CD5i & Nait5i first impressions
Posted by: GrizzlyHippo on 01 January 2004
OK, first off, you need to understand the system I upgraded from: 8yr old Rotel 920AX amp, Rotel 970BX CD, and Keff Coda 7 speakers. I have also been privileged to have Adam's (armered's) vast Naim system 'demonstrated' to me umpteen zillion times over the last 6 years or so. This enabled me to see the benefits of a better Hi-Fi than the Rotel system, but there's no way I could afford a setup like his.
I have had the Naim CD5i, Nait5i and B&W CM2's system up and running for a little over 3 days now.
When it was first switched on it sounded cold and harsh and it felt like I'd made a serious mistake. However, it very quickly got better as everything warmed up and I'm now happy to offer some impressions.
The sound has now settled down. I have played a few tracks on and off since setting it all up to gauge how much the system is changing. The vocals on Blur's Think Tank were really harsh to start with, but now are very well balanced. Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here is a completely new album. The Stone Roses' Second Coming has offered up totally unheard before depth in the recordings. I am gobsmacked.
The clarity and depth of the sound from this system is amazing. We thought the Rotel was a good setup, but this leaves it in the weeds. I would confidently say that it is MUCH better than similar priced systems that I heard from the likes of Arcam.
My main criticism of these new Naim machines is the remote control handset. Bare with me. This system, while being Naim's 'entry level' setup, is still a very expensive investment for what I presume to be the target market - i.e. Young-ish professionals like me who are upgrading from a Rotel or Arcam system and who never thought they would be able to afford Naim. My setup including speakers cost just under £2k. My previous Rotel setup cost £750. With this in mind I am really dissapointed by the remote control that is supplied as it feels really cheap. It is plastic, really light, and in my opinion, vastly detracts from the user experience. Naim should have provided something like a cut down/smaller Narcom 3 handset, made of metal, feeling nicely weighted and rewarding the purchaser for choosing and entering the world of Naim. As it is, I am constantly reminded of this cheap plasticy handset EVERY time I use the system. It does not make me glad to have bought Naim, which it should do as it is the main user-system interface. I would have been happy to pay another, say £40, to have had a quality handset included.
Don't get me wrong, the sound that this system produces is sublime. Simple. But in my opinion, the handset lets the whole 'first time owner of Naim' experience down.
I hope Naim address the handset issue.
My other (small) complaint is that the fascia of the CD drawer is a different shade of black to the main fascia on the front of the CD5i. Is this intentional, as it looks like a manufacturing / materials mismatch. This problem is not really a problem, but when you sit there for hours, drooling into a bowl, staring at the system, you notice these little things and then they bug you.
Going back to the sound quality, I can simply say that the CD5i and Nait5i perform perfectly together. The sound is balanced, crystal clear, has great depth and clarity, vocals such as Christina Aquilera's Stripped and Nina Simone are gobsmacking, there is bass when needed, but it does not detract from the instruments.
Simply amazing. Well done Naim. Just sort the handset.
Tom
I have had the Naim CD5i, Nait5i and B&W CM2's system up and running for a little over 3 days now.
When it was first switched on it sounded cold and harsh and it felt like I'd made a serious mistake. However, it very quickly got better as everything warmed up and I'm now happy to offer some impressions.
The sound has now settled down. I have played a few tracks on and off since setting it all up to gauge how much the system is changing. The vocals on Blur's Think Tank were really harsh to start with, but now are very well balanced. Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here is a completely new album. The Stone Roses' Second Coming has offered up totally unheard before depth in the recordings. I am gobsmacked.
The clarity and depth of the sound from this system is amazing. We thought the Rotel was a good setup, but this leaves it in the weeds. I would confidently say that it is MUCH better than similar priced systems that I heard from the likes of Arcam.
