Anyone heard the GBP7000 NAIM CD Player?

John,

Most of the stuff I've heard has simply left me pretty cold, including kit from Meridian, Linn, Musical Fidelity, Classe.

The closest sounding kit was actually WMs Wadia/Belcanto combination, which is frankly the best sounding overall CD based system I've so far heard. Having said that, WM has clearly put a LOT of effort into optimising his kit for his home and modding it in ways that is way beyond most people on this forum (not just technically, but also the time and effort).
There's a couple of reservations I'd add to this statement though:
1. I've never heard a full and expensive Naim CD based system fully optimised for a home. I've heard several LP12 fronted Naim electronic combos and they were all awesome.
2. WMs Wadia/belaanto traded off a certain level of air (during my dem) for accuracy, particularly in tonal and "twack", which really were amazing.

In other words, it would be quite hard to emulate WMs combo, and in addition, whilst being closer than most, it still doesn't sound the same as Naim gear.
So frankly, I'd suggest that you simply bite the bullet, put your credit card up and enjoy it when it arrives.

 

..traded off a certain level of air (during my dem) for accuracy..

Golly. What does that part actually mean? Are we to take it that 'air' is inaccurate?

 

James

You need to hear the CDS3 in a domestic setting to appreciate it.

It is pure analogue thrpugh and through and I don't regret buying it for one second.

Do not worry about the ting thing, just a few tingers getting wound up over trivia.

Regards

Mick

 

Chaps,

Since we are talking about 'big ticket' CDPs, how does the Naim CDS3 compare soundwise to the Wadia 861 (Standard) which costs around GBP 8,000 and the 861 SE which is just under GBP 10,000. No, I'm not buying - just asking!!




Enjoy the music,

Lawrie.

 

An analogue CD player? Excellent.

Lawrie, I would guess that in a blind demo, the players you mention would be indistinguishable from each other, as would a lot of cheaper offerings.

 

Hmm....I would tend to agree about £7K being ridiculous for a CDP, for any bit of hifi for that matter.

Even more ridiculous (and utterly baffling) is the amount that some people seem ready to spend (well into the thousands) on angle iron hifi furniture

Equally ridiculous and baffling is the amount people are prepared to spend on cables

Michael.

 

So Bubsy!

Let me get this right. Are you saying that beyond a particular price point, all CD players start sounding the same?



Enjoy the music,

Lawrie.

 

Having had both an 861 (stock non se)/CDS3 back to back ran a spectral DC12?? pre/ evo 200.4 blue heron II's, it's pretty obvious that they are chalk and cheese, Mick goes on about how anaolgue it's sound in comparision to his TT, IE they are now a lot closer than his cds2 was.
The key here is if you like naim, then you'll buy it, it's a sound that is either loved or loathed.
The 861 has more 'flow' & presence, the cds3 by comparsion is thinner & sorry more vailed (detail wasn't as good or correct to me), although it's more open than cds2 for sure, has an image which is tangible and coherent, but still thin.
I'm baised towards wadia's but I'm not a fan of the 861 they way that so many are, I'm after a different aspect of the sound.
Now when the spectral was taken out the equation and the wadia ran direct, it's like it hit the nitrous button and cleared off, remeber the Wadia have on an board digital pre-amp, wich you can connect directly to a power amp, also digital inputs, so you can hook up your DAB/DVD/SAT if you so wished.
One being cynical, could say a used 861 (UK prices £3800) a power say gamaut D200/ £1800/Belcanto evo4/£2000/Bryston 4bst £1500 etc, and that still leaves you between £1200-£1800 for some Qaulaity speakers, granted it would be cd based only.
A naim 252 is £5K +psu? a 552 is £12K, you either like it of you don't. Wm

 

Cheaper Wadia

Hmmm... having heard the CDS3 I'd like to point out that it's anything but thin and veiled. Perhaps if it isn't broken in or setup properly.

I did once borrow one of the cheaper Wadias - the 301 was it? - which was a huge hulking thing that really sounded odd. Not necessarily bad, just odd. I'm assuming (probably correctly) that the more expensive Wadias are light years ahead of their little brother, as I'd rather take my Marantz DR6000 cd recorder than the 301, which had no sense of timing and kinda smeared the detail into a hifi jangly nonsense - no sense of music, just hifi.

