Thinking of changing to digital

Hi-Fi Corner
18

With the active Kudos setup you are really looking at an NDX2 with XPSDR or ideally the 555PS. The former option costs the best part of £10,000. You can rip the CDs to a NAS using your computer, and then stream from the NAS to the NDX2. Morally you should keep the CDs but in the real world you could sell the valuable ones and give the rest to the charity shop. Who wants a loft full of plastic that will never get used?

As for the vinyl, it would be ideal to keep it, but if your worsening eyesight makes that impractical, then sell it. You may have a local secondhand record shop that would buy them. You’ll get a lot more selling via Discogs but that takes time and may or may not be something you want to do.

If you are quite happy with your Jazz 24 via the current hardware you may want to question whether the whole active setup is necessary, and whether you may be just as happy with something simpler.

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19

Like others here I would suggest the NDX2 as the streamer. You will be able to find many great Jazz stations with that! Also, I suggest a Uniti Core. I ripped all my CDs to one, and I still buy files for downloading and even CDs if the file format is not available. Streaming from the Core or Tidal (or internet radio) is about as easy as it could get. Once you have ripped all the CDs, put them away our of site (perhaps with the CD player), and worry no more. Depending on what you have on LP format you may experience regrets at getting rid of that part of the system. I suggest putting the TT and the LPs in the same out of site storage place as the CDs and player. If a year goes by and you don’t have the urge to get it out and play an LP or two, then you know what to do.

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20

That was my experience too - they were not interested in buying any CDs nor asking or seeing what I had.

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21

Strictly speaking it’s illegal to rip a CD in the UK for any reason, regardless of whether or not you retain the original. In reality loads of people do it, and nobody gets prosecuted under the more or less unenforceable law.
Not selling the original discs is perhaps more a principle based on respect for the artist.

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22

How much sound quality matters versus convenience varies, so pick what suits you.

I ripped my CDs as a back-up and/or to cover obscure choices and/ or possible hiccups to internet/ WiFi, but almost all my digital listening is Hi-Res on Qobuz. If your internet & Wifi are reliable, and if you are happy to commit to paying for a streaming service forever to hear music that you already own today, then I don’t see the downside to getting rid of CDs and CD player.

For serious listening (e.g. not while doing other things around the house, chatting to several friends etc.), I still find that my (comparable) LP12 is more enjoyable & involving than any digital options, so mine is staying. If you don’t find that once you have tried a good streamer, or eyesight means that using the LP12 is increasingly annoying, then selling it makes sense. Mind you, you don’t have to decide that at the same time.

I agree with others that the rest of your system can certainly justify getting the NDX2 and the XPS, which is what I use - the XPS makes a noticeable difference. However, the NDX2 is pretty good without the XPS too.

Overall, I’d suggest getting a Qobus (or perhaps Tidal) subscription and an NDX2 first. Try streaming, and see which of your treasured LPs are simply unavailable on streaming services. If all the music you like is available and it sounds just as good to you as the LP12, your choices will look easier.

After you have an NDX2 and have got used to it, and have sold/ decided to keep the LP12, you can go to a shop, hear the NDX2 with XPS and decide whether that too is worth the money to you.

Finally, if total cost is important, you don’t have to spend fortunes on streaming. The ND5XS2 has no screen or buttons, sounds a bit less good than the NDX2 if assessed carefully, and lacks the upgrade options of an NDX2. However, it is still very good and I just bought one (for a different hi-fi system) for £2K on a well-known action site. I’d personally be surprised if an ND5XS2 with a Hi-Resolution/ “lossless” service did not sound at least as good as your CD player.

Selling CDs may be hard and selling vinyl bothersome. However, if the ND5XS2 is actually all the hi-fi source that you actually want, then the switch from LP12 and CD5XS should show a fat profit.

Good luck!

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23

Digression - There are over 30 good jazz stations I listed on the “Best Internet Radio Anyone” thread
See Best internet radio anyone? - Streaming Audio - Naim Audio - Community

I think the stations on your Majority Robinson are supplied by MediaU (mediau dot net) and they seem to have these stations.
There is also a list of Blues stations earlier in the thread.

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24

I was a late starter to digital and streaming. Glad i waited to be honest. About 40% of my CD collection has been ripped using dBPoweramp to the 2 TB SSD drive of an Auralic Altair G1. It sounds fantastic and travels between two systems in germany and france

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25

A few suggestions here;

My CD collection is backed up on the iMac, lossless format.

Any I wish to listen to are loaded into an iPad with a 30-pin connection, cabled to the 5italic via an Apple AV cable.

It’s line-level output that bypasses the iPad amp.

Nice big display that’s easy to navigate.

For streaming Jazz24 or Tidal I use an iPad Pro that sends the stream into an Apple Airport Express, then into a CAL Sigma tube DAC via optical.

It’s an effective & inexpensive way to get CD-quality for all my sources.

