To service my CDX2?

Andib posted:

Dear forum members,

after lending and hearing some days a cdp of a friend of mine it’s clear that my cdx2 can’t compete. Much more fun with the golden box in the same price league. I couldn’t believe it because I always loved the sound of the cdx2. Actually I was thinking about an xps dr upgrade but now I’m thinking about paying goodbye to it. Does it make sense to do a service instead? It’s from the end of 2013. 

Thank you for any opinion.  

AndiB

Can you say what cdp it was?    Just curiosity.  I had previously owned the cdx2 and cdx2/xps2.

The xps2 improved dramatically ( with my ex 252/supercap).  Fuller, nicer sound, more open and better defined, with better separation of instruments.  Softer top end and better bass too.

While you love your CDX2 you state you have found a player you prefered in, as I read it, your own system for a number of simple. Your call I suggest. Buy the one you prefer. Or try a XPS or XPS DR.  Your CDX2 will not be due for a service yet.

French Rooster posted

Can you say what cdp it was?    Just curiosity.  I had previously owned the cdx2 and cdx2/xps2.

The xps2 improved dramatically ( with my ex 252/supercap).  Fuller, nicer sound, more open and better defined, with better separation of instruments.  Softer top end and better bass too.

It is one of the good known japanese ones. The improvements were just like you described respecting your xps2. But it would be the same amount for the psu and the new cdp.

I've been a CDX2 owner for around 10 years or so and I think it's great too. I've recently had my 200/282 combo serviced but when I asked about sending the CDX2 in I was told there's no upgrade path, other than to slap an XPS on as CDBoy and French Rooster commented. Servicing will become apparent if it starts to skip tracks or malfunctions.

There are other things you can do, such as use a different DAC but this will alter the sound signature, then again if you've found a CDP you prefer and it's not Naim then you may want to consider this as an option too. If you're in the market to spend £5k or so and ditch the CDX2, have you considered one of Naim's new streamers?

I heard them at my dealer recently and was blown away. By all accounts, CD players have to work quite hard to correct the errors inherent in CD's when retrieving the music. With a streamer none of that's necessary. I was sceptical until I heard them and it really was a revelation. That's where my next big spend will be.

Andib, I've edited your thread title and opening post to ensure it complies with forum rules. 

Jonners posted:

I've been a CDX2 owner for around 10 years or so and I think it's great too. I've recently had my 200/282 combo serviced but when I asked about sending the CDX2 in I was told there's no upgrade path, other than to slap an XPS on as CDBoy and French Rooster commented. Servicing will become apparent if it starts to skip tracks or malfunctions.

There are other things you can do, such as use a different DAC but this will alter the sound signature, then again if you've found a CDP you prefer and it's not Naim then you may want to consider this as an option too. If you're in the market to spend £5k or so and ditch the CDX2, have you considered one of Naim's new streamers?

I heard them at my dealer recently and was blown away. By all accounts, CD players have to work quite hard to correct the errors inherent in CD's when retrieving the music. With a streamer none of that's necessary. I was sceptical until I heard them and it really was a revelation. That's where my next big spend will be.

Streamers need to work hard as well in correcting issues, therefore when you study the design, you'll find a lot of stuff doing 'reclocking' it's even more complicated since the streamers are electrically coupled in more ways than CD players (noisy network cable).

But you have touched a good point: a different Dac. The nDac was considered an upgrade over the standard CDX2 having a digital out. If the OP's has a digital out, this could be a good one. nDacs trade for attractive prices these days + you keep the Naim signature sound.

Richard Dane posted:

Andib, I've edited your thread title and opening post to ensure it complies with forum rules. 

Thank you, Richard. I’m sorry for that!

AndiB, I think received opinion is that as long as Naim CD players are working, they are best left alone. Hopefully this will simplify your choice.

