CD555

Michael posted:

ken c posted:

i wonder for how long naim will be able to service CD555, depends obviously partly on inventory of spares for this fantastic spinner.

as soon as bean counters become more influential in any company -- the inevitable result surely follows and demise of CD555 is but one example.

enjoy

ken

 

Interesting point Ken, if and when the 555 can no longer be repaired I would struggle with the thought of just taking mine to the local tip and placing it in a skip. EeeeeeK !!!

i am pretty sure your CDS555 will run and run and run Michael -- and i am also sure Naim have enough spares to service the units out there for "a long time" -- well lets hope!!!

enjoy

ken

Naim have stockpiled spares - the mechanisms being the crucial piece. 

Keler Pierre posted:

Emre posted:

New Hegel Mohican is strictly 16/44 no digital inputs

the hegel mohican is in the cdx2 without xps2 range.

Esoteric x01 / sim audio 750d / burmester 069 / dcs rossini cd player / accuphase dp 720 / emmlabs xds1 v2 / metronome kallista / nagra cdp.  

For prat there is no cd players as naim, perhaps dcs or simaudio are the nearest.

I had a listen recently to the Esoteric K-05 and while it does hi-fi great found it a little dry and analytical, maybe wanting for musicality. I had a long discussion last week with a dealer selling a used Simaudio 750 at $5K.  He's also a Naim dealer and given my priority on musicality clearly steered me in the direction of a CDX2 though not having one for sale. He's owned several Naim CDPs at home and said that for direct CD replay they are unbeatable for musical involvement in spite of any advancements in recent CDPs.

Not just the mechanisms, having had a tour around the factory I am impressed with the spare parts, checked components  and design patterns maintained to service and repair just about anything Naim has ever made excluding some early CPs. Admittedly CD mechanisms of the early players have proved challenging so I understand.

On a recent tour it was interesting to see it was a N272, a 252 NAC, a Statement NAC  and a whole group of Uniti Cores that were being hand made at that time.. a mixture of mature and new designs. I was told it is the FM tuner demand  that has fallen off a cliff with all the talk of the possible 'demise' of broadcast FM, but they still maintain production capability. (Remember most Naim is built to order and most not kept as inventory stock. ) So with the CD555 I suspect it's that particular mechanism that is no longer available and not economic for Naim to redesign around a replacement and at least maintain SQ performance  given the relatively low volume of CD555 sales.

the unit will go out off production due to financial or manufacturing cost and space.  with regard to c d transports ive never had one faulty since 1986 and that includes in the car.

ken c posted:

as soon as bean counters become more influential in any company -- the inevitable result surely follows and demise of CD555 is but one example.

enjoy

ken

 

Well, it's the "Bean counters" who have to run any business if it's to remain viable, and who made the investment to develop the 555 in the first place.

Adam Zielinski posted:

... Just like the London Zoo - there are hardly any Dinosaurs running around there

But there are plenty of their descendants flying round there!

audio1946 posted:

the unit will go out off production due to financial or manufacturing cost and space.  with regard to c d transports ive never had one faulty since 1986 and that includes in the car.

I went to streaming because of the death of the CD mechanism in an Exposure CD 2010S.

Florestan posted:

I realize that my position on this is untenable.  I know the business cases and I know I had 10 years and I realize today's technology is better than i-Tunes and I know I am a dinosaur on the verge of extinction.  The fact remains that for me to even have Naim equipment in my home is somewhat of a minor miracle.  I cannot afford it let alone justify it but I did somehow by admitting to myself about a decade ago that music in reality is a big part of my life.  What am I living for?  So I went about by giving up everything else for this cause.  I don't travel, I don't eat out often.  I don't go to live concerts often. I have a few specific luxuries but I scrimp and save and basically mortgaged my whole future on these ideals.  Long story short, I have no regrets really as the payback to me personally on a daily basis quickly returns something else to me. 

To be sure, my off the cuff response previously was not disingenuous.  It was a response to the feeling like I was just kicked in the gut.  Nothing more.

I understand that Naim did not need to ask me the way forward and I am inconsequential to them in any imagined scenario.  They are absolutely more sensitive to the people here among us who have no shortage of cash to do as they please.  Piss them off and you have trouble.  Piss me off and the lone voice in the wilderness will eventually go away - especially when some of the powerbrokers here start marginalize the views of us dinosaurs.  It is the bandwagon effect, after-all.

Next to vinyl playback, the CD 555 was the last step in my puzzle.  As I said, the value of music in my life easily equates to the value of the "best" tool available to me but I have to sacrifice a lot and this takes time.  The world moves quicker than I can and especially for someone who has high and lofty ideals.

