CDS3 appreciation, after a service
Posted by: Christopher_M on 30 May 2016
Hello,
Early in the year my CDS3 started getting glitchy. Skipping, a noisy motor, wheezy servos, sometimes missing tracks, sometimes just refusing to play discs at all. I've owned it for two and a bit years, bought used from a Naim dealer.
It got progressively worse, so my local dealer sent it off to Naim at the beginning of April. Got it back last week and and it sounds fantastic. I'm hearing stuff I didn't know was there. It's just so much more engaging, more coherent. Until now I could never have believed I could have replay at home which was this good.
The upshot: if you have the slightest doubt about your own CDS3's mech, maybe a service is in order. Mine had a new mech, software updates and a new logo. The casing has been nicely buffed, so now very new looking. Oh, and a new box and nappies too. And all for a flat fee of £340. An incredible bargain.
Naim, my dealer and a couple of forum mates already know of my pleasure. It seemed ridiculous not to let you all know in this social media age :-)
Cheers, Chris
Chris/Lindsay/Steve, i tried a new XPS2DR in place of my 10 year old XPS2 (unserviced), and quite frankly felt it was 'different' as opposed to being better. I certainly had no problem giving it back, which is always a good sign.
You have saved me some money Gary to spend elsewhere............thanks Gary.
SteveT
Have a nice holiday Steve!
The Strat (Fender) posted:Chris - has your XPS2 had the dr treatment?
No but it's a 2005 model though, so I'd been starting to think about those sort of issues.
C.
Thanks SteveT, Mark and Chris D.
Mark, I love the Linn, I love the CDS3, both are a pleasure and fairly similar sounding. My CDS3 gets a lot more use. But what little I play on my Linn tends to generate more pleasure because the music I bought in my twenties (on vinyl) tends to have more meaning for me.
I've had a CDX2 both with and without the PS. It didn't engage me like the CDS3 does now, good as it was. I don't want to look like I'm dissing it so I'll add that I didn't have the amplification I have now so maybe it wasn't getting much of a chance.
Nat03 very recommedable for a radio, though it might jar cosmetically in your set.
Best, Chris
I too am the fortunate owner of a CDS3 which I purchased new just before they were discontinued. I use mine in an active system with a 555ps which I preferred to an XPS.
I would never give up CDs or vinyl for streaming. You don't see any streaming fairs or used streaming in shops. I love browsing charity shops and record shops looking for CDs and vinyl.
I know I am being a bit silly but I want to own the physical music and I love the art-work on many of my albums.
Tony.
Montone posted:I too am the fortunate owner of a CDS3 which I purchased new just before they were discontinued. I use mine in an active system with a 555ps which I preferred to an XPS.
I would never give up CDs or vinyl for streaming. You don't see any streaming fairs or used streaming in shops. I love browsing charity shops and record shops looking for CDs and vinyl.
I know I am being a bit silly but I want to own the physical music and I love the art-work on many of my albums.
Tony.
Is that the DR version of the 555PS?
The reason I'm asking, trying to decide which PS to couple with my 2008 Cdx2.
555PS, XPS2 DR, or 555PS DR
Allante93!
Montone posted:I too am the fortunate owner of a CDS3 which I purchased new just before they were discontinued. I use mine in an active system with a 555ps which I preferred to an XPS.
I would never give up CDs or vinyl for streaming. You don't see any streaming fairs or used streaming in shops. I love browsing charity shops and record shops looking for CDs and vinyl.
I know I am being a bit silly but I want to own the physical music and I love the art-work on many of my albums.
Tony.
Not silly at all. Collecting the physical media is very much part of the hobby for me. Picked up 3 records for £3 in a charity shop two weeks ago. All good condition. Point being I very much doubt I would have bought them new at £10+ each so I have extended my musical boundaries for a small outlay and had that sense of a small victory. Now that might seem daft in the context of the outlay on the equipment!
the only postive thing about the cd is the cost of the back catalogue is cheap but indications are that player sales of fallen . during a recent dealer show it was said that they only stock the cheaper models and that includes naim.
audio1946 posted:during a recent dealer show it was said that they only stock the cheaper models and that includes naim.
Must be a high-end dealer then. For perspective, what other brands was this dealer stocking?
Or did you mean they only stock entry-level CDPs?
Allante93 posted:... The reason I'm asking, trying to decide which PS to couple with my 2008 Cdx2.555PS, XPS2 DR, or 555PS DR
Allante93!
I originally tried a bare CDX2 on several occasions but just could not connect with the music.
Then we tried an XPS2 (non-DR) on a CDX2 and were hooked. So a 2003 CDX2 + XPS2 swiftly became a very much appreciated part of the home system.
