CDX2 - The OBE
Posted by: Bob Shedlock on 07 February 2003
OBE= Out of the box experience
Earlier I had posted an inquiry asking if anyone had done a direct comparison between the CDX2 and a CD5/Hi cap.
I'm doing exactly that now, for those who may be interested.
First off, let me say I've never heard the original CDX, however I have heard or reviewed or owned lots of expensive digital gear, including but not limited to Theta, Levinson, Pass, Audio Note, etc.. Some of which cost lots more than the CDX2. Ultimately I found them lacking in one way or another otherwise they'd still be here.
I feel the CD5/Hi is an incredible combination and still, despite prior experience that high priced digital gear is a bad investment, I had to try the CDX2.
System context: 82/super/250/Ninkas w/optional base, all Naim wire throughout.
As the title reflects, this is day one out of the box.
What's different? Well, from stone cold it's as good as the CD5/Hi, although the extremes are not as extended. Clearly a warm up/break-in thing, I'm sure since I do expect the CDX2 have at least as good a bass response as the CD5/Hi.
What is better? Two attributes. Dimesionality and cohesion. The body of instruments is much more credible, practically organic. The added sense of substance is not to be confused with a greater sense of space or venue. It is a wholly defined tonal experience of percieving more of any given sound w/in the recording.
Cohesion is lock step w/integration. When listening to baroque the various instruments asking and answering in counterpoint makes more sense in total, and the subtle technique of the artists playing enriches the performance to the extent of shading the pieces with new meaning.
So, the above is readily apparent right out of the box. I know the CDX2 is "supposed" to sound better than the CD5/Hi, no surprises there. The question is: Is it worth the money?
I'll give you my opinion on THAT in the comming days. Who knows, things could go all askew as the CDX2 loosens up.
It looks very promising thus far, based on the OBE. more later
Posted on: 07 February 2003 by silklee
Do hope you can report back when the cdp warms up. I am doing my own comparison of the cd5 vs the cdx at the moment and i think we could exchange notes.
Btw, how much did you get the cdx2 for?
Posted on: 08 February 2003 by steve watts
Looks like we are all at it......
Based on the recent improvements to my mains supply, I took a leap of faith yesterday and bought a recent model CDX.
So I have now had the pleasure and privilage of comparing my 3.5/Hi against the CDX.
CDX has it. Hunt is now on for an XPS!!
Steve
Posted on: 08 February 2003 by Bob Shedlock
John - I'm not saying it is "effectively" like anything at this point. Way to early for that.
My dealer said the CDX2 is the first cdp that did not make him wish he had the vinyl copy, which also is not saying it sounds like vinyl.
I too have a "modest" P3, w/Origin Live structural mod, Godring Elite into Stageline K/Hi cap. For a "budget" spinner they are pretty good, eh!
A comparison and contrast of that type is quite away off, since the CDX2 will have to be credibly bedded in.
At the onset I'm simply focusing on the two players, CD5/Hi v CDX2. As with most things Naim, patience is a virtue when it comes to break-in.
Posted on: 08 February 2003 by Rico
Good lord! And I thought I was the only one here using the Goldring Elite!
Bob, I note you're using the 'K' variant stageline... did you ever try the 'S', and what differences did you notice? I've been meaning to try 'K' boards with mine (5 series boards in NAC82) - will do soon.
Rico - SM/Mullet Audio
PS - congrats on CDX2 - it's a really cracking CD Player.
Posted on: 08 February 2003 by Bob Shedlock
Rico - Never tried any other boards. The Elite is a musically satisfying cart --- for the money. Some day I'll sort out the vinyl front end and see just how much I want to invest in what is arguably a dying format. (I have a huge album collection, but in my house mostly cd's get played. Just the way it is.)
Posted on: 08 February 2003 by Peter Stockwell
quote:
Originally posted by Bob Shedlock:
Rico - Never tried any other boards. The Elite is a musically satisfying cart --- for the money. Some day I'll sort out the vinyl front end and see just how much I want to invest in what is arguably a dying format. (I have a huge album collection, but in my house mostly cd's get played. Just the way it is.)
