Dipping toes into the NAS (world) with no clue and getting rid of the CD player

nigelb posted:

French Rooster posted:

Stephen Tate posted:

Hi all,

I have spotted from a well known dealer's online site a ex-dem CD5 XS (2017) for £1,850.

Shall I go for it or shall i continue to wait for the ND5 XS 2?

What would you guys do?

I am interested in your thoughts.

is there other dealers where you live who sell naim gear?   it would be a strong idea to borrow a streamer for a couple of days.  You could see how funny it is.   

Yes, my NDS is hysterical.

And I am sure the ND5 XS2 will be very amusing, so be patient Stephen.

Nigel.....just like that ...hahaha

Stephen Tate posted:

Hi all,

I have spotted from a well known dealer's online site a ex-dem CD5 XS (2017) for £1,850.

Shall I go for it or shall i continue to wait for the ND5 XS 2?

What would you guys do?

I am interested in your thoughts.

Personally, I prefer the simplicity of a single source (although I understand Simon's reasons for having more) and for me, that would not be a CD player given the versatility of a streamer to offer a variety of local and web based sources from a single box. You do, of course, already have this facility in the form of your computer/DAC setup, which has plenty of scope for upgrades, in sound quality, the range of streaming services, and convenience, so if you were to buy a CD player or a turntable now, I don't think you would be burning your bridges. It's not what I would do, but that doesn't make it  the wrong decision for you. 

My laptop is on it's way out, hence my lack of replying. Keyboard seems shot!

it is 5 years old - i'll be back 

Stephen Tate posted:

it is 5 years old - i'll be back 

After this thread, I bet it feels like it’s 100 years old!

It's not broken, it's gone on strike.

Ah, zzzzzz..........

No laptop needed for anything to do with the move to streaming until the N5XS2 is available. Happy summer holidays!

Stephen,

Having been following this thread from the beginning, I am wondering if you are pulling our legs all along or you are really an idiot with respect to using computer? 

Based on your posts, you are obviously an educated man, more educated than a typical brick layer, but equally perplexing that you seem to be hysterical about some some simple laptop usages?

Maybe this thread is all a joke or maybe it is just me imagining things?

Hmack posted:

Stephen,

I agree with the above comments. 

Once you have your streamer in place and begin to reap the rewards of the ripping work you have already begun, I am sure that you will be amazed by the many benefits that a streaming solution brings to your everyday enjoyment of music.

A CD5 XS may well sound as good as a legacy ND5 XS (I don't know because I have never heard the CD5 XS), but sound quality alone is only part of the overall music listening experience. Ease of use and almost instant access from your comfort of your sofa to any album or track in your music collection, not to mention any of the plethora of Internet Radio stations also plays a huge part in respect of the whole music listening experience.

I would also hazard a guess (but it is a guess) that the new ND5 XS2 will sound better than either the ND5 XS or the CD5 XS.

Be patient! You'll be glad you were in the long run.  

  

Thank you for your reply Hmack. 

It seems most here advise on being patient and to hang on for the new Naim streamer with which i'm prepared to do at this stage. It does make sense also as I have gone ahead and purchased a Apple ipad, Asset, dBpoweramp and a QNAP.

I am taking for granted that when I purchase the streamer that all will come together and work as a functioning whole without too much adjustment.

Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

Stephen Tate posted:

Hi all,

I have spotted from a well known dealer's online site a ex-dem CD5 XS (2017) for £1,850.

Shall I go for it or shall i continue to wait for the ND5 XS 2?

What would you guys do?

I am interested in your thoughts.

Stephen - i think once you have managed the learning curve, the ND5XS2 gives you more options to enjoy your music. You can still alter get that CD5XS if you want to. As you have probably heard me say before (in my opinion) the best systems are not reliant on a single source - as each source introduces its own character that can enhance specific genres and recording styles or even moods you are in.

After all its why our NACs have those different input settings... one source just doesn't offer your musical according replay enjoyment full justice. However if you are building your system I suggest starting with the largest common denominator.

 

 

Thanks Simon. I do flitter between my CD5si and my laptop at the moment, depending on what mood i'm in, i'm sure I will do the same with the streamer. I did the same when I had a Rega P3 so I hear where you're coming from.

It turns out my laptop was overheating,  all is well and good now I know what the problem is. My laptop is the only device I use to go online with so for me it's important it works.

Stephen Tate posted:

Hmack posted:

Stephen,

I agree with the above comments. 

Once you have your streamer in place and begin to reap the rewards of the ripping work you have already begun, I am sure that you will be amazed by the many benefits that a streaming solution brings to your everyday enjoyment of music.

A CD5 XS may well sound as good as a legacy ND5 XS (I don't know because I have never heard the CD5 XS), but sound quality alone is only part of the overall music listening experience. Ease of use and almost instant access from your comfort of your sofa to any album or track in your music collection, not to mention any of the plethora of Internet Radio stations also plays a huge part in respect of the whole music listening experience.

I would also hazard a guess (but it is a guess) that the new ND5 XS2 will sound better than either the ND5 XS or the CD5 XS.

Be patient! You'll be glad you were in the long run.  

  

Thank you for your reply Hmack. 

