Yes! I had the digital out from the Sonos in to it then from there in to the NAIT. Long gone now but was a good little DAC.
The great thing about Naim is just how good their entry-level stuff is, and you can be content or build upon it as you wish.
I’m on a budget but have been fortunate to collect some amazing components all 2nd-hand, a Technics SP10 MKII (gift from by boss), a CD3.5 and a Nait5 to which I added a FlatCap2 powering both into TDL speakers (all for less than a Nait5si), and it sounds fantastic. Sensitive enough to hear the difference between a Shure MR stylus and a JICO SAS stylus and still very musical. I don’t feel I need anything more (though if a SuperNait came up at a good price i might jump on it!).
I guess the later variants of the Nait5/CD5 don’t get as much credit as they deserve comes down to not being able to add a power supply and so compromises the upgrade path, which is a bit contrary to the Naim philosophy, rather than any issue with the components themselves.
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CD what’s that then?!
Just checked on the internet, seems it’s an old thing that’s a little plastic disc with about 12 tracks on it. So, what, I only get 12 tracks…and I have to have what’s on the disc, I can’t have something else? And I have to leave my seat to change it once those 12 tracks have played!!!
I dunno man, sounds hard work and kinda limited!
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Nait 5si + NDX2. Saving for a SN3, but for the time being I enjoy whatever is playing.
It may not have the most power or the biggest soundstage but there are a lot of basics that it just gets right. Lovely balanced sound.
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Classic album 
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I have had a five box system , good quality sources such as an Lp12 and a tube Magnum Dynalab
Recently downsized and also had my CDX2 in for service. Out came a NAT03 and my CD3.5 , I was amazed how good thy are.
Mark 84’s high efficiency speakers with a NAIT 5i is a good example
The NAT03 in particular (listening now) .
Suspect the need for sympathetic speakers with the Nait is an important aspect
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When i go into a store i find using a Tablet to get music far to slow it comes up with the wrong version of the LP. Then it is a fiddle for multiple track selection.
So i take my own CDs drop them in a player, program a Track Order done in 30sec while the assistant is still TYPEING looking for the program. So it is for some but not everyone.
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I assume you mean a hifi store to audition kit? Depending what I’m auditioning I either take my Mac Mini with all my music on it, allowing full choice during the audition, or I copy the music I want to use onto a memory stick and take that - either way very simple. Re memory stick, selecting the tracks I want to put on it is almost instant, and although depending on the length of the tracks or albums copying them may take a few minutes longer longer than going and picking out perhaps half a dozen CDs rom an array of shelving it is negligible, and can even be done while I’m doing other things - and there is the added advantage that I can reserve it as an audition stick without need to dig out anything next time.
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I’ve got a CD5i(talic) from 2008. It was my first ever Naim product along with a Nait5i(talic) and while I’m now using it with XS2 and Graham’s Chartwell LS3/5 both of which should outclass it it sounds great and I’ve no desire to change it.
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I suppose the discussions about personal preferences for vinyl, CD, streaming or cassette etc could go on forever.
It appears in most threads at some stage.
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Mellencamp,
Not a contrarian view at all - sounds like common sense.
Cost is fact but your system has great value to you which is what matters.
That said I do believe in law of diminishing returns.
Keep on enjoying😀.
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I had the irDac ii sold it on but wish I hadn’t as it was a good little performer.
Originally I used it with Audirvana as well as my sonos player as a sort of early version of a streamer mashup later replaced with an original ND5 XS then later an ND5 XS2 and now with an NDX2.
I passed mine on to a friend who now uses it with a Cyrus amp so it lives on!
Hi
Totally agree. I have a CD5SI and to be honest, can’t fault it. Recently upgraded the amp to a SN3 and it sounds even better. I think the biggest issue is the quality of some (especially early CDs)
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The CD5Si is a Naim legendary status player and is ranked number 4 of 9 in What HiFi? magazine’s greatest Naim products of all time. Combined with a NAIT5Si it’s a belting combo. My son has his on a Quadraspire EVO rack with 2 x 5.5 metre of NAC A5 feeding a pair of Q Acoustics 3030i speakers on their dedicated stands. Needless to say he absolutely loves it.
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@Stephen_Tate Thought of you today as I stumbled across a complete 5.1 set of n-SATS on eBay. Piano black and silver too!
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CD5 - My first Naim component. Brilliant player that sounded even better with a Flatcap 2.
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Glad you’re enjoying the combo… good points !
Much the same here… the 5italic that replaced a McIntosh MA6100 ticks all my boxes. Things only got better after adding a NATO5 … FM. Is 90% of what I listen to.
Lacking both a headphone jack & funds for a Naim headphone amp I hooked up a Cyrus 1 amp I’ve had since 1986… works great.
Other sources are a tube output CAL Sigma DAC I grabbed locally for spare change… an Apple Airport Express that feeds it with optical output, & instead of a CD player I send my lossless CD files in via an ipad2 & the 30-pin AV. Apple cable that delivers line output bypassing the iPad amp.
There’s also the option of using the front panel 3.5mm input… an iPhone 4S does the job there, as does an iPod 5
All of it pairs superbly out through the last of the UK built Monitor Audio minitower speakers, piano-black 25th Anniversary SE20.
I’m good until it all blows up I reckon…
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Yes good for you i do not allways know which track from CD i may want to use in advance.
And not being UK. a Decent CD player may not even be set up also i do not use screen devices
so thats a telling point i am determined to hold out till hell freezes over!
So when i off hand want to listen to speakers or something and they give me a Tablet fine thats the deal i will put up with it - but far to annoying for me to use at home Under What Ever Conditions in the Evening when i can handle both CD and LP blind in both senses of the word. But then there are those with CD who absolutely refuse to have anything to do with the ergonomics of a T.T. or LPs. So maybe it just comes down to comfort and ability
which means there maybe a choice or maybe not.