ND555 Impressions

I wanna be 3000...I wanna be 3000.

back on topic. ????

my due date is tomorrow 

Am I!!!!!!

yup 

With the Interconnect cables - I always found them bright only when new and then that goes after run-in. The SL cable took weeks to come right and I only persisted with that chore as I'd borrowed a run-in demo lead from my Dealer which sounded sublime and just what I wanted - neutral, dynamic and detailed. From new mine was brash, bright and constricted, so almost the opposite of what I like and want.

My dealings with the Chord cables have been rather mixed in that I determined that they do something positive and it is obvious a lot of expertise is behind them, but I could not get the neutral effect of the music becoming more obvious than the HiFi for me - the tuned-array I tried put the music in an arc between my speakers and had poor depth and dynamic rendering compared to the HiLine I then used and frankly preferred, although the Chord had more detail I could not appreciate it in a musical context for my system.

Since then I've stayed with the Naim system cables and found more synergy with them in my all-Naim system, which I'd hope would be the case. To be fair I've not tried the latest Chord cables that may well be far better and have sorted the problems I found - but it put me off as at the time everyone was raving over how great they were and myself and two other friends all-Naim systems did not get on with them so it may be a system-matching thing. Other friends loved them so also a personal taste thing.

Always personally try cables - especially when very expensive - and decide if they work for you as I've experienced very different perspectives on what individuals find is right for them that I would not find right for me.

...and my ND555 continues to run-in, open-out and fill-out sonically and musically delight.

DB.

Dustysox posted:

Am I!!!!!!

Congratulations Dusty, but you just gotta get out a bit more and smell the roses.

PS - I have just realised that you now have a ND555. Don't expect I would go out much if I had one of those.

I have never understood why Naim have bundled the ND555 with a HiLine. Yes, the ND555 deserves more than a stock interconnect but it also deserves more than a HiLine.

My dealer automatically removes the HiLine from the ND555 box and reduces the price accordingly, as none of his ND555 customers wish to use their brand new ND555 with a HiLine.

I must admit I never really took to my HiLine (used variously with NDX, NDS, 282 and 252). It was better than a stock interconnect, but was never really right to my ears. Now the SL interconnect is another story.

Dustysox posted:

I wanna be 3000...I wanna be 3000.

back on topic. ????

Totally missed you in most of the discussion. We want your contribution and drive it to 5000. What have been your impressions so far... ?

nigelb posted:

I have never understood why Naim have bundled the ND555 with a HiLine. Yes, the ND555 deserves more than a stock interconnect but it also deserves more than a HiLine.

My dealer automatically removes the HiLine from the ND555 box and reduces the price accordingly, as none of his ND555 customers wish to use their brand new ND555 with a HiLine.

I must admit I never really took to my HiLine (used variously with NDX, NDS, 282 and 252). It was better than a stock interconnect, but was never really right to my ears. Now the SL interconnect is another story.

I don't understand this critical feedback on the high line. I had it in the past on my machine, and found the result for the CDX-2 with NDAC and later the NDS quite satisfying. Of course the statement interconnect I have already running for quite some while now is in a complete different league. But still you can't expect that to be stocked as standard with the ND555, that would drive the price up further up to a potentially challenging level for newer customers.

Bert Schurink posted:

nigelb posted:

I have never understood why Naim have bundled the ND555 with a HiLine. Yes, the ND555 deserves more than a stock interconnect but it also deserves more than a HiLine.

My dealer automatically removes the HiLine from the ND555 box and reduces the price accordingly, as none of his ND555 customers wish to use their brand new ND555 with a HiLine.

I must admit I never really took to my HiLine (used variously with NDX, NDS, 282 and 252). It was better than a stock interconnect, but was never really right to my ears. Now the SL interconnect is another story.

I don't understand this critical feedback on the high line. I had it in the past on my machine, and found the result for the CDX-2 with NDAC and later the NDS quite satisfying. Of course the statement interconnect I have already running for quite some while now is in a complete different league. But still you can't expect that to be stocked as standard with the ND555, that would drive the price up further up to a potentially challenging level for newer customers.

