CDX2 or CD5XS Digital input to NDS

itfat posted:

Dear all, it's been a while since my last post, but I really need an unbiased opinion of my fellow Naim owners. A month or so ago I brought my CDS3 out of my storage and started listening to it. I found the experience all so much more pleasing compared to Tidal into NDS. By the whole experience I mean having the cover in my hand, knowing the CD content etc. rather than rummaging through Tidal on your ipad for long periods and then realising that  the title you are after is not on Tidal! Anyway, I'm moving on a tangent. I have decided to buy another CD player for my second system (NAP300, NAC252, NDS, LP12, Naim Aro). Given that I will only use the CD player as a CD transport, I have decided on CD5XS. My dealer tells me that CDX2 is a better player even though I am using the digital out only.  He also made another recommendation that maybe I should get the new Uniti Core (Now I am definitely not convinced specially since all Naim has done here is use a TEAC CD ROM in Uniti Core). The electronic engineer in me tells me that the digital output of CDX2 and CD5XS should be identical, where CDX2 will outshine the CD5XS is the analogue output and I totally agree. I would love to hear your opinion. Many thanks Roy.

the best solution for the nds, in naim range, is the core. The core will rip your cds and stock downloads. The nds will stream them, in upnp mode( no direct connection between nds and core). The core will be your nas/ ripper/server. The teac cd rom is just for ripping. Nds/core is actually the best naim digital source.

Tidal streaming is not the best for sound quality....

But if you prefer cd player with nds, why not, but it will cost you more and the sound quality will not be as good as nds/ core in ethernet mode.   Or you can also sell your nds and buy cdx2/ ndac solution, with xps....if you don't want ethernet, streaming etc....

Thank you for the reply. I'm embarrassed to say that I have a UnitiServe and an nDAC.  My end goal is to actually spin CDs in the living room. The UnitiServe is connected to my NAC272, XPS, NAP250DR (in another room) and my nDAC is connected to my NDX, XPSDR (in my study/office). I actually have only space for one more Naim box in the living room, so it is either CDX2 or CD5XS used as digital source into my NDS.   But you present a very interesting solution. Do not spin discs, store the disc that you want to hear on the UnitiCore and play through NDS. 

If you have a UnitiServe, why would you want a Core as well. The Serve can supply music to lots of players at the same time. 

If you house has a decent network, you have all the hardware you need. As HH says, the Unitiserve can feed all of your systems  if you rip your CDs on it.

Except that the Op wants to get up, put on a CD, sit down and listen to it, as though he is using a CD player...

Foot tapper posted:

Except that the Op wants to get up, put on a CD, sit down and listen to it, as though he is using a CD player...

Yes, but he said that in the context of being dissatisfied with Tidal, which I can understand. If he has an NDS level system, but only wants to invest relatively small amounts on an XS level CD transport, maybe a tried and tested alternative that costs nothing would sound appealing.

Bingo. Just like records that force you to slow your life down a bit (you know you put a record on and listen to the whole side because it is too hard to skip songs), I want to play CDs again and slow the fast paced life down a little (I know you can skip songs, but you are limited to that CD and will tend to listen to that artist rather than keep moving between 100s of songs on your ipad). Plus I have CDs that simply do not have metadata available for them, CDs that I bought in the early 90s. Really all I'm asking is does the digital signal out of CDX2 = CD5XS ? Logic tells me yes.

Thank you for the replies.

There appear to be some contradictions in the questions.

1. If the OP has a UnitiServe buying a Core seems very redundant and I would advise against this purchase.

2. CDX2 vs CD5XS with digital out > personally I can hear a difference in the digital out mode of the two players (and I owned both at some stage). CDX2 just sounds better.  So CDX2 is not equal to CD5XS in a digital out - at least to my ears.

3. Somehow CDX2 into nDAC sounded better than CDX2 into NDS. I tried both and own both. I cannot explain where this difference comes from.

4. The OP already has CDX3. I would stick with this and use it as a main spinner in one system and NDS as a main source in the other one. I would focus on optimising the NDS system.

5. CDs, irrespective of their age do not really carry metadata on them - the data is searched and downloaded from on-line resources.

itfat posted:

...............  I have CDs that simply do not have metadata available for them, CDs that I bought in the early 90s. 

As Adam said,  CD's don't carry metadata.  With a PC/Mac ripping software like dBpoweramp its linked to all the www metadata services & if the metadata is not available or wrong,  its very simple to add or edit it yourself.  

Mike-B posted:

itfat posted:

...............  I have CDs that simply do not have metadata available for them, CDs that I bought in the early 90s. 

