Having a large CD collection, I’d like the option to play CDs through my NSC222 streaming pre-amp. I want to play them easily and directly, not to have to rip them all. I already possess a bare spare CD5X CD player.
As I see it I have three options:
- Play CD5X into the 222’s analogue input
- Acquire Flatcap power supply and use with CD5X again into the 222’s analogue input
- Acquire a new digital transport, e.g. Audiolab of some sort, in place of the CD5X to pair with the 222’s digital input
Obviously these options have different costs. But based on experience what are people’s views on the likely relative differences in sound quality between them vs. the cost involved?
I hear what you say, but I ripped all mine!
My Meridian 506.24 CD player started to fail. So either I paid for a repair or used dbpoweramp to rip all my CDs to my NAS. I have several hundred and it took a good few days solid, but they now sound great.
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Option 3. seems to be the most future proof, perhaps… 
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Since you already have the CD5X, assuming you have shelf space for it, I’d just try it bare into the analogue input. Yes you’ll get a nice uplift in SQ with a FlatCap, but that could wait until a used one comes up for sale.
You would also have a source of music if your internet connection falters at any stage.
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You can go down the ripping route later with either a NAS / Core or even a portable SSD into the USB input of your streaming preamp.
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Why not see or hear, if the cdp into the analogue input is ok? Easy to do and you can tell us if that is ok.
Me, i’ve ripped all my cds to NAS via poweramp. Great sound with none of the faff. Well, once i’d spent a week or so ripping.
Really, the rip to Nas has got to be the best option for most? Ive played with the idea if getting a CDT, but then have to remind myself why it makes no sence.
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Ha! I hear what you say but there is a strong preference here for browsing the library shelves. 
But out of interest what have you used for a NAS?
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I loved my CD player, but when I started streaming back in 2016 I found I didn’t use it so much. So when it finally failed it seemed sensible just to rip my CDs and stream them locally.
I have two Synology NAS boxes now. Mainly for photo storage and movies. But also music now.
Since your profile is incomplete and you make no reference to any streaming services, it is strange to have a “streaming” preamp and then not wish to rip your cd collection. Sold my Naim cd player a decade ago, cds stored away after ripping.
Certainly ripped cds will sound at least as good and very likely produce better sound than from cdp, via NSC222.
Lots of info here on the forum about ripping. Your thread title says “options”, worth keeping an open mind. Try a test, rip a few cds to a usb stick, which the 222 can play.
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Since you already have the CD5X, you could try a little test:
- Hook up the CD5X via an analogue input. The 222 has a fully analogue chain through the pre-amp for those - so it should show you, what the (bare) CD5X can deliver in this combination.
(Whereas the Unitis convert all analogue inputs to digital first, so from a theoretical point, it should always be better to feed them with digital input.)
- Rip 1-few CDs for a comparison, and feed them via network (anything from a UPnP server, AirPlay/Chromecast) or a USB-drive/stick into the 222.
Whatever is the easiest for you and/or needs the least amount of investments. (If you have a PC to rip with and an USB-drive, it’s maybe less than an hour of time spent.)
This will not be 1:1 the same as feeding the 222 with an optical input from a CD-transport, but you’ll get the 222-DAC section used (instead of the CD5X DAC) and could use the same CDs for a direct comparison.
That won’t be a full comparison (too many variables, all the different digital transport options and sources for “noise”; see all the threads about options for networks, interconnects, power supplies, …), but it might give a first indication, whether you notice a difference between the 2 DAC, and by how much.
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As a massive fan of CD although I do use streaming to find new music, I would get a CD transport and use a digital connexion to the 222. I know people here like Audiolab but why not get a Cyrus XR transport or a PS audio transport (if that is in your budget) as I am convinced not all transports are the same!
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I’ll try this as a starting point for the comparison of the two DACs. Thank you.
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Thank you for everyone’s suggestions. I expect I will probably get to having my whole CD collection available on a SSD or NAS at some point. But this thread was focused on the best solution for playing physical CDs as this is an option I wish to retain. So I will start exploring those ideas first.
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There are many threads on comparative SQ from various formats where many of us have already chipped in.
We had the kit to hand so we actually did the tests a few years ago, with multiple listeners who couldn’t see which button I had pressed etc.
We compared streaming with ripped CD and playing the CD. With a rip on a Naim Core and replay via NDX2, the SQ was often less good than my aged but wonderful CDS2. Adding the XPSDR to the streamer resulted in none of us (professionals included) actually being able to tell the difference.
I thought I preferred the CDS2, but it turned out I was listening with my eyes, if you see what I mean.
Streaming / CD comparisons were messier because there are often a few options for the stream and not all CDs are the same. Sometimes Qobuz beats Tidal and sometimes a CD from the 1980s beats both. However, across multiple genres and eras, multiple ears agreed that the format used was not important for SQ and none of us could pick them (using quick switches or extended listening until we got bored).
Your ears may differ of course, and there are many differences between streamers and between CD players, but from what we heard there is no reason to think that your CDs will be outclassed by a stream - or vice versa.
In the meantime, CD transports are not all expensive. When my CDS2 dies, I’ll get a Core and use ripping only, but it is juat one sensible option.
I hope that helps.
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Oppo and Marantz play cd and SACD. Or some more expensive ones, but much more expensive than 222, like Esoteric.