How many still use cd-player?

CDX2 is my main source. That said, rating by actual playing time it's the NAT05. 

Richard Dane posted:

I still use CD players - sometimes you have a disc in the hand you just want too hear. No faff. No need for networks or computers or i devices. Just pop in the disc and press play.  And of course CD players have their own particular characters. The old Philips chip players (particularly the Naim ones) have a very distinct character that you just don't find with modern DACs - not 'accurate' or neutral but boy can they be great fun!

I do the same here.
Although I am using my Naim HDX as a CD player, although in reality, have only done so two or three times in the past 4 years.
So in essence, I no longer use a CD player but can...

Max_B posted:

Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

Yep, use my CDX2, NDX into Hugo, and NAT05 as my main sources

Far from me to want to judge, but I still find it strange that someone using a £3000 streamer needs a portable, £1500 extra DAC to enjoy music properly. If the Hugo is the 8th Wonder they say, why not use a Squeezebox Touch as a base, since they said it had excellent streaming capabilities, comparable to those of any Naim unit?

But, of course, not my business.  

I'm sure that Simon will respond to your question far more eloquently than I can, but I will say this.

I used to use a Naim streamer (ND5XS) into the same portable DAC and was of the belief that a different transport could not possibly make an appreciable difference to the quality of sound on my system. However, I was intrigued by comments from Simon and others who claimed that an NDX into Hugo sounded significantly better than ND5XS into Hugo. I wasn't convinced, but decided to experiment. To my surprise, I found that the choice of transport can indeed make a big difference.  I now use a completely different transport setup (a bit less costly than an NDX) in my second system. I haven't heard a Squeezebox, but I would be willing to bet that an NDX into Hugo would sound better than a Squeezebox into Hugo. Of course I can't be sure that this would be the case without comparing the two.

I use an even better stand-alone streamer (with integrated DAC) in my main system, but my Hugo setup (I suspect the NDX/Hugo setup would too) still sounds pretty good, and superb value for money compared to my main streamer if cost is taken into account.

I have never heard a Chord Hugo, and since DACs are the least appealing pieces of equipment in the whole range of things of audio, for me – some love amps, some love speakers, some go crazy for MC pickups – it's not very likely that I will hear one. But – already made clear that it's not my business – I still muse at the image of a big, heavy, costly, full size NDX with an attached price tag of £3000, wired to something resembling a pocket radio of the 60s to give full pleasure...

It's a strange world, but it admittedly the guy who made it didn't ask for my opinion... 

Max, just you wait until you try to operate the switch to turn it on and off.  I think it did come from a pocket radio of the '60s, but a little more difficult to use.  It sounds good though, and that's all that matters really...

TOB posted:

If there's one company that will carry on building Cdp, it's Naim, it may only become a niche market when we have inhabited Mars???, but look how Vinyl has stayed the course, they will still play that on Mars one day???��.

I am not so certain of Naim's commitment to CD. They seemed to lose interest in the format in favour of streaming sometime around 2010 IMHO.

Ray

thebigfredc posted:

TOB posted:

If there's one company that will carry on building Cdp, it's Naim, it may only become a niche market when we have inhabited Mars???, but look how Vinyl has stayed the course, they will still play that on Mars one day???��.

I am not so certain of Naim's commitment to CD. They seemed to lose interest in the format in favour of streaming sometime around 2010 IMHO.

Ray

And that's why they continue to sell 4 stand-alone CD players and 3 stand-alone streamers.... very logical...

Thanks Adam.

They discontinued the CDS3 around that time and haven't brought out any completely new models of CD players from before then.

On the other hand they have released three streamers and two preamp/streamers since 2010.

Ray

thebigfredc posted:

Thanks Adam.

They discontinued the CDS3 around that time and haven't brought out any completely new models of CD players from before then.

On the other hand they have released three streamers and two preamp/streamers since 2010.

Ray

True - I think there isn't much left to develop in the CD playback world.... At least that's my impression. One can of course optimise power supplies, try different DACs etc...

Streaming as a format (NAS to a renderer, not streaming from Tidal or Spotify)  especially high-res is gradually taking off. It's still fairly exotic for the majority of the music-listening population though.

CDX2, A+ Into NDAC (local hd files and streaming) and LP12,  are the sources in my main kit. Each one listened depending on the mood, I have more CDs than HD files and LPs. I have some CDs ripped, may be 150, less than 10% of my collection and have not ripped one since a year or so.

I really like the CDX2.

As I have recently installed the NDAC in replacement of the V1 in the main kit, I still have to compare  CDX2 vs same CD ripped and rendered by MAC A+ into NDAC.

Over the last few years, rather than use the CD player I take the opportunity to rip the CD to flac and play that instead. I am up to 1.3TB of music files (including a few in hires). My current PC playback setup is very satisfying, but it has taken some work to get there. I still play a bunch of SACDs & a few DVD-As in dedicated players though.

