Cross Roads CDX2 or a streamer

Streaming Audio
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Hello to the Forum Members,

I am at a cross road where I do not know where I will end up. Evidently there are still a couple of old CDX2 CD players still available in Australia. I own a Naim Nait XS2 integrated amplifier. I am thinking of adding a CD5 XS CD player. Though evidently there are still a couple of CDX Mk2 CD players available.

Do I chase down a CDX Mk2 or do I go digital? There is a hard drive which can be paired with a digital Naim player. I am becoming lost with all the part numbers. Evidently the HDD records CDs perfectly without any errors and then one plays this through a digital streamer. If I sound totally confused I am.

I am currently contemplating the purchase of a CD5 XS or a CDX Mk2. Switching the outputs between RCA and Din connections through a Focal headphone DAC and “A” class amplifier or the CD5 XS Nait amplifier through my Celestion SL6Si Speakers which I can not pay to upgrade to be come a decent loud speaker upgrade. Even with its soft bass.

My wife would like me to spend more time with her. Though suffering from PTSD and MDD I do not receive the same enjoyment as Shelley does out of watching NETFLIX.

May I ask the Forum, which way is the best way to go? I still like placing a CD in its draw and pressing play as I sit back in my comfy leather lounge. Or do I grab a bean bag and relax to some Focal headphones and their DAC Amplifier that has just been released?

https://www.focal.com/en/headphones-0/headphones/headphones-electronics/amplifier-dac/arche?utm_source=focal&utm_medium=emailing&utm_content=en&utm_campaign=focal_stellia-arche

Then the next question is Open back or closed back headphones?

I wish for the best. Though cannot afford loud speakers to do the job. It will have to be headphones.

Warm regards,

Paul.

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In 2014 my CD player died. At that time I knew nothing of streaming, but when I started researching what CD player to buy, I came across this subject and looked into it. My though then was that this will be the medium of the future rather than CD, and I could see no disadvantages. I therefore decided to go for it.

Researching streamers, I decided on the ND5XS, bought one ex-dem and a cheap NAS, and I was ready! I started ripping my CDs, however I did have the advantage that a couple of years earlier I had ripped all my vinyl to CD, and had kept the ripped files on a hard disk, so I already had several hundred albums ready to play.

I have never looked back! The ND5XS was about the same sound quality as my previous CD player, and I was quite happy. My own system has moved on since then (only streaming) and now significantly higher sound quality, somewhere I may not have gone had I still been with CD, however that is another story.

There are many advantages to streaming. Playing music is simple using an app on a computer or a template or a smart phone to browse and choose. You don’t need the storage space for the physical CDs, at least not in your living area. It is more reliable because you don’t have the CD mechanism. Sound quality even from CD sources has the potential to be better because there is no risk of read errors, with associated error correction, and you can buy higher resolution music. Some people stream from online subscription streaming services, and it opens the door to that if you are interested. (Personally I am only interested in playing from my own music store, though I use a free online streaming service to check out new music.)

I highly recommend going on the streaming route! Some thought first is needed before deciding what to gear to get, and a bit of research into the ancillaries things needed to make it work best, because there are different options for how to store your music, and how to best set up that side of it as well as physically plugging a player into your hi-fi system. Members on this forum of course will help with suggestions and advice, but this Is not the only resource!

Best of luck with your decision!

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I was in the same postion a few years back, just found with my CDX2 i just was not playing music enough to justify the system, read a number of forums quotes on streaming, and then spoke to my dealer

moved from CDX2/XPS to bare NDX in 2014, the results i have found - Radio paradise is on all the time in the backround, also only really lisen to Radio 6 Music so one or the other

on UPNP - which i had never done ripping or used a NAS, on advise of my dealer purchased a QNAP NAS with WD drives - dBpoweramp - ripped a few CD’s to test before I had some long sessions - issues Not really - used Twonkey and then moved to Asset

in summary if you have a little bit of PC know how and set up your network off you go, the result for me is music is back,

I don’t stream but found the transfer from CDX2 to NDX no real issues, and there is a huge base on here if there was

and I prefer the presentation of music on NDX to CDX2, and sitting there controlling your whole music library on a IPAD is simple

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Antz postede,_I was in the same postion a few years back. same here I also bought a NDX ex demo and found I started to listen to music a lot more.

Upgraded my system but kept the NDX as my only source till I upgraded the NDX a few months ago the strange thing is since I sold my Naim CD player several years go I am buying considerably more CDs than before and ripping them.

I am finding that I am listening to a much wider Genre of music since switching to streaming simply because of recommendations of other members on the forum plus I can listen via Tidal prior to purchase.

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I recently invested in one of the new Naim streamers. In the process the vinyl set up went but I kept my CDX2.2. The streamer/CDX2.2 combination sounds superb. I still like the idea of CDs and I am currently having fun picking up really cheap ones now that hardly anybody wants CD anymore. The low cost allows me to experiment with music I have not heard before. But the same could be said of a streaming service once you have paid for a subscription. i like having both but if I had to choose i would concentrate on a streamer/dac first. If a CDX2.2 could be added in at a later date, all well and good. If I could not run to a CDX2 other CDPs/transports could be had for a good deal less.

