Naim CD5i

Hi-Fi Corner
1

Hi!
For a month now, I’ve been having problems playing CDs. When I close the disc tray with a loaded disc, I hear crackling noises in the speakers, but only until the tray is fully closed. It takes a long time to load the disc, and I can hear strange noises. It’s probably the optical drive. The player is 10 years old. I contacted my local authorized Naim Poland service center, but they said they don’t repair such old devices and don’t have parts! Isn’t this inconsistent with the company’s policy? If I remember correctly, Naim claims to repair any device, regardless of its age. Is the same problem in the UK? What should I do in this situation?

Best regards,
Jaroslaw (Poland)

2

Maybe @NeilS could give an answer. I believe the Cd5i can still be serviced as it uses Sanyo mech. But just a guess.

3

The CD5si uses the Sanyo but the earlier CD5i players use the Philips VAM1202 and AFAIK with yields of good mechs from bad had become untenable. Naim tried putting together good ones from a number of bad but eventually had to stop as the yield so poor and confidence in the replacements was too low.

4

So they can’t put the Sanyo instead?

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5

I don’t think so as that would require a re-design of the earlier player. Of course that is something that Naim did for the CDX2 and also the discontinued CDS3 to make them work with the VAM1202 when the VAM1250 was suddenly stopped, which was pretty amazing really, but probably not something that makes any sense for the entry level player so long out of production now.

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6

Bad luck for the OP then.
The option remaining would be to buy a second hand recent CD5i . If it fails in some years, maybe Naim will be still in measure to repair. If the Sanyo mechs will be still available.
But how to know the second hand CD5i uses the Phillips or the Sanyo mech?

7

All of the CD5i & italic i players have a Philips mech & all of the CD5si players have the Sanyo mech. They are not interchangeable as they use completely different chipsets.

@Proksior noises through the speakers when opening/closing the tray would suggest a problem with the tray to PSU board ribbon interface. That could be (worst case) fractures in the ribbon itself, or you may be lucky & the ribbon securing bar may have become unlocked. Worth getting it looked at locally - could be a no parts fix!

Regards

Neil.

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