For your vinyl, best to keep what you have.

The rest of my system is 5italic, NATO5 & Monitor Audio SE20 25th Anniversary minitowers.

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26

Before you take the plunge and go past the point of no return … there are options to potentially have the best of all worlds.

All-in-one players are now of very good quality and have built in streaming, internet radio, USB capabilities plus connectivity to your TT. This is mine from AVM which has an excellent dac and amp, and included CD player.

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If you don’t want to spend as much the UnitiStar is also good.

You’ll see from my profile that although I downsized, I actually upgraded to better sound. And it has aesthetics that please.
Overall it’s given me everything I need in one neat unit.

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27

I’ve been streaming for 10 years, hundreds of ripped CD’s on a NAS drive.

However, I’d advise anybody thinking about starting streaming to forget ripping CD’s and storing them on a hard drive. It could be a waste of time.
There is so much choice on Qobuz and Tidal, there’s a good chance most of your CD collection will be available from Qobuz and Tidal. Since I started streaming from Qobuz, I very rarely stream from my NAS.

Sign up to Tidal and Qobuz 30 day free trial. Take a look at the jazz content available and decide if ripping hundreds of CD’s is really worthwhile.

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28

I been emailing my Dealer about options and they’ve come up with some things to consider.

Mentioned about the Linn Klimax DS3 Katalyst as an alternative to consider and using a Chord Bridge instead of a XPS PS with the NDX 2.

I’ll ring them tomorrow for a more detailed chat.

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You could also contact Luke of Luke’s Records on Canuck Audio Mart or UK Audio Mart. He advertises on CAM, and is also a member. He travels to the UK regularly and buys used vinyl.
He’s a Brit and seemed like a nice/fair guy when I sold him a cassette deck and a whack of cassettes, late last year.
Just a thot.

Edit: Sorry replied to wrong person. Should have replied to @DiggyGun …

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30

Cannot see the value of these anyway as most people use a tablet to control the music - and guess which bits are likely to go wrong. By all means buy the higher spec model for sound quality but not for these features. They are a con (as in not a pro) in my book.

You need to think about a tablet and your network, and how you connect the system together.

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31

I agree with regards the screen. I had the screen replaced on my NDX last year, thankfully before the increase in service / repair cost. The screen had been a failed unit for about 4 years, now its fixed I hardly use it ! - if all the functions are available on the IPad/App that is fine for me.

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32

How about taking a lot of the value out of the LP12 via a Majik subchassis, Majik PSU, and a VM95 cartridge? The Majik PSU is internal so would remove a box as well. And perhaps keep a few of your most cherished LPs. You never know, you might get more fun out of it that way - less pressure to enjoy it. Majik components are very common amongst the dealerships cos many people start out with a Majik deck and then upgrade.

What do you use for a phono stage?

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33

Presently, it is the Linn Urika.

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Ah, right. Still, a 2nd hand Stageline wouldn’t cost much or take up much space but I get the feeling its all or nothing on the lp12 front. You will get more for the parts if you sell separately though. Still think a stepping stone to life without vinyl is a good idea - apart from the arm, most of the value would be in the items you could sell. Or put a small portion of the funds into an xs3 and a compact vinyl system of just an amp and turntable. You can get a lot of enjoyment from low expectation setups like that. I don’t know your Naim history but perhaps a serviced chrome bumper shoebox amp like 42/110 if that carries any sentimental value to you.

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35

I was thinking of saying the same thing about a second hand linto. Then maybe better to change the DV cart to a Linn one like kandid which would probably be a better match with linto

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36

NDX 2 is amazing… Especially when used with Qobuz… The music library is huge!
I Ripped all my CDs (800 odd) onto a WD 4TB hard drive and plugged it in the back… so now have access to all my favourite CDs and the Qobuz database… I personally wouldn’t bother with an XPS, it made a difference but sounded a bit flat to my ears… go straight for a good 555ps (SH of course :joy:) and the difference is immense
The NDX 2 sounds v good on its own thou!

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37

Hi my suggestion if you are contemplating using a streaming DAC is KEEP your CD as well.
You have CHANGED to digital with using CD… streaming is simply another, but more varied and flexible, digital source.

Each Naim digital player has its own DAC and sonic presentation, and can be enjoyed on its own… unless you are strapped for cash or space, it’s certainly not one or the other, and of course your Naim NAC is designed to cater for this.

Yes in the limit if you had to choose one digital source, then the streamer DAC gives more overall flexibity, and even allowing a CD transport input… but sonically unless you have a very entry level CDP, you will be missing out on its interpretation of CDs.

I do think it is a mistake to automatically assume a streamer replaces a CDP… they are different sources with their own sonic colour and characteristic. One reason why good CDPs are still sought after… and in some areas are increasing in demand just like vinyl did a few years back.

As far as a Naim streamer DAC, then either the NDX2 or ND5XS2 are fine players.

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