Upgrade the streaming?

The obvious Naim streamer to add to your system would be an ND5XS (or an NDX if your budget will stretch to it.) This also gives you the option to get a NAS and rip your CDs to it if you decide at some point to get rid of a box or two. Alternatively, if you want to stream from your computer I guess a DAC V1 would be the thing to get.  

Definitely the logical upgrade path would be: ND5XS
At a later stage you may want to add a power supply to the streamer.
nDAC would also be good - this way you can hook up both the streamer and the CD player via their SPDIF digital connectors. The power supply would then be used to boos the performance of the nDAC.

Make sure your NAS is up to scratch as well (e.g. QNAP).

Wired network is an absolute must for stable streaming.

Thank you for the proposals, but this is a tricky one getting advantage for CD and vinyl as well as streaming. Did anyone compare computer streaming vs ND5XS or NDX vs NAC-N172 or NAC-N272 using the same power amplifier? (The CD5x does not have any SPDIF)

Per

CD5xs does have SPDIF, CD5si does not.

I did compare streaming from ND5XS vs NDX - had both of them at home for a week to play.
Amp used: SuperNait 2.

Conclusions:
NDX is better than ND5XS.
Both improve if plugged into nDAC, with NDX still sounding better.

There are numerous posts on this forum covering the differences between ND5XS and NDX.

Ended up buying NDX and running it via digital out to nDAC.

Perversely I actually run CDX2.2 and NDX in the same room Both into an nDAC.

Not all CDs can actually be ripped - some just won't 'go through'.
Also on some of the classical music ripped CDs get scattered all over the server so a bit difficult to listen to them.
So I end up using 3 sources into my amp: CDX2, NDX and LP12

I'd suggest looking for a Linn Renew KDS/1, which are reasonably widely available for around the same price as an NDX. Not only might you find that it sounds rather better than an NDX, but the fact that it incorporates SO means that you can optimise playback in what may be a less than optimised listening environment. It's also a one box solution and ime sounds significantly better than a CD5xs.

I would very much second the advice from DAVEJ. I use a Linn Renew KDS/0 in my main system and I really like it. The KDS/1 by all accounts is better, but both the KDS/1 and KDS/2 are fantastic bargains in the used market. 

The one thing lacking from the KDS units is the ability to use an external DAC (but the inbuilt DAC is excellent anyway), and playback of DSD files (Linn seem not to rate DSD, unfortunately). Hang on a minute, that's two things - I don't have a degree in Mathematics for nothing.

The only two things lacking...................... I can feel a Monty Python sketch coming on. 

Well, a lot of choices...it is also another ways to do it by a used 282+200 at first and wait with the streaming upgrade until MQA is established on the market. Ideal may be 272+200 I guess. I like to own some of the best CD´s or vinyl, and likes to put them on but if MQA delivers way above CD quality...? Tidal may offer MQA next year but not sure yet. And the only way to upgrade the CD sound is to do it with the amplifiers if keeping the CD5x+FC2x. This with the 272+200 might do it for all sources, and for a good while if it plays MQA. I mean if 282 and 272 will work at the similar level.

Any comments?

I would always favour a 'source first' approach. Once the information is lost at the source, even the best amp or a pair of speakers will not manage to compensate.
The same with playing instruments (I play bass in a rock band) - even the best amp will not disguise a poor instrument.

One more thing I forgot to mention - pay attention to the streaming cables!
We all understand why analogue or digital interconnects are important, but somehow forget all we've learned when using CAT-5 (or higher) cables.
I've recently taken myself on a wild ride through various Chord streaming cables. And I must say - the differences are huge! Even the simplest one beats a normal computer cable.

My goodness, another can of worms opens..... I totally agree, as I use Audioquest cables, but most here seem to think they cannot make a difference. But of course, as we know, they do. 

Hungryhalibut posted:

My goodness, another can of worms opens..... I totally agree, as I use Audioquest cables, but most here seem to think they cannot make a difference. But of course, as we know, they do. 

The best way is to test. Borrow as many cables from the dealer and test for a week. If one cannot hear the difference, so be it. If one can - that's also OK I ended up with a Chord Signature ARAY

Tidal streaming is a step back from a cd. Tidal is also a step back from ripping a CD and streaming it locally from your NAS.

