Audiophilepure

REVIEW: Naim ND555DAC and PS555 Power Supply

Yes, build quality at this level is superb, and of course, thousands of hours of research, testing, and prototyping went in the front door. But in the end, when you compare the finest DACs at this price point as a whole, they still outperform the DACs a click or two down. Finally, when you graduate to a player at this level, there is no more regret. You won’t find yourself sitting in the listening chair pondering, “if it only did a little more of this, or a little less of that.” Build quality, execution, ergonomics, and most of all, sound quality are all top. Another thought to ponder:  because Naim can build a product at this level makes their entry-level digital products equally compelling. There’s a deep pool of knowledge to swim in, so even if you can’t play at the top of the mountain, it’s still a good day wherever you can be. Naim makes a fantastic $3k player because they have the engineering chops to make a $40k player.

Naim digital players are at the top of the mountain when capturing music’s pace and timing. There is a correctness here that is achieved by precious few digital players, and when listening to acoustic instruments, everything in the mix feels as if it’s the proper size and has correct spatial relationships. Some players can feel overblown, yet with the ND555, you can hear the difference between an upright Steinway and a Grand. This level of musicality will have you looking at your turntable, wondering if you really need to fuss with vinyl anymore. It’s that good.