Naim CD5 and Digital Noise on the Line

Posted by: Jaybar on 29 October 2000

When I plugged in my new Naim CD5 (My first Naim compnent), the sound of Vinyl, via a Linn TT worsened slightly. My Spectral amp/Pre-amp are very sensitive to digital noise on the line. Naim does not recommend after-market power cords such as MIT which may help. Nor do they recommend turning off the CDP when playing vinyl. Nor do they recommend plugging into an MIT power conditioner, which Isolates the digital. What can I do?

Posted on: 29 October 2000 by Former member

My suspicion is not that you are getting digital noise through the CD5 power line, but that you have a ground loop.

First of all check that you do not have your system signal ground grounded at two points. I suspect that you have a ground connection to the signal 0v at both the turntable and the CD5.

If this is the case you have two options, firstly to break the signal ground at the CD5 (I believe that your NAIM dealer would do this, it is a simple task) or secondly, to break the signal ground at the Linn TT. Again, the dealer should be able to do this easily.

Good luck!