ND 555

Pure musicality with our most advanced streaming platform

Our reference network player is quite simply the best source component we’ve ever developed. Drawing on decades of digital and analogue engineering experience, the ND 555 marries our innovative new streaming platform with classic Naim analogue technology. It features a 40-bit SHARC processor with advanced signal processing, a suspended brass sub-chassis to isolate sound-critical circuits from vibrations and the best external power supply we’ve ever made. Whether you’re listening to Bonham’s solid groove or Coltrane’s dizzying scales, the ND 555 lets the music flow with astonishing ease and uniquely engaging musicality. Partnered with Statement or 500 series amplification, we believe the ND 555 is as close to live music as it gets.

A rich audio heritage

The ND 555 is the result of over four decades of audio engineering. From our state-of-the-art streaming module to powerful, natural-sounding audio stages – every element of this network player is built on our design DNA, giving it that distinctive, captivating Naim sound. The ND 555 development process also helped us step foot into new technologies: for the first time, we’ve added low-voltage differential signalling (LVDS) to a premium Naim player. We chose LVDS because it minimises timing errors due to its fast speed and it minimises radiation thanks to its low noise.

Expert craftsmanship

The ND 555 is bristling with innovative technology from input to output. The streaming section uses the latest Naim network card featuring low-noise, high-speed LVDS to route the digital audio signal. The higher speed is capable of decoding most 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 and fed into the Burr-Brown® PCM1704, a true R2R ladder DAC valued for its exceptional sound quality.

Naim’s renowned DR regulator technology, as used in our range of amplifiers and power supplies, makes its first appearance in a network player, providing ultra-pure DC voltage to the sensitive audio circuitry in the ND 555. The analogue stages use only high-grade through-hole components and are suspended on sprung sub-chassis with heavy brass plates to minimise the effects of microphony.

Ultra-clean power for maximum performance

The ND 555 uses a total of 13 Naim DR regulators to provide ultra-clean voltage to the individual audio stages. Designed in-house to maintain a stable DC output voltage regardless of fluctuations in the supply voltage or the current draw from the output, our DR regulators allow our circuits to operate at their absolute best with minimal noise and interference. Moreover, the ND 555’s power supply is housed in a separate unit to keep electro-magnetic interference from the oversized toroidal transformer at bay.

Three years and 25 engineers

Developing a new streaming platform was one of the biggest projects we have ever taken on. Naim engineers across all disciplines – electronic, industrial, acoustic and mechanical – worked for three years to create a system that could make the most of online services such as TIDAL and Spotify while adding future-proof flexibility through Chromecast built-in. The new streaming platform is complemented by a large full-colour display, making the ND 555 second to none in terms of both audio performance and user experience.

Isolating digital and analogue circuitry

During development, our engineers produced several chassis prototypes to test different ways of isolating the ND 555’s digital circuitry from its delicate analogue stages. A simple shield would have reduced interference to a degree, but the team wanted to find a more effective solution for Naim’s reference player, finally arriving at a completely separate housing within the main chassis. It acts as a Faraday cage shielding other components from electrical noise, thus helping to increase the ND 555’s performance even further.

Absolute control

There are several ways to control ND 555. The Naim App for iOS and Android gives you complete control over individual or multiple Naim products. You can access all of your music including radio pre-sets, streaming services and playlists, sync several Naim players for multiroom playback or explore artist discographies and biographies. The app also controls our Uniti Core music server (so there’s no need for two separate apps) and allows you to update your system wirelessly with a single tap.

For those who prefer a more tactile experience, a premium metal Zigbee® remote control is supplied. It requires no line of sight to the player, so you can take control whatever direction you’re facing. The front panel features a 5” colour display presenting album artwork as well as track information in crisp detail, and there are keys for most commonly used functions including standby and input selection.