In my humble opinion, the wealth of music to sample from Tidal is worth the step back.

CD's sound different than the song ripped from it. I'm not saying better or worse, different. In the end, for me, the ergonomics of a NAS is so much greater than having to pop in cds.

MQA is an ever greater step back in quality. In the end, it is just trickery of the ear. I have heard it demonstrated, it "tires" me. It is just like pumped up wine from a region that is just not bringing forth great wines from the soil. The first sip is a wow effect, the last one leaves you wanting for something with more substance. I feel about MQA that way. I hope Naim will never go that route.

Adam Zielinski posted:

One more thing I forgot to mention - pay attention to the streaming cables!
We all understand why analogue or digital interconnects are important, but somehow forget all we've learned when using CAT-5 (or higher) cables.
I've recently taken myself on a wild ride through various Chord streaming cables. And I must say - the differences are huge! Even the simplest one beats a normal computer cable.

I'd totally agree with you Adam

Yes, it sounds right in case the source really is the weakest in a system. For streaming I use today a cat 6 from a Verbatim NAS with Jriver (or Spotify) but also a Chord USB to the Dacmagic. It works pretty close to the CD5x+FC2x but the CD still a bit more dynamic with a bit wider sound stage for example. Like cables, sometimes it does a lot more than we could guess, like a weak point somewere. And loadspeakers, I upgraded my Audiovector from Si3AA to SR3AA and just wow, that was absolutely the most cost-effective upgrade I ever did. So, hmm, it is so many options but yes, if MQA as a "source" would outperform CD´s I guess it is the way to go for the major listening besides the CD´d and some vinyl just for fun.

Interesting, I was writing the above Before reading your MQA experience. That sounds like CD´s still work equal to streaming but not that practical. Many thank´s for the MQA input, never heard it myself and thought that was a real step up as a "source"...

Hungryhalibut posted:

My goodness, another can of worms opens..... I totally agree, as I use Audioquest cables, but most here seem to think they cannot make a difference. But of course, as we know, they do. 

The emphasis being on "cannot".

In the real world, you've still got to to listen and establish this for yourself. Against everything I "knew" to be correct, I ended up spending a sizeable sum on Chord's streaming cables and don't regret that expenditure for a second, entirely based upon what I experienced.

Recently I "subjected" a fellow Forum member to a blind listening test of a range of streaming cables and not only did he comment on the fact that they were all different - despite the fact that they were all simply Ethernet cables, of a sort - but that he had a very clear preference for one. A week later he emailed me to say that  he ended up buying one.

Dave J posted:

Hungryhalibut posted:

My goodness, another can of worms opens..... I totally agree, as I use Audioquest cables, but most here seem to think they cannot make a difference. But of course, as we know, they do. 

The emphasis being on "cannot".

In the real world, you've still got to to listen and establish this for yourself. Against everything I "knew" to be correct, I ended up spending a sizeable sum on Chord's streaming cables and don't regret that expenditure for a second, entirely based upon what I experienced.

Recently I "subjected" a fellow Forum member to a blind listening test of a range of streaming cables and not only did he comment on the fact that they were all different - despite the fact that they were all simply Ethernet cables, of a sort - but that he had a very clear preference for one. A week later he emailed me to say that  he ended up buying one.

The only way to choose one is to listen - the best one is not necessarily the most expensive one, as I've found out (to my wallet's relief  )

jmtennapel posted:

I have heard it demonstrated, it "tires" me. 

My experience was somewhat different. I really enjoyed it and didn't find it all all tiring, but I have to admit that the session only lasted an hour and I assumed I was listening to tracks designed to show MQA off at it's best. The session was in a Meridian demo room rather than a hotel or conference room at a show which could have made a noticeable difference. 

I tend to think MQA has a better shot than DSD because it's optimised for streaming, but like DSD until there is a reasonable amount of mainstream material MQA isn't going anywhere.

I think you first need to really find out if you are into streaming by trying it out for an extended weekend. As for most people the urge to have two channels of replay falls away. Which would mean that with exchange of your current CD player you might have more funds to shoot higher. 

Depending on your current or future ambitions you could then start with the ND5X or start higher on the streaming ladder with a NDX.

most people start the journey and don't look back to cd replay.