CD555

Hardly - as it's not produced any more.  But if it was and I had the £s then yes I would.

What would be the point when the NDS now exceeds the performance of the CD555 at half the cost? (Ex CD555 owner).

Naim stopped making the CDS3 and CD555 because there was no demand.

Jonn posted:

What would be the point when the NDS now exceeds the performance of the CD555 at half the cost?

Well that's your opinion and I don't agree with you.

It all depends on the price and if you primarily play CDs. IMO the CD555 easy exceeds the performance of the NDS, as it should at its relative price-point - although the NDS is very capable and does show the incremental improvements and implementation Naim have made over the years since the inception and release of the CD555.

There is a reason I don't use a NDS as source even after a week home-demo and prefer the CD555.

But if I were beginning now and had to invest my money then as I said above, it comes down to cost outlay and views on any future improvement on the NDS in Naim's streaming source hierarchy. If I were confident that the next level above the NDS, say a NDS555 were to make an appearance at some point that would have a similar performance-lift as the CD555 had over the CDS3, when I may be using the NDS as an interim stepping-stone while I await the new source, rather than sinking my money into a new CD555.

As I already have the CD555 and it has given me many years of pleasure and still does, then it is a different equation for me, as I have a superb source and did not really think the NDS offered something better, just different and a bit better in some places and worse in others with a lot more fuss in installation compared the the CD555.

But there were people many years ago still waiting for 'something better' advising on not getting a CD555 who's advice I am well pleased I did not take, so you need to make your own decisions on these things.

DB.

Jonn posted:

What would be the point when the NDS now exceeds the performance of the CD555 at half the cost? (Ex CD555 owner).

Naim stopped making the CDS3 and CD555 because there was no demand.

Sometimes demand has nothing to do with quality. Do you remember the old competition between the two video formats (VHS and Betamax)? The superior one lost.

I held off buying the NDS until last year because prior to that I'd always preferred my CD555. However, the current iteration of the NDS is a significant improvement ( I think the software was updated at the end of 2015) so much so that the CD555 sounds less resolved in comparison. 

Sited on the top shelf of Fraim connected with decent ethernet cable (I'm using Chord C) to a Cisco switch and NAS together with SL interconnect to NAC 552 provides a quality of sound that surpasses what I had previously, so no regrets.

The CD555 was the best CD spinner in its day and still is but time and technology move on. A fairly new one used or exdem for £3-4K makes sense for those interested in CD only replay but I'd suggest the the answer to the original question posted is "I doubt it."

Yes, if they were available, I would still buy one today 

Can you really get one for £4K?

The Strat (Fender) posted:

Can you really get one for £4K?

I'm am also doubtful about Jonn's suggest here. I seem to recall a dealer in Guildford asking £8.5k for an ex-dem CD555, and that was without the 555PS or burndies. 

Just had a look on the flea-pit and all I could find was a review for £6.  Having a laugh

MDS posted:

The Strat (Fender) posted:

Can you really get one for £4K?

I'm am also doubtful about Jonn's suggest here. I seem to recall a dealer in Guildford asking £8.5k for an ex-dem CD555, and that was without the 555PS or burndies. 

Lotus HiFi had a couple for sale earlier this year for £4500 so when you take out the dealer margin, £4000 from a private seller is a reasonable assumption. 

I bought mine for £5k in 2010 iirc and prices have  fallen since then as streaming is in the ascendancy. So even if you factor in a new mech for c£1000 a sh CD555 could be a good buy for those still wedded to CD players.

Jonn posted:

What would be the point when the NDS now exceeds the performance of the CD555 at half the cost? (Ex CD555 owner).

Naim stopped making the CDS3 and CD555 because there was no demand.

There's a reason the NDS is half the cost, because it sounds half as good! 

The reason Naim stopped making CD players is because they are owned by an investment company calling the shots now. Making money for investors is a top priority now.

There was never a big market for forty thousand dollar CD players anyway. I would be surprised if Naim ever sold the CDS3 or the 555 in big numbers.

I recently purchased a 555CDP for around the prices mentioned above. In fact a week later a friend of mine managed to find a 555CDP with power supply for the same price I paid for the head unit - although it did have to go back to Naim for a minor lid fault.

Both of us have been blown away with the performance. I was previously using a CDX2/NDac/555 and my friend a CDS3/XPS2. Adding a powline and SL interconnect pushed the performance envelope on both systems much further than we thought possible, and the loan of a DR'd 555PS has convinced us of the next big upgrade step. For me it's the first CD player that connects with the music in the same way my LP12 does. 

Having lived with the 555CDP for about 6 months, and being a lover of what is likely to become an iconic piece of design and engineering from a bygone era I'd happily pay a lot more than I did.  You need to think of it as a thing of beauty like a 1954 gull wing Mercedes where style and quality is remembered a long time after speed, ease of use and price is forgotten!

It will be an all time classic. Of that you can be sure.

Geko posted:

...For me it's the first CD player that connects with the music in the same way my LP12 does. 

That was what it did for me - to the extent that I stopped using my LP12 many years ago, having previously been a Vinyl man for my prime source of quality music, so it did something right!

DB.

Server/streaming tech is progressing in leaps and bounds! I would say do not tune out.

