Sound advice taken (CDX2 wise)
Posted by: cheeselet on 26 April 2017
I've just responded to advice given in a previous thread regarding upgrading my CD5X to CDX2 and gone and done it.
First impressions are very favourable, the player being very musical. Not all comments about the CDX2 player on forums are so positive so I am pleasantly surprised.
I've also tried the spdif out from the CDX2 to my only dac and my Streamagic has never sounded so good!
As always with Naim players there is always in the back of the mind that the electronics is designed to work optimally with a better psu so I'm resisting that temptation currently by locking down my bank account.
I've also aquired a pre loved nac 202 to replace the SN2 pre, the idea being to realise some funds on sale of SN2.
202(HC) sounding good into 250.2.
Anyone using the CDX2 on its own and sticking with it?
cheeselet posted:I've also tried the spdif out from the CDX2 to my only dac and my Streamagic has never sounded so good!
Try the CDX2.2 straight into the analogue inputs of your preamp. ie. use the grey 5pin to 5pin DIN that came with the player. Naim CD players have great dacs built in, crying shame to overlook them, imo
Chris
Agreed! No digital out on mine. Sounds brilliant.
Agreed again, to me the Naim implementation of the Pacific Microsonics DSP chipset and the DAC chipset in the CDX2 is superb... no digital out on mine. Can't think of any standalone DACs available today that use those little gems.
MDS posted:Hungryhalibut posted:The answer to the second question is 'yes'.
I beg to differ.
A. Cdx2.2>282~ bare CDP
B. Xps2>Cdx2.2 >282~ Cleaner Cdx2 with external PS
C. Cdx2.2>Ndac/Xps2>282~ different type of Sound/Digital Out MK II Transport
D. Xps2>Cdx2.2>Ndac/Xps2>282~ Interesting Beefed up Transport ?????
Wow! Interesting!
I would imagine B. is an improvement over A.
Now, C, and D
A power cord is attached to the Cdx2.2 in C., which is not the case in D.
Theoretically, D should produce a cleaner signal! I don't have a clue, just learning!
Nothing like hands on experience, an expensive Hobby, Thanks Forum!
Allante93!
Simon-in-Suffolk posted:Agreed again, to me the Naim implementation of the Pacific Microsonics DSP chipset and the DAC chipset in the CDX2 is superb... no digital out on mine. Can't think of any standalone DACs available today that use those little gems.
Simon, remember that the Naim DAC (and the NDS - but arguably not just a DAC but streamer too) uses a specially selected Burr Brown PCM1704K DAC chipset, just like the CDX2. The difference is that in place of the PM200 HDCD filter the DAC uses Naim's own DSP.
Richard indeed they use the Texas Instruments DAC (Burr Brown is no more as a company and was bought out by TI), but Naim use the PCM series chipsets in I believe external DSP mode and in the case of the CDX2 it uses the fabled Pacific Microsonics HDCD DSP chipset ( as you say PM200).. which I am sure along with the analogue output stage helps give the CDX2 its distinctive sound. The DACs and streamers use a different DSP processes by using the Analig Devices SHARC processor running Naim micro code for oversampling and low pass filtering. In many circles its generally recognised much of the sound of the DAC process is in the implementation and surrounding circuitry and processes rather than the DAC chip itself. But I didn't remember the CDX2 used a 1704K specifically.
But does it play tunes?
C.
The CDX2? ... in my best Churchill dog impression... "Oh yes!"
Thanks Richard & Simon:
"The difference is that in place of the PM200 HDCD filter the DAC uses Naim's own DSP."
Hence, the different sound when using the Cdx2.2 as an transport shooting those ones and zeros to the Ndac!
The Forum at it's best:
Informative Mode!
Allante93!
Not necessarily Allante...
If only things were so simple.
Plenty of other differences. For starters, the analogue output stage in the DAC is rather special...
Richard Dane posted:Not necessarily Allante...
If only things were so simple.
Plenty of other differences. For starters, the analogue output stage in the DAC is rather special...
Yes, but do these differences contribute to a different sound?
Simon and others has suggested that the internal dac within the Cdx2 has a different SQ when compared to that when using the Cdx2.2 as an transport, disabling it's internal dac!
I merely, thought you and Simon were pointing out the differences between the dacs used in both cases.
Allante93!
cheeselet posted:Have I missed something MAX_B or maybe it's quite a long story :
Youve bought and sold the same thing five times?
Ive another question about the XPS supply. Is it wasted on the CDX2 when it is in transport only mode?
Hence, the OP would experience a different type of sound, due to the differences that Mr. Richard Dane has pointed out!
Personally, I think its plus!
TT
Cdx2's Internal Dac
Mk II used as an transport!
Streaming
Musical choices!
A good thing!
Allante93!
Allante93 posted:cheeselet posted:Have I missed something MAX_B or maybe it's quite a long story :
Youve bought and sold the same thing five times?
Ive another question about the XPS supply. Is it wasted on the CDX2 when it is in transport only mode?
Allante93, is your intention to write that you are speechless?
Ardbeg10y posted:Allante93 posted:cheeselet posted:Have I missed something MAX_B or maybe it's quite a long story :
Youve bought and sold the same thing five times?
Ive another question about the XPS supply. Is it wasted on the CDX2 when it is in transport only mode?
Allante93, is your intention to write that you are speechless?
Now that's funny, I will shut up!
But, I think you got the point LOL.....
Laughter is good also!!!
A New Paradigm!
I got the Hint!
Out!
Allante93 posted:Richard Dane posted:Not necessarily Allante...
If only things were so simple.
Plenty of other differences. For starters, the analogue output stage in the DAC is rather special...
Yes, but do these differences contribute to a different sound?
Simon and others has suggested that the internal dac within the Cdx2 has a different SQ when compared to that when using the Cdx2.2 as an transport, disabling it's internal dac!
I merely, thought you and Simon were pointing out the differences between the dacs used in both cases.
Allante93!
I've compared CDX2.2/XP5XS - DC1 - nDAC/555PS to CDX2.2/555PS and they definitely sound different. I preferred the former (richer, better soundstage etc) but the latter was very good.
Richard, Simon,
not only I 'like'd your posts, but thank you both for a piece of info I finally got from your exchange of posts... Strange as it may seem, it was of some importance for me to learn what the HDCD filter of the CDX2 is. Now I know it.
Best to both
M
Hi Cheeselet,
after three pages of discussion on upgrades, and a couple of significant detours, I realize that you never answered Chris's plain question/suggestion, about which I too was rather curious: in the end, have you tried the plain CDX2.2 into the plain SN2 into the Neats?
Thanks
M