Part of the reason things change is that companies want to keep selling to us and so they have to create an allusion that every 6 months or a year something better is coming along.  Based on my musical tastes I am clearly in the market for "the best, or nothing."  Has anyone outdone Bach or Beethoven?  Once you know what the best is their is no motivation to move on.  Yes, one is always curious but confident that your ideals are safe and secure.

So when I go in to my dealer and say I am interested in a CD 555 their is a tendency for them to manipulate me.  Yes Mr. Florestan, that is nice but you really should get with the times and look at all this streaming stuff.  It is the future."  So any surprise that Naim is discontinuing its last two flagship players?  Kind of like a self-fulfilling prophesy.  The problem is that I made it clear that I wanted the reference CD player.

The issue happens everywhere.  I go to my Steinway piano dealer and he says, "Mr. Florestan, you really need to get a device on your grand piano that can play it for you."  But Mr. Dealer, you didn't hear me or listen to me, "I don't want a #(*&$(*... device to play my piano for me.  Unfortunately, the people with the money in this world do and so there you go.  (Do you ever step back and notice that the people with the money are among the last people on earth that you should rely on to have upright values, moral character, talent or even genuine humanity?)  Greed can do this to you... and this is why it is getting harder and harder to still find many companies who make mostly hand made pianos.

I'll end this by highlighting a company that defies the textbook studies for business cases and for the most part "listens" very carefully to its customers.  I know that by judging the majority of the citizens of this world the long-term future is not looking good but it is still a company in 2017 that acknowledges that some of us dinosaurs deserve some respect and attention. 

Leica Camera AG is a company that I have great respect for and will continue to support as long as I can.  Leica understands its roll in history and still produces its wonderful film cameras.  Would they have to?  No, certainly not if they were fools like the majority of today's companies but they make wonderful products for those who want a digital future and they still respectfully fulfill a promise to honour its past with analogue cameras.  One of the few last companies around who are worth supporting.   

Forgive me for stating my mind.  I don't wish to offend anyone.  This is not directed at Naim or anyone here.  This is only my overgeneralized view of how things work in the world and that I simply do not like it.  I am all for changes for the better and improvement in products.  It is just sad to see how fast things can change.

I believe my investment into Leica products is good for my lifetime and maybe that of my sons lifetime too.  I had hoped the same for my investment into Naim but I am realizing that this may just be a pipe dream.

Florestan posted:

I realize that my position on this is untenable.  I know the business cases and I know I had 10 years and I realize today's technology is better than i-Tunes and I know I am a dinosaur on the verge of extinction.  The fact remains that for me to even have Naim equipment in my home is somewhat of a minor miracle.  I cannot afford it let alone justify it but I did somehow by admitting to myself about a decade ago that music in reality is a big part of my life.  What am I living for?  So I went about by giving up everything else for this cause.  I don't travel, I don't eat out often.  I don't go to live concerts often. I have a few specific luxuries but I scrimp and save and basically mortgaged my whole future on these ideals.  Long story short, I have no regrets really as the payback to me personally on a daily basis quickly returns something else to me. 

To be sure, my off the cuff response previously was not disingenuous.  It was a response to the feeling like I was just kicked in the gut.  Nothing more.

I understand that Naim did not need to ask me the way forward and I am inconsequential to them in any imagined scenario.  They are absolutely more sensitive to the people here among us who have no shortage of cash to do as they please.  Piss them off and you have trouble.  Piss me off and the lone voice in the wilderness will eventually go away - especially when some of the powerbrokers here start marginalize the views of us dinosaurs.  It is the bandwagon effect, after-all.

Next to vinyl playback, the CD 555 was the last step in my puzzle.  As I said, the value of music in my life easily equates to the value of the "best" tool available to me but I have to sacrifice a lot and this takes time.  The world moves quicker than I can and especially for someone who has high and lofty ideals.

Part of the reason things change is that companies want to keep selling to us and so they have to create an allusion that every 6 months or a year something better is coming along.  Based on my musical tastes I am clearly in the market for "the best, or nothing."  Has anyone outdone Bach or Beethoven?  Once you know what the best is their is no motivation to move on.  Yes, one is always curious but confident that your ideals are safe and secure.

So when I go in to my dealer and say I am interested in a CD 555 their is a tendency for them to manipulate me.  Yes Mr. Florestan, that is nice but you really should get with the times and look at all this streaming stuff.  It is the future."  So any surprise that Naim is discontinuing its last two flagship players?  Kind of like a self-fulfilling prophesy.  The problem is that I made it clear that I wanted the reference CD player.