As Adam said,  CD's don't carry metadata.  With a PC/Mac ripping software like dBpoweramp its linked to all the www metadata services & if the metadata is not available or wrong,  its very simple to add or edit it yourself.  

As the OP already has a UnitiServe, editing and adding missing metadata to CD rips is quite easy.

Thank you all specially to Adam. CDX2 it is then. BTW by metadata I meant the information that came through the net when I was ripping my CDs into my UnitiServe. Majority of times the metadata was correct, sometimes incorrect and sometimes nothing at all.

OK Adam,  not being sure about what US can do,  I'm just saying what's possible with a simple PC/Mac.   

When a Serve rips a cd and there is no metadata - album, artist, tracks, genre - you just add it using the nServe app or the desktop client. It takes a few seconds. 

itfat posted:

Thank you all specially to Adam. CDX2 it is then. BTW by metadata I meant the information that came through the net when I was ripping my CDs into my UnitiServe. Majority of times the metadata was correct, sometimes incorrect and sometimes nothing at all.

Have you discovered the N-Serve metadata editing facility? It's very easy to use as long as you only want to edit basic metadata and artwork. 

Yes I have, but when you are ripping 2000+ CDs . . . who's got the time  This may be another reason why I want to go back to spinning CDs again.

Mike-B posted:

OK Adam,  not being sure about what US can do,  I'm just saying what's possible with a simple PC/Mac.   

What I really meant Mike is that UnitiServe rips need to be corrected using the US software.

Other rips - dB or Metadatics are excellent.

itfat posted:

Thank you all specially to Adam. CDX2 it is then. BTW by metadata I meant the information that came through the net when I was ripping my CDs into my UnitiServe. Majority of times the metadata was correct, sometimes incorrect and sometimes nothing at all.

Just to let you know - I actually use my CDX2 in an 'analgoue out' mode now, with a recently re-capped 555PS (non-DR version). Interconnect is a HiLine.
Somehow this combo soundes more enjoyable to my ears, than connecting CDX2 to my NDS (CD-1 was used).

itfat posted:

Yes I have, but when you are ripping 2000+ CDs . . . who's got the time  This may be another reason why I want to go back to spinning CDs again.

Just to clarify, bacause now I'm really confused - you already have a UnitiServe and an NDS. I presume all your CDs have been ripped. I'd hazard a guess that around 10 or so failed to upload correct cover arts, 1-2 could not be ripped at all and few need minor adjustments to the track titles or so...

So what do you need a second CD player for?

Adam

NOTE to self: normally we are supposed to spend OPs cash freely, here we are trying to preserve it... something has gone horribly wrong.... 

I guess the upside is that if I get the CDX2 I can used the analogue out which is by far more superior than CD5XS and specially now given that CDX2 is the top of the line CD player after the death of CD555. Thanks for the advice. I was planning to buy a CD555DR PS and a CD5XS, but I guess I will delay the CD player and gather enough fund and buy the CD player down the track. The PS is for the nDAC.

The CDX2 with a 555PS is a super, lively and very engaging player too!

Adam Zielinski posted:

There appear to be some contradictions in the questions.

1. If the OP has a UnitiServe buying a Core seems very redundant and I would advise against this purchase.

2. CDX2 vs CD5XS with digital out > personally I can hear a difference in the digital out mode of the two players (and I owned both at some stage). CDX2 just sounds better.  So CDX2 is not equal to CD5XS in a digital out - at least to my ears.

3. Somehow CDX2 into nDAC sounded better than CDX2 into NDS. I tried both and own both. I cannot explain where this difference comes from.

4. The OP already has CDX3. I would stick with this and use it as a main spinner in one system and NDS as a main source in the other one. I would focus on optimising the NDS system.

5. CDs, irrespective of their age do not really carry metadata on them - the data is searched and downloaded from on-line resources.

Adam's third point above is my experience too.  I would also say that the quality of the digital output (in this case of a CD player as a transport) really matters. That's how I ended up with a CDX2.2 used as a transport into a nDAC. Moreover, the CDX2.2 as a transport performs even better if used with an external PSU.  I use an XP5XS. I say that not to encourage you to go for an external PSU but simply to re-enforce the argument how important the digital transport is.   

MDS posted:

Adam Zielinski posted:

There appear to be some contradictions in the questions.

1. If the OP has a UnitiServe buying a Core seems very redundant and I would advise against this purchase.

2. CDX2 vs CD5XS with digital out > personally I can hear a difference in the digital out mode of the two players (and I owned both at some stage). CDX2 just sounds better.  So CDX2 is not equal to CD5XS in a digital out - at least to my ears.

