Entry Naim System: Nait 5Si & CD5Si Review

For a similar price to a Naim Uniti Atom you can purchase a Naim entry separates system. I find out how good the Naim Nait 5Si and CD5Si are.

Link to manufacturers' webpage:

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DALI Menuet SE:
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Willsenton R8 with PS Vane tubes:
Hegel H190:

Time stamps:
0:00 Intro
4:05 Design & features
6:57 Sound quality
14:10 Setup & partnering equipment
16:51 Conclusion

[kbchristiansen]

Call me old school, conservative and and I still drink my coffee without hot milk but, of the systems that I have owned and still own I prefer my Naim/lp12/ATC system. I use Naim streamer and phonostages all powered by Hi-Cap/Flatcap and Natsc because I somehow get it from the Naim sales organisation. But it is somehow complicated at times. For instance I listen to a Systemdek II/Musical Fidelity/Kebschull (tubes) and Proac speakers in our Swedish summer cabin I sometimes are convinced that this system is better performing than the Naim driven system. But, when I come home and listen again to the Naim system, I get this little foolish smile on my face and I again love the naims/LP12 and ATCs. I am not complaining. It seems that I am always the place that I want to be :-) Thanks again for these lovely structured reviews where you share your deep knowledge and enthusiasm together with some of your background. Brilliant!

[Pisceanboi]

Probably the best review I've yet to read of an assessment of Naims house sound.. I've owned olive series kit from new that you mentioned, back in the day, and your summation of the sound quality was right on the mark. Excellent review and a reference piece regarding Naim.

[gavinzimmer]

Love your Reviews and you speak very well and very calm. Most reviewers are in a hurry. I have the original Naim 5i and would never sell if. It’s 50 watts and just so dynamic. They build them to last and they are so simple inside. I just need plug a Wiim Pro into the tuner RCA and it’s amazing. Thanks again for your Review. Gavin from Australia

[winstonsmith]

The Pioneer A400 was a giant killer. My first ever amp partnered with a PHILIPS CD850 MKII CD-PLAYER and Rogers LS3/5A speakers. Magnificent

[Senna-xigr]

Thanks for this video, well done. I have had lots of kit over the years but my Naim Uniti will be with me for a very long time. 👍🏆🇬🇧

[barryclements]

About 20 years ago ( an estimate) I spent hundreds of hours in hi fi listening rooms before buying my system. I quickly settled on the electronics, that being the naim entry level pre / power amps, the cd5 and a separate power supply feeding the pre and the cd player. Most of the time was spent trying to find the right speakers. I listened to lots and lots of them. My opinion at the time was that speakers priced at about twice the single electronics component price gave the best solution. I ended up with the Naim Allae's which all my friends said were too bright, but to me they offered unbelievable realism for human voice. I still have the system today and still love it to bits. I have still never heard any system (at any price point) to offer greater clarity and realism. Listening to Tracy chapman's first album still astonishes me,
incidentally, the system has been running non stop for all this time, never gets turned off. I guess I should get the electronics serviced by Naim. but can I be without it for a few

[garypoole]

Great to see you today really enjoyed it, you gave us some great tips and played some great music. Also thanks to Wilkinson HiFi for asking you give us a talk, especially Stuart David and Andrew and not forgetting Hilton!! Cheers Gary.

[jeremylynnchagaspereira]

Congratulations! You’ve crossed 55K subscribers 👏🏼

[brucehazen]

Tarun, great review. I'm a longtime Naimie, and my observations of the Naim sound are almost exactly yours. (I began 20 years ago with a CD5i and Nait 5i). I remain committed to the brand -- despite its shortcomings -- because it still presents music in such a unique, lifelike way.

Another reviewer (I forget who) once said, "Most hifi kit tells you in detail how a recording sounds; Naim kit tells you what it means."

[davefreeh]

Tarun, thank you for the Naim 5Si review. I have owned this integrated amp for two + years. It is driving Zu Omen speakers. I am still using my 22 year old Rotel RCD02 connected to a Denafrips Aries ii DAC. Your comments on the amp are spot on. The bass response is great with out being overwhelming. Midrange is natural sounding and the sound stage is fine for my listening. I expect to use this set up for many years.

[GenWivern]

Thank you, Tarun, that was interesting. In the 1990s I decided that there were compatibility issues between Naim equipment and my ears - it would be quite nice to have a listen to the recent gear and find out what's changed. My system is very British, with a couple of the other classic names: Quad and Royd. Since you ask for viewers' experiences, I'd say that a powerful Quad flux dumping power amp (606 Mk1 in my case) is a friend for life - great big unflappable brute of a thing it is, but unobtrusive too. As for Royd, my Minstrel SEs were only meant to be an interim solution, but they're still here and thriving in an improbably large room. There's nothing state-of-the-art about my set up, but I must have got lucky with the synergy.

