Naim CD5 - 2003 - Player acting up

[Stew B]

I had similar issue with my 2003 CD5 late 2020, I had tried a new puck but that didn't fix it. My UK local dealer returned the CD5 to Naim and they replaced the mechanism according to the job sheet and updated the software and serviced it. Total cost was £330, a lot I know for a 20 year old player but I just love the analogue sound it gives me.

Like PerF says above Rega players are still supported and have a similar sound to me personally and I was considering getting a S/H Rega Saturn-R if the CD5 couldn't be fixed. I do have my CD's stored on an Innuos system but have some that just will not rip so wanted to keep a CD player. I do not know what mech Naim fitted in place of the VAM 1205 but it works fine and if I can get a few more years out of it then I am happy with the cost to repair it. In the end a holiday that lasts a week costs more than £330 and I still get enjoyment from my CD music for longer than that.

So it costs around £35 courier cost for the dealer to sent it back to Naim and I can't remember their costs to just look at it, it's up to you to decide if you want to try and see if it can be fixed for a cost that may not be refundable, if like mine it can then £330 was the cost to me in 2021, Naim have increased their service costs since then so perhaps looking at alternatives may be a better solution.

I have a similar situation with a Micromega Solo CD player, beautiful to look at and use but skips for the last 1/3 of the CD, cant bring myself to chuck it in the landfill but the Phillips CD4/25 mechs are like hens teeth and I don't have the skill to fix it anyway.

 

[MotelBlues]

I do have my CD's stored on an Innuos system but have some that just will not rip so wanted to keep a CD player.

I’ve found it beneficial to keep a selection of ROM drives handy - I have four - as CDs that fail partially or totally to rip in one can usually be handled by one of the others. If I could only keep one it would be this one picked up on a recommendation in this very forum.

 

[toecutter]

Strange advise, did he mention aprox price or if repair was possible or not ?

For recap It's still available, I never asked for price but tech guy told me it will be steep therefore he advised against the recap, also they would have to send the player to UK.

Replacing lasermechanism this is still doable with a new replacement unit.

 

[toecutter]

I suspect that the labour cost of recapping it at Naim with a laser change would exceed the cost of the player.

That's why I was advised against recapping the player.

How many of you who own a CD player which you had recapped?

If I only have the laser replaced, how many years can I use my Naim CD player on it's factory caps before it's completely dead?
Been using it since 2003 or 2004 can't remember when I bought it?

 

[Stew B]

I’ve found it beneficial to keep a selection of ROM drives handy - I have four - as CDs that fail partially or totally to rip in one can usually be handled by one of the others. If I could only keep one it would be this one picked up on a recommendation in this very forum.

I
Yes your right, in some cases using a different drive or software has worked, eg dbpoweramp etc but on some there seems to be a fundamental issue with the cd, Defected house music label cd’s being one of them, in the end it doesn’t matter too much as this is a small amount. I do use a ASUS ROM drive on my iMac with the power amp software as this usually works ok. Not really had too many issues with the Innuos either.

 

[toecutter]

I had similar issue with my 2003 CD5 late 2020, I had tried a new puck but that didn't fix it. My UK local dealer returned the CD5 to Naim and they replaced the mechanism according to the job sheet and updated the software and serviced it. Total cost was £330, a lot I know for a 20 year old player but I just love the analogue sound it gives me.

Like PerF says above Rega players are still supported and have a similar sound to me personally and I was considering getting a S/H Rega Saturn-R if the CD5 couldn't be fixed. I do have my CD's stored on an Innuos system but have some that just will not rip so wanted to keep a CD player. I do not know what mech Naim fitted in place of the VAM 1205 but it works fine and if I can get a few more years out of it then I am happy with the cost to repair it. In the end a holiday that lasts a week costs more than £330 and I still get enjoyment from my CD music for longer than that.

So it costs around £35 courier cost for the dealer to sent it back to Naim and I can't remember their costs to just look at it, it's up to you to decide if you want to try and see if it can be fixed for a cost that may not be refundable, if like mine it can then £330 was the cost to me in 2021, Naim have increased their service costs since then so perhaps looking at alternatives may be a better solution.

I have a similar situation with a Micromega Solo CD player, beautiful to look at and use but skips for the last 1/3 of the CD, cant bring myself to chuck it in the landfill but the Phillips CD4/25 mechs are like hens teeth and I don't have the skill to fix it anyway.

