Studies of the demise of the CD have been enormously exaggerated. It’s true that, sandwiched between the ever-growing recognition of streaming providers and the vinyl revival, CDs really feel just like the ignored center baby. However don’t dismiss these shiny discs so simply – CD isn’t useless. There’s nonetheless life left within the format but.
What is definite is that there merely isn’t an abundance of great-sounding mid-market CD gamers on the market. We had a tough time constructing the very best CD system at this value.
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The system
CD participant Naim CD5si £1080
Amplifier Identify Evening 5c £990
Audio system Triangle Esprit Titus EZ £600
Whole price £2670
Selecting the parts
For those who’re on a stricter finances, the Marantz CD6005 is your greatest guess at £300. Nonetheless, for the following step up in efficiency, you’re one thing just like the Audiolab 8200CD at £800 and better. And at £1080, the Naim CD5si is yet one more step up.
It’s solely pure that we’d need to associate the Naim CD participant with its matching amplifier, the Naim Nait 5si. The £990 amp is a former Award-winner, and sonically it’s near-impossible to inform the place the CD participant ends and the amplifier begins.
However in relation to audio system, we all know precisely what’s going to match. The reminiscence of the beautifully entertaining Triangle Esprit Titus EZ audio system continues to be contemporary in our minds, and never simply due to that attractive end and distinctive shiny tweeter design.
Their profitable sense of agility, precision and musicality nonetheless excites us, and works brilliantly with the punchy, insightful character of the Naim parts.
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Sound high quality
It’s an thrilling efficiency. There’s energy and muscle behind the sound, however the general impression is of unbridled drive and enthusiasm. The Triangles zip together with glee it doesn’t matter what music you throw at them, with an correct ear for rhythm that can preserve your toes tapping and your head bopping.
The Naims are equally pushed in nature, favouring pure enjoyment over transparency. There’s a shocking stage of element retrieval: the growling edges of Corey Taylor’s voice on From Can To Can’t are fleshed out, sounding intimate and expressive because the music will increase in depth. Drums hit with impression, guitar strums are layered and sound virtually tactile – there’s a satisfying sense of weight that underpins the sound.
What we’re most impressed by is simply how cohesive the system sounds collectively. The person strands of The Useless Climate’s 60 Toes Tall are simple to select within the bigger soundstage, nevertheless it takes actual ability and precision to maintain the sense of stress and brooding environment current within the music.
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Crashing cymbals and blaring trumpets have loads of respiration area to hit their excessive notes, however the Naims have a barely rolled-off treble that stops the sound from getting too shouty or brilliant. It really works fantastically with the Triangles, whose spiky treble is saved in verify. This does lend an attacking tone to songs, although, which makes it all of the extra thrilling to take heed to.
Dynamic upheavals are dealt with with authority and subtlety. The system’s correct grasp on rhythms takes any abrupt adjustments in tempo in stride: Sia’s Chandelier spins and turns gracefully, and the system by no means misses a beat because the music slows down and ramps up all through.
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Design and construct
The Naim CD participant and amplifier are an identical black bins machined out of aluminium. Not simply any aluminium both – very heavy aluminium. There’s one thing a few sturdy, hefty piece of hi-fi that exudes a premium high quality really feel, and the Naims’ development and end received’t go away you feeling short-changed.
After some time, the discreet finishes make them virtually invisible in your room. Solely the delicate glow of inexperienced LEDs – the straightforward show, the ring of sunshine across the enter buttons, and the quantity stage indicator – make their presence felt.
The Naims could look plain, however the Triangle Esprit Titus EZ audio system demand consideration. They’re fairly compact audio system, however they make a huge impact. The sleek end – in both walnut, black or white – is impeccable and feels of a a lot larger high quality than a £600 price ticket would in any other case recommend. The sharp, horn-loaded titanium tweeter provides some much-needed glitz and magnificence to this technique.
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Organising your system
We’ve lengthy admired the CD5si’s guide swing-drawer mechanism. It makes loading CD discs that bit extra involving. The drawer opens and shuts easily and silently, and the CD participant reads the disc the second the drawer is closed.
Don’t neglect to unscrew the transit bolt holding the drawer in place (it’s beneath the unit), in any other case it received’t open. You additionally don’t need to lose the magnetic puck that goes on prime of the discs to carry them in place. The CD merely received’t learn the disc if it isn’t there.
The one connections on the Naim CD5si are a pair of RCA outputs and a DIN connector, which join straight into both the DIN or any of the three line stage inputs accessible in the back of the Nait 5si amplifier. A DIN cable is helpfully included within the field.
It’d be good if there have been some digital outputs alongside the analogue ones, because it takes the improve potential out of the equation. There’s no energy provide enter both – an uncommon alternative for Naim. Nonetheless, there’s a 6.3mm headphone port on the amplifier’s entrance panel.
Ensure you run in the whole system for a great few days to get them sounding their greatest. The Naim merchandise open up, sound cleaner and extra full bodied after a few weekend’s value of working in, whereas the initially considerably spiky treble on the Triangle audio system calms down ultimately.
We might suggest toeing within the audio system barely in the direction of your listening place, too.
Verdict
It’s a easy, fuss-free arrange, with only a few options to make a music and dance about. Playback capabilities and repeat choices are current on the CD5si, all of that are mirrored on the distant. You’ll get the identical well-made distant with each Naim parts, so pairing them has the benefit of having the ability to use only one management for each.
The amplifier responds to quantity adjustments immediately. Press the buttons to change inputs or skip to a specific observe, and the motion occurs immediately. There’s no lag or hesitation and, better of all, the general operation is so easy and swift that it turns into second nature to make use of.
So far as programs go, this is among the most gratifying performances we’ve heard at this value. The Naim/Triangle system is stuffed with power, and it couldn’t be less complicated to make use of. The premium high quality parts are value each penny, nevertheless it’s their infectious enthusiasm and excellent rhythmic precision that you just’ll love listening to for hours on finish.
CD participant Naim CD5si £1080
Amplifier Identify Evening 5c £990
Audio system Triangle Esprit Titus EZ £600
Whole price £2670
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