The CDS3 is magnificent, though. The CDS2 was (to my ears anyway) disappointing, but the CDS3 is what the CDS2 should have been IMHO.

jtc

 

To me they do.

But then I don't suffer any delusions of 'golden ears' that affect so many forumites!

Michael, just try it and perhaps you will see.

 

The key here is if you like naim, then you'll buy it, it's a sound that is either loved or loathed.

This is trotted out time & again. It's bollox: Naim gear doesn't 'sound like' anything to me. It just sounds correct - if it is set-up properly, that is.

 

Top cat, agreed the 301 is pretty average at best, The cds3 is run in fully no probs is used every day (by it's owner), I think also depends on what you use as reference (and against a cds 2 yes its better), so maybe it is the best to a lot of people, and unfair of me to say other wise.
Any one fancy a top player shoot out cds3/861/aa capitol/sim elipse/Ayre 7/my 7 y.o. player? that would be fun.
The same way you found a elipse very un groovy, seems to be a trait I can't say I've noticed at all, in fact the ones I know of will out groove any naim player i'ver heard, just they don't mangle the bass and force it at you, possibly this is what confuses people?
James, when you have a sound good enough to quantify that, then you can make that comment, until then just accept the fact people want more than you have. how can you tell it's friday

 

"Any one fancy a top player shoot out .... that would be fun."

Yes, what enormous fun that would be!!! I can't wait!!

"when you have a sound good enough to quantify that, then you can make that comment, until then just accept the fact people want more than you have."

OK Tony, fair comment I guess. Oh, hang on a sec - you haven't heard my current system, have you?

 

You should check in to the clinic before you exhibit any more symptoms James, we have been advised of your condition.
So's not to aggravate your illiness any further, I will withdraw from the thread, allowing you time to 'lower your stress levels'
let it not be said the welfare of our memebers comes first on Zero Gain

 

Don't get me wrong...

I'm not advocating the use of Naim cd players - I use a Resolution Audio Opus 21 - chosen over both the Eclipse and the CDS2.

That's not been entirely without its problems, but I'm sticking with it for the forseeable, as it's a fantastic player for relative buttons (well, relative to its performance, that is)

jtc

 

Tony, thanks. No more 'golden ears' stuff, then, at least from you. Nice one.

 

I think I agree with bub, there's not much to separate a 400 quid Rotel from a top CDP, especially during a quick A/B dem or even a week's loan. Diminishing returns for sure but, big but, its those little musical extras in expensive CDPs which enable you to live with CD at all over the long haul.

 

Hmmm!!

Now, this thread is geting warm. Bubsy and Alex S seem to be indicating that a blind test between the mega-buck CDPs and mid-range players will produce very little differences in sound between them. WM on the other hand, seems to be suggesting that a shoot-out will produce major differences in sound between the players.

In my view, there is only one way to settle this - arrange such a demo, preferably with all the CDPs behind a screen where they cannot be seen (only heard). Sighted auditions can influence what we think we hear so blind tests are the only way. Such a demo should be easy to arrange or am I dreaming? I would even fly in to the U.K. for such a demo so how about it?




Enjoy the music,

Lawrie

 

Hi John Mak,
Which Japanese brands and models do you have access to in Vietnam? I was in Taiwan a few weeks ago, and the choice seemed pretty limited vis-a-vis the "motherland"

 

Having listened at length to quite a few CDPs over the past few years, and having owned CDPs ranging in price from a few hundred quid to 2.2K, sonic differences IME are mainly down to different DACs, much more so than PSUs, transports, or anything else. For example, all the 24/96 players I've heard recently sound basically the same, regardless of cost. What differences there are between them are extremely subtle (as it happens, they all sound very dull to my ears).

I ended up with a £900 player with an ancient multibit DAC. My advice about auditioning CDPs is work out which DAC you like, audition players that use it, and then spend as much money as you feel you can afford to get the ergonomics, facilities and brand that you'll be happiest with.

-- Ian