I have heard your CD player recently, and loved it. I am not a fan of Naim gear in general...but that player is such an exception! I bet it sings beautifully with your tubes. What a system.

chashmal June 06, 2008 14:12

Do you still use the emotive audio linestage? Would you have any interest in selling it? Bob

baranyi May 22, 2008 23:56

Elescher,

The CD555 is, to me, just a bit more refined and weighter sounding. The big improvement is between the CDX2 and the CDS3.

The improvement wrought by the CD555 over the CDS3 is about the same magnitude as upgrading the CDS3 with the 555 power supply.

In other words, do it if you can, but the price is quite steep.

larryi October 30, 2007 20:24

Nice to see another Naim CD lover. I have the CDS3/555PS combo, and am thinking about getting the CD555 too. Care to add any more to your comments on the difference between the two players? Is the upgrade a no-brainer?

elescher October 30, 2007 12:29

System edited: Sirspeedy, I don't know if there are any available pictures of my model of speaker. It was discontinued a few years ago because, according to the manufacturer, it was too expensive to build (why not just jack the price, increases are already being swamped by the decline in the $ so who would notice). The latest model of this speaker had a wood enclosure for the horn and bullet tweeter that made it look more presentable than the model I have, but, I actually prefer the sound of my model. By the way, I have updated my system to reflect the change from the Naim CDS3 to the CD555. In terms of sound, this is a subtle improvement, but well worthwhile.

larryi October 26, 2007 10:23

Larry,wonderful,and intriguing set-up.I love it!BTW,where can I gat a look,and better yet,info on the speakers.Fascinating!!Website?

sirspeedy October 23, 2007 00:19

Hey - baie nice sisteem Larry,

Dewald Visser

dewald_visser February 11, 2007 15:18

System edited: I upgraded the power supply to the CDS3 by using the powersupply from NAIM's flagship CDS-555 player. This has resulted in a subtle improvement in weight, and a more natural, less mechanical attack to notes, while articulation and sense of speed remains as good as it was before. I don't know how others measure cost-effectiveness, but, let me just say that this kind of refinement does not come cheap

larryi August 14, 2006 11:30

System edited: I replaced a Levinson Ref. No. 32 linestage/phono with a tube-based Emotive Audio Epifania linestage and a ViVa Fono tube-based phonostage. I am very pleased with the Epifania fed by CD player, but I haven't yet sorted out the proper loading and tube complement for the Viva Fono.

larryi August 08, 2006 19:19

I have the Omega IIs. I have heard and like the AKGs. I suppose that in most systems, the AKG might be more compatible because I find the Omega IIs to be brutally demanding (sounds dry and mechanical with most solid state linestages). I am in the process of getting a really nice tube linestage that works extremely well with the Stax (Emotive Audio Epifania).

I also like an older model Sony phone I heard, but it hasn't been in production for about five years (I recall that it cost somewhere around $500). Also, Koss electrostatic phones are much warmer and mellow sounding than the Stax, so they too might be easier to match to most systems.

But, when the system is right, and the source material is well recorded, the Stax is absolutely amazing. I don't have an easy way to incorporate another amp for an alternative to the Stax, otherwise, there is no reason not to have more than one set of phones.

larryi January 11, 2006 15:02

Larryi:

Do you still have the Stax Omega 2's or have the AKG 1000's you told me about (in a different thread that is about Sennheiser HD650's and which I didn't want to hijack) supplanted them?

Thanks,

Bill.

mdhoover January 11, 2006 14:22

I hope you are happily married...or spend the same amount on a lawyer....

alburger July 07, 2005 11:29

I would have to get myself, family, and friends all off the smack to be able to buy one of your cables...nah...we would just end up getting .00005% on the dollar tradin it all to 'the guy'. J.K. I am as funny as your system is out of this world.

alburger July 07, 2005 11:28

hi,no name, i'll give you're system name musical truth.
now you're system have name.

happy listening.

simplicitymusic March 02, 2005 10:42

I am using Merlin VSM speaker with a Berning Siegfried 10 watt tube amp. Would like to hear your system. Please e-mail me. Peter thanks.

lewpt March 02, 2005 09:01

Oops, the speakers are an obscure Italian brand named S.A.P. (Strumenti Acustici di Precisione). The Model is the J-2001 (twin). It has a large Jensen/Onken bass reflex cabinet with two 12" paper cone speakers (pleated paper surround). The midrange horn and fostex bullet tweeter sit on top of the woofer cabinet (actually on a platform suspended above the woofer cabinet by magnets). The speaker is 99 db/w efficient, which allows me to use the 8 watt Kageki amplifier.

larryi December 10, 2004 15:19

Larry,

Will you post photos of your system? It must sound amazing.
All the best,
Howard

boa2 December 07, 2004 13:25