for anyone who may have had any questions regarding the styling, feel, or performance of this new unit, read the recent, very positive article in listner!

Jim,

I read the arcticle, and although it seemed like a platform for the reviewer to brag about his 1970s days of black jeans and student rock club liberalism (Hey, I lived near Central Square in Cambridge MA), I found it quite useful. I have a CDS 2/52/250 and am thinking of 135/500 type upgrades and it ocurred to me that naim might be "changing" its sound and that the 500 was not just a better amp than 135s, but that it had a different sound that did not place it in the usual naim canon. It makes me wonder what future pre amps etc will sound like. Is the 500 better than a 135 or simply a "different sound"?

davel

The 500 makes music flow with a fantastic degree of control and musicality. Although an active based 135 system is great it is bettered by a good margin by a single passive 500. The 500 is a stunner. Naim, just more so.

Simon,

Thanks for your clarification. I have yet to hear a 500, so I'm just speculating.

dave

There is a CD5 test in a recent/latest issue of HiFi Choice or What HiFi too.

They think it's a stunner.

Richard.

Hi David,

I would agree completely with your suggestion that Naim is changing the characteristic sound of it's equipment. I listened to a CD5 recently and concluded that it was much more of a mass market sound (more detail etc) with a bit less of the old Naim PRAT. I preferred the sound of the CD3-5 so if I get round to buying one it will save me a lot of money!

Having said that it seems likely that with a more mass market sound Naim will win a lot of new customers.

Ian

Ian

I guess it was inevitable that you, or someone like you, would manage to get an ill informed criticism in when the response to the CD5 amongst customers and press alike has been nothing but positive.

There has been no attempt to manufacture a "mass market sound", whatever the hell that is.

All Naim products are designed to please us first (myself, Paul S, Roy, Doug, Gary, the two Paul Ds), we do not design a sound for the public, we have to hope that the public like what we like too.

It seems that they do.

There is no less abilty to portray the important aspects of music in the Series 5 and the 500 than older products, in fact they have all that and more.

They are better in every respect, but I'm not surprised that you can't hear that.

Hi Ian,

So you reckon that the CD 3.5 is better than the CD 5.... hmmmm. Your certainly the first person ever to think this.

One wonders if your perspective has been shifted
with too much worship at the Church of the Sympathetic Resonance?

Bob.

Ian,

I get that feeling - but I haven't heard enough to say. I think I'll have a major listening session this christmas. One guy that does a lot of mastering/recording for naim told me he thought that the CD2 was better than the CDX, so maybe you're not alone.

daveç

I just spoke to my mate Ken (Christianson), he says you've misquoted him, David.

Not only that, he sold his wifes CD2 and bought her a CDX instead 'cos it was so much better. She loves it apparently.

He remembers giving you a demo of the CDSII when you visited his store a while back.

Isn't it a great store? Ken, John and Mark are really cool guys, we could do with more dealers like them.

Richard,

quote:

---

There is a CD5 test in a recent/latest issue of HiFi Choice or What HiFi too.
They think it's a stunner.

---

My dictionary tells me that "stunner" is something like "good looking" - if it is true, then the reviewers of the Hi Fi Choise and/or the What Hi Fi wear the wrong glasses...

Arie

Or you do Arie!

Without question the nait5/cd5 outperforms the nait3/cd3.5. I have heard the new stuff on a number of occasions, I find it difficult to believe that anyone would come to an alternative conclusion. Likewise the nap500 over previous naim power amps.

Where does objectivity end and politics begin? People are right about the naim sound changing - its getting better.

Mark Tucker,

Naim disappointed me with the new look of the 5 serias - although I think it sounds great.
But it is a personal taste and I agree that meybe "my glasses" are with the wrong focus adjustment, but I think that many of the members here (as it had discussed before) think that the new logo looks cheap.

Arie

Hi Mark,

" guess it was inevitable that you, or someone like you, would manage to get an ill informed criticism in when the response to the CD5 amongst customers and press alike has been nothing but positive."

It is not an ill informed critiscm, it is just my opinion of what I heard. Any listening experience is a personal thing and you cannot know what I heard when I listened to the CD5. The CD3-5 had it's limitations which were apparent to many people, however I wasn't happy with the presentation of the CD5 and preferred the CD3-5 (based on audio memory which may be completely wrong) on that occasion.

Many years ago I wanted to avoid buying an LP12 becuase most of my friends had one and the Hi-Fi press almost worshipped it. I went to Audio T to buy a Pink Triangle or an LP12 and after a lot of listening the Pink won and I decided to buy one a few weeks later. I went back a few weeks later and decided to check my decision and walked out with an LP12. Ever since I have been glad that I checked and never preferred a Pink over an LP12 again. What I am trying to say is that what you hear is not always consistent and that on another occasion I might prefer the CD5.

