Howdy folks,
Making choices can be pretty tuff when (to me) big money is involved.
Just a couple of days I was told by my nearest Naim-dealer that they would get a s/h Naim CDX within a couple of days/weeks.
I told 'em to call me as soon as the CDX would come in. I'd get a fair trade-in price for my CD-3.5 & flatcap.
But this afternoon I suddenly saw the following ad:
Exclusive cherrywood LINN LP12 in mint condition with Ittok arm,Ortofon MC20 cartridge (worth 310,- UKP) and the original manual.
Only problem is:I'd have to travel and get it by train,since I don't have a car. O,well..
Well, the thing is....the price I have to pay to get the CDX,after trading in my current CD3.5+f/c
is about the same as the LP12.
around 700,- UKP In Holland that's a very decent price.
As some of you folks might remember, I posted a topic some days ago about positioning of a TT in my room. It really has to stand in between my Kans at about the same hight...
I know it's not ideal,but hey, in life we all have to make some compromises,eh !?
Well, whatta ya guys think....should I go for the LP12 or the CDX. (I have only 25 LP's left and about 470 CD's)
Thanx,
Greetings,
Alco.
btw: here's a pic of the (georgeous) LP12 that is offered:
Posted on: 10 September 2001 by Don Atkinson
Alco,
I would be inclined to stay with a single source system rather than spreading (limited) funds across two sources.
You have 20 times as many CDs as you have LPs. CDs are more widely available. If the choice were mine, I would go for the cdx and stay with CDs
IMHO the difference in sound presentation of the two systems would be modest in 'pleasure' terms, and the cdx offers an easier upgrade (more pleasure) route.
Others may give their views on the difference in sound quality (I havn't heard the cdx, so I can't). If they say the LP12/Ittok is MASSIVELY better, well ok, it might be worth considering the LP12. And it does look nice!
Cheers
Don
Posted on: 10 September 2001 by garyi
CDX sounds very nice and if you are anything at all like me your records won't be in pristine condition and getting them in pristine condition costs big bucks. You have plenty of Cds and the upgrade options have been outlined above.
I see where you are coming from the LP12 looks gorgeous, but the CDX is also gorgeous, the tray is larger and glass reinforced so much more substantial than the 3.5 and with the added bonus of playing HDCD, I think with the amount of CDs you have this has to be the way forward. Collection of records is going to cost big style and take a lot more looking after, plus no remote, imagine that when your pissed 
Posted on: 10 September 2001 by Andrew L. Weekes
But not a lot of good if you don't have any vinyl for them!
In your position, unless there is a thriving s/h market in vinyl, I'd buy the CDX, assuming you like it.
You'll get much greater benefit from it with 470 CD's and only 25 LP's.
Andy.
Posted on: 10 September 2001 by Martin Payne
Personally, I'd recomend upgrading to CDX since you will benefit from this on nearly 500 CDs.
With your existing cache of LPs the LP12 will cost you about £30 per disc. The only way you can justify this is if you intend to buy lots of new or second hand vinyl.
If not, go for the CDX.
cheers, Martin
Posted on: 10 September 2001 by Bas V
Hi Alco,
I'd go for the LP12. Now you know I'm not into vinyl, it's just that you keep on dragging about about it over and over. Go ahead and buy the Linn, your needs won't be fulfilled untill you do so. I'm sure you will be able to get a CDX for a better price in time, as I don't think the dealer is really giving you a bargain. And, with the LP12 in front you really have an all-time classic system!
Greetz, Bas
Posted on: 10 September 2001 by John
My advise would be to first check out the used vinyl to determine if there is enough to satisfy your music needs. Then compare the upgrade cost of going from your 3.5 to a CDS2 to the LP12 cost and the cost of changing over to vinyl. This would be the only fair comparison because the LP12 should even trounce the CDS2. I know format comparisons are subjective but from my experience the vinyl is much more captivating than any CD player I have heard.
If I had to do it all over again I would be sitting with a good TT and an unoffensive CD player.
John
Posted on: 10 September 2001 by Alco
Thanx for all the replies, you guys!
But,...I just found out that the LP12 has already been sold. sniff.. The owner sent me an email.
He even told me that he at the end of this week the LP12 would be standing in a place,which is only about 30 minutes driving from my place!!
(bummer)
well,...then I guess its "All systems go...! Full speed ahead for the CDX"
I hope the dealer will get it within a couple o' days. I can hardly wait...