From the evidence of my dealer alone, it would appear that those buying a ND555 would already have a superior interconnect (HiLine, SuperLumina, Chord), so the inclusion of the HiLine as standard is already driving up the price on a ND555 unnecessarily for many (most?).

I don't think I was critical of the HiLine and said it was better than the stock cable. It simply will hold the ND555 back IMHO. The HiLine is also flippin' fragile and very prone to breakage, and it should rightly be criticised for that, although I never had such a problem with mine.

Surely better to leave the HiLine out of the ND555 bundle, reduce the price accordingly, and let the customer chose if he/she needs to add an interconnect, or if he/she prefers to use an existing one with a brand new ND555.

nigelb posted:

I have never understood why Naim have bundled the ND555 with a HiLine. Yes, the ND555 deserves more than a stock interconnect but it also deserves more than a HiLine.

My dealer automatically removes the HiLine from the ND555 box and reduces the price accordingly, as none of his ND555 customers wish to use their brand new ND555 with a HiLine.

I must admit I never really took to my HiLine (used variously with NDX, NDS, 282 and 252). It was better than a stock interconnect, but was never really right to my ears. Now the SL interconnect is another story.

Nigel, when I purchased my ND555 I did question the dealer on this point and he did remove the Hi Line and carry out a price adjustment.

I did use a Hi Line with my original NDX but found when I upgraded to S/L speaker cables the Hi Line was holding them back they really needed the S/L interconnect in my system to bring the best out of them.

nigelb posted:

I have never understood why Naim have bundled the ND555 with a HiLine. Yes, the ND555 deserves more than a stock interconnect but it also deserves more than a HiLine.

My dealer automatically removes the HiLine from the ND555 box and reduces the price accordingly, as none of his ND555 customers wish to use their brand new ND555 with a HiLine.

I must admit I never really took to my HiLine (used variously with NDX, NDS, 282 and 252). It was better than a stock interconnect, but was never really right to my ears. Now the SL interconnect is another story.

Just a thought - why is it that so many devotees of NACA5, which I would describe as a ‘stock’ speaker cable, are keen to dispense with their ‘stock’ interconnects and spend considerable amounts on SL or Chord upgrades?

[mind you, I would hardly describe a £800 HiLine as ‘stock’!]

Timmo1341 posted:

nigelb posted:

I have never understood why Naim have bundled the ND555 with a HiLine. Yes, the ND555 deserves more than a stock interconnect but it also deserves more than a HiLine.

My dealer automatically removes the HiLine from the ND555 box and reduces the price accordingly, as none of his ND555 customers wish to use their brand new ND555 with a HiLine.

I must admit I never really took to my HiLine (used variously with NDX, NDS, 282 and 252). It was better than a stock interconnect, but was never really right to my ears. Now the SL interconnect is another story.

Just a thought - why is it that so many devotees of NACA5, which I would describe as a ‘stock’ speaker cable, are keen to dispense with their ‘stock’ interconnects and spend considerable amounts on SL or Chord upgrades?

[mind you, I would hardly describe a £800 HiLine as ‘stock’!]

Because NACA5 is great, and SL is better.  You might think about ANY upgrade that way.  I was a devotee of the SN2 for many years, and still am. Yet, I replaced it with 252/250.  Neither is incongruous.  

SHOCKER:  Hi fi devotees spend considerable amounts on upgrades, including cables and interconnects.  So sorry to break it to you!!

Just to be clear, when i refer to a 'stock' interconnect, I am referring to the old style basic DIN with locking rings, not the HiLine. I do accept though that the 'stock' interconnect bundled with the ND555 is the HiLine.

It would be interesting to know how many of the new ND555 owners are using it with the bundled HiLine.

I’m using it with a Hiline I bought for my CDX2, wasn’t going to run another one in on the 555, I don’t find the 555 is wasted in the least with a mere hiline, I didn’t enjoy the SL interconnect when I tried it. I use a Lavendar between my supercap and 552 too but there I’ve never tried anything else. 

