Six of this, half a dozen of another

Sit tight while you try to look around for options. Qute can be used both as music source (player+DAC) and as pure transport for an external DAC. Later you can trade it in if you go for a Naim option.

If you trade in your CD-player for an NDAC, you will need another transport/streamer/music player/cd-player with digital out.

Computer audio is also possible, but you will need some time to spend looking for options and setting things up. I am in the process of setting up computer audio myself, and I don't find it an easy task to do.

Also decide whether you will want your set-up to be able to play-back 24/192 or whether 24/96 or 16/44 will do it for you.

Look around, listen to kit, discuss options with people who have been there, and then make up your mind. Good luck on this rocky ride!

Best wishes,

Peter

Hi Kev T -

Anytime I hear "funds somewhat depleted", my automatic advice is to focus, at least for now, on higher priorities.  The only thing that gives me slight pause is the declining market value of your CD5x.   Waiting means it will be worth less later.  But trading it in without spending money on something new would appear to leave you without a source...not good!

I think you should discuss your situation with your Naim dealer, and see what is available in the area of demo gear, recent trade-ins and/or 3rd-party budget options.  

The Naim DAC would certainly be a great move forward.  In this scenario, a Mac running iTunes, or a PC running Great River MC or foobar could become your source.  But you should budget not only for the DAC, but also for a USB-to-S/PDIF converter (e.g., MF V-Link) and a good quality optical cable (e.g., Chord's Optichord).   If the Naim DAC is too pricey, there are some excellent new budget DAC's available from Rega and Musical Fidelity, both of which are getting excellent reviews.   In this case, you would be spending a bit over $1k (US), less trade in for your CD player.   Check out The Hawk's recent thread, as he seems very pleased with the new Rega.

Just to be accurate, using iTunes or JRMC for hard disc-based playback is not technically "streaming", a term which more accurately describes a NAS server, a network player like a Naim NDX, and some control point software like N-stream.  The music is served up in chucks via a network protocol called UPnP.  But who cares about semantics!  A properly connected DAC would allow you play music from your laptop, or from a PC or Mac server connected to your dac.   And there are lots of options for remote control (e.g., Windows "Remote Desktop Connection").

Hopefully this makes a little sense.   If not, no worries.  Just follow Dave's advice and keep spinning CD's until the time feels more right to you.   This will also give you more time to do some research, and learn how this new stuff works.

Good luck!

Hook

Kev, please don't mothball your amps. They must be amazing.

I'm keeping my CDX2. If prices drop a bit more in a few years, I still think about a used CDS3/XPS. I'm not 100% sure though. I'm still weighing things.

I haven't heard a Qute. Folks on this forum really like it. Some have traded 'down' to it, and are very happy. I'm kind of not sure I want an all-in-one, at this point. I have a Nait, and would love to have your pre/power setup. The Rega sounds so good, for relatively little money ($1000). I jumped at it, as a dac to hook up to my MacBook, in my den. I had nothing to lose, and I'm starting to appreciate the luxury of having every song at my disposal, without having to insert a disc. I can trade the Rega in a year's time towards an nDac. I like it a lot. Don't know where I'll be with it in a few years. Maybe it's an experiment. I won't lose much if I sell it down the road. It fits my needs. I solicited advice from everyone, and figured this would be best for me, for now. I guess I don't want to jump in too deep (digitally speaking), at this point.

Besides, sometimes I just want to do some serious listening, and just play one full album on my CDX2. Hell, I still want to add a Rega, and listen to a little vinyl once in a while.

Everyone is right. Sit tight. Steady as she goes. Do a little auditioning. If you haven't yet, I would think having the nDac at home for a weekend would be interesting. Just navigate slowly and carefully. There's a lot of choices, as you well know.

Dave

Another option not yet discussed yet is using a Squeezebox.  This would require a computer which I would guess you have since you just ripped CDs onto a Synology NAS (my selected NAS!).

Since you already have ripped everything to your NAS, you have everything that is needed for streaming. I'd go for option a) with a used Sneaky or Majik DS instead of a Sonos. Or option e) if Naim should have plans for a more budget oriented streamer (I don't know if they have). 

Option c) and d) would also mean additional invest. IMHO you would better spend that money on the streamer.

You already have a good Naim amplification chain, I wouldn't sell that (option b).

Kind regards,

Jochen

Everybody,

Thanks for the input.  I definitely think I will wait another twelve months and review.  That gives me time to sort out a wired Ethernet connection in the vicinity of my current set up, and a lot can happen in Naimworld in twelve months!

During that time I may be tempted to sell my CD5x and use a temporary streamer such as Sonos or Squeezebox, which I can either pass on to my son or use in another room once I have settled on a more permanent solution.

Once again, thanks to all.

Kevin

Squeezebox is fantastic VFM and a good introduction to steaming music (I had a Classic before a Transporter and now a Qute). Save you more money for later. Pick one up secondhand and save even more! (not much to go wrong internally really.

Regards

Neil

There will be perhaps another good sounding entry solution soon,

when the Project Audio Stream Box is available, prob. September this year.

It is based on the very well working streaming plattform from Stream Unlimited,

same as in the M1 CLiC but even more reasonable in price.

At least until Naim will bring the XS streamer...