My CD3 died, what to do as a replacement.

I'm sorry to hear your CD3 has died, Spacebass.  Have you thought about having it repaired, if that's possible.  Streaming is the future, love it or hate it.  How about a DAC-V1? We love ours, it punches well above it's weight/price, and more used models are becoming available now.

Hi Klyde.  I had a look into it but the player is around 20 years old now, I know the transports are obsolete for sure.  I'm not against streaming at all, I had thought about getting something which could and that's what led me to the Muso.  Thanks for the info, I'll do some reading up.

P.S. The DAC-V1 has a superb built in headphone amp, if you can stand phone's. I listen late evenings through Sennheiser HD650's.

Before you condemn your CD3 as beyond repair, take a look at the platter.  On the CDM9 this had a habit of slipping down the drive spindle.  Once this starts the laser can't focus properly and it starts to have problems reading until it no longer even reads the TOC.  There's a knack to clicking the platter back up into position, but I've done this on a couple of otherwise seemingly dead CD3s and afterwards they both had no more read issues.  Indeed, my own CD3 was just such a case and has been doing sterling service for many years since. 

Hi Richard.  The CD3 is making strange noises, with or without a CD in although it's much more prominent with one in.  I don't think it's the transport wholly due to the noises when the CD player is empty.  I've tried on multiple channels on the NAIT with the same noises.

It's certainly worth speaking to Darran at Class A in Sheffield to see if the CD3 can be fixed. If it can't, have you thought about selling the Nait and getting a used UnitiLite? That will do streaming and you can still play your CDs. Alternatively, if you don't want to play CDs you could get a used ND5XS and use it with the Nait. 

Muso sounds like an excellent option, given that you're already streaming (and it should sound miles better than the SoundLink).

I would consider transitioning to streaming and perhaps get a Marantz CDP as a transport. 

When my last CD player died I decided the future was streaming and went for that instead, ripping all my CDs. I did have the advantage of having previously ripped all my LPs to convert into CDs so had those files as backup on a hard disk, so I had music to play from the start.

My first streamer was a Naim ND5XS, which was similar in sound quality to my old CD player, as far as I could tell being unable to play latter any more. For streaming that way a NAS (network attached storage) is required, or other networked store that you don't mind leaving on all the time you play music. However i soon discovered that my NAS wasn't quiet enough to be in the music room, though I wanted the network limks as short and direct as possible, so if you domthat I'd recommend a silent NAS. However, it wasn't long before I discovered that I could get better sound quality with a Mac Mini running a program called Audirvana, through an isolating USB/SPDIF convertor into a Chord Hugo DAC, with music stored on the MM so not needing to go across a networ. I wish I'd know that before I set out as the cost of getting there was more than if I'd done this directly, but the change was definitely worth it (and I had tried the XP5XS power supply with the ND5XS along the way). More on my setup in other threads, and indeed others with similar setup, and indeed with many variants around the excellent Hugo, as well as Naim solutions whether they be just the DAC or streamer with built-in DAC.

If money is too tight for that then consider secondhand, or even less costly and apparently very good there's the microRendu as renderer (aka transport) plus Chord Mojo DAC - I haven't experience myself, but there is another current thread discussing mR.

spacebass posted:

Hi Richard.  The CD3 is making strange noises, with or without a CD in although it's much more prominent with one in.  I don't think it's the transport wholly due to the noises when the CD player is empty.  I've tried on multiple channels on the NAIT with the same noises.

Maybe a DAC chip going faulty - the Philips 16bit DAC chips had a habit of sometimes going bad. Worth checking with Naim or Class A on whether this is a cost-effective fix.

Spacebass,

Please excuse Innocent Bystander, he is so passionate about MacMini, Chord Hogo / Mojo and Nas, that he drags them into every single topic :-)

I would buy a second hand CD player from the olive series and enjoy for a few more years CD's until Streaming has finally taken over CD quality also in the cheaper segment.

Muso is nice for the Study / Kitchen, but can't be compared with Nait-3 + CM1's (I also have the CM1's - magic speakers).

Ardbeg10y posted:

Spacebass,

Please excuse Innocent Bystander, he is so passionate about MacMini, Chord Hogo / Mojo and Nas, that he drags them into every single topic :-)

 

Hmm, Not sure I've ever mentioned Mojo before... ;-).  And there are some topics where try as I might I've  not managed to find a 'hook ' to introduce them so regretfully have had to desist!!

In this case I was simply answering the question with a statement of what I did when in same position as the OP, and offering the benefit of my learning, which may be relevant to anyone for whom budget is limited, so I don't need excusing!

