It's been a long time since I posted to one of these threads. Main system following a re-org yesterday:
"Nice Rack". Nikon D4s + Micro-Nikkor 60mm f2.8 AF, 1/50 sec @ f4, ISO800. Image hosted on Flickr, all rights reserved.
May 2020 lineup: NDX+XPS (vice-Captain), 252+SC2, 250-2, NAT-02, Dingo.
Not pictured: LP12 (Captain) & SBLs.
It occurs to me I've had the Mana gear for about twenty years (November 2000 delivery?), and the bulk of the Naim electronics since upgrading from Olive CDS2/XPS+82/SC+250 in '03.
I've know the CD555 well, and I've heard the ND555 with both one and two 555 PSUs - in anger - through Statement amplifier... in an extended demo (I preferred the single PSU). My conclusion was that it's an amazing front end that re-writes the book, and reveals so much more in the music... in a coherent manner. And... I've also experienced a 3-box Auralic setup in the same system. The Auralic demo was shorter, and we were playing with a number of parameters; some were 'interesting, but not right'. Let's just say... when we got the parameters 'right' (I use quotes as we hadn't explored all possibilities yet), it was clearly the most amazing digital source I've *ever* heard, anywhere. Absolutely and completely gobsmacking. There may be an Auralic front end in my future.
Olive Naim
Black system
