If I were to do that, would I be silly to keep my CD5si? I love the sound of the CD player but if the ND5XS2 sounds as good as if not better than the CD and I can rip all my CDs to a NAS saving the bother of keeping them all at hand would there be any sense in holding on to the CD5si?
My current streamer is a Sonos Connect and it is defiitely the weak link in my system so I don’t listen to it that much but with a ND5XS2 I think streaming Tidal would be a much more palatable option.
Thoughts?
I had a similar journey in that I had a CD5 XS and then added in a ND5 XS2. I kept the CD player in for a period of time and used it as a transport only with a digital out to the ND5.
I didn’t run it like that for long and the CD player came out and I focused on the ND5 as the primary source.
It’ll be a personal choice, I’d be inclined to say setup both for a period of time, much as I did, and see how often you find yourself choosing a CD and actually spinning it. Some folks do like the user experience associated with playing CD’s and I felt I would want to keep it and carry on using it but the reality was I tried out Roon, added in Tidal and Qobuz subscriptions and the rest is history.
Live with both for period and see where you levitate!
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I have both but I must admit my CD5SI doesn’t get a look in these days. I have great admiration for the CD5si and think it’s a Naim classic but in the grand scheme of things it’s not a patch on the ND5 XS 2 in terms of both sound quality and of course convenience.
In an ideal world perhaps so but my rack is full so it would be easier to swap the CD for the ND5 and I could also use the CD as a trade-in to reduce the up front outlay on a ND5
You’re running yours with a Nait XS2 if memory serves me correctly? That’s the amp I’m running too.
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Yes I am running mine with a NAIT XS 2 amplifier also and both complement each other perfectly.
What is your primary listening source on the ND5? Ripped CDs or a streaming service (CD quality or mp3)? If you use both do you notice much/any difference between a ripped CD and a CD quality stream from Tidal/Qubuz or whatever?
I think you answer your own question!
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Hi,
I listen to both Tidal via the Naim app for discovering new music and also listen to ‘bit perfect’ CD rips streamed locally from my NAS device. I started off with purchasing dBpoweramp (as recommended by many here) and then started ripping all my CDs in FLAC to my laptop. I then purchased a NAS and moved my music onto it, still keeping a back up in my laptop. It’s hard to say which i use the most, probably 50/50 Tidal and local. Also one will have access to internet radio as well. It’s a great source component. No regrets at all.
Good advice. I sold off my CD5XS after it hadn’t been powered on for almost 2 years. Never missed not being able to play the silver discs myself.
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That’s another thing, I’ve never loved CD as a format in the same way I love my vinyl. I resisted CD for a good while and only bought a CD player once vinyl was hard to come by. I’ve bought very few CDs recently, preferring vinyl where possible. If I pull the trigger on a ND5 I’ll probably still buy CDs occasionally but just rip them and store them away.
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You can add a CD transport to the ND5 XS 2 if one so desired. Having said that once you get going with the streamer I think that idea will fade away pretty darn quickly…
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When I decided to switch from CD to streaming I sold the CDP and bought the streamer - a SuperUniti. So it was a case of get ripping or not listen to music.
I think if I were to do that I’d be as well holding on to the CD5si, a decent CD transport is probably going to cost whatever I’d get for selling the 5si
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Yes I agree with you. I was merely commenting on that maybe further down the line, should one miss the ritual of playing CDs, then even with a ND5 XS 2 that’s still possible, such as it’s flexibility.
Fwiw I changed over gradually, having a CD player (I forget which tbh, might have been a 5i ) and an ND5XS with all CDs ripped as FLAC to a NAS. It didn’t take long to realise that the CD player had rapidly become an ornament so it was sold to fund a 272, with the ND5 streamer also chopped in as a p/x.
There’s still a wall full of CDs in our living room but they act as decoration these days. I suspect that unless you have a desire to physically handle the discs, the benefit of being able to play them from the listening position without the faff of getting up finding inserting waiting for it to load etc etc soon makes the physical medium a bit of an anachronism.
Tidal is good for investigating new music esp suggestions on the What You Listening To? thread, these days most of my streaming is usually JB Radio 2 as a FLAC stream or a couple of variations. It’s very good.
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I’ve still got my CD5 XS but it’s only a matter of time before I let it go. I expect it’ll be one of the few Naim boxes I make a big loss on!
Once you’ve done the ripping and have a local library established then added in a sprinkling of streaming services you’ll find little use for having a CD player, I’d say unless you had something towards the top of the CD family like a CD555 for example, there’s not a lot of logic keeping a cd transport.
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I just had a word with my local Naim dealer, they had a ND5 XS2 they sold as ex-demo last week but now nothing until Naim start shipping them out again.
Cast your net wider and check dealer demo stock in country perhaps?
Where are you based?