Time to take the plunge?

Dave,

My suggestion would be NOT to buy any new box and "sit back and enjoy".

Hello Dave,

You cannot connect an external source to the DAC in the CDS3.

The box most suitable for your needs would be the NDX or the ND5XS.

Since you wish to buy only one box, then the UnitiServe is out. You can rip your CDs using your existing equipment and software such as dB Poweramp. You'll need a NAS, of course.

Jan

Jan,

thanks for your reply. You have addressed one of my principle concerns - being able to use the CDS3 in this mode. I feared that the vintage design wouldn't allow for this and you have confirmed this. Your table of products was useful too as I had not previously seen this.

From this and other replies on the HiFi Corner, it seems that right now there is not much to tempt me. This mainly due to the inability to maximise the use of my current equipment. Looking at the upgrade options for the ND5XS it seems to be ground-hog day. It has an onboard DAC but you can get a better one. The usual choices for PS upgrades - I have invested in a Supercap and 555PS already. I really don't want to fill up another rack with boxes.

All in all, it looks like being an expensive ride to simply play my CDs from a server rather than get off my arse and change a disk. As I suspect the new Naim "Network" boxes can't better a CDS3 with 555PS, perhaps I'll now contemplate moving up to a NAC 552 instead.

Cheers

Dave

Hi Dave

It appears that you and I are in a similar position, perhaps the main difference being that I want to rip music once, then have the choice of either playing through the main Naim system, or replaying via ipods/iphones/ipads/unitiqutes via itunes or similar.

From what I see, I suspect that you have 3 main options, given the high calibre of your system and desire for only 1 more box on the FRAIM (though I am not an expert):

1. Buy an HDX (rips your CDs, stores and replays the music from an internal hard drive).  You can also power it by your existing 555PS if you take the 555PS off your CDS3
2. Buy a NAS drive and an NDX streamer, which can also be powered by your 555PS (or Linn equivalent perhaps).  Rip your CDs from one of your computers using dbpoweramp software on to your NAS drive
3. Wait until something like an NDS comes out to better your CDS3/555PS

I have heard the HDX in 2 high quality systems and suspect that it will need the help of your 555PS to approach what the CDS3 delivers musically.  

I've only heard the NDX once, at a Naim factory official demo at a dealer.  It was partnered with Ovator S400 speakers and something in the system wasn't on song that evening.  According to others on this forum, it is supposed to sound better than the HDX, yet probably still needs the help of your 555PS.

Personally, I have just bought a high quality, fast NAS drive and am going to start ripping lots of the new music that arrived over Christmas (thank you Santa ), so that all our Apple mobile devices can access it, while keeping it in a high quality, uncompressed format.  Then I'm going to wait a while until Naim launches an "NDS" streamer, compare it to Linn's very highly regarded KDS/1 streamer and opt for one of these.

Hope this helps, FT

If you just want to dip your toe in why dont you get a vortexbox and a squeezebox touch - will cost you £600 in total and give you a taste of what streaming can be like. If it is for you, then buy a Naim box if you desire and use the vortexbox as a server for your music.

Dave, I would like to clarify my rather short reply last night: There is nothing magical about streaming audio. You should take the plunge only if you need it.

I had started researching about ripping solutions (and settled on Naim servers) as I wanted to make my CD collection available in my two homes (now actually three, as my daughter is moving out to another town). Later I became obsessed and have been researching on the subject for the last almost two years. Do you have such a need?

You have a very good CD-player. There are some forum members who report to have surpassed CDS3 with streaming, but this would cost A LOT of investment in time and money (external DAC, PS etc.) and fine tuning. The advantage of ripping lie in the possibility of making playlists by mixing different CDs. I don't know if this is really important for you.

Another advantage of streaming is the possibility to stream from one server to multiple rooms (and with some IT even to other addresses through internet). You say that this is not necessary for you. Having a mini-system in a second room is certainly an alternative solution for just a second room.

I don't get the impression from your post that your computer is located in the center of your life that you feel the urge to involve it also in your music pleasure. Of course, downloads are becoming a significant source for music, but still lags much behind what is available on CD or LP. Internet radio is important as an immensely diverse source of information and music (although probably not with the best sq), but you could add it to your music system by connecting just a mini-device.

You will be AMAZED to hear how much more potential your CDS3 has if you go down the route of upgrading your amplifiers, speakers, cables, etc. even further.

For me, the advantage to ripping is that I did NOT want my cd's in my living room (parlor).  I wanted all of my collection to be instantly available by scrolling through a list on my iPhone.  I did not want cd's scattered about the room(s), and I am not reliable enough to put them away when I am done with them such that I can find them at will.  So streaming has been a huge help to the way I access my music

That said, I built my current system last year, with no precedent.  I understand the O.P.'s reluctance given the high quality of the CDS3/555PS combo.  I was not "burdened" with such a problem!

Thanks all for the replies, and the others on the HiFi Corner who contributed. Hope you get this as that thread is closed.

This has been very informative. A few of the minor motives were that we are getting all our soft data organised on a shared home network and I naturally thought of putting my CDs on there. Thanks also to the Missus for sorting that out. The other convenient motive was to box up all the CDs. Although space is not an issue, it would be nice to access any track so quickly and make sure the nipper never got hold of a shiny disk and a crayon.

As my CDS3 is a "closed system" as described by Frank, the thought of parting with it and using the PS elsewhere is a big ask for me. Not much point in having both streaming thing and the CDS. The HDX is temping but not enough given the comments on musicality and quality compared with the current CD player. I wonder if others have gone streaming and kept the CD payer? For me, the thought of packing the CDs and the CDS3 away is a bit too much.

The squeezebox solution looks like a good 'un at this time. Part trial and definately testing the waters. I must reiterate I've never downloaded a track, yet, but there is plenty of choice and it is quicker than Amazon. I'm also not too fussed about music on the go so never added a file through i-tunes for my i-thingy. I'd then be spending too long finding head phones.

I shall ponder some more.

Dave