3. Somehow CDX2 into nDAC sounded better than CDX2 into NDS. I tried both and own both. I cannot explain where this difference comes from.

4. The OP already has CDX3. I would stick with this and use it as a main spinner in one system and NDS as a main source in the other one. I would focus on optimising the NDS system.

5. CDs, irrespective of their age do not really carry metadata on them - the data is searched and downloaded from on-line resources.

Adam's third point above is my experience too.  I would also say that the quality of the digital output (in this case of a CD player as a transport) really matters. That's how I ended up with a CDX2.2 used as a transport into a nDAC. Moreover, the CDX2.2 as a transport performs even better if used with an external PSU.  I use an XP5XS. I say that not to encourage you to go for an external PSU but simply to re-enforce the argument how important the digital transport is.   

yes - I remember you have a 4-box CD player: CDX2 + XP5XS + nDAC + 555PS.

And I fully understand why.

Adam Zielinski posted:

MDS posted:

Adam Zielinski posted:

There appear to be some contradictions in the questions.

1. If the OP has a UnitiServe buying a Core seems very redundant and I would advise against this purchase.

2. CDX2 vs CD5XS with digital out > personally I can hear a difference in the digital out mode of the two players (and I owned both at some stage). CDX2 just sounds better.  So CDX2 is not equal to CD5XS in a digital out - at least to my ears.

3. Somehow CDX2 into nDAC sounded better than CDX2 into NDS. I tried both and own both. I cannot explain where this difference comes from.

4. The OP already has CDX3. I would stick with this and use it as a main spinner in one system and NDS as a main source in the other one. I would focus on optimising the NDS system.

5. CDs, irrespective of their age do not really carry metadata on them - the data is searched and downloaded from on-line resources.

Adam's third point above is my experience too.  I would also say that the quality of the digital output (in this case of a CD player as a transport) really matters. That's how I ended up with a CDX2.2 used as a transport into a nDAC. Moreover, the CDX2.2 as a transport performs even better if used with an external PSU.  I use an XP5XS. I say that not to encourage you to go for an external PSU but simply to re-enforce the argument how important the digital transport is.   

yes - I remember you have a 4-box CD player: CDX2 + XP5XS + nDAC + 555PS.

And I fully understand why.

isn't it a way too much boxes and too much money on a CD2X ?   I have old CD2x with digital output so i can not use as a transport.  I am using with TXPS which i am not very sure about it and i can not get my self to buy a XPSDR, to invest that money on a 9 year old CD player which no body will pay a decent sum here if i try to sell it..... but i want a good CD player that will sound better than bare CD2x as well... so confused!!! 

As for a transport only maybe time to look alternative brands in CD playback ? Marantz SA-10 for example, a new product that can be test as a transport at least, or new Hegel Mohican and Bryston, or even new Oppo, these are solid machines with better prices than cd2x specially if you are going to use it as a transport..... Or go for a Esoteric... CD2X is expensive player, quite old for just a transport but it will look better on Naim rack for sure  

Emre posted:

Adam Zielinski posted:

MDS posted:

Adam's third point above is my experience too.  I would also say that the quality of the digital output (in this case of a CD player as a transport) really matters. That's how I ended up with a CDX2.2 used as a transport into a nDAC. Moreover, the CDX2.2 as a transport performs even better if used with an external PSU.  I use an XP5XS. I say that not to encourage you to go for an external PSU but simply to re-enforce the argument how important the digital transport is.   

isn't it a way too much boxes and too much money on a CD2X ?   I have old CD2x with digital output so i can not use as a transport.  I am using with TXPS which i am not very sure about it and i can not get my self to buy a XPSDR, to invest that money on a 9 year old CD player which no body will pay a decent sum here if i try to sell it..... but i want a good CD player that will sound better than bare CD2x as well... so confused!!! 

I was thinking the same thing, then I thought about it!

So I pulled the trigger on an 2008 Cdx2, 1.7K, USD, in 2015.

Well, if I happen to run across an Pre-loved 555PS, there you go, two boxes!

Now lets say, I want to ease into the World of Streaming!

Well, Pre-loved Ndac, three box Cdx2, if you invested in the 2009 Mk II.

I choose not to, simply because many have stated they love the dac incorporated with-in the Cdx2, which can only be improved by an 555PS!

In the meantime, my bare Cdx2, Ain't Bad!

[But to your point, I'd love to supervise an A-B blind test between the 3 & 4 box Cdx2!]

How does the power cord impact the Cdx2, when used as a transport????

Allante93!

There is some change from using an alternate mains cable on a CDX2.2 running in a digital-out mode. 

But I would not loose sleep over it