A few years later and the opportunity came to compare a CDX2 + 555PS with a CDS3/XPS2 at home. Replacing the XPS2 with a 555PS on the CDX2 was another of those "wow!" moments. Almost as big an upgrade as adding the XPS2 to the bare CDX2.
Swapping head units from the CDX2 to the CDS3 also brought genuinely richer, more flowing, more insightful musical improvements but it was too polite for our taste. In fairness, I would say that the CDX2/555PS was broadly equivalent to the CDS3/XPS2 but with a very different balance of strengths. The CDS3/XPS2 was far more detailed, transparent, smooth & insightful. The CDX2/555PS had more drive, dynamics, deep bass, excitement and life in its presentation. So very different and you will instantly know which suits your personal taste.
As you may gather, we preferred the CDX2/555PS over the CDS3/XPS2. Others prefer it the other way round. Both are right and neither is "wrong"; it depends on personal taste. Both are a major step up from the CDX2/XPS2.
If you don't have a power supply on your CDX2 today, then I would either buy a pre-loved 555PS + Burndy at a relatively affordable price and have the option to DR it at a later date, or buy a pre-loved CDS3+XPS. Both should cost less than the price of a new XPS-DR and will bring a quite marked improvement in musical enjoyment for you, especially with a system as revealing as yours.
Hope this helps, FT
Allante93.
My 555ps is non DR. I have not heard a DR,d 555 in my system but am more than happy.
Tony!
Foot tapper posted:Allante93 posted:If you don't have a power supply on your CDX2 today, then I would either buy a pre-loved 555PS + Burndy at a relatively affordable price and have the option to DR it at a later date, or buy a pre-loved CDS3+XPS. Both should cost less than the price of a new XPS-DR and will bring a quite marked improvement in musical enjoyment for you, especially with a system as revealing as yours.
Hope this helps, FT
Yes, that was very helpful.
Thanks FT and Montone, I'm not as fortunate as those that live in Europe, here in the US, Naim isn't as prevalent.
My local dealer does appointment only, and doesn't return calls.
My system was aquired solely on the 2nd hand market, by the likes of EBay, Audiogon, and Canuck.
A learning experiences, some risk is involved!
Saved some cash, but I would suspect there's no substitute for a good relationship with a local Naim Dealer!
Once Again Thanks!
Allante93!
Paul C,
Have you got yours back yet?
Chris
Just in case you thought that was the end of it, I can now exclusively reveal....(drum roll)...... that I've now had my XPS serviced at Class A. Thanks Darran.
The XPS has been powered up for 24hours and the bass is tighter, more defined, there is more attack, more brio, where previously the sound was a bit mushy. The XPS is 11 years old.
Naim do make it pretty easy for us to get good sound at home, if we feed the best sources into even fairly modest (by their standards) amps and speakers. Happy chap.
Best, Chris
Was it DR'ed, Chris?
Darran doesn't do DR conversions.
That's what I thought. Bit of a shame really as that'd ease some of the load!
Gavin B posted:Was it DR'ed, Chris?
No. In the UK that's only offered at head office, and anyway it was out of the question for me. I wanted a holiday instead :-)
C.
My CDS3 is in original configuration with non DR XPS2 and right now listening to Me Knopfler - it doesn't get much better I tell you.
I've an original CDX2 with an XPS2. Spent a good while demming the 555PS but stayed where i was as I felt it exposed the weaknesses of the XPS2 rather than exposed new strengths. Seemed to me inevitable that if I upgraded I would either downgrade or move to a CDS3, which I couldn't afford at the time. Latter is more natural but never times like a CDX2.
Funny Mike our perceptions shift. When I had the CDX2/XPS2 I always thought as you that the CDS3 couldn't groove but that was based on a dealer demo. Once however I had the CDS3 home in my system I never looked back. It grooves okay!!
Regards,
Linndsay
Mike Hughes posted:[CDS3] is more natural but never times like a CDX2.
Ha ha! Let's put this one to bed right now!
C.
I'm happy my CDS3 doesn't 'time' like a CDX2....
Mike Hughes posted:I've an original CDX2 with an XPS2. Spent a good while demming the 555PS but stayed where i was as I felt it exposed the weaknesses of the XPS2 rather than exposed new strengths. Seemed to me inevitable that if I upgraded I would either downgrade or move to a CDS3, which I couldn't afford at the time. Latter is more natural but never times like a CDX2.
Mike - almost something contradictory in that statement there - isn't timing arguably the most fundamental feature of a natural presentation?
Regards,
Lindsay