Trends in high-end CDPs have been to incorporate higher and higher upsampling rates that enable the onboard DACs to be used for quality streaming input via USB. Sophisticated clamping mechanisms that spin the disc at high rates for better retrieval fidelity. The ability to switch on-the-fly between various sampling rates to best suit a particular CD. Incorporation of switchable tube moderated analog output as well. Multiple DACs in dual mono configuration, enhance clocking mechanisms, and high-powered transformers. In the end, I wonder how much this direct CD replay really differs from streaming, except that by streaming you eliminate the inherent noise of the internal disc spinning mechanism. Conversely, streaming via a HDD driven NAS you still have a spinning mechanism in the replay chain.

Since I got the CDS3 I've been linstening a lot to Cd again. Before that I played a lot of vinyl. It comes in waves I guess.... glad to have my end- player now, that I know I can grow old with. 

Ive never felt the need to move to streaming for serious listening. I do stream for listening in functional spaces such as bathroom or kitchen (through Sonos connect amp with separate speakers), or through some Bluetooth speakers at work. The process of browsing in Spotify or Tidal is not for me. I like to stand before my music collection and find that one great album that I totally forgot about and am dying to hear. This is hard to reproduce when you're struck with "option paralysis" when you get to the empty "search" box...

Furthermore I love the physical act of putting on a record or cd. Keeping backups of your hard disk is serious work given a mean lifetime of a disk of about 5-7 years. That and dependence of wifi signal to play music. I think streaming sound quality can equal the best physical format reproduction.

I think a lot of people also move to streaming just to be able to be busy with their music hobby. Maybe they switch back to cd again after a few years so they can buy a new box again.... This is simple human psychology. Nothing wrong with it. 

For me it's just practical reasons. If you like your CD player, I wouldnt bother with streaming, unless maybe if you own very little cd's/lp's and you're just starting a collection.

I only have cd replay in the car. I have moved some years back from my CDX2 with NDAC and XPS to a 555PS and NDS. And while the CDX2 was special indeed the nds gives me much more pleasure and much more control of what I want to listen to. As I am quite disciplined I don't have an issue with fast forwarding from one to another album....

Max_B posted:

Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

Yep, use my CDX2, NDX into Hugo, and NAT05 as my main sources

Far from me to want to judge, but I still find it strange that someone using a £3000 streamer needs a portable, £1500 extra DAC to enjoy music properly. If the Hugo is the 8th Wonder they say, why not use a Squeezebox Touch as a base, since they said it had excellent streaming capabilities, comparable to those of any Naim unit?

But, of course, not my business.  

Simple really, the Hugo can't stream? The NDX has two modes of operations, analogue out, or digital out (you can combine but I don't recommend). For me I use the NDX in its digital out configuration. It's a cracking transport, far better than other transports I have used other than possibly the NDS.

Richard Dane posted:

Max, just you wait until you try to operate the switch to turn it on and off.  I think it did come from a pocket radio of the '60s, but a little more difficult to use.  It sounds good though, and that's all that matters really...

IIRC there was a one-time forum member who briefly played back his CDS3 through his Tivoli Model One radio. (He loved it).

C.

Naim CDS3/XPS2 with Chord Sarum Super ARAY interconnect - it's really rather good 

I'm still using the CDX I bought new in Saudi in 1998. I'd struggle financially to replace it like for like now, so fingers crossed it'll keep working. 

I've toyed with streaming etc, but it only ever feels like musical wallpaper to me, and to sound excellent costs a fair chunk. That, combined with my dislike of compootas puts me off. I'd rather spend the cash on a turntable!

Hi Tony,

Did you buy if from Mr Ali on he coast road in Khobar?

Ray

I had a CDX2 and waited to do the digital hard drive, but that ended up being a huge mess for me. Having to upgrade software and duplicate recordings by mistake, not getting the images correct...

I went to a Rega Apollo-R, shoebox size top loader, it initializes the CD onto a memory hard drive then play so it is jitter free. and it has a beautiful analog like sound.  Tho I still have to hunt for CDs and have seemingly lost a few favorites .

Chris Dolan posted:

Naim CDS3/XPS2 with Chord Sarum Super ARAY interconnect - it's really rather good 

Chris - you're the master of understatement.

Regards,

Lindsay

I'm in a silly situation

I can't bring myself to sell my CDX2, but since I got my Unitiserve I can't be bothered to use it. 

I find a lot less paralysis in deciding what to play because I only need one track to get me started and then I build a playlist on the fly as my fancy takes me.  I used to spend ages on selection when having to decide on a whole CD's worth of music at a time. 

Olly

A very happy CDS3/555PS user for many years here and no plans to change anytime soon. 

thebigfredc posted:

Hi Tony,

Did you buy if from Mr Ali on he coast road in Khobar?

Ray

Well, back then Mohammed Ali Trading Establishment was up in the Gulf Centre where the Corniche met Dhahran St (I think that's right). A great hiding place for a cuppa during prayers!

Interesting angle Olly, never thought about it like that. Stil you need a good memory to be able to come up with obscure stuff from your collection. Somehow, when confronted with a search field, I always end up plating Bowie or Zappa or CSNY. The usual suspects, so to speak..