Naim CD Players

Posted by: Ronnie on 21 March 2002

Just thinking of buying a cd player any advice on second hand Naim cd player/ CDI 3.5 etc or to go for new cheapest Naim or Rega player.
System old Linn Naim reference but still sounds good but have no CD player

Posted on: 21 March 2002 by redeye

Get a CDX. I am

Posted on: 22 March 2002 by garyi

CDi is a really good player but you need to check it out very carefully as repqirs run into half thousands to fix, look carefully at the nextal ring, (the black bit round the spindal) if that looks badly worn, leave it. Don't pay the prices they ask for on loot either, they are taking the piss.

Otherwise a CD3 or CD3.5 again check the the cd3 for wear although there is a lot less to go wrong in these. The 3.5 should be good for a long time as they arn't too old and you can also add a flatcap later which you can't on the other two.

CD2s pop up rarely but should be worthy of consideration.

CDX around the 1800 mark, if you can afford that then you should also look at everything else in the proice range.

Rega planets IMO look interesting, sound dull, with particular bass problems making it sound very digital indeed, just my opinion of course, but they are cheap I suppose.

Posted on: 23 March 2002 by Phil Barry

- "I thought it was warmer and a bit more relaxed than the cd5. long term wise i guess that would make it an easier listen." -

Only if your like a more relaxed sound.

When I listen, I want a sense of real people playing real music on real instruments. The Genki sounds good, IMO, but it doesn't provide that sense of realness to me.

Smoothness is especially appealing when you listen to CDs, but smoothness palls eventually, when or if you realize there's somethingmissing.

Phil

Posted on: 23 March 2002 by J.N.

I've been through most of them and currently have a CDS2 in the main system and a CD5 in the second system.

My take on things is:-

CD3/3.5 - OK but pretty two-dimensional and lacking detail.

CDI/CD2 - I've had both and compared to their excellent successor the CDX, they're VERY two-dimensional, but have great rythmic drive.

CDX - Excellent, with an upgrade path.

CD5 - Superb v.f.m. and again upgradeable with a Flat-cap 2 etc: On a budget; I'd look for a s/h CD5 personally, or try to stretch to a CDX.

Be aware that an 'old' CD player (unlike an amplifier) can be very expensive to repair in the transport/laser dept:

Posted on: 23 March 2002 by Ian Dales

I have just ordered my CDS and I am currently looking for a mug to off-load my clapped out CDi to. Everything on it is knackered, the buttons stick, it skips tracks and constantly shows up the message ERR. It has been abused since day one and I can guarantee that you will have possibly minutes of enjoyment from it.

Ian.