CDX or 82

Given how long it will take for the format wars to settle down I wouldn't worry--a CDX will let you play music off the CDs you have now. Also, your 3.5/Hi will probably cover most of the cost of a CDX, so it should be a low cost (relatively) upgrade.

As ever, the above is IMO--you need to hear both !

Cheers,

Bob @ Qwest

Ride the LIGHT !

I have to agree with Bob on this one, go for the CDX first. Naims theory of front end firdt works, I am running a Roksan Caspian witht he Naim 82/Hi-cap/180 and it doesnt sound as good as the 3.5/nait system, changing the cd first will give extra insight and depth to the music, changing to the 82 will not have the same effect.

I would also consider changing the Linn Sara speakers, I was running the Roksan/naim though a pair of Linn Sara 9's and was surprised on how dated they sound. I did believe that there was nothing as good as the Linn's but after a visit to Golds Hi-Fi in Northampton I was surprised on how bad the Sara's sounded when I got back home, I have since upgraded to Ruark Equinox's which have the same qualities as the Linns, but are a vast improvement( I hate to say), also try the Sonus Faber range they work extremely well with Naim Gear. I would say this would give you a biggr improvement than either the CDX or the 82. Go to your dealer and try them out!

Nigel

Absolutely not! At home I climbed from a 3.5/Flat/102/140 to a CDX/82/2*Hi/250. At work I've got a 32.5/SNAPS/110. Therefore, I'm very familiar with the various components and their benefits. Even with my 15-year-old Yamaha A500 integrated, the CDX was a stunner. The 82 is great, but the CDX is better. Catch you later!

-=> Mike Hanson <=-

Smilies do not a forum make.

Edwin, you probably have enough good music on CD to justify a CDX, whatever the next format may be (if any).

Andrew

Andrew Randle
2B || !2B;
4 ^ = ?;

[This message was edited by Edwin on FRIDAY 19 January 2001 at 23:58.]

-=> Mike Hanson <=-

I wouldn't bother with the 102. Get the CDX and then listen and decide for yourself if a XPS or 82 is a better upgrade for you. I would personally get the XPS (having owned an 82/Super) and run it through the 32.5. Once you have CDX/XPS you can think about an 82.

Cheers,

Bob @ Qwest

Ride the Light !

As as Source First zealot, Bob, you seem to refuse the benefits of Naim's stunning pre-amps and power supplies. Even a lesser source can sound astonishing, and the CDX is certainly not a "lesser" source.

I was enthralled by my CDX/82/Super/250 system last night, and certainly felt no pangs of disappointment or regret. The other day I was amazed with the Cambridge CD6/32.5/Super/110, so I know the effect of the pre+ps cannot be discounted. Catch you later!

-=> Mike Hanson <=-

There is, as I have said, zero contest between a system of CDX/XPS/32.5/Hicap/250/ (Pick a speaker) and CDX/102/Hi/250. Zero. None. The CDX/XPS system is better at playing the notes in time. Also, the 32.5 is a great preamp, esp when pulled and recarded with 72 boards. It is a bit veiled only in direct comparison with something like an 82--the 32.5 is so cannily balanced that you are not aware you are missing anything.

Your suggestion that I "seem to refuse the benefits of Naim's stunning pre-amps and power supplies. Even a lesser source can sound astonishing" is simply funny. I have said all along that if you want the most music possible from a system then you should maximize the source. Period. As someone who has owned just about every preamp Naim makes and lived with the others I certainly do appreciate what the preamps and power supplies do. If I were to speculate, I would suggest that you have not had enough experience yet with Naim and that your lack of a good dealer to steer you the right way has hurt your system building--you appear to be more interested in "deals" than in assembling a system correctly. That is fine--but don't try to convince anyone other than yourself that it will sound as good.

Cheers,

Bob @ Qwest

Ride the Light !{

JW

Best keep it that way unless you can afford an 82. When I upgraded from 72'd 32.5 to my current 102/hi, I also heard the 82/napsc/hi. Now only three weeks into 102 ownership I wish I'd waited until I could afford the 82. It's simply miles better than anything else I've heard (I haven't heard the 52 and probably shouldn't!). Music through the 82 had such an ease to it. Timing, clarity, subtlety were simply astounding in comparison to the 102.
I just can't wait to hear the difference that a second hicap makes. Does anyone care to share their second hicap findings?

First of all congratulations on the 102! Saw this dialogue and thought that it would be interesting to share my experiences.
First of all, anyone who does not own a 52/Supercap but think they can afford one (and needed source components) - go and listen. Otherwise stay away - this is the most open little preamp on the market and will have you frustrated.
I recently have moved into to top-end having waited 15-years to replace my Nait/British Loudspeakers combo. My source has always been LP12/Ittok/Lingo and I never went to a hifi shop in those 15 years because I knew I'd end up being frustrated at not being able to buy what I wanted.
Anyway, Bob's right about "source first". After all this is one of the reasons that the CDX is so good with the XPS and the 82 (great that it is) is drammatically improved with the Supercap. I worked on this principle when I made my first purchase in December. I bought the 52/Supercap into 250 powering into some Ninkas that I had already and upgraded the LP12 to top spec. I then went on the search for a CD player - a long-running saga where I evaluated £2k to £12k machines. I ended up with loving the CDX/XPS, CDS-II/XPS and the CD12. Marantz's SA-1, great that it is, is not in this league. I now have the CDS-II. Then I came to realisation that the Ninka were not showing all the music. These were then replaced with B&W Nautilus 804 (even these aren't showing the true potential of the system but they do seem to work in the space I have). I have now just ordered a second 250 to bi-amp the speakers to get more out of them and show the qualities of the source.
So where am I going with this. Well the debate appears to be one around source first against the true value of Naim preamplifiers and the amount of detail they reveal. The story I have told shows that I tried both routes to upgrade. The 52/Supercap is very open and revealing and forced me into solving the CD issue. While I did this I came to the realisation that, although I had chosen wisely on upgrading the LP12 and getting the 52 that I could get more by changing the speakers. On balance my conclusion is that source first makes most sense only if you know that are going to move the system on. In my case I know this to be the case. The second 250 and the 804 are going to stay with me for a couple of years but I've been seduced by the 802 or NBL driven by the 500. If, however, you are looking to have a well balanced system and the objective is to have this system for more than a couple of years then I would have to say that my view is to spend more effort on choosing components more carefully.
Don't get me wrong I am very happy with my system but, truth be known, I wonder whether I would have equally happy by sticking to my original £10k budget and looking at a balance system rather than spending the £25k that I have! I suspect not but the curiosity remains nevertheless!

Nigel