Naim CD5i, Musical enjoyment

Naim Audio (Salisbury), like many other high-fidelity audio companies, owes its existence to a passion for music, to the quest for the best reproduction for perfect pleasure. And, like a few others, it is not only devoted to designing and manufacturing its equipment, but also has a curious but select catalog of vinyl records and CD-Audio discs released with perfect mastery.

Naim Audio was born from the inspiration of Julian Verejer, who died in 2000 at the early age of 55. Even so, his drive and obsession with music are still present at Naim, as its current managers never tire of repeating. As we can read on its website, Naim users "know from experience that we never present a product that does not have something genuine and new to offer and that does not fit perfectly into our product range".

However, we also read some quite interesting curiosities. For example, they never advocate bi-wiring, something that seems to be fashionable lately. In their view, and accepting that the crossovers of reasonably high-end loudspeakers are well designed, a single cable between the amplifier and the loudspeaker is enough, which also places less load on the amplifier. They cover themselves by stating that if a loudspeaker has been designed to work with two or three cables, even passively, that will be the best way to connect the system. The company's first CD-Audio player, the CDS, was presented to the audiophile community in 1991, coping well with the critics at a time when vinyl was still (and still is) the benchmark in music reproduction. Today, Naim still uses some of the techniques present in the CDS which, to some extent, have influenced all the players it has since presented.



CD5i



The player we are going to review below is the CD5i, a mid-range integrated player with very high potential. It includes a system that prioritizes the stability and integrity of the RF signals, together with a specific design for the laser mechanism. The ingeniously loaded transport mechanism uses a suspended transport and a low-mass magnetic system which, according to Naim, ensures a very precise and silent rotation speed, immune to any mechanical resonance.

The entire electronic design has taken into account the minimum distance between components, so as to ensure the least possible loss of signal quality. The player's different stages each have their own regulated power supply. Naim has paid particular attention to an aspect that sometimes escapes our notice: grounding. For greater signal stability, no digital audio outputs or headphone socket have been included.

The curious thing about this CD-Audio player is its disc-loading system. Unlike typical mechanical trays, it uses a manual one and a system that holds the disc in place with magnetic material (a magnet). In our tests we were unable to hear even the mechanism that spins the disc: the silence is absolute.

Naim's NAIT 5i is the companion we were loaned for the CD-Audio player above. It is a component whose looks and size are very similar to the CD5i, making them perfect partners. Its compact size and matte black finish are not only attractive but also give an added sense of robustness and reliability that suits the type of user they are aimed at. Incidentally, both are minimalist in almost every detail. If the player's connection panel is sparse, and its front panel includes only a modest, simple LCD display and the minimum (though necessary) buttons, the amplifier follows suit: volume control and a selector for its 4 sources. Nothing more. Just the brand's green backlit logo, which is only visible when the components are switched on.



NAIT 5i



Naim's NAIT series of integrated amplifiers was born in 1983, and its principles live on today. The NAIT 5i inherits much of that long and fruitful tradition, as well as the best of the 5 series. It delivers up to 50 W continuous into 8-ohm loads (up to 500 W into 1 ohm). Although the manufacturer treats it as an entry-level amplifier, its robust construction and technological refinement make it truly special.

On its connection panel we find 4 unbalanced stereo analog audio inputs, although two of them allow the use of the characteristic DIN connector that Naim uses to interconnect its products. Then there are only the two power outputs, via a set of terminals that comply with European standards and which, being so seldom used, look unusual.

The curious thing about this integrated amplifier, designed almost exclusively for musical enjoyment, is the A/V input, which allows it to be paired with an A/V preamplifier while maintaining the quality it is capable of delivering in a multichannel configuration, without having to worry about a more complex installation. A nice touch.

It is worth stressing that Naim's catalog also includes components designed for audiovisual applications, such as the n-Vi "all-in-one" player, processor and amplifier, or the NAPV 175 three-channel amplifier (ideal, for example, for pairing with our guests to set up a 5.1 installation).



PUT TO THE TEST



For the tests I chose the pair of B&W CM1 monitor loudspeakers we reviewed in the previous issue. I followed Naim's recommendations and used a single cable (no bi-wiring).

The CD-Audio player and the amplifier were connected by a single multi-core DIN cable. Wiring the loudspeakers was more complicated, since Naim has chosen to follow European safety specifications to the letter, so adapters must be used which, although they genuinely offer greater safety, complicate installation a little. But in reality it took only a couple of minutes longer than usual and, frankly, the simplicity of both components (including the loudspeaker connection system) leaves a very tidy installation.