Arguably dying format is it ? I'd disagree if the hordes of yoofs I had to compete with for 2nd hand vinyl this weekend are anything to go by. What's more one of my preferred sources of 2nd hand vinyl, Gibert Joseph, blvd St Michel, Paris is phasing out 2nd vinyl to sell more new vinyl ... It's true that the space is just a patch on the CD space but it's on the up and up all the time. Looks like vinyl will always have it's niche.
btw, a lot of what is called 'glare' for CD replay is down to the quality of the AC supply to the equipment. I have a number of CDs where I don't regret having a vinyl copy. That said, it does seem that there's something 'chunkier', to borrow from art Dudley, about vinyl replay at its best.
Peter
Posted on: 09 February 2003 by Bob Shedlock
Peter & John - Gentlemen, shed some density about vinyl. I wrtoe "arguably"! You don't need to debate it with me. Statisticaly vinyl sales have made somewhat of a rebound. Still, I doubt that we shall ever see it as the premier format in terms of overall sales.
I have most of the albums I bought as a teenager on my Saturday morning forays to spend my allowance. (BTW, most of those wonderful shopping sprees were w/ the oft-referenced Art Dudley. We grew up together.)
Today youth are spending their money on video games and downloading music from the net. This generation will not have tons of albums. Just a fact guys. Although I truly hope to have at least several more decades on this planet, the market for vinyl shall shrink with us, the minority audio nuts.
That said, some of the second hand record stores around here are better than any store I ever visited when vinyl was the only format. Hence, the use of the word "aruguably".
John - Dealer's comments on the CDX2 were w/OUT the xps!!! I find that very encouraging indeed. Hopefully I'll have more to report this week on the progress of CDX2. Don't want to turn this post into a break-in diary.
I find the OL structural mod to be a worthwhile investment (it's not a lot of money, less than $100 US.) Did show up some placement issues with spinner that I'm working out.
Posted on: 09 February 2003 by Bob Shedlock
Post Script - Last vinyl I bought was the 180 gram release of Nat King Coles Greatest Hits, double set. Now I wish I had the CD copy so I could compare them. You wanna talk about palpable presence and dynamics!
Posted on: 09 February 2003 by silklee
My little contribution
Over a boring Sunday afternoon, I manage to get hold of a cdx and a hicap.
Over the last 2 days I have been comparing the cd5 and the cdx. To put it very simply, the bare cd5 sounds clinical and unmusical in direct comparison to the bare cdx. The cdx just seems to be one step closer to the analog sound.
The cdx just seems to sound so much more natural, giving better seperation. But what really seems to differentiate it from the cd5 is that, I cant believe I am actually saying this, it seems to make more musical sense. I know I sound a little crazy.
I tried the hicap on the cd5 v cdx. Still the same conclusion. However it seems that the difference was more evident on slower songs rather than faster rock songs.
But what was most interesting to me was this. As some might know that I have a boom problem in my room as I posted earlier. The hicap on my 92 seems to work like a charm. The boom was mostly gone (IMHO, though my friend thought that the difference wasn’t that great), ie the bass was so much more controlled.
Needless to say, the cdx/hi/92/90 was great. Fast, finess, the analog sound, it was all there. And no (not much) boom.
Posted on: 09 February 2003 by Bob Shedlock
Silklee - My experience adding power supplies in my system is that it usually regresses for a time, then leaps way ahead after a week or so.
Perhaps you should leave the hi in for a few more days and listen again. If you like what it does (and you should), you'll only discover more of the good things getting better.
I can see where a power supply would aleviate boom, btw.
Still waiting on my CDX2, but it has been spinning discs non-stop since being installed. I have very favorable results w/harpsichord music, which is an instrument that a great many transducers screw up.
