int amp for naim cd5x

The Naim integrated amp is a gem, I would recommend giving it a try, though people might be a little more helpful knowing what speakers you are driving.

Naim gear takes a good LONG while to burn in, even if it's used and has been off for awhile.
Naim Nait 5i will rock your world with the CD5X. :)
A perfect match.
PS Audio and Naim are at opposite ends.

When I heard a Nait5i with a mere CD5i and some Vandersteens 2A's, I was mightily impressed. If I'd had the $ and wasn't so much more into vinyl, I'd have gotten that combo.

naim integrated

I used to have a Naim CD5 (not the X). I liked that player a whole lot and never found it congested. I'm a bit confused why you are looking at your amplification if you just got the player and as a direct result of putting the player in your system there is a reduced soundstage, etc. I'm assuming your complaints are based on comparing the CD5X to its predecessor in your system. I think I used my CD5 with at least four different amps and never found it congested. In fact I didn't really find the front-end/amp interface to effect much changes on the qualities (or lack thereof) on the front end (if your front end is not making it, then nothing downstream is going to do anything profound to change that IMO: Garbage in = Garbage out). Now I don't believe the CD5X is garbage so perhaps I'm not getting your drift. If you want a short list of amps that worked with my CD5 (sorry, none were integrated though), they were: Mesa Baron, Quicksilver Mini-Mite, Pass Labs Aleph 5, Bedini 25/25. Each of those amps imparted their own qualities to the music, but I can't say that they changed the qualities of the front end that you are complaining about much...just presented them differently. If my front end is congested and soundstaging is less than desirable I truly doubt a different amp will change that. Now if the front end is just so much more revealing that it's brought out weaknesses in the rest of your system I would understand where you're coming from, but your complaints don't suggest that to me (again, perhaps I'm misunderstanding). What front end component were you replacing with the CD5X that you are comparing it to? Is it a brand new component...if so it could need time to burn in (100-500 hours depending on the component).

Marco

i was comparing the sound to what i heard when i auditioned the naim which was hooked up to the nait.
my old cd player was an arcam 73t with the musical fidelity tube buffer attached. i still have it and hooked it up briefly and the soundstage was much improved. also my turntable vpi jr. sounds great by comparison to the naim cd.spoke to the salesman who i purchased the ps audio gcc-100 amp from and he said the naim cd player was the worst choice to mate with the ps audio but i couldnt follow the reasoning for it.(he said this even before i stated my problem)

the salesman who i purchased the ps audio gcc-100 amp from and he said the naim cd player was the worst choice to mate with the ps audio but i couldnt follow the reasoning for it.(he said this even before i stated my problem)

Sounds like the salesman is trying to sell you an amp to go with your CD5X! With my CD5 I was using a pretty good DIN-RCA interconnect (I believe it was a Chord Anthem), and I had the CD5 plugged into one of Naim's power supplies (Naim Hi-Cap). Both those things would help, but I still wonder what gives as it should be a pretty good player in stock form. You did not say whether it was brand new or not. If brand new, I'd give it at least a few hundred hours of play time before making any judgements. It does not surprise me that your VPI turntable sounds great in comparison. I'm sure the CD5X pairs off very well with the NAIT given Naim designs with system synergy as a priority. I cannot imagine why it would be "the worst chocice" with the class D amp you have. If you get an explanation for that, I'd like to hear it myself...or, if anyone else could shed some light on that theory,,,?

Marco

the salesman was actually trying to sell me a new cd player to fit the ps audio. i was inquiring if a tube amp might be a good choice because i was getting the tube itch so to speak but we wound up talking about a tube cd player instead. i liked both components but dont want to give up on the naim cd player which i did buy new about 8 months ago .seems like the nait is the obvious choice but still think abiut a tube amp from time to time. could always sell the ps amp.there was a good improvement with the borrowed musical fidelity x-150 and i know what the cd player is capable of when i auditioned it.

Try naim usa. Their website has some b-stock units. I just snagged a Nait 5i from there with NACA cables and saved a couple hundred bucks, and it has a warranty. A great friend of mine says the magic happens when the 5 series is used together, and not to bother with any other cdp for the nait. May be the same with the cdp. Just needs a Nait to sing.