Hello all, The right channel of my CDX2 (2004 model) has stopped working. I’ve left it off for a week and tried both DIN and RCA, so I think it truly is dead. Repair would likely involve a new transport, so not an insignificant investment. Because of future uncertainty about transport supplies, I feel repair is a “now or never” situation. The alternative would be a DAC using my old NAD CD player as a transport. This would open up streaming and file playback, which I have really only dabbled in. Thoughts on these or an alternative choice? Thank you, Charles
Naim CDX2 is the finest digital source I've ever heard. So I'd say investigate getting it fixed. Currently the only Naim Dac is the Dac v1. Probably a downgrade to the dac in the CDX2.
Personally I would get Naim to fix it To hell with cost. But that's me. These high end cd players have a wonderful satisfying sound to them. I use a Linn Karik/ Numerik. Love it to bits. I suppose if you stream a lot your suggestion of Nad transport and DAC Might be more Logical. I have never quite got this DAC thing. If each development of DAC's is better than the last it must mean my player is poor. Somehow I can't see it. I use an old Benz glyder and Linn Asak. Modern cartridges have not bettered them. This is my opinion. I'M not always right. I think this DAC thing is a scheme to make the manufacturers rich. Someday I may have to eat my words!
Thanks for the advice. The universal answer here and elsewhere is repair not replace. I have an email in to AV Options.
Check with Michel at Focal/Naim Canada. I do not think Chris West at A/V Options repairs CD players anymore. My CDS3 had the laser mech replaced and sounds superb.
One channel dead does not sound like a transport issue. It might be a cheaper fix than you expect. If it is truly old, you might want the transport replaced anyway, in addition to fixing the problem, but, that is something best discussed with NAIM. I owned a CDS 3 and then a CD555. These days I've ripped all my CDs to a Uniti Core and I stream through a ND 555. I like NAIM for digital playback.
If you think a new DAC might solve the issue why do you think a repair might involve a replacement transport? That makes zero sense to me. The improving DACs over time is very real. I replaced my Moon 300D with a moon 280D a couple of years ago. The latter incorporated their £2k streamer so in addition to being one model series lower, it was also cheaper some 10 years on than the original. It really was a significant upgrade on the 300D! Not that the 300D was bad, just that the 280D was significantly better.
It's a question of putting money into an 18 year old machine vs going in a different direction. I love the sound but the transport mechanism is known to have issues. I was hoping to have it replaced along with the needed repairs, but the transport is no longer available per Naim/Focal. As long as the repairs aren't too much, I'll go for it and hope for the best. The transport could last 2 weeks or 10 years.
Sounds like a good plan but that you might need a Plan B for when the transport mechanism goes. If it were me I might be tempted to go straight to Plan B without passing go or collecting £200.
CD playing 'Plan Bs' are almost identical to those of Vinyl 'Plan Bs' - back in the day when everyone was dumping their fantastic record players in favour of CD, and you could get LP12s, direct drives and idler drives for peanuts. I suggest you go about it quietly, if you know what I mean.
Of course, and I have just agreed to do something similar on a preemptive basis. Point being that I am not convinced that the CD slump will last any longer than did the LP slump.
My advise is certainly to repair your CDX2. I have the CD5x + Flatcap 2X and many other quality cd players and the Naim is indeed something special. You will get a “new” player which is great because probably this kind cd player will not be made anymore.
I banked many hundreds of pounds when I replaced my CDX2/XPS with a Cyrus CD8. In doing so I noticed a significant upgrade in SQ.
If you can, buy a spare transport. I did for a Primare CD32 so have it in reserve. Then again I use Qobuz so much and CD so infrequently these days the player may outlast me without a fix.
I received my CDX2 from Focal Naim North America today. They replaced the DAC chip in the dead channel. It sounds great and I am so happy to have it back.