Hi Spacebass

As has been mentioned some of the Uniti options are tailor-made for your situation. If your CD3 is beyond repair, a real shame, you could trade your Nait 3 in for a UnitiQute 2 or UnitiLite. Both options provide in-built streaming, iRadio and amplification, along with Spotify streaming integration. The later, a CD player.

Both can be found pretty easily second hand if that's the path you like to take.

Jay

Personally, I wouldn't buy a CD player. You're already doing some streaming, so why go backwards? I would focus on streaming and build the best system for that task.

The most obvious solution is a Unitiqute 2 (plus a NAS), which would replace everything except the speakers. I did exactly that a few years ago - with your exact system - and it revolutionised my music listening in terms of convenience and value. However, I personally preferred the sound quality of my old system to the Unitiqute, so over time I upgraded. That said, it was certainly massively superior to a Muso.

If you want the sound quality to compare with your old system, then nothing in the Uniti range below the Superuniti will cut it. The old Nait3/CD3 combination really was excellent, and very hard to match for sheer foot-tapping bounce. You'll need at least an ND5XS (plus a NAS), which at your budget means going second hand. Bear in mind that, with no moving parts, a well cared for second hand one should be good for many, many years.

Try Darren at Class A to see if he can help with a repair/service. Well worth the effort in my view.

Moderated Post:  Gary I have removed reference to a servicing company who is not officially authorised by Naim.

Klyde - Streaming isn't the future it's hear and now.  Brain implants are the future!!

Spacebass - your choice.  

I agree with Alba that I don't think a Muso - as good as it is - will compete sonically with your separates.  Assuming the CD3 is beyond redemption - get it checked - I would either seek a 2nd hand CD5XS - wonderful player or ND5XS if you wish to rip/stream. 

gary yeowell posted:

Try Darren at Class A to see if he can help with a repair/service. Well worth the effort in my view.

Moderated Post:  Gary I have removed reference to a servicing company who is not officially authorised by Naim.

Yup sorry Richard!

Obviously if the repair is cheap then go for it. If not... I have a Nait3 and Epos ES11s. For 1.5k (or less), you could get a PC built with big hard drives, JRiver software and something like an Arcam irDac via USB. I recently replaced my ancient Rotel CD player with this - I went for a PC as it was cheaper than the mac route and money was tight. The sound quality is really good and is way better than the CD player was (obviously my Rotel was not nearly as good as a Naim CD player). Interestingly, the sound quality of CDs ripped with exact audio copy is much better than using the CD player as a transport into the DAC. Not having to root through hundreds of discs and having control from my phone app means I am listening to lots more music too.

I don't want to suggest you go down one route or the other but thought I would share my experience as I have equipment of a similar sort of vintage and not a lot of money to work with.

Alba1320 posted:

Ardbeg10y posted:

Spacebass,

Please excuse Innocent Bystander, he is so passionate about MacMini, Chord Hogo / Mojo and Nas, that he drags them into every single topic :-)

SNIP

So I'm not the only person to have noticed this, then?

 

See my response to Ardbeg!

Bit like HH and his desire to let others know about the gem known as N272...

For the sake of accuracy, not justification which I don't need,  I only mention one or more of those items in about 50% of the threads in which I post [  :-) ], and in all cases there is relevance to the subject, whether that be a direct answer to a question, or showing that realistic alternatives exist (something I wish I was aware of earlier). 

Innocent Bystander posted:

Alba1320 posted:

Ardbeg10y posted:

Spacebass,

Please excuse Innocent Bystander, he is so passionate about MacMini, Chord Hogo / Mojo and Nas, that he drags them into every single topic :-)

SNIP

So I'm not the only person to have noticed this, then?

 

See my response to Ardbeg!

Bit like HH and his desire to let others know about the gem known as N272...

For the sake of accuracy, not justification which I don't need,  I only mention one or more of those items in about 50% of the threads in which I post [  :-) ], and in all cases there is relevance to the subject, whether that be a direct answer to a question, or showing that realistic alternatives exist (something I wish I was aware of earlier). 

IB, no worries. I used the word 'passionate' for a reason. I do like your comments, but had to reflect on it.

But I must admit that HH is right with his gem, known as the N272.

However, nothing can beat my ChromeCast Audio :-)

streaming is in fact a bit of a pain in the arse if you don't know or care about software etc

I'd see if it was repairable and if not pop a sonos connect into the Nait . Great software designed that anyone can use it

and you can rip cds and l then to those off a drive and enjoy internet radio. About £300 of fun...with the option of multiroom