bob atherton
pfm Member
What I like is that there are a lot of options available from Naim and from Teddy.
Technically, it is better to have the regulators as close as possible to the circuit being powered. I think that the idea behind the external power supply was commercial, to offer an upgrade path.
Here is an update 5 days into the TXPS burn in.
It's an interesting process as the unit does seem to take awhile to come on song, and there have been times during the past 5 days where I wasn't sure if I liked the "new" presentation more than what I'd experienced previously.
Around day 3 I really felt like the presentation of the music was falling apart... just lacking in velocity somehow.
Things started coming together more on Day 4, and I did some A/B testing where I alternated between the NDX onboard psu followed by the TXPS. The difference is really significant. With the TXPS the music does seem to "leap" from the speakers with more separation and detail, especially in the low and high band. This may come at a cost to the mid range. I'm not sure if it's just a little "buried" given the extra oomph at the extremes... perhaps this aspect takes a little longer to come together as the unit burns in. I'd also say the NDX bare may "swing" a little more... that infamous PRaT that people talk about.
I must admit though that after returning home from work today I queued up a 24/192 recording of Diana Krall Live in Paris... and the mid range does seem to be coming more on song now... what I'm hearing is rather hard to find fault with.
Another interesting point... I find with the TXPS up and running my comfortable listening level is around 8:30 - 9:00 on the 282 volume pot. With the bare NDX I was usually around 8.
Naim has a business model based on filling your room with expensive PSU upgrades, with associated expensive racks and cabling.
Its outdated.
Glad I got out of it. ;-)
Haha, I am glad for you too, my bank advisor share my thoughts...Glad I got out of it. ;-)
+1. Wherever you are on the Naim ladder, you are never quite "there" and it'll be better if you buy "this" even more expensive box.
That makes sense to a point but what if you want to buy the best Naim has to offer of a particular product in the current range, then basically you've no option but to have two boxes. There's seemingly no technical merit to having a separate PSU and according to Teddy_Pardo above, there's actually a benefit to having the PSU integrated within the main unit. With NDS you've no choice but to have two boxes because it doesn't have an internal PSU!
I suppose its horses for courses or the "Naim Way" as has been stated. Good to hear Mr Pardo has a much more sensibly priced and more compact option because £1650 plus for a PSU seems excessive to me. Glad you're enjoying the XPS Zipperheadbanjo.
Which makes Naim different than other audio companies (or any manufacturer of consumer electronics, car companies, etc. etc.) how exactly?
A freshly ordered Teddy Pardo XPS just arrived via Canada Post. 4 days door to door. Quite impressive. Just installed it (unit is still cold literally from being in a Canada Post truck in -15 temps) onto my NDX.
Looking forward to hearing it after 4 hours of warm up time after I get home from work . and to the bedding in process in general over the next 4 weeks.
I have read in another topic that you also have a ndac. If it is for NDX bare, the teddy is the wiser choice to see by yourself the difference.Very interested as well. Would like to max out my source (NDX) to my SN2 either XPSDR then HICAPDR or TXPS/TCAP.
I have read in another topic that you also have a ndac. If it is for NDX bare, the teddy is the wiser choice to see by yourself the difference.
As for the SN2 i tried briefly, when i received 202 200 HCDR, the HCDR on it and wasn't quite convinced. For the 202/200 when i swapped HCDR to SCAP teddy I was really surpised in a good way with the changes for more or less the same price.
Here is an update 5 days into the TXPS burn in.
It's an interesting process as the unit does seem to take awhile to come on song, and there have been times during the past 5 days where I wasn't sure if I liked the "new" presentation more than what I'd experienced previously.
Around day 3 I really felt like the presentation of the music was falling apart... just lacking in velocity somehow.
Things started coming together more on Day 4, and I did some A/B testing where I alternated between the NDX onboard psu followed by the TXPS. The difference is really significant. With the TXPS the music does seem to "leap" from the speakers with more separation and detail, especially in the low and high band. This may come at a cost to the mid range. I'm not sure if it's just a little "buried" given the extra oomph at the extremes... perhaps this aspect takes a little longer to come together as the unit burns in. I'd also say the NDX bare may "swing" a little more... that infamous PRaT that people talk about.
I must admit though that after returning home from work today I queued up a 24/192 recording of Diana Krall Live in Paris... and the mid range does seem to be coming more on song now... what I'm hearing is rather hard to find fault with.
Another interesting point... I find with the TXPS up and running my comfortable listening level is around 8:30 - 9:00 on the 282 volume pot. With the bare NDX I was usually around 8.
Ideally the regulators should be as close as possible to the circuit being powered, and the transformer as far as possible. This is what we do with our two box products, the PR1 and and TeddySuperCap.