The issue happens everywhere.  I go to my Steinway piano dealer and he says, "Mr. Florestan, you really need to get a device on your grand piano that can play it for you."  But Mr. Dealer, you didn't hear me or listen to me, "I don't want a #(*&$(*... device to play my piano for me.  Unfortunately, the people with the money in this world do and so there you go.  (Do you ever step back and notice that the people with the money are among the last people on earth that you should rely on to have upright values, moral character, talent or even genuine humanity?)  Greed can do this to you... and this is why it is getting harder and harder to still find many companies who make mostly hand made pianos.

I'll end this by highlighting a company that defies the textbook studies for business cases and for the most part "listens" very carefully to its customers.  I know that by judging the majority of the citizens of this world the long-term future is not looking good but it is still a company in 2017 that acknowledges that some of us dinosaurs deserve some respect and attention. 

Leica Camera AG is a company that I have great respect for and will continue to support as long as I can.  Leica understands its roll in history and still produces its wonderful film cameras.  Would they have to?  No, certainly not if they were fools like the majority of today's companies but they make wonderful products for those who want a digital future and they still respectfully fulfill a promise to honour its past with analogue cameras.  One of the few last companies around who are worth supporting.   

Forgive me for stating my mind.  I don't wish to offend anyone.  This is not directed at Naim or anyone here.  This is only my overgeneralized view of how things work in the world and that I simply do not like it.  I am all for changes for the better and improvement in products.  It is just sad to see how fast things can change.

I believe my investment into Leica products is good for my lifetime and maybe that of my sons lifetime too.  I had hoped the same for my investment into Naim but I am realizing that this may just be a pipe dream.

Unfortunetely word is now ruled by people with more money than culture and taste

Regards

Roberto

R.,

it is probably true for word too, but I suppose you meant world. After all, both words and the phenomenal world come both from logos, according to a given school of thought. But let's keep it lighter: it's Sunday, and Easter or not, each of us has a right to spend at least one mentally peaceful day a week.

Buona Pasqua,

Max

Hi Max, in that case I recommend turning off the computer!  

Have a good relaxing Easter either way.

P.S. I think Boxing Day should also be mentally peaceful.

P.P.S I relax by thinking about things!

audio1946 posted:

the unit will go out off production due to financial or manufacturing cost and space.  with regard to c d transports ive never had one faulty since 1986 and that includes in the car.

As per my earlier post in this thread, Ive had two - one in a 3yr old CD5 and one in a 4month old CDX2.

Glad to see the points about Naim stockpiling replacement parts.

I suspect the CD555s already in use around the world still have many years ahead of them. Sadly, it looks like this won't be the case for those of us who own NAT01 tuners. This really is a superb device, able to compete with the best music source of any format. I heard on the radio on Friday that FM switch off may even be bought forward to some time this year! This will probably mean that the only solution will be a trip to the recycling centre. Sound quality doesn't count for much with MPs when there's money to be saved.

At least CD555 owners won't wake up one day and find that all the CDs in the world have suddenly dissolved.

joerand posted:

Keler Pierre posted:

Emre posted:

New Hegel Mohican is strictly 16/44 no digital inputs

the hegel mohican is in the cdx2 without xps2 range.

Esoteric x01 / sim audio 750d / burmester 069 / dcs rossini cd player / accuphase dp 720 / emmlabs xds1 v2 / metronome kallista / nagra cdp.  

For prat there is no cd players as naim, perhaps dcs or simaudio are the nearest.

I had a listen recently to the Esoteric K-05 and while it does hi-fi great found it a little dry and analytical, maybe wanting for musicality. I had a long discussion last week with a dealer selling a used Simaudio 750 at $5K.  He's also a Naim dealer and given my priority on musicality clearly steered me in the direction of a CDX2 though not having one for sale. He's owned several Naim CDPs at home and said that for direct CD replay they are unbeatable for musical involvement in spite of any advancements in recent CDPs.

i just pointed that there are still high end cd players on the market , because the cd555 is no longer produced and Emre wanted before to buy one.  I am never listening to dealers, they just advice what they sell.  But i agree, the cdx2 / xps2 is the most musical certainly in this list, but in strictly hifi context, the cdx2 can't compete with an esoteric grandioso or full stack dcs...

I have listened to many high end cd/sacd players and found the dcs puccini/ u clock better than my past cdx2/xps2, in musical and hifi context. The simaudio 750d was very good too, but i did not liked the esoteric x01, the accuphase and metronome cd8.