I've been working all weekend w/out much time to sit down and listen. Still, I have noticed one thing I really like. A great many of my discs that used to chuff and refuse to boot now play w/out a hitch! I recall Naim saying the puck is different in the newer machines. Or, it could be that the CD5 needs a new one. Don't belive so. It wouldn't play some discs from brand new and I take care to not leave a disc in the machine. I will investigate this more thourghly tomorrow and report my comprehensive findings.
Posted on: 26 February 2003 by Bob Shedlock
(Almost) 21 Days
The question I eventually intend to address is, "Is the CDX2 worth the price of admission?"
But not just yet ----
An update of this thread & progress
To restate - the CD5/hi cap is an amazing combination and lacks absolutely nothing (IMO) for musical satisfaction.
CDX2 will hit 21 days this week and I feel it's doing a vast percentage of what it is capable of.
The best news off the cuff is that I've yet to find a disc it won't load. Virtually everything that used to be difficult or refuse to load in the CD5 works flawlessly in the CDX2.
The CDX2 hates wiremold blocks and extentions of any kind and very much prefers to be plugged directly into the wall. This isn't subtle.
Bass notes are full of definition, pitch, and extension, and quite honestly the CD5/hi just doesn't go anywhere near the lower reachs of the CDX2. Sorry.
Hands down BEST reproduction of harpsichord I have ever obtained from a silver disc. It is palpable and organic.
The noise floor and dynamics of the CDX2 alone make it a completely different beast, and the volume can be cranked almost a full quarter turn more. Dangerous volume levels w/out distortion are easily achieved.
The CD5/hi has some of the best low level decay I have ever heard from any digital front end. The CDX2 is thus far only slightly out front, BUT, it is putting out more information as far as the frequency extremes are concerned and for actually doing more music, I guess "slightly out front" may actually translate to a whole lot more. After all, how much low level info is ON a silver disc.
The CDX2 threatens to rip my speakers apart and shakes the floor. I'll probably have to do some speaker position adjustments to accomodate the increase in bass/higher volume potential.
So, there's the update. Things are going quite well thus far. Soon I'll get to if it's worth it or not -----
Posted on: 26 February 2003 by Tuan
I have a chance to compare the CDX2, CDX2 and XPS with CDS2. I think the CDX2 is better than the CDX but something magical. CDX2 with the XPS improves quite a bit: better sound stage (less shut-in) but not any way close to the performance of the CDS2. Perhaps Mike hanson can comment further on this issue as Mike and I, we did the comparison. The rest of the system (Mike system) is 52/135s and Royd Albion speakers everything is optimized on Mana supports.
Posted on: 26 February 2003 by Tuan
Also, the CDX (as a used model) is better if you consider performance/price. You can get a good (pristine CDX) for around 2300 US. The CDX2 is better but not significantly better. Well, both models are significantly better than my beloved CD3.....
Posted on: 26 February 2003 by Bob Shedlock
Tuan - to be truthful, the "olive" cdps have always left me cold, so I wouldn't consider the CDX as a used item.
The issue here is I believe the CD5 to be a brilliant piece, period. Is the CDX2, w/more of the same qualities actually worth the almost 5K US?
Although I'm happy to enthuse about the CDX2 as being a a superior player, at the end of my experiment the question is, "Is it worth the price?".
[This message was edited by Bob Shedlock on THURSDAY 27 February 2003 at 01:48.]
Posted on: 26 February 2003 by Tuan
Bob
I really like the CDX2 and will buy it in a very near future. The reason is I save enough money for it and it is better than the CDX (and as a new model Naim Audio will have better chance to replace parts if thing goes wrong). I found that the CDX2 is more refined compared to the CDX but no way close to the performance of the CDS2 even with the XPS powering it. My CD3 is no longer good enough for my amplification units.
Posted on: 26 February 2003 by Manu
Tuan,
Have you tried it with the olive XPS or the new one. It makes a big difference. (see Stalion's post)
Emmanuel
All opinions are my own, and reflect those of the organisation i work for, even if not stipulated.
