Naim CDS2 and interconnect cables

[No Regrets]

Hello all,

I had just written a lengthly reply and for some reason it didn't post. I will try again, but it will probably be much shorter this time around.

Mark, I wanted to thank you for your email....I have sent a reply back to you.

Dave, your description of the CDS2 is how I remember it to sound so many years ago. The weight given to the instruments and the solid foundation of the music was ingrained into my memory.

In regards to the Isis, even at the used prices, it is out of my budget.

Marco, I truly appreciate your comments as well. I have never heard the original CDS, but have heard players with the TDA1541....even my lowly Rotel 955 uses it and does a fine job for use as background music at least. I'm sure with everything that Naim does with their R&D that they can make the most out of that chipset.

I have always believed that all of us have an uniquely individual set of ears, which result in each of us hearing things at times differently from one another. Also, we each quite possibly listen for different aspects of the musical presentation....meaning some aspects are more important to one than the other. So with that in mind, I greatly respect everyone's opinions and am truly greatful for people willing to share what they hear with others.

As nice as the original CDS probably is, I will not pursue it because not only does it still fetch a great deal of money, it no longer is serviceable. So once it no longer works, it is nothing more than a very large paper weight.

The CDS2 is even more money and is truthfully stretching my budget more than what I am comfortable with for a digital product, but is much less than a used CDS3 or 555. The CDS2 is still serviceable at the present time...for how much longer, I do not know because they are no longer making the transport mechanisms for this machine. They have a supply in stock, but it is of course a finite supply. I'd be lying if I didn't say that this bothers me.

Has anyone heard the Yba Lectour CD2 Delta player? I haven't been able to find much in the form of reviews yet, but am told it has an analog presentation.

Best regards,
Don

[DSJR]

The "original sound" is the original sound, no matter how our ears interpret it. I love and respect the CDS-2 as it fully addresses the main criticisms of the CD medium - spatially flat, lean and unexpressive bass and bleached tonalities. This comes through almost irrespective of system it's connected to and to me that's special indeed. Maybe "the truth" isn't quite like this either, but in this instance I don't care, as when listening for hours to the CDS2/XPS2, I was able to completely forget the mechanics of CD playback and just enjoy the copious CD's I played on it. I can't really say any more in its favour - it just did it all at the time.

I'm sure there are other players out there which do the above and maybe Marco's ton-up vintage Sony pair are loads better in sonics (I'm taking the lush construction and operation for granted here) and if you can find them and get Audiocom to update them, the total cost may well be less for all I know.

Sorry, I still feel the original CDS is pants as a decent CD player. It was just the first with a Naim badge on it, so the first machine that the flat-earthers would take notice of as being any good (been there and witnessed it - Messenger, Frankland and Steward have a lot to answer for IMO).

[No Regrets]

Hi Dave,

Thank you for sharing your additional comments in regards to the CDS2. I have made an offer to purchase the unit that we have been discussing. Hopefully he will accept it. If not, the hunt begins all over again.

Best regards,
Don

[DSJR]

Good luck I hope our memories haven't let me/us down.

[No Regrets]

Thanks Dave,

I'll let you know if I get it. I appreciate your help.

[Marco]

Hope it goes well, Don - keep us posted

Marco.

[No Regrets]

Thank you Marco for the well wishes as well to everyone who was willing to help me with this.

I have talked with the seller today and he has accepted my offer. I will be bringing him the money and picking the player up in person tomorrow, God willing. He lives 3 and 1/2 hours drive each way from me, but I'd much rather transport it myself than trust the carriers service. Nothing but horror stories from what I hear.

Take care,
Don

[No Regrets]

Hello everyone!

Well, I made my road trip yesterday to pick up my new CDS2/xps. Wow, I cannot tell you how wonderful this gentleman was who sold me this. He and his family were so welcoming of me into their home. He had everything packed up so nice, but he said that he would like me to take everything out of the boxes to look at them in person to make sure that I would like their appearance, etc. It was important for him to know that I would be happy with them. He said that I should not feel pressured into buying them and that if for any reason I didn't want to continue with the transaction, that it would be totally fine. Let me tell you, I felt like a little boy unwrapping Christmas presents. With great excitement and anticipation, I very carefully opened the boxes, and gently pulled the units out of their plastic wrap. Wow, they looked like they were absolutely brand new!!!! Not a single mark, scratch, or blemmish. No fading....it simply looked like new. I can't tell you how excited I was. He took his time and explained to me about the various screws both in the bottom of the player as well as in the transport. He explain the connections and the directionality of the cables. Reminded me of the fact that this was the upgraded Super Black Burndy. He had two pucks that he included and explained they each have a different affect on the sound. He included a Chord Anthem din to din cable, which at the present time I cannot make use of because I do not yet have a Naim preamp. He then included a Chord Cobra din to rca interconnect cable so that I would be able to listen to the player as soon as I was able to install it into my system. What a great guy! He offered me all kinds of tips and advice in regards to setting up the player as well as the importance of various types of platforms etc. We then very carefully packed everything up securely, visited some more and talked about audio and various systems and sent me home with a tray of home made treats for my wife! What a great experience. He truly is a great gentleman.

So today, my wife took time off from work so that she could assist me with installing this into my system. She knew how anxious and excited I was to be able to hear it. Wow, this is such a great player. Right from the get go it sounds wonderful. No digital nasties, full sounding, with nice weight given to the instruments, dynamic, but plays with a certain ease about it....so effortlessly. I read so often that Naim equipment really improves over time as it warms up. All I can say is that if this is true....I will be over the top with joy because I am happy with how it is right now. It sounds exactly like how I remembered it to sound so many years ago. I can say that I have no regrets about this purchase!

Thanks for everyone's help and advice. It really means alot to me.

Best wishes,
No Regrets

[Alex_UK]

What a great story Don - lovely to read that not everyone is a get-rich-quick merchant, and there are genuine enthusiasts out there happy to pass on "the message" - restores your faith in humanity. Glad you are enjoying the player so far - long may it continue. Oh, and you have a great wife!

[DSJR]

The CDS-2 doesn't need days and days and days and days and months and years to sound at its best Just switch it on and enjoy, turning it off at night, or when you're not using it.

My wife and I both find the Anthem to be OTT and very contrived sounding (I have an XLR pair that went back to the manufacturers for "tuning"). not an accurate portrayal IMO.. The Cobra will get you going, but in absolute terms there are better cables on ebay for UK £20 or less which will be better I suspect - A custom Mark Grant will annihilate it I promise you.

I don't think the pucks make a difference to the sound unless the disc is slipping somehow (happens on the original CDS/CDI puck), or the puck is upsetting the balance of the disc and causing vibration of some sort. there was a lot of totally unsubstantiated bull-poo spoken at the time about this - these darned pucks being more problems than they're worth, but Naimies refuse to be swayed about such things.