The cost for a new laser and labor is approx 1800 SEK (Swedish krona)

I also have the flat cable touching the bottom making a scraping sound when I open and close the tray, this seem to be a common failiure?

What was the updated software you got?
What other service did they do to your player?


I have one temperamental CD with Sammy Hagar - The Essential RED Collection.
My player can not read this disc at all!
I can't play it on my CD5.
Would a new replacement laser cure this issue?

 

[PerF]

with a laser change would exceed the cost of the player.

If I only have the laser replaced

What cost do you mean - the value today or for you, the value for resale, new retail, value of another CD to replace the CD5 or cost of laser ?

If you fix the player with a new laser, risk is its not working due to mech issues..

To be honest I doubt your CD5 is worth anything really.
Of course its worth something for you if working
I've seen CD5XS still sell at reasonable s/h prices.
The earlier models not so much.
And when people find out the support issue, value decrease.
Doorstops a pity but reality for some.

 

[Stew B]

The cost for a new laser and labor is approx 1800 SEK (Swedish krona)

I also have the flat cable touching the bottom making a scraping sound when I open and close the tray, this seem to be a common failiure?

What was the updated software you got?
What other service did they do to your player?


I have one temperamental CD with Sammy Hagar - The Essential RED Collection.
My player can not read this disc at all!
I can't play it on my CD5.
Would a new replacement laser cure this issue?

The job sheet they sent said very little, only replaced mech, serviced and software updated. That’s all, no further details.

 

[toecutter]

What cost do you mean - the value today or for you, the value for resale, new retail, value of another CD to replace the CD5 ?

If you fix the player with a new laser, risk is its not working due to mech issues..

To be honest I doubt your CD5 is worth anything really.
I've seen CD5XS still sell at reasonable s/h prices.
The earlier models not so much.
And when people find out the support issue value decrease.
Doorstops a pity but reality for some.

I told tech guy I want to have replaced the complete mechanism unit not only the laser.
It would cost approx 1800 SEK.
It should be OK after service not display Err when I hit play button?

 

[Stew B]

Life is always a risk, if you buy another CD player second hand there is always the chance that it too will develop a fault depending on its age. I got my CD5 fixed as I had owned it from new so was well aware of its history and usage. You can buy a CD5X or XS or similar for not too much money. But it's your money in the end and how you spend it is totally your choice, there is no right or wrong. Mine choice was to get my existing player fixed as I didn't want to buy another for nearly the same cost and then risk that going wrong.

Naim did a good job fixing it, it works fine for the moment, the mech is new and so hopefully should last for a few years more, but that may not stop it developing a different fault in the future. I have got over a year out of it now for £330, much cheaper than my holiday this year and that was over after a week.

I look at spending on second hand hifi as always taking a chance, I got a NAC 82 and Hi Cap the other day but it was fully updated and serviced by Class A so OK for a long while. A CD player is another matter as it's the mechanisms that are the weak point mainly due to their availability if they are really old.

As I said earlier, my Micromega Solo is just that point.

 

[toecutter]

Life is always a risk, if you buy another CD player second hand there is always the chance that it too will develop a fault depending on its age. I got my CD5 fixed as I had owned it from new so was well aware of its history and usage. You can buy a CD5X or XS or similar for not too much money. But it's your money in the end and how you spend it is totally your choice, there is no right or wrong. Mine choice was to get my existing player fixed as I didn't want to buy another for nearly the same cost and then risk that going wrong.

Naim did a good job fixing it, it works fine for the moment, the mech is new and so hopefully should last for a few years more, but that may not stop it developing a different fault in the future. I have got over a year out of it now for £330, much cheaper than my holiday this year and that was over after a week.

I look at spending on second hand hifi as always taking a chance, I got a NAC 82 and Hi Cap the other day but it was fully updated and serviced by Class A so OK for a long while. A CD player is another matter as it's the mechanisms that are the weak point mainly due to their availability if they are really old.

As I said earlier, my Micromega Solo is just that point.

Naim is not cheap to buy, once you pay premium price and best way to keep the player happy is to service it when it's time.
If I had to sell it noone would pay for it as everyone wants to pay as little they offer.
Don't want to give away my stuff, better to keep them alive and kicking.

I sent it off yesterday to the Naim importer who will check the condition and get back to me with a price qoute.
I will probably opt for re-cap aswell if it isn't to expensive???

Does anyone know for how long factory supplied caps would last?
My player is from 2002 and caps are now 20 years old.
Should I expect caps to be bloated and begin to leak acid?

