Battle of the Top Naim CD Players : CDS1 v CDS2 v CDS3 v CD555

1. CD555

2. CDS1

3. CDX2.2 / 555PS

4. CDS3

CDI 

CDS3 all the way

I loved  my CDS1 - should never have sold it.  OK not the most detailed but it was so musical!

Since the CD555 is no longer current, the top Naim CD player is now the CDX2.2 so that should really be included in the title of this thread.

CD5italic the best. 

Well I've never heard the CDS1 or 2 but own a CDS3 and have heard a Cd555.    And there is no comparison if I had the cash I'd have a CD555. 

Owned the cds3 for a year, very smooth and clean sounding but very polite . Now have owned a CD555 for last few years, different league altogether,  it's got everything. 

Steve 

CDS3 plus 555PS DR is pretty damn good and the head unit can be traded in for a 555 when funds permit for the icing on the cake.

We love our CD555 with 2 x 555PDR PS but would have been very happy with my CDS2+555PS.  Adding the 555PS to the CDS2 was one of the most breathtaking experiences in my Naim career.  Have never heard the others.  The extra power supply on the CD555 gives more of everything but it did not bowl me over like adding the 555PS to the CDS2.  The CD555 with the 2x555DR PS has a remarkably analog sound with the Sarum Super.  It is very close to the Verdier.

Robiwan posted:

CD5italic the best. 

My wallet would love your ears.

joerand posted:

Robiwan posted:

CD5italic the best. 

My wallet would love your ears.

the less "upgrade" potential the better. 

Robiwan posted:

joerand posted:

Robiwan posted:

CD5italic the best. 

My wallet would love your ears.

the less "upgrade" potential the better. 

touché

Michael posted:

CDS3 plus 555PS DR is pretty damn good and the head unit can be traded in for a 555 when funds permit for the icing on the cake.

Hi Michael,
My 555PS is coming up for a service, so it's decision time: service as a 555PS, or service & DR to a 555PS(DR).
Have you ever been able to compare the CDS3 with these 2 versions of the 555PS, as I'm unsure which way to go?

I found that the DR upgrade was wholly beneficial on a Supercap powering a Superline.  However, I much prefer my 52 with an olive Supercap over a Supercap DR.

Best regards, FT

Robiwan posted:

joerand posted:

Robiwan posted:

CD5italic the best. 

My wallet would love your ears.

the less "upgrade" potential the better. 

Wouldn't the CD555 + 2x 555PS fulfil that particular brief?  No upgrade beyond that point, whereas there's the entire range tempting you to upgrade from a CD5i.

Skip posted:

We love our CD555 with 2 x 555PDR PS but would have been very happy with my CDS2+555PS.  Adding the 555PS to the CDS2 was one of the most breathtaking experiences in my Naim career.  Have never heard the others.  The extra power supply on the CD555 gives more of everything but it did not bowl me over like adding the 555PS to the CDS2.  The CD555 with the 2x555DR PS has a remarkably analog sound with the Sarum Super.  It is very close to the Verdier.

Absolutely agreed regarding the knockout performance of CDS2 with 555PS. Before trading mine in for an NDS I took my CDS2 into the shop to establish a baseline, where I tried the combination of the 555PS with the CD player and very nearly stopped there. The improvement cf. the XPS was truly staggering. One of the main reasons for taking the step into streaming beyond that was because of fears over ongoing maintenance of the CDS2, but with the 555PS it was as good as any CD replay I could remember (not having heard the CD555 for quite some time, of course).

Richard Dane posted:

...... whereas there's the entire range tempting you to upgrade from a CD5i.

I assume that entire encompasses second hand kit 

Chris, it has to encompass second hand kit.

I still think my CDS1 makes the best music, including in comparison to the CD555. And I dont like twin power supplies on the CD555 either --  makes it sound chrome plated, shiny and brash. 

Your mileage may... be different to mine...

jon honeyball posted:

I still think my CDS1 makes the best music, including in comparison to the CD555. And I dont like twin power supplies on the CD555 either --  makes it sound chrome plated, shiny and brash. 

Your mileage may... be different to mine...

To be honest, this last sentence seems to be a good sum up for everyone. Not a bad one in the bunch.

Foot tapper posted:

Michael posted:

CDS3 plus 555PS DR is pretty damn good and the head unit can be traded in for a 555 when funds permit for the icing on the cake.

Hi Michael,
My 555PS is coming up for a service, so it's decision time: service as a 555PS, or service & DR to a 555PS(DR).
Have you ever been able to compare the CDS3 with these 2 versions of the 555PS, as I'm unsure which way to go?

I found that the DR upgrade was wholly beneficial on a Supercap powering a Superline.  However, I much prefer my 52 with an olive Supercap over a Supercap DR.

Best regards, FT

Hi FT, sorry I can't help you on that one as I was running my then CDS3 + 555PS way before the advent of DR. Perhaps someone else here has done the comparison.

It took me about four weeks to get my 555PS back from being DRed. Then there was burn-in. I might have noticed had there been a night-and-day difference between the performance of the 555 PS DR and my memories of the un-doctored PS, but between the time lag and the burn-in, I didn't hear it. It's definitely not a mind-boggling difference like your first TT stand or a preamp upgrade.

555PS or 555DRPS question. I only heard the former briefly on a CDX2 and as already mentioned by some on here, it was an exciting ride, quite different from XPS2.

When I then went for the 555DRPS, before it arrived, I was a little apprehensive as whether the excitement might be double edged, in that I might find it too much long term - again to mention a description used by others, like a sound on steroids.

As things turned out I found the 555PSDR much calmer, more civilised. Oh well! I now use it on a CDS3.

To also mention SCDR. On a 282, I thought I found it made the sound leaner than my previous olive SC. Whatever, I later went to 252.

FT - if you like what the 555PS does on your CDS3, maybe it would be best (if not essential) to demo a 555DR before taking the plunge.

On the old forum I detailed a side-by-side comparison of 

1. The CDS1/CDSPS
2. The CDS1/XPS (with both gray and black burndies)
3. The CDS2/XPS
4. The CDX
5. The CDX/XPS
6. The Linn CD12. 

Everything played through the 52/6x135/DBL with Snaxo/Supercap. The results were *most* interesting, and did not favor the CD12. 

When I first got the CDS3/XPS2 I still had the CDS2/XPS around and I swapped them back and forth more than a few times, trying both supplies on both players too. One thing for sure-the CDS2 *loved* the Mana reference wall shelf. 

I loved my CDS2 and used mine with a CDPS and preferred the CDPS over the XPS, CDPS seemed to add a warmer more analogue sound.