This is a system that must be tested over hours, many hours of listening. And so, for a few days, I subjected myself to listening to several discs from my collection, something that makes the task of testing equipment a pleasant one.

But from the very first moment the amplifier seduced me enormously. Those 50 W continuous (not RMS) were always more than enough to enjoy music (which, in fact, is what matters) in a medium-sized living room. The dynamics it delivers are generous in every respect: deep, always well-controlled bass without the midrange being thrown off balance.

A fast attack, always fast, which meant that even with the most spectacular orchestral passages our guests were never caught off guard.

The CD-Audio player performs its task perfectly. If I had to find a drawback, I would only mention its relative slowness in starting playback the first time we press the relevant button. Hardly a drawback. As I mentioned in the introduction, it is very quiet. I never heard anything from the mechanism.

The whole system can be controlled from a single remote control, which is also simple.

As examples of its good performance, I can mention the excellent reproduction of Luis Robisco's classical guitar on Tiempos. The perfect reproduction of the midrange made that instrument the beautiful protagonist it needed to be, without the bass (electric or acoustic, depending on the track) or the treble detail in the percussion being compromised by a lack of dynamics or a somewhat slow response. Quite the opposite. With Silje Nergaard I confirmed its excellent reproduction of voices, something I confirmed with other discs such as Keiko Lee's. The deep, precise voice of this Japanese singer could almost be caressed with your hands.

If I noticed no problems with more or less modern jazz and music that moves between a fusion of flamenco and a freer style of jazz, I can now confirm its broad musical versatility, having found that it keeps its characteristics almost intact across everything from classical music (from complicated orchestral passages to the odd subtle string quartet) to even the most modern, electronic rock, Daft Punk included.

The system offers a very good stereo image, with very precise width and depth. It even makes loudspeaker placement less critical, although no enthusiast should give up on this refinement. But perhaps it lacks a certain performance when we push the volume level too far. Whether "because of" the loudspeakers chosen for this listening session or simply because of the amplifier's technical specifications, when we turn the volume up a lot we begin to notice the odd defect: the dynamics are reduced and the bass begins to lose control; basically, it starts to disappear. Undoubtedly, it is a question of maintaining a balance between loudspeakers, amplification and room, and not aspiring to push to the limit a system designed for a very specific environment.

In any case, the above is not so much a defect as a consequence of its specifications.

Specialists' rating: 4

Naim's musical spirit has not prevented it from also offering solutions designed for home cinema in its catalog. To begin with, there is the very amplifier we review in these pages, the NAIT 5i, which can be integrated into a multichannel system without any problems.

Naim has few but effective offerings. For example, the AV2, a multichannel and stereo audio processor that allows any configuration to be upgraded step by step. As far as sources are concerned, we can highlight the DVD5, a player (the first) that is also compatible with CD-Audio and DVD-Audio, maintaining high audio quality and promising perfect visual performance.

Another attractive solution is the n-Vi, an "all-in-one" player, preamplifier and amplifier that inherits many of the features of the products in the brand's catalog: CD-Audio and DVD-Audio compatibility, a video scaler compatible with "digital" displays, YUV and RGB outputs and a 50 W amplifier for each of its 5 channels.

In view of what we have seen, the first time we bring Naim to these pages, it earns a very good mark. This simple but technologically competent system will surely seduce those who want a very demanding musical solution that will generate in them, as it should, an infinite interest in music. Without too many pretensions as far as power is concerned, in its proper measure it will meet the demands of any music lover.

Naim CD5i, Musical enjoyment

Specifications

CD5i

Frequency response: 10 Hz to 20 kHz, +0.1 dB,

-0.5 dB. Output level:

2.1 V rms at 1 kHz. Output impedance: Maximum 10 ohms. Phase response: Linear phase. Laser type: AIGaAs semiconductor. Wavelength: 780 nm, +/- 20 nm. Light output (cw): Max. 0.5 mW. De-emphasis: +/-0.1 dB referred to the main response. Distortion and noise: <0.1 % 10 Hz-18 kHz at maximum level. Connectivity: 1 unbalanced analog audio output via RCA connectors and unbalanced analog audio output via DIN connector. Dimensions: 58.4 x 432 x 301 mm. Finish: Black.



NAIT 5i

Analog inputs: 4 unbalanced analog audio inputs via RCA connectors. 2 unbalanced analog audio inputs via DIN connector. Input sensitivity: 225 mV,

20,000 ohms. Output level (tape): 225 mV,

100 ohms. Output power: 50 W per channel, into 8 ohms. Overload margin on all inputs and at all audio frequencies: 35 dB. Dimensions:

70 x 432 x 301 mm.

Distributor: Signo Filarmonía (9175807 90).