int amp for naim cd5x

The Naim integrated amp is a gem, I would recommend giving it a try, though people might be a little more helpful knowing what speakers you are driving.

Naim gear takes a good LONG while to burn in, even if it's used and has been off for awhile.
Naim Nait 5i will rock your world with the CD5X. :)
A perfect match.
PS Audio and Naim are at opposite ends.

When I heard a Nait5i with a mere CD5i and some Vandersteens 2A's, I was mightily impressed. If I'd had the $ and wasn't so much more into vinyl, I'd have gotten that combo.

I used to have a Naim CD5 (not the X). I liked that player a whole lot and never found it congested. I'm a bit confused why you are looking at your amplification if you just got the player and as a direct result of putting the player in your system there is a reduced soundstage, etc. I'm assuming your complaints are based on comparing the CD5X to its predecessor in your system. I think I used my CD5 with at least four different amps and never found it congested. In fact I didn't really find the front-end/amp interface to effect much changes on the qualities (or lack thereof) on the front end (if your front end is not making it, then nothing downstream is going to do anything profound to change that IMO: Garbage in = Garbage out). Now I don't believe the CD5X is garbage so perhaps I'm not getting your drift. If you want a short list of amps that worked with my CD5 (sorry, none were integrated though), they were: Mesa Baron, Quicksilver Mini-Mite, Pass Labs Aleph 5, Bedini 25/25. Each of those amps imparted their own qualities to the music, but I can't say that they changed the qualities of the front end that you are complaining about much...just presented them differently. If my front end is congested and soundstaging is less than desirable I truly doubt a different amp will change that. Now if the front end is just so much more revealing that it's brought out weaknesses in the rest of your system I would understand where you're coming from, but your complaints don't suggest that to me (again, perhaps I'm misunderstanding). What front end component were you replacing with the CD5X that you are comparing it to? Is it a brand new component...if so it could need time to burn in (100-500 hours depending on the component).

Marco