Musicraft
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Hi-Fi Critic reviews Naim Audio's new NDX 2 network player and optional 555 PS DR power supply -
https://www.naimaudio.com/sites/default/files/NDX 2 review.pdf
ANDREW EVERARD THINKS THAT THIS SECOND-GENERATION OF NAIM’S NDX NETWORK AUDIO PLAYER HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR GREATNESS
"it was interesting hear just how well the new player could bring out the scale and ambience of a recording, not to mention the detail it manages to unearth."
"The NDX 2 delighted, with real punch from the big drums and the rasp of the band; only adding the 555 PS DR showed that this player could give even more."
"And with the power supply bolted on? Wow! This gives a tighter focus on the duo, and yet the atmosphere around them is more apparent, spacious and – well, atmospheric."
"By any standards, it’s an excellent player, both in its flexibility and, most of all, its performance."
"The non augmented machine is also pretty special at its price point. Clarity, image depth precision and dynamics are a prime strength, while still greater resolution and improved timing may be had with those optional extra power supplies. An Audio Excellence rating seems appropriate for the NDX 2/555 PS DR combination."
Streamlined connectivity from an exceptionally engaging network player -
Naim Audio's new NDX 2 network player is at Musicraft (Derby) -
With its world-class performance, the versatile and upgradable NDX 2 embodies the current state of the art. A host of features such as high-res UPnPTM streaming, AirPlay, Chromecast built-in, Bluetooth (aptX HD), Spotify Connect, TIDAL, Roon compatibility, vTuner internet radio and multiroom streaming as well as digital and USB inputs provide all the connectivity you could wish for.
Our main focus in developing the NDX 2 network player, however, was its performance. Along with Naim’s bespoke streaming platform, we implemented an upgraded DAC and discrete analogue stages. These and numerous other improvements over its acclaimed predecessor make the NDX 2 a sonic force to be reckoned with, offering highly immersive and lively replay quality.
Naim Audio's 555 PS DR power supply is at Musicraft (Derby)
Not everyone sees hi-fi as we do. For us, a smooth, stable, low-noise power supply isn’t just desirable: it’s fundamental to proper hi-fi performance. Nowhere is that belief more clearly exemplified than in our reference 555 PS DR, the best power supply in our portfolio. Whatever Naim Audio product it partners, the 555 PS DR will improve every aspect of your favourite music. Voices and instruments become clearer and more natural. Perceived dynamic range increases too, while timing – music’s fundamental sense of rhythm and accuracy – snaps into even greater focus.
Naim Audio NDX 2 network player UK RRP £5000
Naim 555 PS DR power supply RRP £7000, £6600 (black powder coated case)
Naim's story begins with one man’s passion for music and weaves its way through four decades and a raft of iconic product launches to the present day.
Naim Audio founder Julian Vereker MBE (1945-2000) was a racing car driver, entrepreneur and self-taught engineer with a deep passion for music. Spending his spare time listening to and recording his friends playing live in the 1960s, Julian found that playback on his system at home fell woefully short of the experience he craved.
Not content with second best he decided to design his own amplifiers and loudspeakers, ignoring accepted wisdom and focusing on aspects of performance that made music burst to life. These first designs laid the foundations for a range of iconic and award-winning hi-fi products that would reach well into the next century.
https://www.naimaudio.com/sites/def...ds/files/Naim-DR_Whitepaper_May2012_FINAL.pdf A technical white paper on the Naim Audio Discrete Regulator technology
Naim Audio. The best of British.
Naim's new NDX 2 network player is at Musicraft (Derby)
Naim's new NDX 2 network player is at Musicraft (Derby)
Naim's new NDX 2 network player is at Musicraft (Derby)
Naim NDX 2 Features -
• UPnP-enabled to allow streaming of audio files at up to 32bit/384kHz resolution from Naim Audio hard disk servers, network-attached storage (NAS) devices or any home computer
• Supports a broad range of music formats: WAV, FLAC, DSD, Apple Lossless, AIFF, AAC, Windows Media-formatted files, M4A and MP3. Gapless playback on all file formats
• Four 24bit/192kHz capable digital inputs (S/PDIF) to support optimum connection to external sources
• 5” colour display presenting album artwork as well as track information
• Built-in Chromecast allows you to stream from hundreds of supported smartphone or tablet apps (192kHz)
• Apple AirPlay - stream music from your iOS device or from iTunes and Apple Music
• Spotify Connect built-in to stream millions of songs from the world’s most popular streaming service
• Native support for TIDAL streaming service with free 90 day trial of lossless HiFi tier
• Front-panel USB port for replay of MP3 player and USB-stored audio (1.6A charge)
• vTuner 5* full-service internet radio
• Multiroom & Party Mode compatible
• iOS and Android Naim Audio app for intuitive control
• Bluetooth connectivity with aptX HD codec for quality audio playback
• Thanks to RC5 system integration, you can control compatible amplifiers that are connected to your network player directly from the Naim app on a phone or tablet.
• Bi-directional, Zigbee®-compatible remote control
• Roon ready - turning your music collection into a beautifully laid out catalogue
Naim NDX 2 Technology & Craft -
The Burr-Brown® PCM1792A digital-to-analogue converter working alongside our new streaming platform is one of the best available. We improved its performance even further by implementing our own digital filters and adding a discrete current to voltage converter immediately after the DAC.
The streaming section of the NDX 2 uses the latest Naim network card featuring low noise, high-speed low-voltage differential signalling (LVDS) to route the digital audio signal. The higher speed is capable of decoding all HD audio formats at up to 32 bits/384 kHz or DSD128. Rather than the source acting as the digital timing master, our new streaming board turns things around and allows our DAC clock to control the flow of audio data. The data is integer-over-sampled in a SHARC DSP to an incredible 40-bit accuracy before it’s fed to the Burr-Brown DAC.
The NDX 2 features an integrated low-noise power supply with a custom-designed toroidal transformer and separate windings for the digital and analogue sections. However, the player can be upgraded with an external XPS DR or 555 PS DR power supply, giving you a marked increase in sonic authority and emotion.
During the development of the NDX 2, our engineers examined every detail, from mechanical construction, component selection and board layout. The result is a network player worthy of the Naim badge, with a sound that’s rich, detailed and engaging.
Naim 555 PS DR power supply is at Musicraft (Derby)
Naim 555 PS DR Features
— Seven regulated supply voltages, including a separate supply for the CD555 clock circuit
— Low-resonance case with isolating feet
— Massive transformer, 40 percent larger than that fitted to the XPS2 DR
— Supplied with Power-Line mains cable as standard
— All-new Naim Discrete Regulator (DR) configuration, delivering Naim Audio’s best-ever standards of stable, low-noise power
Naim 555 PS DR power supply is at Musicraft (Derby)
Naim 555 PS DR Technology & Craft
The 555 PS DR benefits from both our decades of experience and our relentless pursuit of superior sound quality. Its massive transformer, some 40 percent larger than that fitted to our XPS2 DR power supply, features five separate windings outputting to seven regulated supply voltages, including an output specifically intended for use with the clock circuitry of our CD555 and ND555.
The 555 PS DR was updated in 2012 as a result of a two year project to develop a new discrete regulator (DR) for Naim Audio power supplies. The new Naim Audio DR now features, alongside improvements to the wire routing, mechanical decoupling and internal layout. These enhancements, developed through intensive listening tests, significantly raise performance and make music even more .
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