Phenomenally natural sound with so much attention to detail that the performance simply comes to life. Superb, robust build quality.

Can really take a badly engineered rtecording apart, but this is counteracted by the happy ability to restore faith in older, simpler less dynamic recording from the mono and 78 eras, which tended to have good balance and engineering and produce really fresh, clean sounds if the transfer is well made.

Coupled to the NAC 52 Pre-amp and NAP 180, driving a pair of Castle Harlechs, the equipement is used contually for music or radio. The player was the first CD reprducer I have heard that actually did not sound DIGITAL. In fact it did not seem to be taking anyt part in the action at all. On good classical recording it merely passed on more musical information than anything including any LP player that I'd had the chance of hearing. I started the current set with a Nait and CD 3.5, which was fine, and much more musical than any equipment audition up to that time for the money. However, the closer you get to perfection, the more irritating are characteristics associated with the equipment rather than the music. My current set is more than good enough to be able to forget the element of "reproduction" inherent in music in the comfort of your own home. I have player and taught the double bass professionally, and have always got thge greatest pleasure from listening to live concerts by really tyop musicians. A live recording played through the CDS 11 seems to place you in the concert venue. Surely that is what the aim of any piece of Hi Fi should be. Honest and with only one chartacteristic: Honesty. Don't buy it if you like you music soft centrered or trimmed to fit. This machine lets you have the whole story warts and all. Music enthusiasts need only worry about the money!

Similar Products Used:

Various Arcam, Sony, Philips and Marantz

makes music

Musical fidelity nu vista makes music too for less money.

Great cd player maybe one off the best in the world,but MF nu vista 3d lifeless? I think you dont have ears.

Similar Products Used:

marantz cd 7,naim cdx,MF nu vista 3d, helios 1,

Exciting

Unrealistic, expensive compared to the competitors.

Upon getting this player home I span a few cd's and almost vomited and excreted in my trousers simultaneously. I expected a great deal from a player costing such a large amount. Having owned a Levinson 39 for a number of years I expect alot from such high priced equipment. Some of the reviews on this page cause me great alarm. One gentleman seems to think because the player sounds good we shouls sit back chill out and enjoy the music. My dear fellow, I can only assume you have earnered your money through inheritance. I'm not a poor man by any means but I worked hard for my money and expect extraordinary things from a product approaching 10000. Naturally I auditioned the product extensively at the showroom and was very impressed. Nothing can prepare you for taking a brand new piece of equipment onto your own home and running it for the first time. I had this cd player installed in my snooker room but had to move it due to the sound it produced. There is only so much information to be taken from a cd. This Naim takes the music and adds a little more spice. Fine if you want to listen to rock, but given the poor recording quality of most rock album this seems purely an exercise in overkill. With top quality classical recordings this player is undoubtably very good but it does not transport you to the concert hall. It gave me the impression that the conductor had been replaced by Ozzy Ozburn. Perhaps there was a problem in the matching of my componentry but my wilson bensch speakers and moon amp have been sucessfully used with a number of other players without any ill effect. I'm an avid lover of classical music an frequent the concert hall regularly as I play violin with the london phil. This player did not offer the realism that I crave from my hifi as a proffesional musician. It is undoubtably an good cd player but less money can buy you more authentic music reproduction.

Similar Products Used:

Krell, Moon, Levinson, Audio research.

Clean, vital, effortless sound. Great with musical texture and interplay, layers add up to a "greater than the sum of its parts" musical whole. Rhythmn king. Tactile!

Price v.scary considering how good CDPs half the CDSII''s price are getting. Functional looks. No doubt vinyl Nazis would say it''s not as good as a similarly priced turntable. *Yawn*

Give this player a whirl if you''re after the sound of music played by musicians, as opposed to the sound of individual notes hanging disconnected in the ether. Whatever it is that the CDSII does well in audiophile buzz word terms, it adds up to an uncanny sense of musicians''s fingers gliding over their instruments and of band interplay. Bass lines sound especially good, notably on well recorded hard rock tracks where they become a hulking, ominous presence without losing an ounce of speed or funk. Contrary to the Naim stereotype it''s neither bright nor relentless (although timing is immaculate). It sounds entirely honest, giving music all the room it needs to breathe. A cymbal hit still sounds like someone whacking a brass disc with a big stick, electric guitars still grind and howl, but by the same token quiet vocal music is delicately silky, and strings sonorous and diffuse. Well recorded harp music is particularly sensual experience. And the legendary (infamous?) Naim "boogie factor" means that even rather compressed, murky sounding thrash/death metal tracks are fun. Forget "air," "soundstaging," and "blackness" as that stuff simply isn''t on the discs, but through a CDSII a bit of Arch Enemy or At the Gates will still get your head banging fit to drop off. Which is nice. System: Dynavector L200 pre/HX-1.2 power Royd RR2 speakers Chord cabling Naim Fraim equipment support

Sound and Design - i like the top loader's.

nothing

The CDS-2 is a great player in all circumstances. I switched from a CDI to the CDS-2 and even when the CDS-2 was not warmed up it sounds better. It goes much more into live music than a CDI and the CDI was good to !
(CDS-2, 52SC, 250, SBL, AV-1, 180, IBL, Tripod Racks)

Regards, Reto

Similar Products Used:

NAIM CDI

It makes music, plain and simple.