[serloinoflamm]

I’ve always aspired to a mid-range Naim system. One day, when I retire….In terms of iconic brands, Musical Fidelity. Often overlooked, but back in the 80’s I bought their A1 amp and it changed my life. Have stayed with their amps for years (some not as good as others) and am currently running a MF Nu-vista 800 amp. Love it.

[drevo]

Loved my Naim amps back in the day. Old school silver and black!

[Simon_Hawkshaw]

Another great review and presentation of this 'entry' level system. Is it wrong to say that the Naim CD player is so 'sexy'. Perhaps I should probably say the tray system is really appealing. Thank you again for your time, effort, and very smooth delivery. Your words carry a quiet authority that compels me to listen to your reviews longer. All the best, Sir.

[photoipster]

I like to see you review British gear. I’ve been doing this for almost 50 years, and in my early days owned McIntosh, Conrad Johnson, and Audio research. I found myself swapping gear every year or so until my early 30’s. Then, I opted for a switch to gear that was more neutral, albeit less warm. Over the years I believe the choice has better stood the test of time and has always delivered fine sound. My switch was to Linn. When switching to British gear, I simply couldn’t find a naim dealer. Linn seemed to be more ubiquitous. Fast forward 30 years, and I’ve managed to upgrade my linn, about as far as one can go. I do love it. But I’ve frankly never understood why the gear, on the whole, doesn’t get reviewed. It seems ignored across the reviewers channels, including British ones. I’d love to understand why.

[dougg]

I’m digging that watercolor behind you. Cool review and good to know my Wilsenton is hanging in there.

[miketierney]

Another great review Tarun . I have always been a great Naim fan, agree about the 'Olive' brightness but there was something magical about them..just drew you into the music..emotional.. not a hifi term exactly . Yeap Naim have always been on the pricey side but you can't fault the build quality and they last and last. Can't really see the point of a CD player these days, rip your CD's onto a drive and use a streaming Dac. So many British hifi brands have disappeared or have been 'badged' . Despite being merged with Focal Naim are still doing a good job tinkering down in Salisbury. I had an old Rogers A75 (s2)Amp for many years hooked up to some Quad ESL 57's. I think the truth is that manufacturers are compromised by cost these days and sometimes the old stuff is just better..take your Proacs for example. My favourite turntable is a Manticore Mantra .

[draganantonijevic]

Let's not forget the Cyrus, let's not forget the Cyrus ... The Arckam 290, Audiolab 8000 and Cyrus III were a trio of British musketeers in '90 that competed at around the £500 level, with the Cyrus being "to taste" somewhere between the previous two, and could be instantly upgraded with a power supply and climb to a much higher level (from around £800) and even beat the Naim Knight... So much for "HI FI history". Cheers!

[paulsutcliffe]

Thanks for the review, having recently sold my CDS5Si which I regret, I felt the sound was superb, like listening to real people in the room on a good recording, every disc sounded unique, mastering etc., revealed in all their glory. It does take a while to run-in, sounded good from new but some compression in midrange which went after about a month to reveal a glass like clarity from bass to treble. You need to use it in display off mode and fixed output mode on din or phono.
Mine sounded better on a glass topped isolation frame that was decoupled from the main frame, rather than the more common now wooden ones {bamboo}. The Interconnect I used was the superb QED reference 40 £100 in UK absolutely stunning cable! The cheaper 40i cable is like fog!
I tried it in my friend's system which has Martin Logan Panel Speakers, PS audio player/Dac and mega expensive cables and the Naim sounded awesome!
I briefly tried the Naim 5Si amp not run in but was not happy with the loud switch on thump it produces which no reviews that I have seen ever comment on! I cannot comment on the sound as it was brand new and I did not keep it, however i did have a Naim original 5XS which was silent and superb very P.R.A.T.!

[gibbolp]

Hi Tarun, thanks for the great videos. I first heard the Nait 5si two years ago when I was looking for an upgrade on my Yamaha AS 501. I demoed several amps at just under or about £1k (through Kef LS 50’s which are my speakers) with a very patient dealer but was totally undecided. He then suggested that I listen to the 5si even though it was just over the £1k spend limit.
Wow! Thirty seconds in, I loved it! It just seemed to really kick a#*e in comparison to the other amps. The Naim was the one and it came home with me that day. A second hand CD5si soon followed. Whilst I have a Bluesound Node 2i I like owning my music on CD and vinyl.

I can’t tell you how much I have enjoyed this system. So much so that a few weeks ago when I was offered a fantastic deal on a used Supernait 3 I was compelled to do some frantic eBaying which sadly included parting with the 5si to fund the Supernait 3. Thankfully it was a good move. The Supernait 3 provides everything the 5si did to the power of 10.

I’m really interested in your observations on soundstage Tarun as I really value that and now can’t help but wonder if the sheer body and excitement that the 5si delivered at the dealership caused me to overlook the soundstage. All I can remember is that it was no contest the moment I heard the Naim. The other amps auditioned were: Arcam SA20, Roksan Atessa and Rega Elex R.

Thank you again for your great videos and also for your help in the past when I reached out to you and you kindly helped me locate a connector I couldn’t source.