As a CD555 owner I would opine that it is well worth the going price, performs excellently (especially with two supplies) and I haven’t the slightest interest in a ‘digital out’. It looks good too, IMO.
Could we have the Cdi back again please 
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Hi Richard the review you quoted was by Michael Fremer. Art Dudley did a review later in 2007 which was more positive.
Hi Raymond,
Thank you for your kind words about Naim products and our customer service. We appreciate your loyalty.
Regarding your inquiry about upgrading to a CD555 + PS, we strive to support and service all Naim devices for as long as possible. However, as you rightly pointed out, some challenges may arise, especially with older models like the CD555, which was introduced in 2006 and discontinued six years ago.
While we have made efforts to secure parts as the chip storages during the Covid-19 timeframe shows, we cant always see the future, I must be transparent with you that the availability of specific components for the CD555, especially the mechanism, may become unpredictable over the next 10 years and is not something I can guarantee for you.
On the other hand, the CD5si is a current product still being manufactured, and there is a larger chance of it being repairable in the future. If you decide to proceed with the upgrade, we recommend checking the serial number with us if you do want to still go ahead and we can let you know if the unit has had lots of repairs in the passed to give background of the unit you find.
Unfortunately, we do not have information on specific units for sale, but we encourage you to reach out to authorized Naim retailer or explore reputable second-hand markets.
Thank you for considering Naim for your audio needs and happy listening. If you have any further questions or need assistance, feel free to contact us.
Best regards,
Jordan Baker
Technical Support
Thanks RWC, you’re correct it was MF not Art (RIP).
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Don’t get me wrong it is still a nice CD player.
But also remember that all the reviews are a very long time ago, and it would certainly be interesting to compare it against a modern CD player costing around £3 new.
Plus remember dac’s have certainly come on massively and this is why i would want a digital out, as can naim happily support the burr brown chip’s for many years to come? As if not with no digital out you are stuffed.
But there is no denying that a cd555 sitting on top off you naim stack looks wonderful shame that they couldn’t replicate that with the ND555.
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Aha - see what you mean about the digital out.
Why not ditch the CD5Si in favour of a new player at CDX 2 level at least ? This Naim policy Is pretty disappointing, since competitors like Rega have three alternatives in their catalogue at least. Not a problem for me at the moment, owning CD555 and 2 x CDX 2, however i have friends with Naim systems well eager to have a new CD player
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Yes, it’s pity Naim pulled out of the CD player market. They were so good at making Them.
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How do McIntosh stack up?
Have you thought about an NDX2 with a good CDT? Might have more functionality to offer you with similar SQ.
Isis to valve isis into an Osiris I preferred the non valve one. Isis into a 282/SC/300 I found less appealing than a CDX2/555ps, but you can still get a new Isis and it only suffered a bit in the comparison. I’d take a guess that a 552 would pass on more of the Isis’ strengths than a 282 but In general I’ve preferred a Naim CD plaayer into Rega amplification to the other way around. Try a link from signal ground on the pre to earth if no Naim source is present.
They haven’t completely. Naim still make a CD player with the CD5Si.
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Quite underrated in my view. When I bought my CD5Si I compared her to alternatives, some in the £3K range and felt she was by far the best all round performer.
I think the model is dismissed because of the “low price, entry model” tag.
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I have one , tweaked gently with Chord Shawline ( power chord ) isolation pucks and Chord Shawline interconnect
It is a good machine , though obviously it isn’t as good as some of Naim’s older models. I have also a CDX2.2 which is “ on sabbatical” and I may well go for a DAC that matches it’s capabilities
In the mean time the CD5si is a very competent player
+1 for me the cd5si is better than the cd5x FC I had and much better than the 5i I also had… I find the cd5si very musical!
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Please expand on your explanation, JFK. I’m guessing you mean to run a CD transport through the NDX2 streamer; if so, I have never thought of that, and it could be a possible solution.
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Indeed, I run my ~20 year old Meridian 506.24 digital out into my new NSC 222. It sounds far better with the modern DAC in the 222 instead of the one in the player.
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I never came on with Naim’s entry level CD players.
3.5, 5i and 5i
I found 5Si just slightly better than above
And far from a “real” Naim CD player.
I agree with those people saying that they are missing the good old Naim CD players
I have fondly memories of CDS, CDi and later CDX2, CDS2 & CDS3
Fair to say they were much more expensive than Naim entry level CD players.
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I have owned a CD5Si, 2 CDS2s (currently have one) and a CDS3.
The CD5Si worked well with Nait 5Si which is it’s matching pair. I found when I went 82 HiCap 250 that the CD5Si sounded bright. So I sold it and got a CDS2 and XPS2 which was in a different league.
I hope that makes sense.
Naim dropping CD players from the market apart from CD5Si made way for streamers. I now feel that more people are now going back to CDs, hence all the Audiolab CD transports we see on here.
Perhaps Naim should release a CD transport to go with NSC 222 and NSS 333. There is a market for it.
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