"There has been no attempt to manufacture a "mass market sound", whatever the hell that is."

In this case I meant a sound with more detail, more control and less distortion. My choice of "mass market sound" may not have been ideal but I think that should clarify it.

Strangely enough the comics have agreed somewhat with my view that the sound of the 5 series equipment is likely to appeal to a wider audience but because I have said it you get upset. I thought it would be a good thing that the sound has become more mainstream, i.e. appeals to more people.

Why do you take it as an attack on you or Naim personally. I have explained why I posted my comments and there is no malice etc behind it. I wouldn't even have commented on it except for the fact that others in this thread had already done so.

Ian

I had the opportunity to listen to the CD5 fronting a NAC112 / NAP150 / NBL system recently.

If there was anything lacking in the CD5, I'm sure the unbalanced nature of this system would have shown it - it didn't.

In fact the musicality aspects of this system impressed me enormously, all of the PRaT elements were there in abundance and I found it captivating. It was not 'polite' though as some seem to be implying, the Sting CD 'Brand New Day' sounded truly awful (worse than my home system), but good Cd's were truly stunning so I don't believe it's any more forgiving of bad source material than the older components. It was a LOT better than the CD3 I've heard previously.

I agree with Simon, if the Naim sound is changing, it's definitely for the better. I think the 5 series are stunning value for money, and I also happen to like the new look, and all of the extra features.

I sincerely hope that it helps Naim continue for another 25 years and they find many new customers as a result of the visual, ergonomic and musical improvements.

Andy.

Andrew L. Weekes
alweekes@audiophile.com

Why bother to replace a CD-3 for a CD-5 if the new format is coming, SACD or DVD-A ?

Even Naim cannot invent sounds that simply are not there...

BTW, what format is Naim beting on ?

Best regards,
Louis
louis_lx@yahoo.com

My quick reading of Listener is this:

Herb Reichert found it much better than the Naim sound he knew in the '80s, and found it to be very good, but not as good as his Audionote CD2.

Artie found it to be better than the CD3 by a big enough margin to consider replacing his CD3 with a CD5.

Artie found the CD/SACD Sony xx333xxx changer, at $1200, to be 4.5 stars (LP12 Basik = 4.25 stars, LP12-'geddon-ARO = 4.75 stars) for sound, 3+ check marks for value (highest rating).

I'm very little interested in the CD5, but I could see myself finding some time to listen to the 333.

BTW, where is the CD4? Or was the name 'CD5' chosen because to older eyes, it looks a lot like 'CDS'?

Mark, I perceived your initial comment to be very insulting to Ian (and to the rest of the readers here) and highly inappropriate. Was that your intent?

Regards.

Phil

I have some sympathy with Mr Wright's views on the CD5, when I first heard one I felt I was missing some of my 3.5's boogie factor - but the second time when I had longer to listen I was a lot more impressed that it has the Naim PRaT and a little bit more refinement. In both cases the cd5 was 'naked', and I use my 3.5 with a hi-cap, so that confused the issue.

I'm sure if I took the time to listen to both together, either naked or *cap'ed the same, the cd5 would sound better - but as I'm already half way saved up for a CDSII I'll probably not bother!!

Jonathan
'I can see clearly now...'

Mr Wright

Why is it that every time you open your mouth or write a letter, you cause someone to write back disputing what you have said and as always make yourself look a complete and utter prat in the process.

Once again you bore the living daylights out of everyone by responding back, to their response, with even more drivel.

Is it possible, do you think, that your ill thought out ramblings are more suited for discussion with the likes of Mr Pig of the other forum.

The drivel in your first letter quite honestly made you look a moron. Sorry to be blunt but its true. If you ever held a marketing / sales position in Naim, the poor bloody company would go down the plug in weeks........the CD5 has a built in sound of mass market appeal.....I give up, how can anyone come up with such trite junk.

No doubt you will respond back to me with even more drivel, so I wait for your ramblings with baited breadth.

However, for the benefit of the poor devils who have to read your rubbish, I am quite prepared to discuss your "style" of communication with you on a one to one basis, either in person, on the phone or by E mail. However, I publicly advise you, that when I have to deal with some one of your ilk, I tend to be vituperative, confrontational and quite honestly like a bastard from hell. I spit bums like you out for breakfast.

I hope to hear from you soon on a 1 to 1 basis.

Please E mail me for my phone number

Yours in utter disbelief

Mick