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As has been said above this is fairly common place to be, me included ! I actually ended up going HDX route and loaded all my CD’s on that. I have a back up copy if anything goes wrong. I think the HDX sounds lovely, like the fact I own all the music on it so if I stop paying my monthly subscription I wont loose all my music. CD’s can be bought really cheaply now (as has been mentioned). Lastly and for me a pretty important point is I have everything loaded, included my wife/kids music so via the iPad app they can play their music and dont even have to touch the hardware. I dont think there is a right/wrong answer to your question, just what suits your listening habits and how you use your setup.Also where i live has “intermittent” internet connection so the thought of being without music while BT fix the line was not an option for me.

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Regarding cheap CDs, if you don’t have a CD player anymore but stream from your own store, if you have a computer it is a simple matter to rip a new CD and add to the store (or, depending on the player setup, stick on. USB stick to hear before deciding whether to store).

(Also easy to borrow a CD from a friend and listen that way, though against copyright law to keep the ripped copy when you give the CD back)

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Lucky man, you have friends close by with similar musical interests you can borrow CDs from. It occurred to me on reading your comment that I have not had that luxury for many years.

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I moved to streaming back in 2014 and haven’t missed CD at all. Tidal is superb and to my ears, SQ is very close to Ripped CD. I am always listening to new music and falling in love with so many more artists that I would never have discovered before. Don’t hesitate, embrace change.

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Agree, but I still like keeping my CDs spinning alongside the streams.

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As I stream regularly on my Qb I get the attraction. However, on my main system I have a CDS3 which is such a wonderful player I just feel I’d regret it if I let it go.

But, if I was starting now it would be a streamer no doubt.

Regards,

Lindsay

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I don’t, but thought it worth mentioning as some people do!

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I am not you will find my answer helpful but here we go anyway. I don’t understand why people think it’s either streamer or CD. They are two quite different replay devices, and each will have its own character that they impart on your recordings. This is why we have those inputs on our NAC.
The CDX2 has a wonderful sound, and uses the same DACs as the ND555, but understandably a less accomplished implementation. Other streamers will have their own sound.
I use my CDX2 as well as my NDX2/DAC… yes I probably listen to the latter 90% of the time, but certain discs just sound they are made for the CDX2…and sound gloriously enjoyable.

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Hi Paul,

There is something special about a good headphone setup and the way it draws you into another world. If your wife is watching Netflix, and you would be listening in the same room, I’d suggest not getting open backed headphones. The noise leakage is pretty high. Open backs give a greater sense of breadth and staging, but they make a racket for other people in the room.

A streamer is an ideal compliment to a headphone setup because if you combine it with an online streaming service that offers hi-res, you can generally hear the differences in the more detailed file versions on the headphones, as well as always having access to something you are in the mood to listen to or when you are in a discovery of new music sort of mood. When I am in those moods, I tend to find that I am the only one in the house in it, so having a more intimate experience on headphones tends to work more!

I started my head-fi headphone journey by just simply buying a really good USB connected DAC (Chord Hugo2) and plugging it into a laptop. A revelation!

I travel a lot, so in time, I added a Chord Mojo DAC to my bag, a micro USB to USB C cable and my phone. Qobuz or Tidal streamed / offline downloaded to my Phone and the experience is just sublime!

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Ah yes, but you’ll most likely find a DSP setting in Roon that will obviate the need for the CDX2 as the difference is most likely recording or genre dependent. It just sounds beter with a different DSP sauce.

.sjb

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So where are you on your headphone journey. You told us about the rest of you kit, or did I miss it?
Bailyhill

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Office Headphone setup:
DAC:
Chord Electronics Hugo 2
The Chord Company Shawline USB Interconnect
Audioquest Jitterbug

Headphones:
Sennheiser HD800S
The Chord Company Shawcan headphone termination into DAC.

Mobile setup

Transport :
Google Pixel 3XL 128GB

Source:
Qobuz Studio

DAC:
Chord Electronics Mojo connected via USB C
or
Chord Electronics Mojo+Poly streamer (I don’t find this works really well, even with the Chord GoFigure app)

Headphones:
Shure se846
Sennheiser ie800

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A big thank you to everyone for commenting. Dear Bailyhill, I live two hours drive away from the nearest HIFI dealer. One of my many faults as a retired metrologist, Industrial Electrician and Radio Technician is too be governed by specifications. Though I am softening and will purchase the best I can afford. Please do not think I made of money. Though one of my many faults is to purchase the best I can within my field of interest and bank balance at the time.

As has been discussed, I do not think that I would obtain the value for money out of new loud speakers and audiophile speakers cost a bomb. Therefore I plan to listen to these headphones and headphone amplifier on my next trip to Melbourne and hopefully to be able to purchase a CDX MK2 as the source. Where I will be able to switch the Audio out from Din Connectors or RCA depending which amplifier I would like to feed the music signal at the time.

https://www.focal.com/headphones/stellia/

https://www.focal.com/headphones/arche/

I hope this answers your question.

Warm regards,

Paul.

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Not at all. I love my CDX2 more than ever… it has a very unique sound that I enjoy with certain discs, it’s a bit like your favourite arm and cartridge…that’s the beauty of sources, each one brings something unique to the party, as I say there is a reason we have those inputs on our 552.
The CDX2 DSP is with the renown Pacific Microsonics CD filter chipset which really is rather special… there is some rather clever hardware there that is very optimised for CD and HDCD.

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Hello Gigantor

My question was replied to Marka, not to you. Wanted to know what headphones he was contemplating.
Bailyhill