Page 44 - Hi-Fi World (January 2020)

REVIEW

the screen only and may
need binoculars.
The case is 87mm high,
432mm wide and 324mm
deep, weighing a hefty 10kgs,
so as streamers go this is a
big one. One of the reasons
is that Naim use a massive
toroidal mains transformer
inside, feeding a linear power
supply. No cheap switch-
modes here!
The alloy case is of tank-
like construction, with clean
edges and rock solid feel. At
right sit Naim’s soft-touch
back illuminated press button
controls, but with remote
and app available there’s
not much need. And I find
Naim’s app easy to use; there
aren’t too many obscure side
functions; most of what you
need to see and do sits in
plain sight.
Naim say they use a Massive toroidal mains transformer (bottom right) marks the NDX 2 out
Burr-Brown PCM1792A as 'a Naim'. It feeds a huge linear power supply and low noise regulated
digital-to-analogue convertor power lines that all contribute to the Naim sound. The main board is
chip with their own digital neatly laid out.
filters and current-to-voltage
convertor. Shame there are
no filter options available, although portable player plugged in optically. mean Daz (Persil?) clean, washed
Naim’s filter is pretty drastic by Measurement showed no difference of grunge, clear and strong at bass
digital standards between these inputs except optical frequencies and with a gloriously
– and it gives will not play 192kHz sample rate open sound stage of spacious
fine sound. But data, which is a TOSLINK connector dimension – but without warmth.
then I often end limitation, rather than a system Classical enthusiasts will gurgle
up preferring limitation. with delight – as I did! With
slower filters that Initially I partnered the Naim large orchestras like the Berliner
restrict analogue with our Creek Evolution 100A Philharmoniker playing Don Quixote,
bandwidth, so no amplifier, connected by Chord Horn Concerto 2, Richard Strauss
big surprise. Company Epic unbalanced RCA (24/96) the NDX2 threw up a
Files up to phono plug terminated cables (the massive performance that spread
32bit at 384kHz
resolution (PCM) "The clincher with NDX 2 is
are readable, plus
a wide range of file sound quality. What I heard was
formats including
WAV, FLAC, Apple convincing"
Lossless (ALAC),
Aiff, MP3, M4A,
and Windows files Naim lacks XLR), but it sounded so wide across the room, giving the
such as WMA. DSD64 and DSD128 good I decided to move on to our orchestra scale and presence. The
are playable as well, I found. Icon Audio Stereo 30SE single-ended Naim’s strong low-end delivery of
Omissions are remote control of valve amplifier to squeeze out some kettle drum strikes also brought
volume – a surprise – and balanced more. power, but the presentation is a clean
XLR outputs. There’s no headphone Loudspeakers were Martin Logan one, with no hint of softness. Horns
output either. All disappointing at the ESL-X hybrid electrostatics, cables had excellent timbral resolution,
price. Chord Company Signature Reference sounding richly metallic, yet were
and an Isotek Evo 3 Mosaic Genesis crisply delivered; quite a fast sound
SOUND QUALITY re-generated power supply provided for Naim and that’s why I said Naim-
I hooked the Naim NDX 2 up to our clean mains of 0.1% distortion to ish. In the past Naim was more laid
network and ran it mostly from our the system, instead of the 3%+noise back I recall.
Melco N10/100 ethernet connected that affects our London supply (fairly The NDX 2’s character was
server. However, I also used a USB typical value). interesting with Rock. Playing the
flash memory drive plugged in at The NDX2 had a distinctive challenging Dreams from Fleetwood
front and our Astell&Kern AK120 sound, sort of Naim-ish. By that I Mac (24/96) I was hit by a sound
44 HI-FI WORLD JANUARY 2020 www.hi-fiworld.co.uk