It seems most here advise on being patient and to hang on for the new Naim streamer with which i'm prepared to do at this stage. It does make sense also as I have gone ahead and purchased a Apple ipad, Asset, dBpoweramp and a QNAP.

I am taking for granted that when I purchase the streamer that all will come together and work as a functioning whole without too much adjustment.

Despite the best efforts of forum members to help, inform, confuse, educate and confound you, you should remember that one of the reasons that Naim gear is so damned expensive is that they expect your dealer to set up your gear for you, and ensure that it works properly. If it doesn’t, you phone them up and ask them to sort it out, and many dealers are very good at this. So you are quite right to take it for granted. 

Stephen Tate posted:

It turns out my laptop was overheating,  all is well and good now I know what the problem is. My laptop is the only device I use to go online with so for me it's important it works.

No it’s not, you’ve got an iPad! When that overheats you can probably put it in the fridge. 

ChrisSU posted:

Stephen Tate posted:

Hmack posted:

Stephen,

I agree with the above comments. 

Once you have your streamer in place and begin to reap the rewards of the ripping work you have already begun, I am sure that you will be amazed by the many benefits that a streaming solution brings to your everyday enjoyment of music.

A CD5 XS may well sound as good as a legacy ND5 XS (I don't know because I have never heard the CD5 XS), but sound quality alone is only part of the overall music listening experience. Ease of use and almost instant access from your comfort of your sofa to any album or track in your music collection, not to mention any of the plethora of Internet Radio stations also plays a huge part in respect of the whole music listening experience.

I would also hazard a guess (but it is a guess) that the new ND5 XS2 will sound better than either the ND5 XS or the CD5 XS.

Be patient! You'll be glad you were in the long run.  

  

Thank you for your reply Hmack. 

It seems most here advise on being patient and to hang on for the new Naim streamer with which i'm prepared to do at this stage. It does make sense also as I have gone ahead and purchased a Apple ipad, Asset, dBpoweramp and a QNAP.

I am taking for granted that when I purchase the streamer that all will come together and work as a functioning whole without too much adjustment.

Despite the best efforts of forum members to help, inform, confuse, educate and confound you, you should remember that one of the reasons that Naim gear is so damned expensive is that they expect your dealer to set up your gear for you, and ensure that it works properly. If it doesn’t, you phone them up and ask them to sort it out, and many dealers are very good at this. So you are quite right to take it for granted. 

ChrissSU, very true when you purchase from a Naim dealer it should be installed and working to your satisfaction prior to the dealer leaving your house and as you say its built into the price.

Yes, my dealer will help set things up, that is all good as far as i'm concerned.

Cheers.

Hi,

I did pop into my dealership yesterday and they advised me to wait for the new Naim network player to come out. They said that they will send out an e-mail to all customers when the time comes to all those who are interested, which I think is very good of them to do so.

In the meantime I have decided to decorate my listening environment instead. My system is now dismantled, cleaned like new and boxed up and put into the cupboard where my 20+ year old Olive active set resides.

I shall continue loading any new music into my laptop via dBpoweramp and get on with the decorating... When I receive my ND5 XS 2 I will have a brand new listening room to welcome it as well as (hopefully) a new Fraim Lite rack for it all to sit on.

As some may say on the streets - "It's all good in da hood". 

Thanks all!

That’s a really good plan......been-redecorating the hall and stairs, at least I had some music blaring out from the front room. Look forward to your new room and hifi pics.

Thanks gazza!

Stephen Tate posted:

In the meantime I have decided to decorate my listening environment instead. My system is now dismantled, cleaned like new and boxed up and put into the cupboard where my 20+ year old Olive active set resides.

 

If you haven't already done do, now would be a good time to put a network cable in place and decide how your LAN is going to work in anticipation of the arrival of your streamer.

Yup, thanks Chris, I have drawn up a little 'to do list' as to regards with system performance in mind.

Now that’s a great suggestion. Per a post a while ago I paid the Alarm company £140 to take the router feed around two sides of the house in conduit . Best investment for the future I have made, put in a CIsco 2960 switch and bingo it’s just great.

Stephen Tate posted:

Yup, thanks Chris, I have drawn up a little 'to do list' as to regards with system performance in mind.

I was thinking that if you need to run cables through walls, drill holes, put in trunking or whatever, then doing it before the decorating might be best!

I already have the router in the listening room. All I need to do is drill one hole for the ethernet cable to run through to the NAS. I am on the lines of thinking about a separate network switch and upgrading the LAN cables, mains sockets, lighting and switches.

Stephen Tate posted:

I already have the router in the listening room. All I need to do is drill one hole for the ethernet cable to run through to the NAS. I am on the lines of thinking about a separate network switch and upgrading the LAN cables, mains sockets, lighting and switches.

Stephen, I like it when a plan comes together be nice to see some photo’s when it is all done.

I have spotted a SuperUniti (2014) for 2K on a good dealer's website, I hadn't even considered one of those, not in the slightest. What do reckon guys; still hold out for the ND5 XS 2? For me, it would be a blind purchase as dealer is not local.

Also, on this forum I have read mixed reports on the SuperUniti's sound.