Simple. I will generously take your system off your hands and undertake to supply a compact alternative
A Nova would be a good option but, a small system after 6 Fraim racks could easily be a 2-3 box system… NDX2, XPS DR, SN3 and possibly a Zen Mini. That would still be very small in comparison.
Maybe some clarification as to how small is small
As long a you have a solid network connection (wired preferred), a Muso-2 and a Qobuz subscription may be all you need. Do you really need the physical CDs anymore? I prefer Qobuz to Amazon and Spotify because I believe it to be the best sound quality and it will soon be natively supported on the Muso-2 with the upcoming Naim App upgrade. I am part of the beta and am using Qobuz now with my Muso-2. It’s a wonderful sounding setup.
The Muso 2 is good for what it is, but it’s not serious HiFi for someone coming from a real Naim system. I wouldn’t advise going lower than an Atom with some standmount speakers.
Best
David
Might you have the chance to listen to a few things before you commit?
For essentially a one-box system, the Nova.
For a 2-box system, a Supernait 3 plus an NDX2.
With either of the above, you could subscribe to a music service that will deliver cd-quality (“lossless”) to the Naim system, and you’ll appreciate that quality over the way you’ve been using Spotify and Amazon music I bet.
With both of those options, the question remains what to do about your 200 cd’s. You could commit to ripping them and stream them in-home, or you could purchase a compact cd transport and connect its digital output to the digital input of the NDX2. Maybe something from Cyrus or Rega? There was a thread here pretty recently about cd transports. Frankly you could do both; learn to rip and in-home stream them, and have the cd player in case you don’t take to that.
My plan for the past few years as I head into retirement was for a limited number of boxes for a system. I am currently 68 and living in a single story house currently but could see my wife and I moving to a condo/apartment if we decided to downsize. The system has ended up being: XPS DR > NDX 2 > HiCap DR > SuperNait 2 > NAC A5 > ProAc D30RS. system picture here
If moving into a smaller living area in the future the four boxes would stay and possibly replace the speakers to fit the room if the D30’s did not work in the room.
I also have a NAS with my CD’s ripped but use Qobuz to stream music the majority of the time. Quality of music is excellent and for $14.99 a month well worth the convenience.
Good luck with your decision.
Yeah… very nice. I’d be very happy to finish up with the same system. Depending on a demo, it’ll be that or a Chord DAC variation for me I think!
Probably about 15 years ago I was in exactly the same position with my system, which was the same as yours but with a CDS3. I sold the lot and downsized massively. Then followed years of chopping and changing. Nothing really made me happy until five years ago I got another pair of SL2s with a 272/250. The SL2s are marvellous speakers and with a footprint of under a foot square, and a need to be against the wall actually take up less space than a small bookshelf speaker on a stand.
What I have now - 272/555PS and 300 isn’t really that far behind the CDS3 and 552. It fits on one stack of Fraim. Going smaller still the NDX2/Supernait 3 would be great. Subscribe to Tidal or Qobuz for a world of music at way better quality than crappy old Spotify.
You are not old in your 60s. There is no need to give up on great music. I’m 59 and fully intend to enjoy music on a good system until the end. If you want to discuss anything just say, and our esteemed moderator can put us in touch.
(Another) Nova ( sugestion).
By the way: smaller apartment equals less dust to clean
Thankyou for taking time to answer…appreciated. Longevity of Naim gear is underrated…the kit has never been unplugged for over 17 years…on 24/7. Getting a lot of great opinions…great community.
Thankyou for taking time and for great advice…appreciated. Need to google all tour thoughts but it seems to fit my thinking. Smaller rather than small I guess…not going Muso kust yet! Thanks again
As others have mentioned… if you go NDX2, look at Qobuz. I’ve used Tidal, Deezer, Amazon but Qobuz have been the best quality, value for money so far and far more convenient!
Downgrading from 6 boxes to 4, loose money and a big decrease of the sound ( from 552/300 to SN3/hicap) is not a good idea for me.
