Cd5xs bites the dust

Hi-Fi Corner
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Well, I guess it had to happen: Error whenever I try to play a CD. So, what to do next?

I’ve got around 1500 CDs and whilst they’ve all been ripped to Bluesound and play via Qutest, I like reading the info on the physical jewellery cases.

Do I

  1. try to get the CD player fixed?

  2. replace with a different player - new or s/h?

  3. sell all my CDs and stick to streaming/Flac?

Your thoughts?

Many thanks in advance. John

2

Imho

  1. Yes
  2. If 1. doesn’t financially make sense or is not possible.
  3. No. Having no physical media may not always be a good thing. Great titles available at less cost than vinyl although some prices are on the up.
2 Likes
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@Johnzappa Fixing it may change the SQ for the worse. I would start auditioning new CPD.

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There’s no reason why you can’t play Rips, but keep your CD’s available and pull the one you’re listening to for all the blurb etc…
I have all my CD’s Ripped, but still have the media available.
You can also use ROON as your playback system and that, more often than not, has the booklet available for you to review on your device whilst playing.
ROON Nucleus One with 2TB SSD will hold 1000’s of CD’s. I have 1250 on mine and only 30% used. Just a thought…

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If you like the sound of your DAC, get a CD transport and feed its digital output through the DAC with a correct 75ohm interconnect. If you have a DVD player handy, try its digital output through your DAC. Maybe better than you expect. While you source a DC1 or similar a normal analogue interconnect can be used and will restore your music.

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Did you use your CD player as transport into your Qutest or via analogue out into the SN? If the former, save the hassle and get a new transport. But if you were using the CD5XS directly, I’d see if a repair is possible. Unlikely, I know given mech (lack of) availability in which case it’s option 2 or 3.

Roger

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Can I just offer a bit of advice whilst posing some questions that may help, it’s worth a shot

  1. When was the last time a thorough lens clean was carried out - try the Allsop dry cleaning disc. We have a CDX with original mech that is treated once a month to this disc and a run through with a Densen de-magnetiser disc.
  2. The puck is stored in a small jewelry box rubber rings upwards to the lid. If it’s been stored in the disc drawer the possibly a replacement.

We have followed this routine for for years and touch wood we are still going strong.

Good luck though such a good piece of kit to go to waste

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I would first try to have the player repaired. It’s probably the mech that has failed. Unfortunately the mech situation out there is a total minefield, which is why Naim had recently stop offering replacement of the VAM1202 - I heard that yields were so poor that the service department were having to try to build one good mech from a number of new replacement units, and even then they were dying far too soon after having been replaced, which was unacceptable, especially as Naim would warrant any service repair. Such a scenario was unsustainable.

However, there are a number of enterprising Kitchen table and garden shed techs who offer CD player repair of one sort or another, often scavenging working mechs from old players, which is probably a better solution than using any of the so-called “new” mechs available online (which are usually no better than rubbish).

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John, might be worth saying what the ‘error’ actually is, just in case someone here can help you.

Chris

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How old is your CD5XS? Getting worried mine might be next to fail!

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I would disassemble it and check if any parts are stuck inside and if everything moves freely; otherwise, re-lubricate it, and as a last resort, replace the laser myself.

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My CD5 broke in 2020 and I was very lucky in that Naim were able to sort out a new mech for it even though initially there wasn’t any stock of the old VAM1205 mechs around anymore. How they did this I do not know, but was eternally grateful to them and I love this player and owned it since new as it has a Wonderfull analogue sound to it. Shouldn’t temp fate but if and when it goes again then I know it is a brick job.

At the time I was thinking I would have to get a new player and Rega options were considered, maybe a second hand Saturn could be an option, Rega did hold a stock or replacement mechs and you could ask them if that is still the case as I think they only do the Isis player at the moment which is expensive. My worry in buying older S/H CD players is that they too could go wrong at anytime and you would be in the same situation.

Quad, Mission and Leak all do a CD transport now and if you have a bigger budget the Jays audio one is very good but expensive. You would need a separate DAC which I do have with enough inputs to allow me to use a transport player, there are many options available and you should be able to find a solution that suits.

Don’t sell your CD’s, if your storage fails then they are lost, I stream and also have multiple back ups of my ripped FLAC files but all the same I still like to but CD’s especially in S/H stalls and shops. One thing is that streaming services often update the albums they have to the latest release / remix and there are many cases that my original 16 bit CD from the past has better mastering than the latest High Res versions on Quobuz or Tidal.

Best of luck, replacing a Naim CD player is a hard choice to get the same SQ but it is a sign of the times, though there seems to be many companies that are still putting out new players and transports.

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Plenty of good CD players available today that exceed the performance of the CD5xs. Japan produces several at all price points. Replacement laser assemblies are hit or miss.

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I would seriously consider the Marantz SACD 30n, it combines SACD player with DAC and streamer.

I have the model before the SA12 SE which doesn’t have the streamer. It is excellent. I only use it as a transport but the DAC is pretty good also.

I have had Naim CD players: CDS3, 2 CDS2s and before that a CD5si. The Marantz has a warmer sound signature but is excellent. Build quality is flawless.

A patch up job is unlikely to last long, cobbling bits together, but, worth a try. You might get lucky.

I have tried living without a CD player and I prefer life with one. I have my CDs ripped on a NAS but sometimes I like playing them!

Keep the media regardless. You can always store them away.

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I have a CDX2.2 (digital output only) < I love it to bits and it is over 20 years old !!!

I do appreciate it is approaching retirement … If that were to be the case TEAC transports have been warmly praised on this forum, possibly an Audiolab 9000 . Alternatively Gold Note do some interesting players with both analogue or digital outputs

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I would not worry about it. Just enjoy it.

I have an original CD5 from the early 2000s and it’s still OK. It may be on borrowed time but nothing I can do when/if it fails.

I will think I have had my enjoyment and money’s worth and move on to a new player.

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This. Oh my word… this!

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