Greetings,
Alco
Posted on: 10 September 2001 by Rico
Alco
nobody mentioned value here - £700 is too much for LP12/Itock/Valhalla (£400 is guide price in UK). Used carts have a virtual nil-value on a turntable - it's more of an "ok, so that's there, but may be screwed" position.
I see an LP12/Ittok/Valhalla as broadly equivalent to a CDX. Don's comment above regarding spreading limited funds across two sources as particularly valid.
Buy the CDX - I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Look at the LP12 as having gone as "it wasn't meant to be". 
Rico - SM/Mullet Audio
Posted on: 11 September 2001 by Alco
Hi Rico:
700,- UKP is a very respectable price for an (cherry) LP12/ittok
in Holland.
I've seen dealers offering a 3 year old, black LP12/Akito for amost twice that price.
man,when flatearth audio is concerned I wish I lived in England.
I can get s/h vinyl every once in a while in my area. New vinyl would be more of a problem.
btw: Just went to a concert 4 days ago,to my favorite live-band The Paladins. To my big surprise,after the show they didn't sell their CD's but....
only their latest album on vinyl!!
I asked singer/guitarist Dave Gonzalez why. He said:
"well,go get some more of it man,there's nothing like it!"[/b]
well, I guess the CDX will be my next big step.
Greetings,
Alco.
[This message was edited by Alco on WEDNESDAY 12 September 2001 at 06:16.]
Posted on: 11 September 2001 by Phil Barry
When I look on a map, Holland doesn't seem to be all that far from Britain. Isn't it feasible to cross the channel, pick up an LP12 (or PT or Roksan or Michell or...) and bring it back?
Is there a lot of used vinyl in Holland? Boy, I would love to get some Dutch pressings of the Concertgebouw playing, well, almost anything. I'd say I'd love to hear the orchestra, but Chailly has really annoyed me with his insipid performances in Chicago.
Regards.
Phil
Posted on: 13 September 2001 by Alco
Hi Don,
Yup, next week,Tuesday evening the CDX will be delivered to my house. I'm looking forward to that.
It just came in the shop yesterday. I got a fair price back for my CD3.5 + f/c.
I also have some HDCD discs,I wonder how they sound on the HDCD-compatible CDX.
Greetings,
Alco.
Posted on: 18 September 2001 by Alco
I'm afraid not,Don
Sniff,..When I arrived home from work yesterday evening,there was a message on my answering-machine, from the dealer that would deliver me the CDX tonight. He asked me to call him back today.
I thought:"O,dear...that's bad news."
And yes...it was.
The dealer told me that the guy who wanted to trade his current CDX for the CDS2 decided at the last moment that wanted to keep the CDX for a while. 
Bummer!
Otherwise the CDX would stand in my room about right now...
O,well,let's look on the bright side of live,eh.
this is only a luxury problem afteral.
I guess I'll just gotta have some more patience
Greetings,
Alco.
Posted on: 18 September 2001 by garyi
That is serious bummer teritory, I hope you have put yourself down as first refusal they are good players, just imagine, HDCD........
Posted on: 19 September 2001 by Tony L
Alco:
quote:
The dealer told me that the guy who wanted to trade his current CDX for the CDS2 decided at the last moment that wanted to keep the CDX for a while.
What a bummer, hopefully there will be another one along for you real soon.
I have just landed John Channing's old CDX now he has upgraded to a CDS2, so my system is exactly where yours is planed to end up (CDX / Nait 2 / Kan 2), and believe me it works. I have spent the last two days listening to the CDX, I only stuck it in the system late Sunday night, so it is still warming up, it actually sounded great from cold. First impressions are amazing, it is the first CD player I have heard through Kans that is not ruthlessly revealed as being a CD player. It is so musically coherent and solid sounding with a real absence of any digital nasties and totally lacks that sort of disconnected sound that I associate with affordable digital audio. The CDX really gets the architecture of the music right, things sound properly anchored in both pitch and time. Bottom line is that it really plays music.
The Nait 2 and Kans are more than up to letting the CDX shine, I see this as a totally balanced system. There is a sense of real solidity and musical integrity coupled with a wonderful sense of openness and detail that I have never personally heard with Kans and a non-analogue source. This is one hell of a CD player, and in this context it makes for a system of astounding value for money.
I am convinced you will love the CDX in your system once you find one.
Tony.
