The benefits of being a dinosaur
Posted by: MDS on 15 September 2018
I’ve yet to be persuaded to switch my primary listening from CD to streaming. The prospect of all that ripping and the ethernet cables, switches, routers, software and apps stuff. Well, never say, never, but for the time being for my primary source I’m sticking with the simplicity and reliability of what I know: CD. I admit it. I’m a dinosaur.
I’ve been enjoying for some years a great performance from my four-box CD set up: CDX2.2/XP5XS/nDac/555PSDR. I even tried a Uniti/NDS/555PSDR against my set-up in the dealer’s one day and still preferred my CD set-up so I haven’t felt I’ve been slumming it. Nonetheless, I’ve been following the ND555 discussions with interest and watched as quite a few members have taken the plunge. Trade-ins to be had, mostly NDSs, it seems. And then recently while chatting to my dealer he mentioned that a pre-loved CD555 head unit was due to be traded-in. Did I want to try it at home in my system? Well, I had never even seen a CD555 let alone heard one so on curiosity grounds alone I jumped at the chance.
The CD555 head unit was installed earlier this week. I think it took me about 36 hours to decide it was staying. Now I’m sure that the merits and sonic characteristics of the CD555 have been done to death on here so I’m not going to try to describe all that but if members who are all-too-familiar with the CD555 would indulge me I’d like to give a few impressions.
First were about the machine itself. This is not another familiar ‘black box’. What an impressive beast! Weightier and bigger than I had expected. And the engineering - wow! The silence and grace as the lid rises and closes: just beautiful. Even without listening to it, it was obvious that this is a top-end piece of kit. You can see and feel why the thing cost so much. I think I was half-sold before it was even powered up.
When switched on, right from cold the extra detail from the CD555 was immediately obvious. But it’s there is a more subtle way than I was expecting, not pushed at you, so perhaps a little more laid back than my current set-up. Once it was properly warmed-up and I had gotten used to it I confirmed in my mind a characteristic that I hadn’t expected. All of my CD set-ups since the mid-eighties have had that digital ‘signature’, especially at the top end. The CD555 is the first I’ve heard where the top-end signature doesn’t feel so obviously ‘digital’. Coupled to this, the music seems to have a pleasing ‘bounce’ that I normally associate with top-flight vinyl (I’m familiar with what a top-flight LP12 can do). In other words I suppose I’m saying that I think the CD555 has something analogue about its nature. A surprise to my ears.
Anyway, here I am having secured a very nice up-lift in my system’s performance, a wonderful piece of engineering, and all for a very nice price. So this particular dinosaur currently has a big smile on his face. 
Alba1320 posted:Lovely tale, MDS; I think that's what some would call 'a result'!
Enjoy, and FWIW, I agree 100% with your 'antipathy' towards streaming, so I guess that makes me a dinosaur too!
It's nice to know I'm not the only one. 
MDS posted:I’ve yet to be persuaded to switch my primary listening from CD to streaming. The prospect of all that ripping and the ethernet cables, switches, routers, software and apps stuff. Well, never say, never, but for the time being for my primary source I’m sticking with the simplicity and reliability of what I know: CD. I admit it. I’m a dinosaur.
I’ve been enjoying for some years a great performance from my four-box CD set up: CDX2.2/XP5XS/nDac/555PSDR. I even tried a Uniti/NDS/555PSDR against my set-up in the dealer’s one day and still preferred my CD set-up so I haven’t felt I’ve been slumming it. Nonetheless, I’ve been following the ND555 discussions with interest and watched as quite a few members have taken the plunge. Trade-ins to be had, mostly NDSs, it seems. And then recently while chatting to my dealer he mentioned that a pre-loved CD555 head unit was due to be traded-in. Did I want to try it at home in my system? Well, I had never even seen a CD555 let alone heard one so on curiosity grounds alone I jumped at the chance.
The CD555 head unit was installed earlier this week. I think it took me about 36 hours to decide it was staying. Now I’m sure that the merits and sonic characteristics of the CD555 have been done to death on here so I’m not going to try to describe all that but if members who are all-too-familiar with the CD555 would indulge me I’d like to give a few impressions.
First were about the machine itself. This is not another familiar ‘black box’. What an impressive beast! Weightier and bigger than I had expected. And the engineering - wow! The silence and grace as the lid rises and closes: just beautiful. Even without listening to it, it was obvious that this is a top-end piece of kit. You can see and feel why the thing cost so much. I think I was half-sold before it was even powered up.
When switched on, right from cold the extra detail from the CD555 was immediately obvious. But it’s there is a more subtle way than I was expecting, not pushed at you, so perhaps a little more laid back than my current set-up. Once it was properly warmed-up and I had gotten used to it I confirmed in my mind a characteristic that I hadn’t expected. All of my CD set-ups since the mid-eighties have had that digital ‘signature’, especially at the top end. The CD555 is the first I’ve heard where the top-end signature doesn’t feel so obviously ‘digital’. Coupled to this, the music seems to have a pleasing ‘bounce’ that I normally associate with top-flight vinyl (I’m familiar with what a top-flight LP12 can do). In other words I suppose I’m saying that I think the CD555 has something analogue about its nature. A surprise to my ears.
Anyway, here I am having secured a very nice up-lift in my system’s performance, a wonderful piece of engineering, and all for a very nice price. So this particular dinosaur currently has a big smile on his face.
Well done, congratulations! There is absolutely nothing wrong in being a dinosaur and, in spite of what it is often suggested, a lot of manual work still needs to be done in order to obtain a collection of files that are well tagged and that can be searched and browsed in a meaningful way. This is particularly true for classical music and many so-called turnkey system still do not even offer the possibility of opening the booklets of an album on the control points. Also, streaming approaches tend to increase complexity and the number of boxes which is not aesthetically appealing, in my view. I also very much sympathize with the idea of buying into a technology that others are discarding. Last year I have bought my first (and probably last) blu-ray player and since Oppo has announced that they will stop manufacturing new blu-ray players, I'm also feeling a little bit like a dinosaur. A very good feeling indeed. Have fun with the CD555, I wish it will last for many years to come!
MDS posted:wenger2015 posted:Very pleased for you, it is an exceptional black box, i expect once fully bedded in, it will no doubt improve some more.
keep us posted.
Thanks, wenger2015. Being a trade-in it is certainly run in but does seem to benefit from a full warm-up, and today my dealer did a full-rack rebuild to so I suspect there is a bit of settled-down to be done.
I have just recently purchased a pre-loved 555ps, which is warming up nicely and although impressive from the off, has continued to get better and better...
I may well be on the look out for a Cd555 myself...
wenger2015 posted:MDS posted:wenger2015 posted:Very pleased for you, it is an exceptional black box, i expect once fully bedded in, it will no doubt improve some more.
keep us posted.
Thanks, wenger2015. Being a trade-in it is certainly run in but does seem to benefit from a full warm-up, and today my dealer did a full-rack rebuild to so I suspect there is a bit of settled-down to be done.
I have just recently purchased a pre-loved 555ps, which is warming up nicely and although impressive from the off, has continued to get better and better...
I may well be on the look out for a Cd555 myself...
ideal time at the moment. The advantage of CD: insert disc, apply puck, close door, press 'play'. Simples! And I find it works every time.
It’s only once every hour though 
Of course! When it sounds this good, why wouldn’t you