Bare Ndx2 / SN3 or Nova . Or even better : Linn KDSM into ATC 40 active.
I did exactly the same moved from a 4 box system with a Musical Fidelity twin monobloc amp, M F Cd transport, Chord Dac, DAB tuner to a Naim Star. Plus all the interconnects etc.
Never regretted it for a moment.
I certainly concur with the advice on keeping your speakers. They are probably the one area where you will gain little space and certainly loose out musically.
After that A Naim all-in-one is probably the best choice, the star, with the ability to play CDs may suit best.
It might also be worth looking at an Auralic Altair as the latest firmware allows CD playback with an attached CD rom drive. As it rips into memory to play you’re not a much at mercy of the mech etc. I have the Aries and this new Cd replay functionality is sounding mighty fine, at least equal to the CD555 I used own.
Keep the speakers though!
.sjb
I would also suggest what French Rooster said with the ATC 40A, but with a dCS Rossini player/DAC all in one unit with a passive preamp. Now that would certainly not be a downgrade sound wise.
Or perhaps the Dutch&Dutch 8C or Kii Three. But then you would miss your CD playback feature.
The SL2s are going to be hard to replace without their replacements taking up more room. They do have requirements for a solid wall to back onto and might not suit a suspended floor as well as something more solid. Get the move over with first, see how the current system works in the new place and take it from there, it will make sense to try alternative speakers in the new place anyway and a single Fraim stack takes up the same floor space whether 6 or 2 shelves high. A streamer based system seems to be where you’re heading and the current Naim lineup will work well with Chromcast as well as having native Tidal and Qobuz support. Of these the ND555 would be an upgrade, and a tad expensive, and just replace the CD555. Below that the NDX2 can also use the 555ps and and not require a change in amplification.
Below that you’re selling the 552/300 but a Nova, Star or Atom will keep the functionality and sit on a single shelf, possibly of normal domestic furniture and still cope with the SL2s.
If the SL2s aren’t working in the new place there are a few standmounts that will fit in discreetly near the boundaries. Proac and Neat come to mind plus Audionote K or maybe J if corner placement is an option but a lot of options will take up more space. I setup a second system a while ago and Totem Dreamcatchers used as much space as a Allaes once positioned.
The amp requirement can be considered once you know what you’re driving, an Atom might be enough, A Star would solve the CD requirement without need for another box otherwise some options have already been mentioned.
Then there is the world beyond Naim, everyone seems to be combining a DAC or even streamer with an integrated amp these days.
This is not as uncommon as you may think . I have quite a compressed area where my audio system could go , knackered knees for kneeling down to move things . My speakers dominated the room and were too heavy to move
I thought five boxes was too much for amplification, they needed servicing and would have been a nightmare to reinstall
I had Rega 3, CDX 2, 200/202 HiCap, Stageline NAPSC, PMC FB 1, and Magnum Dynalab
Now have Clearaudio Emotion, CDX2, Naim NAT 03, Rega Aethos, Pro Ject Ds2 tube phono stage and new distribution block. The speakers are Harbeth P3Esr, small but need oodles of power. Lovely delicate sound and really good for acoustic and voices. They were a mistake in that they were the first to be replaced , when I auditioned a SN3 they weren’t a happy marriage .
Today I would have perhaps gone for Amphions , Pro Acs or Neats and stayed with a Supernait
In the AV system , I added a UnitiQute to act as DAC
So box count reduced by 3, speakers reduced in mass by 90% and very happy with sound.
In your case You haven’t mentioned budget but I would be inclined for a Nova , a quality CD transport and a pair of Dynaudio.
Your dealer may be horrified but you are downsizing more than your system and it is important to get the balance right.
Another vote for the Star. Unlike others, I think the difference between it and the Nova is minimal. It gives you CD replay and a Chromecast built-in. It is slightly less powerful, so with some specific speakers the Nova would be better, but with most it shouldn’t make too much of a difference.
Regarding speakers, are you looking for bookshelf or floorstanders? Any budget constraints?