CD5 in Listener

I read the arcticle, and although it seemed like a platform for the reviewer to brag about his 1970s days of black jeans and student rock club liberalism (Hey, I lived near Central Square in Cambridge MA), I found it quite useful. I have a CDS 2/52/250 and am thinking of 135/500 type upgrades and it ocurred to me that naim might be "changing" its sound and that the 500 was not just a better amp than 135s, but that it had a different sound that did not place it in the usual naim canon. It makes me wonder what future pre amps etc will sound like. Is the 500 better than a 135 or simply a "different sound"?

davel

Thanks for your clarification. I have yet to hear a 500, so I'm just speculating.

dave

So you reckon that the CD 3.5 is better than the CD 5.... hmmmm. Your certainly the first person ever to think this.

One wonders if your perspective has been shifted
with too much worship at the Church of the Sympathetic Resonance?

Bob.

I get that feeling - but I haven't heard enough to say. I think I'll have a major listening session this christmas. One guy that does a lot of mastering/recording for naim told me he thought that the CD2 was better than the CDX, so maybe you're not alone.

daveç

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There is a CD5 test in a recent/latest issue of HiFi Choice or What HiFi too.
They think it's a stunner.

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My dictionary tells me that "stunner" is something like "good looking" - if it is true, then the reviewers of the Hi Fi Choise and/or the What Hi Fi wear the wrong glasses...

Arie

Where does objectivity end and politics begin? People are right about the naim sound changing - its getting better.

Naim disappointed me with the new look of the 5 serias - although I think it sounds great.
But it is a personal taste and I agree that meybe "my glasses" are with the wrong focus adjustment, but I think that many of the members here (as it had discussed before) think that the new logo looks cheap.

Arie

If there was anything lacking in the CD5, I'm sure the unbalanced nature of this system would have shown it - it didn't.

In fact the musicality aspects of this system impressed me enormously, all of the PRaT elements were there in abundance and I found it captivating. It was not 'polite' though as some seem to be implying, the Sting CD 'Brand New Day' sounded truly awful (worse than my home system), but good Cd's were truly stunning so I don't believe it's any more forgiving of bad source material than the older components. It was a LOT better than the CD3 I've heard previously.

I agree with Simon, if the Naim sound is changing, it's definitely for the better. I think the 5 series are stunning value for money, and I also happen to like the new look, and all of the extra features.

I sincerely hope that it helps Naim continue for another 25 years and they find many new customers as a result of the visual, ergonomic and musical improvements.

Andy.

Andrew L. Weekes
alweekes@audiophile.com

Even Naim cannot invent sounds that simply are not there...

BTW, what format is Naim beting on ?

Best regards,
Louis
louis_lx@yahoo.com

Herb Reichert found it much better than the Naim sound he knew in the '80s, and found it to be very good, but not as good as his Audionote CD2.

Artie found it to be better than the CD3 by a big enough margin to consider replacing his CD3 with a CD5.

Artie found the CD/SACD Sony xx333xxx changer, at $1200, to be 4.5 stars (LP12 Basik = 4.25 stars, LP12-'geddon-ARO = 4.75 stars) for sound, 3+ check marks for value (highest rating).

I'm very little interested in the CD5, but I could see myself finding some time to listen to the 333.

BTW, where is the CD4? Or was the name 'CD5' chosen because to older eyes, it looks a lot like 'CDS'?

Mark, I perceived your initial comment to be very insulting to Ian (and to the rest of the readers here) and highly inappropriate. Was that your intent?

Regards.

Phil

Why is it that every time you open your mouth or write a letter, you cause someone to write back disputing what you have said and as always make yourself look a complete and utter prat in the process.

Once again you bore the living daylights out of everyone by responding back, to their response, with even more drivel.

Is it possible, do you think, that your ill thought out ramblings are more suited for discussion with the likes of Mr Pig of the other forum.

The drivel in your first letter quite honestly made you look a moron. Sorry to be blunt but its true. If you ever held a marketing / sales position in Naim, the poor bloody company would go down the plug in weeks........the CD5 has a built in sound of mass market appeal.....I give up, how can anyone come up with such trite junk.

No doubt you will respond back to me with even more drivel, so I wait for your ramblings with baited breadth.