CD555 still far better than NDS to me. It is a best built quality Top Loading CD player so far I come across. No other brand can do some smooth in open and close, and of cause the very good sound quality especially matching whole set Naim 500.

Why does Patrick Lam ask?  I see he has a CDS3 — probably as good a staying point as any, at this point, speaking as a CD555 owner.  I never heard a CDS3, but understand there are differing opinions as to which is superior.

Surely there is at least one buyer for practically anything, even if not enough interest for market viability.

Nick

let's not forget it was the CD555 that led to the creation of the Hi-line, a cable which really is superb.

i would I like playing CDs rather than streaming.... but it is almost impossible to buy an used one. 

So the question is what would you buy as a CD spinner instead of CD555? I own a CD2X so has to be a better one

Well, the threads are actually spill overs, CD5XS discontinued.

I think, Max raised an interesting point, comparing high end systems against entry level system. 

Personally, my take has been, as one Audio Reviewer put it:

There are only two components worth buying.

The best, and very close to the best for a lot less!

With Linn, the Ghenki was a close second to the CD12.

With Naim's Reference CDP, no longer available, the CDX2 is the only Candidate!

At the end of the Day, its really about personal preference.

A new Paradigm, but all three may be hard to digest.

A know A Gentleman, on this very Forum, has  Thousands invested in his LP12, Decided to forgo the Streaming route.

What is his personal preference?

LP 12 & CD555.

The Analog TT, the Digital CDP, and Digital Streaming, depending on Music and Mood!

Personally, I've chosen to abandon my LP 12 for the Convenience of the Digital CDP.

I would imagine, many on this Forum, favor Digital Streaming over the CDP for it's convenience.

Personally, that's where I'm at!

The Digital CDP, and easing into Digital Streaming!

CDX2 & Local Steaming

CDX2>282

MM>Airport Extreme>Airport Express>282

HCDR>3 x (250.2)> Fraimlite> Briks.

Getting Long winded!

Out!

Enjoy your Music, The Why!

Allante93!

PS. If money grew on trees:

CD555

LP 12

NDS

From so much of what I read I fail to see how streaming is more convenient than CD. 

Well I think the convenience of streaming is great - all that CD space freed up and all the music you just can just search for instantly and browse through without the distraction of trying to remember how you've filed your CDs and put them back on the shelves (that's my case anyway), but I'm still waiting for the whole streaming thing to become more standardised at the top end and across the spectrum. I can't be bothered with having half a dozen libraries for all my different devices, so I'm happily waiting it out. And I also on  the whole think prefer the sound of my CD555 to the NDS - not on everything, and I still haven't managed to set up a head-to-head trial.... It's all overwork and inertia really...

In my opinion if Patrick has a sustantial number of silver discs, it would be well worth considering a 2nd hand one.

For the price that Jonn has indicated it would me no brainer for me. 

I swapped a  CDX2-2/555ps DR in 2014 with a 2010  555 mech  + lots of money. Then last year i 've been very lucky enough to find a barely used 2013 one at a bargain price

Performance apart the 555, even compared to Classic Series is built like a tank, The brushed aluminium case is so beautiful that is a real pleasure even for the eyes.

Regards

Roberto

The Strat (Fender) posted:

From so much of what I read I fail to see how streaming is more convenient than CD. 

I think you may be confusing convenience and reliability. 

A (relatively small) number of people post on this board to report issues relating to home networks and reliability of their streaming setups. However, the majority of people who utilize relatively simple and standard home networks over Ethernet and who use standard streaming devices encounter next to no problems whatsoever with their streaming solutions, and just enjoy the enhanced musical experience of streaming locally stored music.

I can understand those people who believe that their CD players sound 'better' sticking to the CD format, although I have yet to hear a CD player that matches the sound quality of my main streaming device using CD quality rips let alone hi-resolution files. I caveat this by saying that I have heard quite a few very good CD players, but I have to admit that I have never had the opportunity to hear a CD555. I can also understand that some people might just enjoy handling their physical CDs. I indulge my feelings of this sort by playing my vinyl collection from time to time and by occasionally playing recorded music on my reel-to-reel deck, so I am not entirely immune to this as an argument, even if the physical aspect of CD players and CDs have never quite grabbed me in the same way as vinyl or reel to reel tape. For me, CDs were in their day a better and more convenient format than cassette tape (a medium which I disliked intensely) but no more than that.  

However, I simply cannot understand how anyone could argue that streaming isn't more 'convenient' than playing CDs.

- No more need to store hundreds or thousands of CDs locally for easy (?) access to my music collection

- Every single album or individual track I want to play available in seconds via my PC or IOS based streaming applications  

- Browsing my entire music collection so much easier and so much more fun

- the option to use 'music discovery' features of external streaming services should I desire to do so

- the additional bonus of access to a plethora of Internet Radio services

and in my own case and experience, better sound quality than I could possibly get from a CD player without paying a fortune for a top of the range player from the likes of MBL.

I'll admit that a few people will not agree with my own assessment of the relative sound of today's best streaming devices and CD payers, but in respect of convenience alone, what's not to like about streaming?  

Well I gave up crawling around on hands and knees looking into the back of cupboards for 900 cds. Much better now ripped to Uniti core and streamed to Nova.????