The CDX is absolutely amazing. I've never encountered a CD player with such a combination of musical rythm, warmth, air, detail, and dynamics. While there were statements that it was better than the Rega P3 turntable and even better than the CDS - even without the XPS power supply, I remained scepticle. There is so much hype out there that you don't know what to believe. I've never heard the P3 or the CDS, but all I can say is that - and many agree with me - this is a truly remarkable piece of work. I had a CD3.5 but found the trebbles a bit forward. There was also a sort of wall of sound effect and a noticable lack of soundstage and air. The CD3.5 is a great player for clarity, pace, and fluid musicality, but does lack a certain sense of depth and transparency. I upgraded to a CD3.5 with a flatcap and found the sound to be very similar only tighter with less of a sharp high end. As a final splurge to my 102/napsc/nap180 system run through Numen speakers (small but excellent canadian company) . Even out of the box the CDX was an instant hit. What an amazing difference. From 2700 Ca to 5700 Ca I didn't expect such a complete change of sound quality. Light years ahead of the 3.5. The sound has a warmth and richness only found in vinyl. The sense of space and glow of the music was something I'd never encountered in a CD player. I was never able to enjoy my CDs as much as the albums. SOmething about a cold etched sound. What really stood out was the bass detail - the trebble to. Cymbals sound like cymbals and not trebble hisses. Drumm and Bass came alive as it only had for me at the Blue Note in London. This music has such a huge amount of detail in the lower bass that when you hear it on a lesser player it just sounds repetative and dry. The CDX opened it up. Swirling, breathing, living sound down to the nether regions. While string music can often sound like a blur, even chalenging pieces like Vaughn Williams Fantasy on a Theme by Thomas Tallis come out with such high resolution that you can actually locate the different string instruments in space. The sound is also punchy, tight, with a solid stereo focus. You never lose the core of rythm whatever the music. I am finally satisfied. With the 3.5 I got listeners fatigue and could only listen for half an hour at a time. Now I can listen forever. Whatever the music, Bad Brains, Van Morrison, Goldie, Bartok, Talking Heads, the music has a punchiness, an air, a depth, warmth and degree of detail that I have never yet heard. And I own NO HDCD Cds! As a final addition I'm going to buy a hicap. After this I can't see how my sytem could be better. Some say this player was a bitt "cuddly". I challenge them to listen to The Birthday Party on the cdx. Cuddly music will sound cuddly, harsh nasty music will sound harsh and nasty. Unconditionally recommended.

The CDX is the player which finally combines all the best cosmetic aspects of CD (imaging, dynamics, consistency, smoothness) with all the musical characteristics of the best analogue (subtlety, surprise, involvement, addictiveness). I put on the 1970 Beach Boys CD 'Sunflower' and Bruce Johnston's voice on 'Tears In The Morning' was so realistic I'm not sure I even like the album any more.... with the XPS power supply, listening to a riveting climax like the 'Sanctus' from Durufle's Requiem will have you looking at a soundscape so broad you'll cling to the arms of the chair. Forget Meridian, Linn etc... this is the one! (Tip: it needs at least a week to cook).

I have to add my praise to the others. A truly remarkable machine. Not sensational and therefore easy to overlook, which I nearly did, as impressed
as I was by the Wadia 860. The Wadia gives the impression of providing
more information,but that is mainly a product of the information's not
being coherent: you are aware of lots of instruments all over the place.
With the Naim, you hear a performance of music and then gradually, by
paying attention, notice all of the instruments in their proper place. The
overall voice of the Naim is more attractive than the Wadia, but not
really warmer. The web guy who turned me on to Naim describes the difference
as being two-dimensional clarity by Wadia vs. three-dimensional coherence
by Naim. That's not bad. In a three-demensional picture you are less
aware of detail, more of...thickness, depth. In the mid-price category,
which I define as everything between around $3500 and $8000 -- remembering
that the expensive separates start at $14,000 (Sonic Fronitiers)and go
on up -- to me, the Naim is clearly the most musical. With its XPS external
power supply, which is the only way I've heard it, it will cost you $8250;
without the XPS, it's $4250. That makes it the most expensive in its class.
But since it also seems to be the best, why not? Is the CDX/XPS twice as
good as the Meridian and ARC CD2? Yes. Is it $3000 better than the BAT?
$2000 better than the Levinson 39? $800 better than the Wadia 860? Yes, Yes,
Yes.

The CDX is a player that refuses to exhibit that "digital edge" on music. It plays music in a flowing manner with surprisingly painless detail, rhythym, dynamics and pace. The majority of recordings have a fresh "alive" sound making other players sound campy by comparison. Since owning the CDX I have had no desire to upgrade (its upgradable) this unit due to its satisfying and unfatiguing qualities. "WARNING" this CD player is highly addictive!

