Prune_Phace

Overall Rating
 1 of 5

Value Rating
 1 of 5

Used product for
Less than 1 month

Visitors rate this review
3.00 of 5, 12.00 votes

Price Paid:  $600.00 from used

Summary:
Naim CD3. I did not like this player at all.I had it for a week.Sounded very grainy and unsophisticated with small soundstage and shut in sounding.Even a £30 Nad 524 bought on ebay sounded better.hahaha

Strengths:
Quite Rhythmic

Weaknesses:
Sounds like an early 1980's Mulitbit Pioneer CD Player

Similar Products Used:
Arcam,Nad

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gerenidsmith

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
1.00 of 5, 1.00 votes

Price Paid:  $1050.00 from UK Audio Dealer

Summary:
This is for the Naim CD3.5 which has had the ALW-Audio super regulator upgrade. This is a considerable upgrade for the 3.5, and leapfrogs the player in terms of sound quality another dimension. Having heard numerous so called high end players, I can only conclude that the CD3.5 is the bargain of the decade. On it's own I was impressed with the CD3.5. I much preferred it to the CD5. With a Hi-Cap the CD3.5 sounded more refined with less sibilance and quieter background levels. The ALW-Audio regulator, on the other hand, gave more of the same as well as a considerable improvement in frequency extension, soundstaging and dynamic range. Bearing in mind that you can pick up a CD3.5 in the region of 500-600 pounds second hand, this is a player worth every penny. If you crave more, get it super-regged.

Strengths:
Build and sound quality is second to none.

Weaknesses:
None

Similar Products Used:
Wadia 850, Sony SCD-1, Naim CD5, Meridian 506/24

Price Paid:  $900.00 from Audio Counsel

Summary:
Naim CD3 with Rega Elicit. Various speakers used but currently using Epos ES 14s and Linn K400 cable. Some might say a bit clinical but I have rarely heard anything better even v expensive kit at the hi fi shop. Very close to studio perfect. For the money fantastic. The owner of the shop has refused to sell me new stuff as he does not believe I will be impressed! I have recently had to send both amp and player for repair. Will the new naim range change his mind?

Strengths:
Depth, detail, power & subtlety

Weaknesses:
Amp & CD player both stopped working after nearly 8 years. Will they be OK?

Similar Products Used:
The system has remained the same since new only now I have LP12 and the ES14s. Nice

Price Paid:  $900.00 from High Wycombe, UK

Summary:
I always knew the Naim CD3 was an exceptional CD player but it''s taken me six years to prove it. Up until now, I''ve kept it hooked up to a Nait 2 as I had never been convinced to stump up extra cash for any other piece of kit to progress things along... Having tried all manner of combos including a plethora of Naim amps (pre & power), the improvement never seemed to warrant the extra expense. Well, I can proudly tell you now, that that''s all changed. Having always been a bit of a closet valve fan but not having the means or inclination to satisfy the urge. I suddenly found the inspiration to walk into the local audio specialist to ask a few probing questions regarding the Unison Research SR1 that I''d been oggling for the past two months. Finally, having gained the proprietor''s confidence, he insisted that the SR1 was an outragous piece of audiophillia for the money and suggested that I took time out to audition it with my starving CD3... So I did... and the rest is history... Never thought I''d describe the tones from a CD player as warm but trust me it is and that''s not all, I can honestly reveal that there''s been a ten-fold improvement in all other acoustic departments to boot. The detail, clarity, precision, stage, presence, depth, richness and any other high-fidelity adjective you care to choose are simply heavenly. No matter what your tastes are, I can assure you that you won''t be disappointed in the combo that I''ve fortunately stumbled upon. I''ve virtually thrown every flavour of music at them and they have to date, performed to the highest levels at a stroll. From Mozart to Limp Bizkit, Radiohead to Alicia Keys, Mercury Rev to RyCooder, Lou Reed to Feeder and on and on and on... You name it, it hits the spot effortlessly and put a grin on you face no matter what. The rest of the team comprises of Mission 752s, AQ Python, Original Monster Cable (Woofer), CableTalk Talk 4 (Tweeters) and a kick-butt AC cable.

Strengths:
All-round brilliance in every department known to man.

Weaknesses:
Sleep deprivation from not being able to refuse it''s demands for more and more music...

Similar Products Used:
Too many to mention. Anyway, who cares, theyre not worth mentioning in the same breath. It''s a £20k outfit for a fraction of the price.

Price Paid:  $1900.00

Summary:
This is for the NAIM 3.5 w/ the flatcap. I absolutely LOVE this player. I dont know what it is, but the British players (esp NAIM and Meridian) are so much more natural and musical sounding than many of the top american units.

This rel. affordable players stands up there with the best anyone has to offer. Sure there are differences with players costing MULTIPLES of what this player costs (e.g., the Wadia throws a better soundstage, the Linn has a smoother, more defined midrange, the Krell offers more detail), but overall, this thing performs so close in any of these departments, and actually outperforms them all in the 'rhythm and pace' department, and is second only to the Meridian in terms of overall musicality. It was class A for a reason... I ultimately decided to save a couple grabnd and upgrade cables as well,, rather than spend the extra $ on a player that is only marginally better in some (less important) domain than the NAIM, dig?

Just me $0.02, but if you can get a hold of this player, with the flatcap, used, your return on investment will be very very high.

Strengths:
Pace and rhyth is amazing, also smooth presentation, not at all digital sounding

Weaknesses:
Weird DIN connector limits cable choices

Similar Products Used:
Wadia 830, Meridian 508.20, Linn Ikemi,lots of other auditions incl Krell, Proceed, Theta