My main criticism of these new Naim machines is the remote control handset. Bare with me. This system, while being Naim's 'entry level' setup, is still a very expensive investment for what I presume to be the target market - i.e. Young-ish professionals like me who are upgrading from a Rotel or Arcam system and who never thought they would be able to afford Naim. My setup including speakers cost just under £2k. My previous Rotel setup cost £750. With this in mind I am really dissapointed by the remote control that is supplied as it feels really cheap. It is plastic, really light, and in my opinion, vastly detracts from the user experience. Naim should have provided something like a cut down/smaller Narcom 3 handset, made of metal, feeling nicely weighted and rewarding the purchaser for choosing and entering the world of Naim. As it is, I am constantly reminded of this cheap plasticy handset EVERY time I use the system. It does not make me glad to have bought Naim, which it should do as it is the main user-system interface. I would have been happy to pay another, say £40, to have had a quality handset included.
Don't get me wrong, the sound that this system produces is sublime. Simple. But in my opinion, the handset lets the whole 'first time owner of Naim' experience down.
I hope Naim address the handset issue.
My other (small) complaint is that the fascia of the CD drawer is a different shade of black to the main fascia on the front of the CD5i. Is this intentional, as it looks like a manufacturing / materials mismatch. This problem is not really a problem, but when you sit there for hours, drooling into a bowl, staring at the system, you notice these little things and then they bug you.
Going back to the sound quality, I can simply say that the CD5i and Nait5i perform perfectly together. The sound is balanced, crystal clear, has great depth and clarity, vocals such as Christina Aquilera's Stripped and Nina Simone are gobsmacking, there is bass when needed, but it does not detract from the instruments.
Simply amazing. Well done Naim. Just sort the handset.
Tom
Naim is about music, not about gadgets (although the Flash seems as if it is able to command an RC racecar 
). That's why the remote is perhaps 'cheap'. The Narcoms are plastic as well, but when I use it I skip a number, raise the volume, nothing more. The remotes are fine, layout is okay, and metal does cost extra, and for what? Just forget about the thing and listen to your music! 
It does sound like a great system! Just enjoy it, you'll forget about the remote in no time!
). That's why the remote is perhaps 'cheap'. The Narcoms are plastic as well, but when I use it I skip a number, raise the volume, nothing more. The remotes are fine, layout is okay, and metal does cost extra, and for what? Just forget about the thing and listen to your music! It does sound like a great system! Just enjoy it, you'll forget about the remote in no time!
Except for the NAC552 (and formerly the CDS2), all of Naim's gear comes with cheap plastic remotes. Therefore, you're not really being treated any worse than the vast majority of Naim buyers. 
I happen to have the Flash that came with my CDS2, which is also a surprisingly terrible remote. (It's heavy, awkward and unintuitive.) Fortunately, I don't need it, as my chair sits within arm's reach of my equipment, hidden in my listening room's closet.
(I did a quick hatchet tweak on the image, so you could actually see the gear.)
If you're interested in a good remote, I can always sell you my old Marantz RC2000 Mk.2. I used it in my home theater until getting a Theater Master MX-700. You can probably nix that idea, though, because the Marantz is top heavy and made of PLASTIC.
-=> Mike Hanson <=-
I happen to have the Flash that came with my CDS2, which is also a surprisingly terrible remote. (It's heavy, awkward and unintuitive.) Fortunately, I don't need it, as my chair sits within arm's reach of my equipment, hidden in my listening room's closet.
(I did a quick hatchet tweak on the image, so you could actually see the gear.)
If you're interested in a good remote, I can always sell you my old Marantz RC2000 Mk.2. I used it in my home theater until getting a Theater Master MX-700. You can probably nix that idea, though, because the Marantz is top heavy and made of PLASTIC.
-=> Mike Hanson <=-
Flabbergasted 
The remote which came with my CD5 is the most nasty bit of brittle rubbish I have ever seen. So I just hid it somewhere and made a fuss of my ears! Turned out that the old Marantz CD94 remote worked fine but I don't mind the walk. It's always rewarding.
If my CD5/HiCap is anything to go buy - if you think it sounds good after 3 days, just wait until this time next week. You ain't heard nothing yet (this observation is much disputed and probably depends on lots of factors).
