HDX/DAC/555PS - I'm exhausted!
Posted by: gone on 09 February 2010
A furtive meeting at Rothersthorpe Services bagged me a DAC on Friday night - couldn't wait to get it home. A bit of cable reorganisation and it's ready to go - couldn't resist a quick listen before bed. Blimey, a very different presentation - even Signora Nero commented on the striking difference. Went to bed with the same excitement as a child on Christmas Eve.
Had some time on Saturday for a good session and also rearranged and optimised the cables - note to Naim - there's only a very small clearance between the Burndy and the Fraim with the DAC. Getting the HiLine and Burndy to relax and forget their last comfortable shapes is a pain but worth it.
Spent the next few hours deciding if this was a step forward. Not at all sure. Loads of detail, more bass than I'm used to, but an amazing imaging - not used to that either. More hi-fi?
But slowly I realised what was happening - the old cliche of 'hearing things I've not heard before' came to mind but there was more to it than that. It was the interest factor - my attention was drawn to things happening way down in the mix, and presenting things with a different balance.
But above all, it was the speed things were happening. Graceland was coming at me like Paul Simon had been drinking Red Bull, Modern Times made me want to dance and sing along with Bob - never done that before.
Came back to it on Sunday night - different again. Is this what people mean by 'burn-in'? Not been convinced about that before, but here was proof? Much more laid-back presentation today, but still the way my attention was grabbed is remarkable. For example, on Wish You Were Here, at the end of track 1 when the manic saxophone fades away in the background, I found myself hooked and following the sax playing, rather than noticing the crescendo of the machine throbbing.
Last night, much more settled - I'm really loving this, and tonight, it's truly excellent. <hyperbole alert> Streets ahead of HDX/555PS - this is way out there as a digital source. I've no idea if it's better than a CD555, as mine left home some time ago, but I've got a good feeling. Goosebumps on music where it's never happened before, and the timing is brilliant - I can hear backing musicians having fun.
Exhausted? I'll say. I've just been dragged around the floor by Steve Hackett.
Tried some hi-def tonight - stop press, Robert Plant can actually sing.
I have a feeling more is to come, but so far the results are, shall we say, positive.
Summary - great imaging (ooer), very detailed, very linear (digs out stuff in the background), very tight and well-timed (I guess that's the 555PS). But I reckon it keeps you fitter than a Wii
Cheers
John (typing on a laptop with tapping knees is tough)
Had some time on Saturday for a good session and also rearranged and optimised the cables - note to Naim - there's only a very small clearance between the Burndy and the Fraim with the DAC. Getting the HiLine and Burndy to relax and forget their last comfortable shapes is a pain but worth it.
Spent the next few hours deciding if this was a step forward. Not at all sure. Loads of detail, more bass than I'm used to, but an amazing imaging - not used to that either. More hi-fi?
But slowly I realised what was happening - the old cliche of 'hearing things I've not heard before' came to mind but there was more to it than that. It was the interest factor - my attention was drawn to things happening way down in the mix, and presenting things with a different balance.
But above all, it was the speed things were happening. Graceland was coming at me like Paul Simon had been drinking Red Bull, Modern Times made me want to dance and sing along with Bob - never done that before.
Came back to it on Sunday night - different again. Is this what people mean by 'burn-in'? Not been convinced about that before, but here was proof? Much more laid-back presentation today, but still the way my attention was grabbed is remarkable. For example, on Wish You Were Here, at the end of track 1 when the manic saxophone fades away in the background, I found myself hooked and following the sax playing, rather than noticing the crescendo of the machine throbbing.
Last night, much more settled - I'm really loving this, and tonight, it's truly excellent. <hyperbole alert> Streets ahead of HDX/555PS - this is way out there as a digital source. I've no idea if it's better than a CD555, as mine left home some time ago, but I've got a good feeling. Goosebumps on music where it's never happened before, and the timing is brilliant - I can hear backing musicians having fun.
Exhausted? I'll say. I've just been dragged around the floor by Steve Hackett.
Tried some hi-def tonight - stop press, Robert Plant can actually sing.
I have a feeling more is to come, but so far the results are, shall we say, positive.
Summary - great imaging (ooer), very detailed, very linear (digs out stuff in the background), very tight and well-timed (I guess that's the 555PS). But I reckon it keeps you fitter than a Wii
Cheers
John (typing on a laptop with tapping knees is tough)
I thought they only sold dodgy watches at motorway services. 
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We've been playing with computer sources most of the day and nothing we do approaches the HDX as the front man. Best we got from the computer was Wavelab PRO 6/ASIO via a TC+Naim PSC. Wavelab is still clearly better than the free players but once you play the HDX with rips, you can't go back. At this point, you might as well stream with a Sonos as it's a lot closer to a computer with MM/Foobar even in Kernel or ASIO etc. than a computer is to an HDX. I'm actually getting tired of screwing around with computers for playback. Some of the results are OK but it's overall been a losing battle.
Well done Nero! There will be more goosebumps.
Thanks for the report John.
I hope HDX + DAC + 555 PS will sound good with a 282/200 as well.
I really can´t wait hearing the goosebumps.
Regards Alex
I hope HDX + DAC + 555 PS will sound good with a 282/200 as well.
I really can´t wait hearing the goosebumps.
Regards Alex
You can download a 24/96 version of Raising Sand at HDtracks. It's supposed to be for USA only, but paying by Paypal seemed to fix that 
It's much better than the 16bit version
It's much better than the 16bit version
I'm sure it will, and as an aside, we were already using a PC/Wavelab/TC/ASIO combo 2 years ago. Good things stay good and preferences for specific kit aside, much of what I've said from day one on this board about computer configurations has proven true. You can probably substitute MAC/Amarra for PC/Wavelab in the above configuration but at the end of the day, they're not substitutes for an HDX in this arrangement.quote:Originally posted by xela:
Thanks for the report John.
I hope HDX + DAC + 555 PS will sound good with a 282/200 as well.
I really can´t wait hearing the goosebumps.
Regards Alex
We were just comparing the American and German ECM releases of some Garbarek rips (have to change the title on one to get the second in)and it was like the good old days of vinyl where differences were quite large and you'd source from the origins country for the best rendition.
It does and my reference is to HDX dig out into this DAC only. Glad your's finally showed up and is working so well for you. We have been doing all our listening via the 555ps and through 500 kit so yes, we're cheating.
We have been doing all our listening via the 555ps and through 500 kit so yes, we're cheating. Yes it is. Some of us are comfortable using computers but came to the same conclusion as Gordon after trying LOTS of variables comparing dig out. Computer results can get good but never as good and for it to get good, the convenience factor low. Unlike most, I could live with that if the performance was matched but it isn't. Streaming seems a better and more user friendly option for consumers but nothing has streamed as well as our HDX either and even that hasn't been as good as rips via it's own internal drive. You need a good 24/96 file to beat an internal 16 bit rip.
Some of us are comfortable using computers but came to the same conclusion as Gordon after trying LOTS of variables comparing dig out. Computer results can get good but never as good and for it to get good, the convenience factor low. Unlike most, I could live with that if the performance was matched but it isn't. Streaming seems a better and more user friendly option for consumers but nothing has streamed as well as our HDX either and even that hasn't been as good as rips via it's own internal drive. You need a good 24/96 file to beat an internal 16 bit rip.quote:Also, try placing a computer on your hifi rack.
Seems to fit ok.