Naim CDX vs CDX2 (2005 model ) buying help please .

[Old Valve Guy]

I've an old 1999 CDX which runs through a Teddy XPS . It's fine . I've seen a 2005 CDX2 at a good price ( original owner ) , but it's 150 miles round trip away . Is the CDX2 worth buying ? Is it sonically better and is the laser/transport the next generation after my CDX ?

Many thanks

 

[nbaptista]

The CDX is a good player.Be aware that if you have a laser/ mechanism problem on CDX2 you might could not fix it anymore.Naim might have not anymore laser mechanism’s available anymore.Try to email Naim and ask.

 

[boegelund]

Is the CDX2 worth buying ?

There's more difference between olive CDX vs CDX2 in the aesthetics, rather than performance.
At the right price, and with doorstop scenario,only yourself can decide if its worth buying.

 

[tiggers]

I’ve had both and I preferred the sound of the CDX2 as it is just a bit more open with less bottom end bloom, but it is marginal to be honest. Obviously a CDX2 is newer so, all things being equal, should last longer too. As for the ‘doorstop scenario’ that is becoming the trite and trendy nonsense expression of some on here it is no more or less a problem with Naim players than any other brand and while Naim may not be able to support every player they’ve ever made (like every other manufacturer does… not) there are others out there who will keep them running.

 

[Mr Pig]

I had a CDX/XPS for a short while, also a CD5XS, but I wouldn't buy one of these players today unless it was very cheap. The CDX is an impressive player with a dynamic, detailed sound but it doesn't have the coherence of the CDS.

I bought a Rega Saturn-R and I have no intention of changing it. It does not quite have the huge sound of the CDX but it is much more musical and engaging. Makes every CD at least listenable where Naim players can only get music out of the ones they approve of. Sounds like a decent turntable and has a very similar sonic signature, which makes integrating it into a system which also has a turntable easy. I suspect Rega have done this deliberately.

Incidentally, there is no comparison between the Saturn and the CD5XS. Next to the Rega the CD5XS sounds absolutely terrible.

I love the looks, feel and ergonomics of Naim CD players, the Saturn is not nice to use, but sonically things have moved on.

 

[Ptah]

I found the bigger difference to be between the original XPS and the XPS2. When I then changed from CDX to CDX2 in 2004, not nearly so much difference.

 

[Mick P]

I have an Olive CDX in the dining room system and a CDS3 in the lounge. Seeing as they are both now worth peanuts, I would just buy a CDS3 as the sound is as near too vinyl as you can get.

 

[Alex S]

I'd agree that any CDS version is a big step up from any CDX.

 

[Mr Pig]

I'd agree that any CDS version is a big step up from any CDX.

I would like to hear the original CDS against the Saturn-R as I suspect they'd be quite similar. I don't think the CDS2 is as good, I've not heard the 3.

 

[mikemusic]

CDX2 slightly better than the CDX. Both without external PSU
The, for me a huge upgrade to a Rega Isis

 

[tiggers]

CDX2 slightly better than the CDX. Both without external PSU
The, for me a huge upgrade to a Rega Isis

A huge increase in price too though. Have an Isis myself so know what you mean, but it's not in the same price bracket as the CDX2

 

[per flemming]

The doorstop scenario is really important to consider.

Shortage of parts makes most Naim CD players obsolete unless you are lucky to find help somewhere.
Usually Naim can't help.

Not so with Rega CD players, they support their customers.

Buying a premium priced player should certainly follow a sterling service.
Not so with Naim or Linn amo, a disgrace thinking the price paid new.
There's a reason they are cheap s/h purchases now, as owner don't really know if its working tomorrow or next year ahead.

As others have suggested, a Rega Saturn could be an alternative with peace in mind for future support.
Its a great sounding player too.

 

[NickofWimbledon]

With old CD players, the issue of how long it will be before it becomes irreparable may well be key.

To my old ears, no Naim CD player is better than my CDS2 until you get to a CD555. In addition, the gap between CDS2 and CDS3 is small and the gap between various CDXs was (iirc) even smaller, though the gap between CDS range and CDX range was not small.

Rega is different in that I think they promise to keep a diary mech for all their CD players. Naim CD players last a long time but this suggests Rega will last even longer.