None

When I went shopping for CD players a few years back, I auditioned a bunch of units. The Arcam Alpha 9 sounded too stale, the Meridian 508.24 was quite good, but it didn't have a strong sense of rhythm. The Linn Ikemi was good, but it bit too polite, while the Linn Genki was too noisy. The Linn CD12 was stunning, but it was out of my price range.

I ended up purchasing a Naim CD3.5 and Flat-Cap, and I soon replaced the Flat-Cap with a Hi-Cap. I didn't like the 3.5 without the Flat-Cap (it was a little brash), but the Flat-Cap gave it the necessary smoothness to suit my tastes. The Hi-Cap filled out the sound, and gave it more energy.

A year ago I upgraded to a Naim CDX, and this was a really wonderful player. It really put all of the musical pieces together. However, I could never divorce myself from the reality that I was listening to a CD player. Perhaps I had been listening critically for too long. I began yearning for a magical player that would enable me to make that philosophical leap.

The Naim CDS2 is one of the few players that let me truly forget that I'm listening to a piece of playback equipment. I just relax and enjoy the music. It has an amazing sense of flow and rhythm, with wonderful control of the bass, and a beautiful lyrical quality.

It never disappoints, and that's quite a feat! If you can afford this player, then you must give it a listen. It really is very special.

Similar Products Used:

Naim CD3.5, Naim CDX, Meridian 508.24, Linn Ikemi, Linn CD12

It sounds good.

No real weakness, it sounds okay.

I love these guys that talk about how much money they have....see a couple of reviews below. I some how think they take all this too personally.

This deck sounds fine. Nothing particularly wrong with it. It is better than many players out there. Compared to the top players it does some things better maybe and some things not as good maybe. Not all ears are the same. Even so, it should sound fine to most any ear.

For those manically drive to find the best bar none....you guys make me laugh as well. Keep looking. What a noble cause. What a crucial element of life, even thought you're not going to find it.

Relax, drink a beer, put some tunes on and enjoy the music. This deck sounds just fine and has nothing particularly wrong with it.

Everything.

Nothing.

RE: the previous reviewer.

Ugly? You object to the *styling*?

And you prefer the lifeless Musical Fidelty? Are you INSANE? Do you even listen to music? Or do you prefer shmaltz smarming it's way about in the background?

You may be a millionaire, but you have no ear at all.

Heavy build and slick operation. Realistic if a little forward sounding.

Ugly. Better players exist for less money.

First of all let me say this player is a good listen. It offers a realistic extremely detailed sound that is also exciting and dramatic.
However it is considerably more expensive than any of the above players but more money does not preclude a better player. It is over £1000 more expensive than even the Levinson no 39 but it does not provide a better sound. The Krell and Levinson players are both superior. The Krell is more neutral detailed and realistic, it does not have quite the same excitement factor as the Naim but as a result it is less fatiguing in prolonged listening sessions.
The Levinson as equal to the Naim in detail and sound staging and even excitement but more importantly it has better styling and a lower price tag.
The Meridian can't quite match the naim but it fall short by an barely significant amount. It takes some seriously highend equipment to discern any differnces. Bear in mind the Boothroyd Stuart player costs less than a third of the price.
The pick of the bunch is the Musical Fidelity 3d cd. It is quite simply astounding. Never have I heard a more detailed musical player with such incredible sound staging. Oh yes it costs half that of the Naim player.
Good as it is the Naim is overpriced and fails to beat off lower priced competion. I maybe a multi millionaire but I still like to see value for money, even in the overpriced world of high end hi-fi. This a player directly aimed at Naim devotee's insistant in owning the best naim have to offer.

Similar Products Used:

Meridian 588. Linn cd12. Krell kav-250cd. Levinson no.39. More recently Musical fidelity 3d cd.

Everything

Price

Oh. My. God.

Music!

It's not a CD-Player. It makes music. Glorious, tuneful music.

Everything else is unlistenable compared to this thing.

Unbelievable. Truly, far better than you can imagine.

Similar Products Used:

Linn Ikemi, Linn CD12, Naim CDX