I’m having my NDS screen fixed at the moment. These things need TLC. I hope the repair goes well. Keep the faith in Naim.
I believe the player on eBay you’re talking about has the original VAM1250. This is my understanding of the current situation: Units that still have the VAM1250 are no longer replaceable due to a lack of supplies that enable the replacement of the VAM1202 to be done. They’re only replacing CDS3 units if your player has already been converted to the VAM1202. However, the demand for VAM1202 lasers is high, so as soon as they get stock, it is quickly depleted. (If I understood correctly, the figure was 60 lasers were replaced in one month during June 2023.) So it’s an ongoing on/off situation. To purchase a CDS3 now, it would be wise to get one already converted to VAM1202, where you have a better chance of getting a replacement laser. @anon17458420 I would take this into consideration if your CDS3 still has the VAM1250 laser, but I would also seek clarification, as the situation may have changed.
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Thanks for that and yes I remember the discussions that it is no longer possible to go from vam1250 to a vam1202 cds3. I am mulling this over and maybe the answer is to not spend further on this, sell the XPS2 and use that to fund qobuz or Amazon music which is supported by the Auralic.
That said I would like to see what Naim suggest here and if there are spare DACs available to fix the player
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The repair in 2021 was the left channel, so it’s the other DAC this time.
Unfortunately we are not really in a position to replace both DACs when one fails, just in case the other should follow, due to the availability & cost - these are incredibly expensive now!
They are surface mount devices & I’m unsure as to whether our German distributor would carry out the work or not.
So to conclude - yes we have the DAC, but the above post from @formelyknownasMoog is correct regarding the transport situation.
Regards
Neil.
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Okay so looks like @anon17458420 can get DAC repaired or replaced by Naim HQ?
What’s the ongoing plan to repair existing CDS2 and CDS3 CD players with regards to mech and DAC.
Do you have mechs for CDS2 still? If not am I looking at a doorstop for the box?
Many of us want to retain these fabulous legacy CD players.
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Couldn’t agree more. I have a fabulous CDS II, which has been ‘dead’ now for over a year, and I’m beginning to doubt whether it will ever play again.
I hope that some clever person at Naim can find a way to fix it, even if it involves putting in a different transport mechanism altogether.
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That’s correct.
I don’t currently know what the situation is regarding the mechs - I will discuss with my line manager next week & post an update.
Unfortunately not at present.
I absolutely understand - they are worth maintaining!
We currently have laser assemblies for these (VAM1205).
Regards
Neil.
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Just as an observation , as I cannot contribute to the thread per se , but full credit to Naim for replying to this thread at 9pm in the evening and giving such concise and helpful info.
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In that case, I will ring Audio T in Brighton tomorrow to ask about getting my CDS II to Naim HQ ASAP!
Incidentally, Neil, is your icon photo one of those very old NAP amps that Julian Vereker/Naim made initially for London’s Capital Radio? (Which I think was one of the very first products ever built by Naim.)
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Thanks very much @NeilS. There is a demand for these classic CDS2 and CDS3 units as they sound so good. We would like to keep them rather than use them as doorstops.
Please, please, please beg to your managers for ongoing support to these units for loyal Naim customers!
It’s only because we love them that we want to keep them. Modern day CDTs don’t sound the same. We like the classic sound of these units.
And we are not ready to give up just yet!
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I hear you Dan! However, I can also appreciate the other side of the coin. I’m sure you can understand that we (Naim) are unlikely to entertain using parts from a dodgy source - there are repair warranty implications etc.
We need something solid & reliable, if that is unavailable, our hands are tied really. 
Regards
Neil.
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The (sad) reality seems to be that Naim are moving away from CDP manufacture. The only CDP listed on their products page is the (comparatively humble) CD5i.
I personally think that that is a great shame.
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Hopefully they can keep things going for a few more years.
Nothing lasts forever afterall. Unfortunately things come to an end.
Naim have done well to keep legacy units repaired for years. It’s such a shame that these days will pass.
You’re right, of course, Dan, but many of us have built up large collections of CDs. I have many which are impossible to replicate on LP, much as I love my fully tricked out LP12.
Personally, I like to have a Naim CDP, rather than have to turn to products of Far Eastern provenance.
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I am passionate about this as you can tell and have pleaded with Naim. What more can I do?
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The real solution is for naim is to modify the players to be able to take a mech that is available in abundant qualities, which is sort of what they did when converting the cds3 from vam1250 to vam1202. Somehow this backfired as now the 1202 seems to have supply problems. This would cost naim quite a bit of r&d so not likely to happen. If only the players could be modded to use the streamunlimited mech that the ex phillips guy designed. Any technicians at naim want to try this in their spare time? How many cds3 are out there still in service? Plenty I would imagine, I love mine to bits.
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You have to assume that Naim have looked into this, and not found a solution.
Naim’s ability to service almost everything that has ever left the Factory is exemplary, and not matched by many other manufacturers (Linn excepted).
QUAD used to be very good. You could ring them to make an appointment to have equipment repaired/serviced, then drive to Huntingdon on the day, drop the equipment off, go for a leisurely lunch, and collect your equipment towards the end of the working day.
That all changed when QUAD switched production to the Far East.
Read - MASSIVE!
This is Naim guys - “plonk this in there, connect this to this, that’ll do it”. It just doesn’t work like that. We are meticulous, everything has to be right, because if it isn’t, there’s no point in doing it. Performance is key.
I’m pretty sure that getting into the realms of employees doing this in their spare time is against forum rules to be honest.
Regards
Neil.
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CD5si