Living with the NDS - End of the Journey

[Martin Crowther]

My Father always said that the art of gambling was knowing when to stop. I guess you could say the same about running a Naim System. Not the gambling aspect you understand but the ability to call a halt to the seemingly endless (and very well judged) upgrade spiral. Well I think that I might have finally reached that stopping point with the arrival of the NDS.

So 25 years after buying my first pieces of Naim kit (a second-hand 42.5/110), James arrived and set-up the 555PS and NDS to replace the XPS2 and nDAC .  I think I might have finally reached that point I've always aspired to: CDX2 / 555PS / NDS / Supercap2 / 252 / 300 / Kudos Titans (plus a Well Tempered Amadeus for those vinyl moments)!

So a month on from its arrival, I thought I might share a few thoughts on Living with the NDS:

Sound Quality

Ye Gods this thing is difficult to turn-off! I could talk about the natural presentation or the timing (it's not "fast" per-se it's just "right"), the added detail or the crisper bass lines but the bottom line is it's just on all the time playing music and re-acquainting me with my catalogue of music. Best of all for me, in addition to rocking with the best (Oh I don't know something like Joe Bonamassa live),  it really brings out the textures and makes sense of old electronic favourites such as Phaedra era Tangerine Dream.

Usability

OK, so I have all of my CDs ripped onto a NAS and connected via Ethernet, N-Stream running on my iPad, a fairly large USB stick with my favourite Hi-Res files plugged in and the CDX2 digital output all connected. My cup overfloweth so to speak! However, there's no getting away from the fact that about 95% of the time I'm still using CDs on the CDX2 as preference. Partly this is old habits but also an indication, I suspect, that there isn't much (if any) detriment to using the NDS as a DAC.

I tend not to be hyper-critical when listening but I suspect that the USB stick offers the ultimate in quality though. I was planning on doing some sensible listening tests to be definitive on this but frankly every time I think about it I just end up playing more music instead. Reading elsewhere the NDS article by that other (and rather more erudite) Martin C, I also understand that there are gains to be had by turning off all but one input but, again, time spent doing that means not listening to music!....perhaps a subject for another blog when I've grown used to my NDS's sound?

System Matching

OK so obviously the NDS is perfectly matched with the 252 and 300 (and really needs a 555PS to make it sing). However, what I wanted to pick up on is how well it seems to be matched to the Kudos Titans. As always it's difficult to articulate these things without sounding like an over-excited wine expert but it does sound like both are simply getting out of the way of the music and letting the emotion of the performance through. Were the Titans optimised with a vinyl source I wonder?

End of the Journey?

So in summary, yes it does feel like the end of the journey and I'm enjoying real contentment with the system. Yes I know there are 500 series upgrades out there (don't tempt me James!) but I feel my system has reached a nice state of equilibrium that I will be reluctant to alter.

....Happy Days! 

Martin C

...............................................

Postscript....BUT

Ah yes there is the small matter of cables. As Polarbear so eloquently observes, the time to explore cable options is when you are content with your system - a category I clearly fall into! I've always used the basic cables (the exception being a Hydra power chord for domestic convenience) so there is plenty of room for experimentation without upsetting the core of the system. Vertere and Chord both get a mention on this forum - perhaps a new "journey" is in the offing (I always was a terrible gambler!)

[Polarbear]

HI Martin.

Thanks for sharing your journey with us, a very interesting read.

Strange we both start from exactly the same position. I started with a 42-5/110 way back in 1985 and we all know where I ended up. 

Do I feel I have reached the end of my journey, I don't think we ever do. I enjoy my system immensely  and although I feel I know have the system I will settle with I am always looking for that little improvement. Black box wise, I think its going to be very difficult to change what I have now, the same with the speakers, the ART's still impress me every day. As you have already noticed the improvements I have found in the last few years have come from cables. I went the Vertere way but the Chords are equally impressive, however one of the biggest upgrades I made was moving from the Grahams Hydra to the custom made mains system I have now. It takes your system up to the next level.

I may not be so active kit wise and Naim forum wise but I still believe my journey is far from over.

Regards

PB

[Dave Burke]

Great blog post Martin, and one that echos my own experience to a large extent. The NDS is a very special music machine, that opens up a wide window on your personal music catalogue. I am also very content with my system, but have come to realise that a room upgrade is required as I feel my current listening room is holding me back. Luckily I have the space to convert my office and an adjacent room into a 4.5m x 5.5m dedicated room, with complete freedom to apply whatever acoustic treatment is required. This will be a project sometime in the New Year - details of course will be posted here...!

After that, who knows, but I am tempted by a 552, and perhaps a cable or two.

[Christopher Bell]

Great review Martin.  I moved from a CD555 to the NDS in January and could not be happier with the results.  The NDS+555DR pulls out more detail than I ever thought was present on my CDs.  It has a super involving sound which pairs very nicely with my S600's.  I have reconnected with music I have not listened to in years and the iRadio has opened up a new world of options as well.  This is digital at its best.   

[Graham Finch]

Add another 555ps dr perhaps

[Martin Crowther]

Thanks for the comments Gents. I don't think, even as I was writing, that I truly thought it was the end of the journey. Perhaps the end of "a" journey would have been better? It certainly feels like a nice place to settle for the winter.

It's interesting to hear that I'm not the only one reconnecting with my music archives via the NDS - surely the ultimate definition of an upgrade! One thing i forgot to mention was the reaction of my wife, Anne, who plays and teaches flute and piano. She was never a particular fan of the Titans but it only took her about 15 seconds to change her mind with the current setup. Her ears are definitely to be trusted.....especially when she agrees with me.

...........i wonder if she'd notice another 555?