why buy a CDX2

Begs the question which one did you prefer?

There are no rights and wrongs here. Its all about personal preference

red

What redeye says is right.
That said here is an opinion.
I found my CDX2 "grew on me" over time. I decided based on a 3 hour listening session at the dealer but was comparing against a CD5.
When the CDX2 arrived it took quite a while to burn in (more than a month) and continued to convince with further small improvements in nuance for a further time after that.
The other by product is that I can listen for hours to a wide range of music types and not feel any sense of growing tension from the sound.
Unfortunately you only find these things out when you live with a piece of HiFi and it is all subjective anyway.

good luck deciding

GEOFFP

Welcome Anthony

If the Accuphase sounds better to you; go for it - only your preference is really relevant.

We are (mostly) Naim devotees here. That doesn't mean it's the best - it means that we like it.

Sonic values aside; Naim kit has a solid reputation, proven longevity, serviceability and an excellent re-sale value.

Good luck.

Just done the CD5/Hi-Cap upgrade to CDX2 and I would recommend a home audtion as it does take awhile for your ears to adjust to the sound but I'm loveing mine.

I'm playing CD's that I wasn't keen on before and now really enjoying them along with being able to play at higher volumes then the CD5/Hi-Cap.

Haven't heard the Accuphase so can't comment but I would guess it will come down to what future upgrade path you intend to take and off course the sound you like.

Rgds, Andy

Just another thought if I had a Nait3 anp and Rega Ela speakers I would save a few pennies and get a 2nd hand CDX and save the rest until you want to upgarde the amp.

Rgds, Andy

thanks for all the replies and advice to date. It's a difficult decision as they both sound great but are altogether different.

It's a difficult decision as they both sound great but are altogether different.


Maybe neither is for you. I'd recommend listening to other equipment until you get a clear sense of which would provide satisfaction for the duration that you want.

You may really want a CDS....

Best of luck.

Phil

Phil

quote:

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You may really want a CDS....

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Hmmm...CDS?

I think not. CDS3 ..... Yes.

Anything less.... well I suppose if you like it it's your choice.

Chris

I'll be flamed for this to the point of being able to fry an egg at 40 paces but...

Yes there IS a right and wrong way to buy your CD player.

CDX2 - Correct. Go to top of the class.
Accuphase - Incorrect. Put the Dunce cap on.

Doesn't anybody out there believe in synergy???

The Niam CDX2 was designed to go with Naim. The Accuphase with other Accuphase products.
Is that so hard to accept?

If you buy the Accuphase, you will then have an Accuphase system, no longer a Naim.

BTW I am in no way slagging the Accuphase, but I believe in buying with regards to the rest of the system, not in a vacuum.

Look at how many manufacturers sell SYSTEMS now:

Linn
Cyrus
Naim
Krell
Audio Note
Rega

I'm sure there's more than that too.
To me that speaks volumes.

Where's my aluminium suit??

Joe90

ok. I am biting this trolgram.

CDX2 work can work well with non-naim gear.
I agree about synergy bit but not necessarily with the same make.
Altho, it is fine if you buy company's house sound lock, stock and barrel.

Quite frankly, I never liked the all make systems on any of the companies you've listed. And I found that each producer has strengths and weaknesses.

It's great if you like what Naim offers as a package. But it's a bit of stretch to suggest they are the only way to go.

Audio is a subjective thing.

BTW, I had friends' Accuphase DP75V in my rig. I prefer CDX2 over it altho, it did some fine things.

I don't like them all either...
And I would be very surprised if any system DIDN'T have strengths and weaknesses.

What I am asserting is that mixing and matching is much more likely to result in making more weaknesses than strengths.

I see more complaints from those with patchwork systems than coherent, synergystic systems.

Joe90

Mixing and matching if done carefully will produce a system that can outperform many one-make systems.



Regards,

Steve.

quote:

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I see more complaints from those with patchwork systems than coherent, synergystic systems.

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You end up chasing your own tail when you do not know what you are looking for.

A lot of people still demo stuff and ask themselves stupid questions like.."is it appropriate for me to like this?" and "what'll my mates say"

Total waste of time and energy.

If an Accuwhatever cd player sounds better to your ears with a Nait/Elas than the Naim player just buy it.
This is probably the last place on Earth you should be asking that question anyway.

System synergy is very important but frankly its bollocks to suggest that single make systems are the only way.

Choose carefully...use your heart rather than your brain and you'll be right

red

It's Clear. Buy Neither at this time

IMHO if you don't at present have a clear preference for one over the other then it's premature to make a choice. If I were in your position, unless I was under some kind of major pressure to buy a cd player, I'd wait. I'd wait until I had time to audition more players or take both the Accuphase and CDX2 home for a while. For that kind of money I'd only buy a cd player I really really liked a lot. If I liked them both the same, I'd wait...

