Dear All,
I've been a long time observer of this forum but have never really felt compelled to contribute until now. After scrapping away for quite a few years now I've got a reasonable headphone setup, CD5x / Flatcap2xs / 112x /150 / Napsc/ headline2/ Grado sr325is. I've held off buying good speakers due to the usual problems, lack of funds / space / wife / children, so have been making do with.. don't laugh, B&O 4500 panel speakers. They look good! Anyway, my reference setup is obviously listening to the CD5x through the Grados which I'm very happy with.
I decided recently that it was about time I started laying the foundations for a good streaming setup, so invested in the most basic mac mini and started upgrading my iTunes library to WAV files wistfully thinking on the ND5X. As a pro-tem option I thought I would stream wirelessly from an airport extreme base station to the airport express plugged into the HI Fi circuit, and started hunting around for a minijack to AV lead. I eventually found one in my shed, nothing special this, and plugged the express into the AUX2 RCAs on the 112x. I thought it would at least suffice for background party music, when you really don't want to be messing about with the CD5x, beer and crisps in the CD drawer etc.
Sat back and turned in on. Oh my God. I'm impressed. So impressed that I'm worried about the future of the CD player. I did not expect anything like the quality this basic streaming setup is giving me without a DAC. Fumbling in the CD collection I found my copy of the Naim Sampler2 to conduct more detailed investigations. I think the CD5x has the edge particularly in terms of hearing the venue but really is it worth keeping? How should I proceed? Should I concentrate on setting up the boxes better (currently on a home-made flexy table - type thing) / ditch the 5x / Naim Dac or 5DX or neither? Hold out for those speakers (PMC twenty range most likely)?
I'd love to hear your suggestions.
Jonathan
Posted on: 08 February 2012 by PinkHamster
I have bought a Philips play-it-all CD/DVD player for the occasional (once a year?) DVD, and of course it will also play a CD, if needed. It cost me 78 EUR.
I have gotten rid of my regular CD player, because the only drive a CD will ever have the pleasure of spinning in is that of my Laptop for ripping.
I don't even bother to keep them. I have bcckups of my files. This jut as good, without blocking the space of several removal boxes.
Posted on: 08 February 2012 by George Fredrik
Computer [PC/MAC] music replay is rather fine, and will only get better. The basic economy set will provide music quality that is at least as engrosing as a junior Naim CD player. Just think what it will be like when the technologies mature a bit, and we get to things that are better optimised.
The CD may not be dead, but the CD player must by now have seen the writing on the wall.
To kill the CD all that is needed is downloads of the CD music repertoire at or above current CD file standards, but we may have to wait on that, except for audiophile music, which is not always that interesting as music or performance, currently, to put it mildly ...
ATB from George
Posted on: 08 February 2012 by NickSeattle
Hi, Jonathan,
We have travelled a lot of common ground! I had similar results through my 112 no-x: AE-analog sounded nearly as good as my CD5x / FC2x. When I made the (some say "insane") upgrade to a NAC 552, the superiority of the CD source became evident vs AE, analog and digital. Now, I have to run a Mac Mini through the nDAC to about equal the CD5x. I am not done optimizing the Mac yet. Word on the street is that it should do better. We shall see how far we can improve without adding a power supply to the nDAC. Anyway, I am in no hurry to unload the CD5x for now - it is still the champ in my system.
Best of luck on your journey.
Nick
Posted on: 09 February 2012 by JonnyC
Thanks all for your insights. You have offered a lot of food for thought vis-a-vis which upgrade path to take. Nick, it's particularly interesting to hear about the preamp, although a meagre 202 upgrade will not reveal as much as the almighty, however, synergistically it's probably on a par with the CD5x. As to streaming upgrades I'm now considering that an nDAC might be a wiser investment than the ND5x. With more listening tonight (and a heavy cold abating) there is no doubt that the CD5x is producing the richer experience so it has earned my confidence again for the time being.
Happy days!
Posted on: 09 February 2012 by NickSeattle
It sounds like nonsense, but if the 112/FC2x had not been so wonderful, I might never have been curious to try a 202/NAPSC/FC2x, which was a big step up; nor would I own the 552 today. Evil geniuses! I wish I'd had the pleasure of owning the 202 a few years earlier. People disagree, but many are delighted at the 202 or 282 level for a very long time, for good reason IMHO.
Nick