I think (nearly) nobody. If you buy the best source available from Naim, you want to have the best interconnect,

whatever IC you prefer (e.g. SL or Chord ). I will get my ND555 mid of Jan also without Hiline.

Sounds like Naim need to rethink sticking a HiLine in with the ND555 as most of them seem to be removed by the dealer and the price reduced accordingly prior to handover.

Presumably this leaves dealers with unwanted HiLines currently.

nigelb posted:

Sounds like Naim need to rethink sticking a HiLine in with the ND555 as most of them seem to be removed by the dealer and the price reduced accordingly prior to handover.

Presumably this leaves dealers with unwanted HiLines currently.

The same thing happened with the CD555.

A good dealer is hardly going to include the Hi-Life if the customer already has one or a SL. But that doesn't mean it's not good of Naim to include for owners who don't.

Between Naim and its dealers, the customer ends up with a win-win solution.

Looks like Naim are going to have a lot of hi-lines on there hands,the ND555s needs the SL.

Michael_B. posted:

nigelb posted:

Sounds like Naim need to rethink sticking a HiLine in with the ND555 as most of them seem to be removed by the dealer and the price reduced accordingly prior to handover.

Presumably this leaves dealers with unwanted HiLines currently.

The same thing happened with the CD555.

A good dealer is hardly going to include the Hi-Life if the customer already has one or a SL. But that doesn't mean it's not good of Naim to include for owners who don't.

Between Naim and its dealers, the customer ends up with a win-win solution.

Oohhh.....I want one of those with my ND555. FOC I presume!

Bob green posted:

Looks like Naim are going to have a lot of hi-lines on there hands,the ND555s needs the SL.

Bob, very true might pop into my local dealer and see how many he’s got on his Christmas tree!

When I had the loan model at home I just plugged it in in place of my NDS, but the new unit came with a Hi-Line supplied. It sounds OK to me, although I agree the plug is a bit fiddly.

Bob green posted:

Looks like Naim are going to have a lot of hi-lines on there hands,the ND555s needs the SL.

No they are used as trade in bargain for dealers, to provide a better deal and in the background sell the highlines to other customers.

nigelb posted:

Bert Schurink posted:

nigelb posted:

I have never understood why Naim have bundled the ND555 with a HiLine. Yes, the ND555 deserves more than a stock interconnect but it also deserves more than a HiLine.

My dealer automatically removes the HiLine from the ND555 box and reduces the price accordingly, as none of his ND555 customers wish to use their brand new ND555 with a HiLine.

I must admit I never really took to my HiLine (used variously with NDX, NDS, 282 and 252). It was better than a stock interconnect, but was never really right to my ears. Now the SL interconnect is another story.

I don't understand this critical feedback on the high line. I had it in the past on my machine, and found the result for the CDX-2 with NDAC and later the NDS quite satisfying. Of course the statement interconnect I have already running for quite some while now is in a complete different league. But still you can't expect that to be stocked as standard with the ND555, that would drive the price up further up to a potentially challenging level for newer customers.

From the evidence of my dealer alone, it would appear that those buying a ND555 would already have a superior interconnect (HiLine, SuperLumina, Chord), so the inclusion of the HiLine as standard is already driving up the price on a ND555 unnecessarily for many (most?).

I don't think I was critical of the HiLine and said it was better than the stock cable. It simply will hold the ND555 back IMHO. The HiLine is also flippin' fragile and very prone to breakage, and it should rightly be criticised for that, although I never had such a problem with mine.

Surely better to leave the HiLine out of the ND555 bundle, reduce the price accordingly, and let the customer chose if he/she needs to add an interconnect, or if he/she prefers to use an existing one with a brand new ND555.

I already had a ChordMusic interconnect ( for NDS) so yeah including Hiline seems unnecessary for many .  

I agree - I'm still using the older HiLine I was using with the NDS. Maybe have the HiLine as a heavily discounted option? Haven't gotten around the selling my old Hiline off yet.