For SQ, I would not swap my CDS2 for a Rega Saturn, but an Isis might well be a worthwhile jump.

However, when my CDS2 finally dies, I probably won’t buy any of these. Instead, I expect to buy a CD transport (probably from Audiolab) to plug into my NDX2 - or just get a Core and rip everything once.

In your situation, would keeping your CDX for now and then getting a pure transport when it dies be a worthwhile alternative?

 

[per flemming]

For SQ, I would not swap my CDS2

I just loved my CDS players, had them all apart from 555.
Could easy live with any of them if not for above issue.
I've tried various CD transports and found they were not for my taste.
Ripping certainly not for me either.

 

[Woodface]

CDX is a nice player & I wouldn’t bother going to the later model. When/if it dies go to a transport/Dac or server. I ended up with an Innuos Zen Mini into an ATCCDA2.

If you have money burning a hole I would look at other upgrades first.

 

[NickofWimbledon]

I just loved my CDS players, had them all apart from 555.
Could easy live with any of them if not for above issue.
I've tried various CD transports and found they were not for my taste.
Ripping certainly not for me either.

As far as I know, only Rega offer after-sales service that might meet your requirements. Even there, once the spare mech has been used, there is I think no assurance that they can provide additional spare mechs to last another 20 or 30 years.

The last I heard was that Naim had already run out of mechs for 25 year old CD players like mine once. After some delay, they got more, but they have highlighted that these too will run out one day.

From your comments, it looks as if you expect any company charging large sums for a CD player to be able to guarantee that the required parts (perhaps including several transport mechanisms over the years) will be available for a lot longer than 25 years. I don’t know of any company offering that assurance (not even Rega), but you may be able to meet this test by buying several CD players or spare transport mechanisms to cannibalise over the next few decades.

Your comments about CD transports are interesting and may be helpful to many here in the coming years. Which did you try and what was wrong with them?

 

[tiggers]

Rega is different in that I think they promise to keep a diary mech for all their CD players. Naim CD players last a long time but this suggests Rega will last even longer.

That's only for their high end players these days. Their older and cheaper players may still be able to be supported but it won't last forever... and why should it?.

This notion that Naim and Linn are somehow out on a limb with their support is nonsense, nearly all manufacturers provide little or no support for 15 year old products. Rega are an exception, but not quite the Holy Grail our little friend likes to trot out in his weekly 'doorstop' diatribe.

 

[NickofWimbledon]

That's only for their high end players these days. Their older and cheaper players may still be able to be supported but it won't last forever... and why should it?.

This notion that Naim and Linn are somehow out on a limb with their support is nonsense, nearly all manufacturers provide little or no support for 15 year old products. Rega are an exception, but not quite the Holy Grail our little friend likes to trot out in his weekly 'doorstop' diatribe.

I agree. As discussed, Naim still support 25 year old CD players for now. As you say, that itself is unusual, though Rega go a little further on their top CD players and should be commended. Given the age of most of us, I am not sure that anyone will be making (or buying) high-end CD players or turntables in another (say) 30-40 years, or that these companies will still exist, so looking for support past 25 years may be a tad optimistic anyway.

 

[Mr Pig]

Buying a premium priced player should certainly follow a sterling service. Not so with Naim or Linn imo, a disgrace thinking the price paid new.

To be fair, before Naim started selling CD players they tried to design their amps to be long-term serviceable and the service prices only got crazy after Focal took over. Almost everyone who made CD players in that era were at the mercy of mech manufacturers, they all used the same ones and they had no say in future availability. If there had been options which were guareteed to be around in twenty years I'm sure Naim would have used them.

Linn never were very interested in long term serviceability and dropped support for lots of products quite early. They wanted you to buy a new box.

 

[per flemming]

Your comments about CD transports are interesting and may be helpful to many here in the coming years. Which did you try and what was wrong with them?

Not sure its helpfull as I notice many seem to like the transport and DAC beeing seperates, which I dont.

I clearly preferred a single player, for example a Naim or Rega of the agenda here.
I've tried 3 or 4 transports, amo a Roksan, Cambridge, Rega (used as transport only)
Found out I preferred single players, nothing wrong with the players, just not for me.
I mainly used Chord, Naim and Rega DACs but soon left it again, with no intention to proceed.