Naim cd spinners..

[Voice_Coil]

Any users here have anything fantastic to say about any of the naim cd spinners floating about on the 2nd hand markets ?

Ive been asked to look into cd players for a friend, and he asked what i knew about naim, well , ive had a pre/pwr combo many years ago with some old epos speakers....but i know nothing of the digital side.

MANY thanks in advance.

 

[Tel]

I am not a Naimboy but their CD players are pretty good, you could do a lot worse

 

[Voice_Coil]

are there any particular models that ''stand out'' ? old or new ?

 

[meridian man]

Cdx2

cd5i

 

[meninblack]

Avoid the CD3 - transport mechanisms are no longer available. (And it sounds horrid!)

 

[Petrat]

I had a cdx2 for nearly 10 years ... saw off all-comers for many years ... excellent bargain second-hand now.

 

[Eddieedwards]

What's the budget? I picked up a cd5x a few months ago for £550. It was a nice, smooth, refined player.

 

[ERICLIMPIT]

I had an old Naim cdx2 which is a very good disc spinner, expect to pay around £1400 for a good s/h one

 

[Voice_Coil]

I had a cdx2 for nearly 10 years ... saw off all-comers for many years ... excellent bargain second-hand now.

seems to be quite a popular spinner this one.

also, the cdx, im guessing its almost all the things the cdx 2 is ?

- - - Updated - - -

What's the budget? I picked up a cd5x a few months ago for £550. It was a nice, smooth, refined player.

was ?

 

[Jezzer]

What's the budget? I picked up a cd5x a few months ago for £550. It was a nice, smooth, refined player.

That's a damn fine price for a CD5x. (agree with the comment about it being smooth and refined - which isn't what you would expect from Naim - and it's a real step up from the CD5i)

 

[Eddieedwards]

was ?

I went through a period of box swapping! I had the cd5x, then cdx and xps (and cd5i before these) I then got into valves and was introduced to the opus 21, which I have now.

The cd5x I had was an 04 model from cymbiosis, a bargain I thought.

Densen are worth a look too in my opinion. I compared a cd5xs with the equivalent Densen and thought the Danish machine to be better.

 

[roob]

A lot of folk seem to like the Densen players, Naim style prat without any of the nasties.

 

[Voice_Coil]

did the naims not sound so good with valves or ?

you just like box swapping ?

 

[Eddieedwards]

did the naims not sound so good with valves or ? you just like box swapping ?

To be honest, I never tried them with valves - the box swapping is a long story!

Basically, I had an entry level naim system (cd5i, 112, fc, 150) then went to a linn ds system, then wanted a second simple naim system (cd5x and nait xs), then got into naim olive (cdx, xps, 82, two hicaps, 135s) and then fell in love with valves! As a result, I sold everything I had and started again! What I have now sounds smooth and refined and, of the naim CD players, I'd say the cd5x is the best that I owned.

The sound that I have now is something that I'm finally very, very happy with. I never really had that with my other systems. Obviously this is a totally subjective hobby, but my ears are now much, much happier.

 

[Petrat]

Cdx2 is much different to earlier cdx, I believe. Cdx2 was introduced around 2002 or 2003 and was the first of the 'new' style Naims, which were voiced differently to predecessors ... more musical IMO. Plenty of pace, allied to good detail and tonality. I used mine for years with EAR valve amps and Neat speakers ... very nice. Suggest you talk to Tom Tom in Herts, as they have loads of second-hand Naim gear, which you could easily audition. The fellow who runs it also knows his valve amps, having distributed Border Patrol and Shindo in the past.