HDX vs NS01

Jonathan,

My understanding is that the HDX enjoys quite a bit of development time on lessons learned in the design of the NS-01. Also, the NS-01 is quite a bit cheaper than the HDX isn't it? I thought they were £3200 and £4500 for NS-01 and HDX respectively.

Hi JonathanP

I am often criticised for my lack of speed in producing opinions but then I do try and conduct research in a more ordered manner, rather than taking a more journalistic approach where being first to publish is often seen as more important.

The NS-01 has now been here for some time and the HDX (production version) since July if it helps you at all my preliminary findings are that the NS-01 is about on power with Naim’s own CD5x, possible even having a slight edge. The HDX is superior to both and about on power with Naim’s CDX2 or perhaps slightly below but in a close but different scenario and this is likely to cause differences of opinion.

I do stress though these are very much my preliminary findings and for me the project includes also the Sneaky, Majik, Akurate & Klimax DS offerings from Linn and of course the Lavry DAC, the latter being distributed by one of my existing suppliers (ADAM).

I hope you find this helpful though

Warmest regards

Norman
Partner - UHES

Norman

Care to pass any judgements on the Lavry and where it sits relative to Naim CDP's (of which I have owned all (sans 555)) and relative to Linns streamers (of which I have extensively demoed Akurate/Klimax)? Just curious as the first part of the equation (cables for the DA10) are already in house

Thanks
Gregg

Thank you for your observations Norman. The comparison is for both being used as a music server through a distributed system? If so, the NS-01 seems somewhat redundant. I had expected them to be the same device under the skin, so far as the server bits are concerned...