Naim announced that they would start shipping their new XP5 XS power supply today.
The XP5 XS which comes complete with Burndy lead is designed to significantly improve the performance of the ND5 XS network player as well as delivering a major performance upgrade to the Naim DAC, NDX network player, CDX2 (models with and without S/PDIF), CDX and CDS CD players as well as the multi award-winning HDX hard disk player.
The MF is initially very enticing, it has a very direct quality as if a veil has been removed from in front of the speakers but at the same time it wasn’t quite as cohesive. The DacMagic – set to my preferred Minimum phase setting – was a little more relaxed, laid back in presentation but the bass was together with the rest of the band.
Decided to use Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours, but slightly more unusually the DVD-A rip so the source is 24/96. Unlike quite a few DVD-A’s this one appears to have some content above 22k. Amazing though that given the total available dynamic range they still needed to ‘clip’ the recording. Still sounds rather good though.
To start I compared the standard power supply with the MaplinL54BR. Pleasant surprise, the Maplin delivers a subtlety of delivery that doesn’t emphasise any particular instruments. The original in comparison seems to make the bass line and the hi-hat a little more obvious in the mix of Dreams and decreases the importance of Stevie Nick’s voice.
I’ve been reading good reports on various fora of using a 240 to 12V AC transformer from Maplin as a relacement power supply for the Dacmagic. It’s a 36VA tranny in a plastic case with a captive 2 core mains cable and a selection of pluggable DC plugs. It’s Maplin part number L54BR. It costs £15.
I’ve picked up one locally so reports of some listening results very soon.
Elbow’s award winning album The Seldom Seen Kid is available on vinyl. It’s heavy, split onto two records and is 45rpm.
A 225VA 12V toroid has arrived today for the “does a larger transformer improve the Cambridge DacMagic trial”.
Hope to add the necessary connections to do the first listening tests tomorrow – more then.
I’ve had a Cambridge Dacmagic for maybe a couple of months now and it’s not disappointed. For two hundred pounds it’s fabulous value.
Failure of two computers: one due to a failing Hard Drive followed by a dead Power Supply.