This is a super music machine and it sounds so musical. I have owned so many good CD players such as Meridian 508.24, Audiomega, ML, Krell etc. and I still think the Naim CDX is worth every cent I paid. All I can say Naim CDX is the best I have heard.

analog-like sound

lack of digital output

MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE NAIM CDX.
Naim Audio has been among the leading manifacturers of high-end CD-players since the top-of-the line model CDS was launched in the late'80s. This no-compromise player resumed Naim’s phylosophy about digital: rather than through elaborate conversion stages, excellence is achieved through massive/ hyperregulated power supplies, very well-made analog output stages, and antivibrational mods to the original Philips transports. By the way, this approach is completely different from another British manifacturer, Meridian, who employs relatively small power supplies and op-amp output stages, but relies on sophisticated, proprietary conversion technology.
In the present Naim CD-player line, the $ 4000 CDX is just in the middle between the cheaper CD 3.5 and the very expensive CDSII; in price it compares with the upmarket category of single-box players.If you have $3000 more to spend, you can get also a separate power supply called XPS - the same that comes with the CDSII. I tried the CDX without the XPS.
Basically the CDX is a step-up from the old CD2 model, from which it differs in using the 20-bit Burr-Brown D-A converters and the Pacific Microsonics PDM-100 HDCD digital filter, instead of the obsolete 16-bit Philips chips.
This rather heavy player looks solid and minimalist with few concession to styling. Inside, you see a big toroid transformer and some beautiful, neatly assembled, electronics parts and wiring: it’s very good craftmanship, if lacking the high-tech building quality of a few U.S. contenders. The transport tray looks solid and well-refined and pivots when you manually open it - no motors, no vibrating parts. A small magnetic clamp must be used when playing a disc; the display, operating buttons and remote are very simple. On the back, there is a AC input for the power cord, a multipolar socket for the optional external XPS, and a lone analog output in DIN standard.There are no RCA, no XLRs, no digital outputs.It means that you must give up any digital recording with DATs, CD recorders and mini-discs,and you have to buy or make a DIN to RCA interconnect. As a matter of fact, I chose to drill two holes on the back of the CDX and screw in two RCA gold-plated female plugs. This abolished warranty, but made life easier.
I used the CDX in my system for several months being initially able to compare it in real time to my previous digital sources: a Meridian 508/20 and a Wadia VT 2000 transport - PS Audio Ultralink combo connected by Illuminati D60 coaxial cable. My reference CDs included mostly classical Decca, DG, HM,and Sony recordings and some jazz . I listened also to a few HDCD discs by Opus 3 and Reference Recording.
Comparison of the Naim with the Wadia/PS Audio combo (and something less so with the Meridian) revealed advantages in transparency , clarity, and low-level detail. The soundstage was wide, deep, and tall, with lot of “air” and precise if not “pinpoint” localization of singers and instruments.Musical timbres are pure, especially in the midband, that is also full, harmonically rich, with a subtle warmth. The high end is extended, polished,delicate and "silky" when necessary; the low end is extended and vibrant, much more energetic than with the Meridian and more articulated than with the Wadia/PS Audio: even if this American combo’s bass had more "slam", it was excessively dry in comparison to the Naim.
In the "pace and rythm" cathegory, Naim electronics are known to be vastly superior and the CDX is no exception. When listening to jazz or some baroque music (Bach's oratories for instance) you are excited by the sense of "swing" - the music literally propels you. Microdinamics are very well managed by the CDX while macrodinamically it is in the midway between the Meridian (rather soft in this parameter) and the dynamically awesome Wadia/PS Audio combo. To me, the CDX is dynamically O.K. ,but if you want something shocking in this parameter you should perhaps consider to purchase the XPS optionall power unit.
The CDX shares many virtues with good analog, especially in truth of timbre. You can re-discover your CD collection as this player has a "monitor" quality connecting you to the master tape without becoming analytical or cool.Of course a bad recording will not be embellished but a good one will reveal unparalleled realism and naturalness.
The shortcomings of the CDX are essentially ergonomics:this machine is certainly well built, and operates smoothly, but the lack of digital outputs, the only DIN connector, the impossibility to integrate it in a completely balanced system, can restrict its use;I don’t believe that these sacrifices to a “purist” approach were so necessary. Anyway, coming to sound quality, this is an almost ultimate CD-player that can be listened to with full satisfaction for years until the 16 bit / 44KHz CD standard will be dead and buried. It's a costly player, and maybe some American competitors can look -and be - more technologically advanced; but if you are interested in music, rather than in digital algorythms and aerospace - grade build quality,probably you will not miss the Wadias, Levinsons or Krells.
PRESENT SYSTEM:
digital:Naim CDX
analog: VPI HW19MkIV, PLC, SMEIV, Benz Ruby2
pre-phono: Klyne 6PE
linestage: Sonic Frontiers SFL2
power amp: Audio Research Classic 60 with Sovtek KT88s
speakers:Proac Response 3
cables: Tara RSC Master II, XLO signature.

Similar Products Used:

Wadia, Meridian 508