202/200 and Contour 1.1 and Thanks to the Forum

Congratulations Mike. I watched your progress maybe due to the fact that you live in the Northeast as I do. I think my next step may be to add a used hicap to my Nait 5...we shall see.

James,

I know a CDX2 would be the more "source first" appropriate move. However, I can't see sinking that much money into a player with the format uncertainty in the marketplace. Besides, if I add a hicap to the CD5, I can always move it to the preamp when and if I do upgrade the disk player. Your point is well taken, but I think that a hicap for the CD5 is still the best next step, either as an intermediate or more permanent next step.

We'll see.

-M

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mike in PA, USA:
James,

I know a CDX2 would be the more "source first" appropriate move. However, I can't see sinking that much money into a player with the format uncertainty in the marketplace.
-M

---

What format uncertainty ? There's LPs and CDs what else is there ?

Peter

mike-

my $.02: kick back and enjoy. re-visit the cdp in spring. sure, everyone will tell you that a cdx2 is vastly superior to a capped cd5. who knows....maybe your next upgrade will be speakers. logical choices would be the Dyn Special 25 or, believe it or not, the Audience 52SE (which I also have in a second system.)

The A 52SE is similar to a 1.3SE - says Dynaudio USA's Amelio the service dude. Same tweeter but a better woofer. They are really taking a bite out of the entry Contour monitor, the S1.4s I think. The 25 does the same thing yet borrows its components from the $35K Temptations.

You can't go wrong either way. For me, Dynaudios match well with Naim.

Cheers,
Ian

'I can't see sinking that much money into a player with the format uncertainty in the marketplace.'
I also don't think there's as much format uncertainty as there was a year ago. To make the point, Warner Brothers are just starting to issue as remastered CDs a whole bunch of stuff they'd held over for DVD-A - which no-one seems to be buying.

So there are about to be remastered versions of the Fleetwood Mac and REM albums, for example.

I suppose my point about the source is that I am satisfied for now, and see no point in doing anything (except maybe the HiCap whose usefullness would have a longer lifespan). Wating for the format issues to settle also includes perhaps the introduction of combination players that play CDs (also R-CDs and RW-CDs) as well as DVDs with the musical attention of current quality CD players. It will be interesting to see/hear the DVD5, but perhaps my next source upgrade would be a DVDS1?!!

As far as speakers, I love my Dynes and would probably need to upgrade my room before a major speaker move, although I also find the Totem Mani-2s enticing.

So it's probably a HiCap for me in the spring, and after that who knows?

-M

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mike in PA, USA:

Thanks to all on the forum who helped me arrive at this point, especially Naimed in MY who pushed me for the 202.

-Mike

---

Mike - I've been away for a few days and missed your post until now. I'm really glad to hear you're loving the 200/202 combo. It still blows me away and I think it represents great VFM.

Enjoy your system before rushing into more upgrades. However, when you do, either Hi-Capping the CD5 or getting a CDX2 will be a huge improvement. I don't have a Naim cpd (yet), and recently auditioned: (a) a bare CD5; (b) CD5 + FC2; (c) CD5 + HC2; and (d) CDX2. My conclusions were: (a) a bare CD5 is a heck of a cdp; (b) the FC2 did not result in a great improvement to my ears; (c) the HC2 was a great improvement and, if I ever purchase a CD5, would later upgrade it with a HC2 and skip the FC2; and (d) as great as the CD5 + HC2 sounded, the CDX2 was remarkably better in every area and the difference was immediately noticable. For now, I've decided to try to save up for a CDX2 and see if I can squirrel away the cash and get over the psychological hump of spending so much on a cdp. However, if, like you, I already had CD5, I very easily could see myself adding a HC2 first and then, if a CDX2 ever was obtained, moving the HC2 to the 202. If you go that route, don't worry - the HC2 was a great improvement to the CD5. (One caveat - if you listen to a lot of radio and/or records, you may get a bigger bang putting the HC2 on the 202 instead of the CD5.)

Best of luck and let us know how you make out (and keep enjoying that 200/202).

Regards,

Naimed-in-NY

Mike and N-i-NY,

Just saw a lightly used CDX2 pop up on Audiogon. Last one I saw there was three months ago. I think it sold for aroung $3,200.

Just a thought.....

Cheers,
ian

Not interested. I am enjoying my system for now!