One year ago i wanted to upgrade from cdx2/xps2 and have access to high rez.  I was thinking strongly on the dcs puccini/ u clock but finally choosed the nds/555 dr/ unitserve. I could have take chord transport/ chord dave too.   If cd555 had access to high rez, it would be my favorite....

Clive B posted:

I suspect the CD555s already in use around the world still have many years ahead of them. Sadly, it looks like this won't be the case for those of us who own NAT01 tuners. This really is a superb device, able to compete with the best music source of any format. I heard on the radio on Friday that FM switch off may even be bought forward to some time this year! This will probably mean that the only solution will be a trip to the recycling centre. Sound quality doesn't count for much with MPs when there's money to be saved.

At least CD555 owners won't wake up one day and find that all the CDs in the world have suddenly dissolved.

I own NAT01 and i agree completely Clive -- sad day when FM switch off finally arrives...  may be time to move to a country that still transmits FM :-)

I am actually right now listening to a fascinating program on Radio 3 "Why does music move us?" part o the "Listening Service"....

By the way, I also used to own a CDS555 - when the NDS was released, i decided to free up space taken up by the ever expanding CD collection (and more racks to shelve then).

I must admit there is a bit of me that regrets this because i really liked the 'industrial/serious' look of this player and more importantly, its absolutely stunning performance..

but hey ... the NDS is no slouch if you are happy to mess about with digital networking and all the palaver that goes with the territory...

enjoy...

ken

PS: I have a CDX2 (sans PS) n a second system -- so i am not completely CD-less... :-)

Long live the CD555!  I owned one for many years, and its sound quality was tremendous.  Loved the build quality and that door was fun to show off.

I'd be curious how well the other CD players sell?  Will the CDX2 be next?  

Ah, but you didn't love it enough to want to keep it. Therein lies the problem: pay £12,000, take it out of the shop and it's worth £5,000.

Hungryhalibut posted:

Ah, but you didn't love it enough to want to keep it. Therein lies the problem: pay £12,000, take it out of the shop and it's worth £5,000.

It's not a problem if you don't sell Nigel. I bought mine with the intention of owning and using  it for 20 years.

Very true, but it's not the 'investment' that it was. The 555 is a lovely thing, especially the way it opens when you wave at it. 

Hungryhalibut posted:

Very true, but it's not the 'investment' that it was. The 555 is a lovely thing, especially the way it opens when you wave at it. 

Hi-fi's never an investment, it's bought for its enjoyment. The longer you keep it, the better value it becomes. My 555 hasn't cost a lot over the last ten years.

Polarbear posted:

Hungryhalibut posted:

Very true, but it's not the 'investment' that it was. The 555 is a lovely thing, especially the way it opens when you wave at it. 

Hi-fi's never an investment, it's bought for its enjoyment. The longer you keep it, the better value it becomes. My 555 hasn't cost a lot over the last ten years.

That's why I used the inverted commas. What I mean is that depreciation is faster now. But yes, you buy it to enjoy it, and so long as you do, that's all that matters. 

Hungryhalibut posted:

Polarbear posted:

Hungryhalibut posted:

Very true, but it's not the 'investment' that it was. The 555 is a lovely thing, especially the way it opens when you wave at it. 

Hi-fi's never an investment, it's bought for its enjoyment. The longer you keep it, the better value it becomes. My 555 hasn't cost a lot over the last ten years.

That's why I used the inverted commas. What I mean is that depreciation is faster now. But yes, you buy it to enjoy it, and so long as you do, that's all that matters. 

I have many, many, many hours of enjoyment racked up on 555 Nigel 

Sorry, a bit of topic but depreciation is much more severe with certain cars, let alone maintenance costs and taxes. On the other hand there are few exceptions way better than Blue Chips. A friend of mine living in Bruxelles, early last year bought a Porsche Boxter 3.8 Spyder which is now  worth at least 20% more than original RP.

Regards

Roberto

rsch posted:

Sorry, a bit of topic but depreciation is much more severe with certain cars, let alone maintenance costs and taxes. On the other hand there are few exceptions way better than Blue Chips. A friend of mine living in Bruxelles, early last year bought a Porsche Boxter 3.8 Spyder which is now  worth at least 20% more than original RP.

Regards

Roberto

hard to see why -- the world is not short of boxters, and they still make them.

Ah, but now with turbocharged 4 cylinder engines, not lovely, smooth & responsive, naturally aspirated 6 cylinder engines...