Markus
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quote:

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You end up chasing your own tail when you do not know what you are looking for.

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But what if you do know what you are looking for?



Regards,

Steve.

simple......'cause there's a reason why no accuphase forum exists....;-)

1. terrible resale values
2. poor dealer support (in u.s.)
3. questionable long-term commitment and viabilty.

0h, yeah....

4. the cdx2 sounds wonderful

my $02, your $$

quote:

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Originally posted by Steven Toy:
But what if you do know what you are looking for?.

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Then a listener would choose either all one make system or put together an equally satifying system with stuff from different companies and live happily ever after

quote:

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System synergy is very important but frankly its bollocks to suggest that single make systems are the only way.

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oh yeah. i have to note that CDX2 sounded horrible in my non-Naim secondary system. Overblown midbass, incissive bright forwrad trebles, not at all what it is supposed to sound like.

Yet, it replaced my long standing Krell kps25s for CD playback albeit with a huge help from PSX2 in my non-Naim main rig.

[This message was edited by kuma on THURSDAY 27 November 2003 at 08:13.]

quote:

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Then a listener would choose either all one make system or put together an equally satifying system with stuff from different companies and live happily ever after

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Not quite.

Having established synergy between, say, Naim CD players and Densen amps I can continue to upgrade.

Thus my own upgrade path to date is as follows:

CD5/Nordost Solar Wind i/c/Densen B100 intergrated on Optimum rack/Naca5/Rega Naos.

Densen B100 + B300 power amp biamped, second run of Naca5. System goes up 1 notch.

Densen B200 pre/B300, trade in B100, chuck second pair of Naca5 in the cupboard. + 3 notches.

CD5 + Flatcap 2. + 1 notch.

Join Naim forum

Music Works block and leads. + 1 notch.

Swap Optimum rack for QS Ref rack. + 3 notches.

Swap Nordost Solar Wind interconnects for Chord Anthem interconects. + 1 notch.

CDX. + 3 notches.

Swap QS Ref shelves for bog seat QS Ref shelves. + 1 notch.

Add Mana Sound Bases under speakers. + 1 notch.

Swap B300 for B300 XS. + 1 notch.

Change Anthem i/cs for Omiga Audio ones. + 1 notch.

For the future (I wish):

XPS(2)

Forthcoming Densen B220 pre.

CDS2/3

Better speakers (?)/Townsend Isolda cables.

Each and every upgrade above has (or shall have) improved the musicality of my system. There haven't been any synergy issues yet that I can think of.



Regards,

Steve.

Wow Steven you really are the closest equivalent to straight wire with gain.

quote:

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Originally posted by Steven Toy:
Having established synergy between, say, Naim CD players and Densen amps I can continue to upgrade.

Thus my own upgrade path to date is as follows:

CD5/Nordost Solar Wind i/c/Densen B100 intergrated on Optimum rack/Naca5/Rega Naos.

Densen B100 + B300 power amp biamped, second run of Naca5. System goes up 1 notch.

Densen B200 pre/B300, trade in B100, chuck second pair of Naca5 in the cupboard. + 3 notches.

CD5 + Flatcap 2. + 1 notch.

Join Naim forum

Music Works block and leads. + 1 notch.

Swap Optimum rack for QS Ref rack. + 3 notches.

Swap Nordost Solar Wind interconnects for Chord Anthem interconects. + 1 notch.

CDX. + 3 notches.

Swap QS Ref shelves for bog seat QS Ref shelves. + 1 notch.

Add Mana Sound Bases under speakers. + 1 notch.

Swap B300 for B300 XS. + 1 notch.

Change Anthem i/cs for Omiga Audio ones. + 1 notch.

For the future (I wish):

XPS(2)

Forthcoming Densen B220 pre.

CDS2/3

Better speakers (?)/Townsend Isolda cables..

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Steve,

Sure. Journey is fun as long as you know where you are going.

quote:

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Sorry I can't help myself, it's like a red rag to a bull ...

...but how many notches do speakers get? [I ask because, to my way of thinking, speakers and the way they interact with the room are about the only thing that matters

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As and when I get new speakers - whatever they may be - you'll be the first to know how many notches.

I haven't quantified potential future upgrades for obvious reasons.

At some point there will be a new room too, but that may turn out to be a backward step or a downward notch...



Regards,

Steve.

quote:

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Sure. Journey is fun as long as you know where you are going.

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I haven't got a clue which speakers though, that's why they will probably be left 'til last. I may be old, grey and deaf by then.



Regards,

Steve.