adam, good to know many Naim user also appreciate the nDAC and it’s potential even there are so many other options nowadays .

Ken_NB posted:

Adam, good to know many Naim user also appreciate the nDAC and it’s potential even there are so many other options nowadays .

Of course it is appreciated. And I hope not only by me

if you look for negative reports, you will always find them such is life.

Truth be told it is an escellent and a very functional DAC.

Adam Zielinski posted:

Ken_NB posted:

Adam, good to know many Naim user also appreciate the nDAC and it’s potential even there are so many other options nowadays .

Of course it is appreciated. And I hope not only by me

if you look for negative reports, you will always find them such is life.

Truth be told it is an escellent and a very functional DAC.

 

I very much agree. The nDAC is great VFM too.