I am in a similar position. 3 months ago I was ready to sell but the CDS2 has picked up some sort of fault. Not the usual mech issue. So I’m in limbo and not sure how to proceed.
Ultimately I will probably go for a Core. The flexibility and convenience appeal. But getting a transport is an interesting idea.
Although I’m considering a modern transport, I have also considered the Core. However, I am not confident about the longevity and support of the mechanism within it. Isn’t the core in the same place as Naims other CD components? Or is there. Plentiful supply?
Not Rosso Corsa 322, Rosso Mugello perhaps or Porsche Carminio Red
I don’t know but I thought it was a more modern CD rom unit (TEAC?). Although the longevity of the drive is sort of irrelevant. I only need it to work for a 1,000 CDs or so. After that they are on the hard drive.
Removing 1,000 CDs from the listening space is also attractive.
I asked some questions on another thread about comparing the core to a NAS… This was the most succinct reply… Mac & Nas v Uniti Core - #16 by HungryHalibut
The flip side of that reply is that, if you do want to rip 1,000s of CDs then, a Core may be a good solution.
Maybe, I use a Mac mini with a cd drive to a NAS… total cost probably about the same, if not some change, but I have a usable home computer as well. It’s an interesting thought.
There is a lot of store put in Naim CD players having the Naim sound but I can’t ascertain whether the Core produces ripped music with the Naim sound. Or is that even a thing? Is the Core essentially a Naim CD player or just a CD ROM? My gut feel is to just rip the CDs I want to NAS and forget about the Naim CD sound or even a transport. 
That’s a fair point. I’ve not done a comparison with the Core although I’m told it sounds as good a streaming. And my streamer sounded good compared to my CD. Although my current Naim Cd now has no sound hence I need a solution. 
A Core ticks other boxes for me like convenience. Something I can plug in and use rather than having to set up NAS somewhere in the house.
As a first step, you could just rip to an SSD (assuming you have a mac or a pc) - plug it into your NDX2 and away you go. It’s cheap, easy and to be honest sounds great to me. Certainly a decent way to start. Sure, you don’t necessarily get all the bells and whistles, but the cost of a Core or the cost of an SSD - it’s a hefty difference of some $4000 CDN so probably about £2200.
I couldn’t be bothered with setting up a NAS just to run to my NDX2.
Hi,
My understanding is the Saturn 3 will play ripped files. Do you do this, and if so how does it work out?
Is the playback viewable on an iPad?
Thanks
The Core isn’t a Cd player, it’s a NAS with ripping facilities. A rip can’t have a particular sound, it’s what comes after it, the dac and amplifier, that has that.
Just looked, for the first time, at the underside of the tray on our CDX2. Never knew it looked like that! Every day is a school day.
I’m speculating that building the logo into it makes it stiffer, therefore sounds better.
That was my opinion too until I started looking into it more. A transport into my NDS should sound like my NDS. A ripped CD played thru my NDS should sound like my NDS. But the way people talk implies that even transports have “a sound”. Without doing the auditioning legwork it’s difficult to form an opinion. If ripped CDs sound better than a CD player/transport then I’m all for a Core. But, if ripped CDs sound the same as streaming, there’s no point in ripping. I thought playing CDs would be better than streaming but I’m not so sure now. I might just forget the whole thing an enjoy what I have
All my music is on a NAS, and I prefer the sound to listening to the same albums on Qobuz, though people tell me they sound the same. I used to have over 2,000 CDs, which took up a lot of wall space. Now we have a nice sideboard instead.