Cheers
Harry
If my CD5/HiCap is anything to go buy - if you think it sounds good after 3 days, just wait until this time next week. You ain't heard nothing yet (this observation is much disputed and probably depends on lots of factors).
Cheers
Harry
You want to pay for looks? The NARCOM is functional IMHO, and it feels as cheap as most remotes I've had and have seen. The true exception comming from Densen. The remote is full Aluminium and wheighs a ton. Nice to lift e brick each time to skip a track. Quit complaining, it works doesn't it? I hardly use the thing. I haven't seen the Flash remote so I can't judge it. And yes, some brands do deliver good remotes. Naim does the same. Other people do have different opinion.
I do have to agree with some opinions, that it does make a statement. Akthough once you get back into your music, to hell with te remote! Just sit back, and enjoy the music!
Cheers!
I do have to agree with some opinions, that it does make a statement. Akthough once you get back into your music, to hell with te remote! Just sit back, and enjoy the music!
Cheers!
quote:
Originally posted by J. A. Toon:quote:
Learn from Bryston: Take a look at the integrated amp B60. It sounds good and feel good with remote: a pure 60 watt killer.
Yep
Shame about the uncompetitive exchange rates here in the UK -- new Bryston gear ends up costing almost exactly the same in pounds as it does in dollars over in the states...
(Tuan, given your positive views of Bryston, looking at your profile I am slightly surprised that you don't own something like a BP20/4B-SST yourself...? Naim CD players work very nicely with Bryston
John.
Yes. I like Naim CD player and my Naim dealer (he is also my friend) does not sell Bryston. If he sells Bryston, I probably buy from him. My point is that at the price we pay for our Naim gear, we do have lot of choices. Take Bryston, Spectral, amplification as examples. I like to buy from my friend "HiFi FoFum" and Naim amps are very good. In the distant future I may replace my NAP250 with the Bryston 4B-SST if I need more power. You are correct John.
Remotes... hmmm...
I think the Naim plastic remote I have for my 82 is fine - though I think the layout isn't the most thought out design and I keep picking it up the wrong way around
Used a Flash and it was 'orrid. Well built, sure, but horrible.
That said, I recently tried a Rogue Audio Magunum 99 preamp which comes with a lovely remote made of aluminium - even down to the buttons. However, it was infinitely worse than the Naim 82 remote, as (a) the button feel was really bad, and (b) it barely worked, even with fresh batteries - you had to 'stab' at the buttons, as holding the volume button did nothing. SO, to increase volume substantially required several presses of the buttons. Not good.
Glad I could give it back in the end.
What remote did the 52 come with? I'm going there soon, just wondered if it was a different remote to that of the 82...
John
TC '..'
"Sun went down in honey. Moon came up in wine. Stars were spinnin' dizzy, Lord, the band kept us so busy we forgot about the time."
quote:
What a joke that is... The Naim remote control is the worst control system. The cheap ones look CHEAP and feel CHEAP. The most expensive one (they call it FLASH) is expensive and confusing.
I think the Naim plastic remote I have for my 82 is fine - though I think the layout isn't the most thought out design and I keep picking it up the wrong way around
Used a Flash and it was 'orrid. Well built, sure, but horrible.
That said, I recently tried a Rogue Audio Magunum 99 preamp which comes with a lovely remote made of aluminium - even down to the buttons. However, it was infinitely worse than the Naim 82 remote, as (a) the button feel was really bad, and (b) it barely worked, even with fresh batteries - you had to 'stab' at the buttons, as holding the volume button did nothing. SO, to increase volume substantially required several presses of the buttons. Not good.
Glad I could give it back in the end.
What remote did the 52 come with? I'm going there soon, just wondered if it was a different remote to that of the 82...
John
TC '..'
"Sun went down in honey. Moon came up in wine. Stars were spinnin' dizzy, Lord, the band kept us so busy we forgot about the time."