What CD/Amp combo? (£2250 approx)

[admin_exported]

Hi! My first post here 🙂 have done convertions from my New Zealand Dollar to Pounds so convertions are "pretty accurate".

My system is a basic DVD player that sounds terrible, a Harmon Kardon 970 (80w amp), and Paradigm Monitor 7 speakers that I want to keep.

I have $6000ish NZ (£2250 pounds), Im wanting to get a CD player and amp. The Paradigm Speakers are for keeps but in a few yrs perhaps upgrade. So the amp needs to have a bit of power. The Paradigms are 94db sensitivity and 130watts (15w-180w recomended amp). I want to be on the upper limit of the speakers limit as the next speakers may not be as sensitive, and dont want to upgrade to another larger amp!

Anyway ... the CD players iv seen are...(in converted NZ to pounds currency) :

Naim CD5i (£938) - am thinkin this one?
Cambridge Azur 740C (£600) ---- didnt have the 840
Rotel - I think was RT-1080 (£600) --- is rival of the Cambridge, Rotel sounded beta)
Exposure 2010(i?) (£759)
Audiolab 8000 (£600) - exposure was better

May be more?

With the intergrated amps....

Naim 5i (£938) - only 50w maybe not good for speaker upgrade...
Exposure 2010 - (£759) 120w, blew away Audiolab8000
Audiolab 8000 - (£600)
Plinius 9100? (£2500) - expensive... have heard has faults
Perreaux 200p (759) - is equal to Plinus in many ways but 200w, maybe too much current speakers? are better amps in this brand for not much more (can get cheap)

NAD/Rotel amps I dont think are in same class? All these are a lot better then HK 970? I havent looked into Cyrus the dealer didnt recomend their stuff cos of the shape and restrictions in size... maybe just a bad dealer?

Sorry long post but many thanks for any help 🙂

 

[Andrew Everard]

Personally I'd go for the Naim combination: the 5i amp will have more than enough power for those speakers, and since you seem to be veering toward the CD player, the amp will make the perfect match. If you could push the budget nearer to £2500, I'd go for the NAC122x/NAP150x pre/power combination instead of the integrated, as this will give you an even more detailed sound.

 

[Thaiman]

Good day mate, the NAC/NAP combo are great if you like rock and dance. As a Neat owner I also would add to this that Naims eletronic and Neats speakers have the best synergy in hifi world I have heard! (I never heard your speakers so I can't comment on would they be an improvment though) By the way you pay quite a bit more than UK price over there! Now that is surprise me.

 

[Anonymous]

Well our dollar is worth 37c to your 1 pound give or take a bit! So the exchange rate kills us! The Naim cd player is probably the best for its price, but the Naim 5i is only 50w? I know the speakers I have are 94db sensitivity, but I like the music loud! The 80w Harmon Kardon 970 amp has 30w more power... and the thing is, if I get more expensive speakers and if are only say 89db sensitivity the naim 5i wont drive them well or loud?

The Nac/Nap combo is well out of budjet :-( is about $8000nz (£3000) roughly + maybe lot more, I have $6000 approx NZ.

Does anyone rate Exposure 2010 amps? The Plinius is NZ brand maybe not other there? As is Perreaux amps. These are hig hquality though.

THe Naim CD would be ok with another amp? Perhaps a nutrual one?

 

[Thaiman]

My kiwi friend, don't be fool by Naim's 5i watts, this amp can go up to head banging level with ease. Exposure 2010 (I had the amp for a record 10 months a few years ago) has a very similar sound to naim and is better value. I did prefer the older version, (before "i" at the end), as it seem to communicate more to your hart rather than your head. I don't think you can buy this new anymore and the 2nd hand price here in UK is around £300. Harmen Kardon hasn't done anything that impress me since early 90s (apart from the av products) and I can't comment on Perreaux amp as I never heard them before.
Don't forget the other brands like musical fidelity and Bel Canto to consider, get out there and demo because that is half of the fun. good day and good luck.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi,I am new here but have had a Naim cd5i/nait5i the system is a very nice system,do not be put off by 50watts a nait has a very good abillity to drive most speakers.I used this combo to run my Spendor s5es with no problem.If you can stretch it I would go cd5x/nait5i the bass grip and detail reseolution is much better,also you can add power supply upgrades to the cdp [flatcap2x] when funds allow.I did and honestly the upgrade is a big jump! Try to demo as its your ears.Hope this was usefull.Chris C.

 

[Anonymous]

Hmm ok will listen to the Naim a few different speakers see how it drives them. With the Naim cdi (the newer one), can you add the power supply or only to the Naim cd5 original? What does this actually do, as Iv never heard about adding power to a cd player? Am kinda new to this!

Interesting your positive feedback on the Exposure, as I only heard it against the Audiolab but it was impressive! And only $2000 on NZ. Only thing is, if I get the Naim CD5 ($2500 nz), Exposure 2010 ($2000), then its only $4500 and have $6000. This is really a GOOD thing, but if can get a better amp for the money will stop me wanting to upgrade!

Lots to ponder! ..........

EDIT: oh and Music Fidelity isnt in my city :-( and other brands include Arcam, Cyrus, Nad, Rega, Denon, Yamaha and the ones iv covered. Maybe more tho

 

[Thaiman]

Naim's power supply doesn't giving you more power to the player! Basicly it's the way of marketing their hifi products by build a add on power supply to improve the sound of CDP or Amp. Cyrus, Naims, MF...they are all at it! Instead of have a really good power supply in the first place you have to spend an extra cash to buy them!

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="Thaiman"]Naim's power supply doesn't giving you more power to the player! Basicly it's the way of marketing their hifi products by build a add on power supply to improve the sound of CDP or Amp. Cyrus, Naims, MF...they are all at it! Instead of have a really good power supply in the first place you have to spend an extra cash to buy them![/quote] ------------- Its a lot cheaper than selling you cd/amp to upgrade,have you ever seen the power supply in a cd5x bare its quite a lump,and is a good cdp without a psu.The cd5i cannot be upgraded by a psu the cd5 is no longer in production it is the cd5x now. Chris C.

 

[Thaiman]

Point taken Chris,The way they do it is if you are upgrading you are more likely to stay with their brand and buy an spend money on the extra power supply.

 

[Anonymous]

I like the upgradeable idea, how much more is the ch5i against the cd5x?

 

[Anonymous]

I see the Naim CD5x has had a few poor reviews, even in HiFi+ mag!
(see here http://forums.naim-audio.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/48019385/m/2672912007/p/1)

There is a nz site that does reviews here (http://audioenz.co.nz/2004/naim_cd5x.shtml)
And its competitor the Arcam FMJ CD33 (http://audioenz.co.nz/2003/arcam_fmjcd33.shtml)

Both these are $5000 nz! That is £1875.48 in pound. The Arcam has a slightly better review, am thinking go for a better cd player like these ones against the Naim cd5i. The Naim can be upgraded with power source to. Is there any other cd players around £1500-1900? Reviews say the Arcam is a bit more revealing, and is a vast improvement over the Arcam 9 etc.

My two options are...1) Arcam FMJ CD33 OR Naim CD5x -----> Exposure 2010i amp

2) Naim CD5i OR Arcam Alpha 9 ----------->Cyrus amp/Naim 5i amp

Am thinkin the first one, though can always use teh Harman Kardon 970 amp with a good cd player? And upgrade in future?

If ya google Naim cd5x reviews the neg ones all pop up!