CD5 XS and HiCap

No, there would be no benefit. 

Thanks for that - saved me cost of another Hi-Cap or a change to Supercap. However, do you, or anyone, know the function of the spdif/analogue switch as in my original post? Curious that's all. j

Johnforty posted:

Thanks for that - saved me cost of another Hi-Cap or a change to Supercap. However, do you, or anyone, know the function of the spdif/analogue switch as in my original post? Curious that's all. j

From the owners manual

I have a Hicap on my CD5XS and it "boosts" the signal and provides a cleaner sound. HOWEVER, because of it's cost, if you plan on getting a streamer, the S/PDIF will carry the signal and the analogue side will sleep. making the Hicap a boat anchor, unless you have say a 282 preamp,    sidenote - I use 2 x Hicaps on a 282 thereby powering BOTH analogue channels and my wife and I can easily hear the benefit, regardless of what some may say. That depends on your ears foremost, so try out and play around. 

Michael Mccullough posted:

From the owners manual

 

The CD5 XS can provide either analogue or S/PDIF format

digital signal output. The analogue output is carried by

either a single DIN socket or a pair of RCA phono sockets.

The digital output is carried by a single 75Ω BNC socket.

Digital and analogue outputs may not be used

simultaneously. Selection is achieved by using the rear

panel mounted switch. The CD5 XS must be switched off

before the output selection switch is operated. Ensure the

correct cables are connected before switching the

CD5 XS back on

Why ?

Has anyone deliberately or accidentally changed the switch setting without power cycling the player?

When I wanted to do some A:B testing to listen to the difference between analogue and digital, I was tempted to just switch between the two without turning it off... but the £2245 price tag held me back from trying this.  Sometimes I wish I was more foolhardy (or £ rich).

Great responses from everybody, thanks. Last post from RJS is the kind of way I think about these things. I'd still like to know/understand the actual funtionality of the switch - could be it operates a relay/s to divert the signal from the onboard DAC to the spdif socket and perhaps also switch off the internal psu section from the onboard DAC and anologue section/s. If I were designing such a device thats how I would be thinking (Loooong time ago I used to build my own valve and transistor pre and power amps mainlly from Mullard designs et al and my own speaker designs). Anyone know were I might find a circuit diagram or service manual? I'd leave it to Naim to do any work of course! Just curiosity again! j 

John, I asked Steve Hopkins at Naim and he informed me that the CD players must be switched off when the s/pdif switch is used as it's down to software - i.e they require a power cycle.  Without this, it does not switch.

Richard (and Steve), thanks for that. All is clear now! j