CD5x parts available?

Hi there …I’m thinking of buying a used CD5x and a Flatcap 2x.
As the player is quite old, I was wondering if spare parts ie laser or transport are still available or does it become a dead product ?
The cost, for me, is really pushing the budget so I don’t want to end up with a product that is not repairable !
Cheers

Last I heard, parts are still available. That could change in the next few years. How much margin are you looking for?

Great CD player, is the CD5X — you have to hear one versus the BluRay player you may well be using now. (It blew my otherwise-excellent Oppo BDP-95 away.)

I bought my CD5X used 10 years ago, and only traded it last year for a CD5XS because I needed digital-out. Never needed service. Dealer gave me serious trade value for it — he knows its worth better than I, and has to make some margin selling it to e.g. you.

For the right price, I recommend it, even assuming future repairs are impossible, as they often are for anything.

A full service now would give it a maximum run, if you are not inclined to gamble; though, popular wisdom is do not repair a working Naim CD player — shipping itself is risky as anything.

Good luck.

Nick

Replaced the laser mech on a CD5x (2005 vintage) just before Xmas. Result = one very happy festive customer!!!

You should be OK for the time being, I’m sure. Like all things, how many mechs Naim have left is most probably finite, but that’s always a risk when buying 2nd-hand. Had less joy with parts for a NAC92 recently…

A good question about a great CD player and its power supply. I understand your concerns. These things take a bit of paying for and no one wants a lemon.

Naim CD players are serviceable, apart from a small number of Naim ‘olive’ models. You should have no worries about the player. Ensure that it is boxed and fitted with the transport locking bolt when it is shipped.

Your concern with the FC2x should be whether it needs recapping. Since it is at least ten years old, it will IMO. A Naim approved serviced centre should carry out this work. The FC2x will be supplied with a black Snaic5 which is used to connect it to the CD5x.

Enjoy your music.

Chris

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I only would like to suggest the purchase of the great CD5 XS instead of the CD5x. It is more advanced and versatile indeed for the great optionality, among a few other things, to connect an external DAC. The CD5 XS and nDAC have been developed and optimized together in 2009 for that matter.

Hi, @Chag. For similar money, I agree with you. I made that trade, after all. But as a stand-alone CD player, the CD5X is as good as the XS, to my ears. At a reasonable price, the X is an eye-opening performer on the cheap, IMHO.

Nick

Great little player, the 5X. So nice I’m keeping mine in reserve for the day my CD2 finally gives up the ghost.
(My 5X was easily serviced recently, no problem at all.)

Recently bought a cd5xs to drive into my ndx2/xpsdr. Specifically wanted a Naim cdp with a digital out. Not too many choices. A cdx2.2 would have been nice, but excessive. And even second hand prices are daft. I can’t imagine there is any difference in sound either via the ndx2.

Thanks guys for the info !
I’ve found a CD3 avail for half the price of the CD5x …,.but maybe I’m pushing the boundaries too much if I go down that path ?
Cheers

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The CD3 is a much more “characterful” and old fashioned sounding player compared to the CD5x; much of that being down to the difference in the DACs, the CD3 using the old Philips TDA1541A Crown DAC chipset, and the CD5x using the more modern Burr Brown PCM1704 Chipset.

Of course, many love the characterful sound of the CD3, especially for Rock and Jazz music, although for Classical you may well prefer the more neutral and sophisticated sound from the CD5x.

Bear in mind too that the CD3 is the older player and while it used one of Philips finest mechanisms, the CDM9, spares are now long gone and cannot be replaced by Naim should yours suffer a failure. Also, the Philips DAC chips can go noisy or fail, although I think these can still be repaired by Naim (best to check with them to be sure of the current situation here).

For all that, I love the CD3; the early Philips DAC Naim players have a very special, if somewhat characterful sound that was lost with the later players, for all their greater resolution, neutrality and sophistication.

Thanks for your reply Richard.
Yes, I do Rock and Jazz …no classical.
Hmmm …decisions, decisions !
Cheers

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