hdx better than cdx2 ?

@ rupert bear:

Via my USB stick. I already tried 24 bit with different sample rates: 88,2 kHz, 96 kHz and even 192 kHz WAV files and the above mentioned sample rates as FLAC files, too. I downloaded some free samples from www.highdeftapetransfers.com, www.digitalaudio.dk and www.2l.no. The first website I mentioned offers really some great downloads for free. It is very nice to have access to almost all kinds of files with the HDX.

quote:

Originally posted by rupert bear:

quote:

Originally posted by John R.:
I can not understand why so many people here do not appreciate this.

Because they've all got CDX2s?

Some even choose the CDX2 over the HDX having the option of either one, unbelievable isn't it?!?...

R.

quote:

Originally posted by KTMax:

quote:

Originally posted by bwolke:
Last friday at the Naim Summer Sounds event at Concerto Audio in Amsterdam I listened to the HDX and a CDX2 and I think the HDX is about a million times better than the CDX2. Having owned the CDX2 for about 9 months. I still don't regret that I sold it.

Maybe that is 'just a little' over the top Bas? Are you familiar with the acoustic 'qualities' of the tiny demo room at Concerto that puts the speakers virtually in your ears? I am. It does exactly what you described. Say hi to Alex from me when you speak to him. I know him for years, he's a nice guy (bought my Fraim from him too). I've been fiddling with the very HDX you've heard to get it on the web for the show. Was the kit still sitting on that wobbly white piece of furniture?

But it's great the HDX convinced you like it did. Like I said, it's fine piece of kit. It's sonic qualities are just not my cup of tea. Nor from my dealer who obviously would have liked to put down the much more expensive HDX on my order.

Richard.

Hello Richard,

Honestly I think the CDX2 is a very bad cd-player with very poor value for money. I've been to Concerto Audio a couple of times and I understand what you mean with the demo room. Still the difference between the 282 and 252 was very clearly noticeable. Alex is indeed a nice guy. I figured you bought your fraim from him because I noticed your old samurai rack in an upstairs demo room

I asume you will be home demo-ing the CDX2 before you place your order. I you do, I'd be more than happy to borrow you my trusty CDI so you can do the comparison. You are also more than welcome to come visit me at home and have a listen to my system. you can contact me on: bas.wolke at hva.nl

Kind regards
Bas

quote:

Originally posted by bwolke:
Honestly I think the CDX2 is a very bad cd-player with very poor value for money.

That's a pretty bold statement Bas...

Yes I've auditioned the CDX2 at home. Two times at length. The comparison at my dealer I've posted was only to decide between the CDX2 and the HDX. Which I found a very easy choice. To my ears it's a fabulous sounding player.

If you think the CDX2 is that bad you'll probably have a hell of time with the HDX. Great!

I have already ordered my new Naim system including the CDX2. Details are in the HiFi Corner.

Thank you for the kind offer, appreciated.

Richard.

Richard,

Don't feel bad.

A 1k$ Lavry/mac is *almost* as good as a CD555 according to the Forum consensus.

Yes, I've *almost* thought about getting one.

quote:

Originally posted by kuma:
Richard,

Don't feel bad.

A 1k$ Lavry/mac is *almost* as good as a CD555 according to the Forum consensus.

I expect the two 555 owners were mistaken.

Self-fulfilling prophecy?...

The story about little yellow cars?...

I was at the same demo as Bas at concerto. It was nice to meet a fellow forummember in person. And actually I liked the cdx2 over the HDX.
Indeed it is a small demo room in which the equipment did not perform to my taste. Interesting set though.
As I understood the HDX played it's tunes with the help of a powersupply and the CDX2 was on it's own. I would have liked to change that around (did not have the time) and see at what level the CDX2 performs against the HDX.

The user interface is far nicer than trying to see a small screen from 10ft away too!

Julian[/QUOTE]

Julian you can conect it to your TV, if you have a 48" you can see it from 100ft away!! BTW I love my HDX!

quote:

Originally posted by nocker65:
The user interface is far nicer than trying to see a small screen from 10ft away too!

Julian

Julian you can conect it to your TV, if you have a 48" you can see it from 100ft away!! BTW I love my HDX![/QUOTE]

So what are your thoughts on playback CD vs. ripped and where do you think it compares to the CDPs if you care to comment.

@ gary1:

I love my HDX, too When playing ripped CDs from the internal hard drive I prefer my HDX to my CDX 2 which still sits right beside my HDX. Therefore I am in the very comfortable situation to do long comparisons in my listening room. But soon the CDX 2 will go. I think the HDX is much clearer and more precise than a CDX 2 which sounds rather warm in a direct comparison. Besides sounding more accurate I think that the HDX offers clearly better PRaT and it makes it easier to follow the rhythm and therefore a higher foot tapping factor since the music flows and within that flow there are so many details I can not hear with my CDX 2. The decay of a piano tone is much more precise with the HDX than with the CDX 2.

