Hi guys, I got an email from my dealer this morning to say that Naim has finally given up replacing the mec on the CDS3, so any chance of getting it fixed from them is now impossible.
For those of you (like me) who has got a dead one, what are your plans? I think I will use mine as a cat litter tray.
FWIW, as far as Iâm aware Naim can no longer undertake the modifications to CDS3s that use the earlier VAM1250 mech to run the VAM1202.
Just because the factory can no longer replace the VAM1250 or undertake the update modifications doesnât mean you wonât be able to find a âkitchen tableâ tech who can scavenge an appropriate working mech from an old scrapped player or perhaps cobble together required parts (laser etcâŚ) into a working mech of some kind to keep your player going. And if youâre not up for going that way, then thereâs always someone who will be, and willing to buy your player for spares/repairs. Thatâs probably a better route than turning it into a cat litter tray.
You may try to get in touch with Lasa in Italy and ask if they still have the parts available. They are an official Naim service center.
And as Richard says it depends which mech is in your cds3 as the swap for the newer one requires a change of the PCB and that part seems to have ran out for good.
Richard, I wasnât really going to turn my CDS3 into cat litter tray⌠
Iâm currently using an NDS as a replacement, but I will surely miss her ability to put a smile on my face, and the many years of faithful service.
Itâs the VAM1250.
I will check Lasa. Thanks for the heads-up.
Good luck and would be lovely to keep us updated of the outcome. I had 2 CDS3 and sold the one with the newer 1202 mech, which may have been the wrong choice. My current CDS3 got probably one of the last vam1250 replacement in 2015, so let s hope it still has some time left to work as intended.
Will do.
They are top people. Iâve dropped off and collected some Naim amps a few weeks ago when I was in holiday. I spotted a few Naim cd players there âŚ
I ran a thread Sustaining Naim CDPs - An Appeal - #404 on this very subject a while ago. As I write this Iâm listening to my CDS3 - Mark Knopfler first studio album in HDCD - and it sounds sublime, in fact one well renowned Naim dealer said to me digital was never better, perhaps slightly exaggerated but Iâm very inclined to agree.
This was the machine which in all its glory was the frontispiece on the Naim website. I get that CD no longer fits Naimâs business model but there must be a solution?!
You might try putting Naim CDPlayer Repair into Google and calling a few of those who say that offer this service.
I would provide links to firms who say that they offer exactly this, but believe that doing so is banned here. Hopefully mentioning Google itself is permitted as long as no link to Google is included.
Of course, other search engines are available.
Ripped CDâs are superior musically to any Naim CD player,in my opinion.
Iâve had CDI,CD2,CDS,CD3,CDX,CDX2,CDS3,CD555,
Interesting - ripped on what, played through what?
For me my CDS2 sounds better then any CD ripped on my unitiserv through NDX2.
I love the convenience of the latter , and indeed the sound quality is great - but the engagement is not the same.
Please letâs not start the which ripper argument again 
yep i am with you - just cant agree âRipped CDâs are superior musically to any Naim CD playerâ
Just checking- if the CDS3 is difficult to fix, given that the CD5si is still made (last time I looked) can that mechanism be used to repair the other âdrawer typeâ CD players such as a CDX2?
Source first ,Accurately ripped CDâs are musically more accurate than any Cdplayer Iâve heard.
Its you opinion of course, but I have ripped cds and Qobuz downloads running through my NDS, and I still think the CDS3 sounds more musicalâŚbut do enjoy the convenience of streamingâŚ
Thanks Nick.
No. The CDX2 would have to be completely re-engineered as the mech is completely different.