However, for the benefit of the poor devils who have to read your rubbish, I am quite prepared to discuss your "style" of communication with you on a one to one basis, either in person, on the phone or by E mail. However, I publicly advise you, that when I have to deal with some one of your ilk, I tend to be vituperative, confrontational and quite honestly like a bastard from hell. I spit bums like you out for breakfast.

I hope to hear from you soon on a 1 to 1 basis.

Please E mail me for my phone number

Yours in utter disbelief

Mick

I don't think Mick was trying to be witty at all.

What did come over loud & clear was that he was totally irritated.

What on earth has Mick's hobby of fountain pen collecting or choice of music got to do with anything?

Bob.

Ian Wright expresses a view that he prefers the 3.5 and thinks the CD5 has a "mass market" sound and suggests that naim designed it that way.

Mark Tucker said that naim did not design in any "mass market" sound and thinks the CD5 is better.

Ian is entitled to a view and is entitled to express it here.

Mark is entltled to issue a rebuttal.

If you want to have an opinion, go and listen the the f*****g thing and make your own mind up.

This place is more fun than the mana forum at present.

cheers

Nigel

and;

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If you want to have an opinion, go and listen the the f*****g thing and make your own mind up.

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On the button, Mr. Cavendish. This is exactly what I did, and bought one. Just as it was thawed out, one thing led to another, and I now have to warm up a new (to me) 72... Still – there you go.

Best;

Mark

(I still don't like this
software very much)

[This message was edited by Ron The Mon on SATURDAY 16 December 2000 at 23:19.]

Thanks In Advance,
Ron The Mon

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The new casing might be acoustically better (?) than the old extruded cases but they look & feel cheap and ugly IMO.

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Richard,

are you really saying that the new five series looks 'cheaper and uglier' than the three series?

My dealer lost quite a few sales on the old stuff because a lot of the hifi buying public don't agree with you on that. No such problems with the new range.

I recently heard CD5/NAIT5/Rega Ela and it sounded superb, bearing in mind much smaller scale than I'm used to.

cheers, Martin

For those who already own naim, I dare say it is the sound that is most important, although if you have 3 series and want a 5 series product then the obvious mis-match in style might be an issue.

For the uncommited or new buyer then the look will be a consideration and whilst I like the old style for its understatement, it does look old and it has none of the features that most people expect i.e. remote control for one.

I also belive that naim have taken a conscious decision to unify their branding so that the logo is consistent from the label to the hardware and that the top of the range styling is reflected in their lower ranges. It will not be too long before all the hardware is in new style cases using the derivative of the nap 500 technology.

cheers

Nigel

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I keep seeing mentions of this "Listener" publication (which I assume is on-line). Can someone tell me where to find it?

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"Listener" is an old - fashioned paper magazine published every two months. We're beginning our seventh year of publication now (disclosure: I write for the magazine). Currently the closest thing to a "Listener" web site is a page that's part of the Audioweb site. There's some sample articles there and a subscription form. Other reviews can be found on various manufacturers' sites; there's a couple of them on the Mana site for example.

"Listener" page on AudioWeb

As anticipated you have written another long letter rambling on as usual.

Boring the pants off everyone.

My offer still stands........ask for my phone number and you can contact me direct.

In fact I am looking forward to it.

Regards

Mick

Fancy calling Mr Wright a troll........you now run the risk of a twenty sentence response from him denying that his original troll was in fact a troll, but that he was merely expressing his opinion.

Regards

Mick.........still awaiting the phone call

Sorry if I was misquoting Ken. If my memory serves me well, he said something quite definitive about the CD2 and teh CDX, but obviously my massive hangover and the heat (it got up to 46 C the day before) may have colored things. If he did say this, he has obviously changed his mind as you stated.

It is a great store! And ken is an astounding dealer. Reminds me of my old boss at caltech. Very cool, inteligent and impartial. The listening room with all the rugs is great. I didn't care for teh NBLs at teh time but the demo was enough to convince me teh CDS 2 was king and I bought one six months later.

I get WB ACT 2s in about two months. The next question is 135s or 500...

and maybe an 01.

dav

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Re: "Listener" magazine

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Thanks!

(I still don't like this
software very much)

"I am a middle aged, grumpy old git"

Just about sums it up, really.

Have a merry Christmas Mick.

mikeh