Thanks John, definitely a different opinion from others who've recently auditioned the HDX and did comparisons with the CDX2. I wonder why such a wide variety. Is it just such a different presentation of music than one is used to with a CDX2 for example and something one needs to get used to? I'm waiting for one to arrive at my dealer and it should be here this week or next and then I think I'll let them let it warm up and tinker before I give it a go.

From your description it seems as if the precision and clarity is what has been objected to as others report that the warmth of the CDX2 makes it more "musical." Perhaps that is a personal preference.

I think that listening is very subjective and this is totally OK. I can understand why some people prefer a warmer sound, it is just that I prefer the clarity and transparency more than the warmth. The HDX is very revealing in its presentation due to its clarity. But in my subjective view there is no loss of musicality.

why did naim not supply the hdx with wireless ? again cables and cables...am i missing something here ? all linn ds have wireless on bord

i would finally like to hear a hdx, but it still not arrived here in northern scandinavia... unbelievable boring... we seem to live here behind the moon...

... the chances for the lavry combo growing...

can a hdx be used with a xps 1 ?..also with a black ( not an s - xps burndy ) ?

quote:

why did naim not supply the hdx with wireless ? again cables and cables...am i missing something here ? all linn ds have wireless on bord

Digital products made by an analogue mind?

quote:

Originally posted by pylod:
why did naim not supply the hdx with wireless ? again cables and cables...am i missing something here ? all linn ds have wireless on bord

i would finally like to hear a hdx, but it still not arrived here in northern scandinavia... unbelievable boring... we seem to live here behind the moon...

... the chances for the lavry combo growing...

Well I talked to my Danish dealer and we have an HDX in town so it is not so bad in all of scandinavia! The few times I have seen the Linn DS products in use it has beenn with cabled networks not wireless. If you like the presentation the Linns are capable of well then I an not sure why you are on a naim forum because it is different to say the least. I have not heard the Lavry and I am not going to buy a Mac just to feet a DAC with a digital stream, but it seems to have a much more Naim like presentation since so many here like this combination.

quote:

Originally posted by munch:
You can buy 3 macs a I touch and a lavry for the price of the hdx and a good transport.
And a good back up hard drive or two.
I have thrown everything at the Lavry since Saturday.
And the only down side i can find is its feet. It needs some because the ones on it might as well not be there.
Its a easy fix for a few pence though.
Its miles infront of the cdx2 and the hdx.

Munch

Have you heard a CDS3? If so how would the Lavry compare?

The cables are in house but I am waiting - however I must admit - I keep on reading this thread every day and boy do I have itchy feet

Gregg

i didn´t want to start a lavry /mac discussion here in the hdx thread.

BIG...Digital products made by an analogue mind?

is the hdx not a total digital product? and all the other servers ? even a squeezebox ? where is the difference if a wire or wireless is attached to an item delivering the same...?

wireless would make it more comfortable to separate the nas ( or the internetconnection ) without cables running through the room again. when i moved into my place here i was glad to hear that i could remove all the telephone cables, since everything was changed and was delivered through one cable. i think wireless should have been on board of the hdx.

claus...you danish are anyway always ahead of norway i always heard the ds products wireless. it didn´t made any difference. and i didn´t say, that i like the linn products better. i can´t even tell anyway since i still haven´t heard the hdx.

i asked about the xps, since i maybe could use my from the cds2 and save the costs. for me it just makes sense with hdx/xps to catch up with the cds2.

The Linn DS range is wired - no wireless option.

James

ok, then i must have misunderstood ...a linn dealer answered to this question.

wireless is attractive though...

if i connect the ethernet from the hdx to an apple AE.. will this decrease quality replay ?

are ethernet cables as sensitive as audio cables..i mean lenght, crossing power cables and so on...

No it won't - the AE is just acting as a wireless access point. As long as you have a good signal level then there should be no difference. I'd be tempted to run an Ethernet cable to your router / switch for an HDX just as wireless can have issues if you have marginal signals, interference etc.
I have seem posts on other forms claiming different Ethernet cables make a difference to sound quality but i think it's more likely to be the cable conducting different levels of RF into the player itself and how that unit reacts to that RF.

James

The German STEREOPLAY just reviewed the HDX and with ripped CDs it got as many points as a CDS 3.
With high resolution files even more points.

quote:

Originally posted by John R.:
The German STEREOPLAY just reviewed the HDX and with ripped CDs it got as many points as a CDS 3.
With high resolution files even more points.

It goes to show you what HiFi magazines have to say - their opinion seems contrary to many of the reports posted here by those who have listened to one.

Gregg
(CDS3 owner)