Naim CDS CD Player / CDS PS Power Supply (1995)

When CD first came along in the early eighties there were a number of manufacturers who were, shall we say, a little slow or reticent to join the party. For many years they stuck to their guns, analogue was their thing, and nobody was going to change that! In a way now they have perhaps been proved right with the current upsurge in vinyl, but in 1991 vinyl stalwarts Naim Audio decided to enter the fray, but like so many Naim products, the design of their first CD players, was rather unusual. They came in a two-box configuration, but instead of a CD transport and separate DAC, Naim decided to put the two together in one box and gave the power supply for both its own separate enclosure. They also made it a top loading player and the CD clamp used a rare earth magnet to keep its mass low whilst still firmly holding the disc without vibration. All of this work did produce one of the most “analogue” sounding CD players of its time, and it is still revered by many today. Our example is finished in Naim’s usual distinct “Olive” casework and is in very good condition. It also comes professionally packaged with remote control, manual, Burndy cable, SNAIC cable and not forgetting our usual three month warranty.
Naim Say….
In the past we have been outspoken in our criticism of Compact Disc playing systems. Musically, we found them unsatisfactory. So, several years ago we instigated a two-stage research project to explore the potential of the medium with a view to producing the best sounding CD player in the world. We had to start by raising the standards beyond accepted levels to the point where committed music enthusiasts could become genuinely enthused with the new format. The research has been enormously exciting. Every stage of design led us to fresh ideas and genuine improvements and the results have exceeded even our expectations.
The CDS is a remote controlled, two box design. It is configured as a separate transport and power supply, as opposed to the more conventional player and decoder arrangement, which we realised placed unacceptable limitations on the quality of information transfer. The very sophisticated power supply is typical of Naim, featuring two toroidal transformers and twenty-six power regulators, ensuring complete stability of the ultra-sensitive circuitry. The player incorporates a number of internal suspension systems. The one used for the transport is precisely matched to the electronic control servos and the main board has its own system to isolate it from high frequency vibrations. Discs are secured by a carefully designed magnetic clamp. Audio output is fixed at the standard level and is both linear and absolute phase correct. The remote control is built in-house and provides full disc control and programming. In designing the CDS we have made important gains at every stage. From increased fidelity in the RF signals attained by the laser head, to the elegant treatment of the complex multi-pole filters at the output, we have always put musical performance first. We believe you will be as delighted with the results as we are.
Specifications:
Frequency Response: 10Hz-20kHz
Output Level: 2.0V rms at 1kHz
Output Impedance: 50 ohms nominal
Phase Response: Linear, absolute phase correct
Distortion & Noise: <0.1% 10Hz-18kHz at full level
Wavelength: 70nm
Mains Supply: .110V, 115V, 230V (50 or 60Hz)
Dimensions: 435 (W) x 310 (D) x 90 (H) mm (each)
Weight: 7kg

For a review from U.S. publication Stereophile please click here