 

[MJS]

The caps are probably good for 20 years in these players.
The XPS was lucky to reach 5. Naim ran some caps at their rated voltage on heavily used power rails. The dried and died in quick order, especially if your mains was on the high, but well within tolerance, side.

 

[toecutter]

The caps are probably good for 20 years in these players.
The XPS was lucky to reach 5. Naim ran some caps at their rated voltage on heavily used power rails. The dried and died in quick order, especially if your mains was on the high, but well within tolerance, side.

Apology for my late reply.
My caps are shot would you say?
Need to re-cap?

I received some disturbing info from the tech at Naim in Sweden.
They can NOT supply a new laser mechanism for my CD5!
WTF?
Naim UK replied they have no laser mechanism VAM1205 available but carries parts for other players.
What is so special about the VAM1205 unit?
It's a lousy cr@p Philips part.

I was told tech guy was going to look for a shop who can restore the laser, well they failed this mission too!
They found no shop who can repair my laser.
I'm now really pissed having an expensive non functional paper weight.

In UK who sells replacement laser mechanism for my CD5?
Can you please point me in the right direction so I can buy a new replacement unit?
Thank you for your help.

 

[Stew B]

Apology for my late reply.
My caps are shot would you say?
Need to re-cap?

I received some disturbing info from the tech at Naim in Sweden.
They can NOT supply a new laser mechanism for my CD5!
WTF?
Naim UK replied they have no laser mechanism VAM1205 available but carries parts for other players.
What is so special about the VAM1205 unit?
It's a lousy cr@p Philips part.

I was told tech guy was going to look for a shop who can restore the laser, well they failed this mission too!
They found no shop who can repair my laser.
I'm now really pissed having an expensive non functional paper weight.

In UK who sells replacement laser mechanism for my CD5?
Can you please point me in the right direction so I can buy a new replacement unit?
Thank you for your help.

I believe there isn't anyone who sells them, you can get replacement units on eBay that are Chinese copies but the comments I see are that the quality is poor and may take a few attempts to get a good one. As I said earlier I did get mine fixed by Naim in Salisbury back in 2020. What they did or replaced it with who knows. Perhaps ring Naim direct and talk to them. I have the same issue with a much older Micromega Solo CD player. Beautiful doorstop as cannot get the CDM4/25 mechs now.

 

[PerF]

I received some disturbing info from the tech at Naim in Sweden.
They can NOT supply a new laser mechanism for my CD5!

I believe your hope is buying a few Chinese copy mechs and fingers crossed one of them is working.
Any competent technician should be able to fit this, no reason to ship your player into the chaotic Brexit.

 

[toecutter]

I believe there isn't anyone who sells them, you can get replacement units on eBay that are Chinese copies but the comments I see are that the quality is poor and may take a few attempts to get a good one. As I said earlier I did get mine fixed by Naim in Salisbury back in 2020. What they did or replaced it with who knows. Perhaps ring Naim direct and talk to them. I have the same issue with a much older Micromega Solo CD player. Beautiful doorstop as cannot get the CDM4/25 mechs now.

do you think all three laser mechanism are Philips knock offs?
There are three different units seen in the links.
One of them must be a genuine Fhakelips?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/27452418...d=link&campid=5338728743&toolid=20001&mkevt=1

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/30452987...d=link&campid=5338728743&toolid=20001&mkevt=1

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/15491921...d=link&campid=5338728743&toolid=20001&mkevt=1

 

[toecutter]

I believe your hope is buying a few Chinese copy mechs and fingers crossed one of them is working.
Any competent technician should be able to fit this, no reason to ship your player into the chaotic Brexit.

I was only going to ship my player to UK for recap if swedish Naim importer confirmed there were replacement laser units.
I won't ship my player now that they can't fix it.

 

[toecutter]

I found a new VAM1204 mechanism which I will scavenge the laserblock to fix my broken laser VAM1205 on the Naim CD5 player.

The1204 series use a TDA1302T chip, VAM1205 use the TDA1305 chip.
On the CD5 player If I install the 1204 laserblock with TDA1302 chip which is factory fit on the circuit board, do I lose CD-R and the CD-RW playback?

Did VAM1204 have CD-R and CD-RW playback at all?

 

[nbaptista]

Why don't you buy a new CD player, like a Rega Apollo?

 

[tiggers]

Why don't you buy a new CD player, like a Rega Apollo?

Er... because it will cost more than replacing the mech in the Naim player.