Chris

Is it easy for you to take your CDX (carefully) to a dealer to ask them to listen to it? They might be able to detect whether the sound has 'gone off' for some reason. If it has, then hopefully it can be fixed. If it's okay, you then have two or three choices about where to go.

Andib, the CDX2 should be FUN. If it isn't then something's not right somewhere. Make sure your CDX2 has only one output enabled (having both RCA and DIN enabled together is possible but does slug performance somewhat), preferably the DIN. What surface is it on? Are the metal feet perfectly level - no rocking whatsoever. What's the condition of the Clamp?  If the rubbers are slipping then performance suffers. 

Richard Dane posted:

Andib, the CDX2 should be FUN. If it isn't then something's not right somewhere. Make sure your CDX2 has only one output enabled (having both RCA and DIN enabled together is possible but does slug performance somewhat), preferably the DIN. What surface is it on? Are the metal feet perfectly level - no rocking whatsoever. What's the condition of the Clamp?  If the rubbers are slipping then performance suffers. 

CDX2.2. no clamp rubbers.Last 25 years i had a maranz 63 . naim 3.5 teac vrds 25. naim 5xs and now a cdx2.2.The cdx2.2 is so much better then all the previous ones that i find it hard to believe that a similarly priced player from another brand can sound much  better unless something is not OK.For me the only problem with CDX2.2 is  when i play bad recorded cd s .

For prat, urgency, articulation, involment, drive....it’s quite impossible to find a better cd player than the cdx2 at this price.  Japanese CD players like esoteric can give more details or better defined soundstage,  smoother sound, but for me these type of sound is a bit lifeless.

If not going to streaming, I would find a second hand xps2 and stay with that.   The ndac can be tried, but some prefer the cdx2/xps2 combo for optimum and natural sound.  The ndac can give a bit forceful sound, from what I read here. Other have also cdx2/ ndac/ 555ps or cdx2/555ps.

Richard Dane posted:

Andib, the CDX2 should be FUN. If it isn't then something's not right somewhere. Make sure your CDX2 has only one output enabled (having both RCA and DIN enabled together is possible but does slug performance somewhat), preferably the DIN. What surface is it on? Are the metal feet perfectly level - no rocking whatsoever. What's the condition of the Clamp?  If the rubbers are slipping then performance suffers. 

Thank you, I think a checkup at the service would be good. Everything asked is fine in a fraim shelf. Perhaps really something is not ok. Thank you all for helping!

andib

Had my cdx2 for 16 years. Had the xps2 for 15. Latter has been recalled. Former gets treated to a new puck every 3 or 4 years and has never needed a service. Have auditioned, more by accident than design, about 16 CDPS in that time. Heard more detail; more natural timbres. Never heard equal or better PRaT.

French Rooster posted:

For prat, urgency, articulation, involment, drive....it’s quite impossible to find a better cd player than the cdx2 at this price.  Japanese CD players like esoteric can give more details or better defined soundstage,  smoother sound, but for me these type of sound is a bit lifeless.

If not going to streaming, I would find a second hand xps2 and stay with that.   The ndac can be tried, but some prefer the cdx2/xps2 combo for optimum and natural sound.  The ndac can give a bit forceful sound, from what I read here. Other have also cdx2/ ndac/ 555ps or cdx2/555ps.

Several times I see the suggestion that it's a choice between CD replay  or  streaming.   Actually, your objective should be CD replay and  streaming.  OK, if you are constrained financially to focus on just one, make it a temporary focus, but please, never say "goodbye" to one of these options, your life will not be complete.

My journey has been through a mix of new and used equipment, with and without servicing... HDX, NDX, CD5si, NS01, CDX2, NDS, CD555, ND555, plus as many 555 power supplies as I could afford.   My life is now complete.  I know this because SWMBO tells me it is. 

Because my life is complete, I no longer need to carry my credit card with me when I go to see my Naim dealer, SWMBO assures me.

Roger

My CDX2 sounded less musically involving when it was 6 years old. It played every cd perfectly well but it was just a bit, well, boring. Something wasn’t quite right, so we checked cable dressing, connections etc.

As a final resort, our dealer sent it back to Naim, just in case. Naim identified several broken components on the analogue output circuit board and replaced the whole board with a new one.

Wow, what a difference, groovelicious! 

Hope this helps, FT

rjstaines posted:

French Rooster posted:

For prat, urgency, articulation, involment, drive....it’s quite impossible to find a better cd player than the cdx2 at this price.  Japanese CD players like esoteric can give more details or better defined soundstage,  smoother sound, but for me these type of sound is a bit lifeless.

If not going to streaming, I would find a second hand xps2 and stay with that.   The ndac can be tried, but some prefer the cdx2/xps2 combo for optimum and natural sound.  The ndac can give a bit forceful sound, from what I read here. Other have also cdx2/ ndac/ 555ps or cdx2/555ps.

Several times I see the suggestion that it's a choice between CD replay  or  streaming.   Actually, your objective should be CD replay and  streaming.  OK, if you are constrained financially to focus on just one, make it a temporary focus, but please, never say "goodbye" to one of these options, your life will not be complete.

My journey has been through a mix of new and used equipment, with and without servicing... HDX, NDX, CD5si, NS01, CDX2, NDS, CD555, ND555, plus as many 555 power supplies as I could afford.   My life is now complete.  I know this because SWMBO tells me it is. 

Because my life is complete, I no longer need to carry my credit card with me when I go to see my Naim dealer, SWMBO assures me.

Roger

I don’t know if the OP wants both.  As you said, it is sometimes, and often, a question of budget and space too.   Personally, I would love to have a cd555 and nd555, both.  But I will never afford that, maybe later a nd555, which is already quite indecent budget.

Enjoy what you have Risjaines. You can eventually add a master tape machine, for some it’s the best source.

French Rooster posted:

I don’t know if the OP wants both.  As you said, it is sometimes, and often, a question of budget and space too.   Personally, I would love to have a cd555 and nd555, both.  But I will never afford that, maybe later a nd555, which is already quite indecent budget.

Enjoy what you have Risjaines. You can eventually add a master tape machine, for some it’s the best source.

Thanks FR... it's taken me the best part of 60 years to get here and the wisest of us knows not how much longer he (or she) has left to enjoy it.

As I've sometimes heard said in Salisbury.. "Youth is wasted on the young!"

And you're so right about reel to reel tape - I have an Akai GX635D.   OK, not a master tape machine, but the performance of even this one is almost more analogue-like than my Scottish record player 

Foot tapper posted:

My CDX2 sounded less musically involving when it was 6 years old. It played every cd perfectly well but it was just a bit, well, boring. Something wasn’t quite right, so we checked cable dressing, connections etc.

As a final resort, our dealer sent it back to Naim, just in case. Naim identified several broken components on the analogue output circuit board and replaced the whole board with a new one.

Wow, what a difference, groovelicious! 

Hope this helps, FT

Thank you FT! This is what I will do, too. In my memory the cdx2 normally has been absolutely involving. So it could be a similarly fault. 

I’m thinking with rjstaines that there is no need to say cd or streaming. Every source is precious to me eg streaming to party, vinyl after a heard day at work and cd for the little discs I bought over the years. No doubt to do a good only analogue party or to chill with streaming but to use a different source for me is to get a different experience. 

AndiB

Yes I agree with FT, with good down stream equipment, the CDX2 should be mouth wateringly good with many CDs... but as Richard says... it really needs optimum support to show you what it does... I use full fat Fraim. Hopefully you’ll get it sorted /repaired so you can enjoy it as it should be. Remember the DAC and analogue filter in the CDX2 is pretty similar to the ND555 (and same DAC chips)... so you should be in the family of top class Naim sound.. you can probably tell I love mine 

oh yes when you send it off for repair remember to screw clamp the transport suspension....