HDX function when streaming from NAS

The NDAC needs a UPNP stream. Most NASes if not all have some form of UPNP server to deliver that stream. 

From that perspective the HDX does not need to be in the chain. i.e. it could be used to rip to NAS and the NAS then delivers the stream.

In you current set up the HDX is delivering the UPNP stream so it will us the NAS as the source of the stream.

What is important is reliability for UPNP. NASes are dictated by the quality of the UPNP softwar they have built in. Some people have issues some don't.

Naim is also dictated by the quality of its UPNP software, but its rare to see issues on this baord regarding naim UPNP delivering to naim clients. No doubt because of the amount of dedicated testing naim have been able to do.

In conclusion, you are doing it the right way

Sorry Garyi,

Don't think you got this right.

The nDAC cannot handle a uPNP stream.

The nDAC requires the data via spdif or toslink.

If you have ripped the music to a remote NAS then on replay the HDX looks to the remote share, and the data is 'streamed', pulled by the HDX, from the NAS, 'rendered' on the HDX and fed into the DAC.

The HDX will need its operating system and other software to do this, and might well be caching data as it performs, a lot of this will probably be done in memory, but the HDDs will be involved, if only at startup.

In terms of HDX vs HDX-SSD I would say in the above chain their functions are the same.

NDX plus nDAC is somewhat different.

The NDX does use uPNP to stream the data, render it, and then either play it directly, or feed the data into the nDAC.

In essence:

the NDX is using uPNP to get the data from the NAS.

the HDX is using SMB (windows shares) to get the data from the NAS.

Both then render, reconstruct the data stream, and then either pass it to an amplifier, or to a DAC - that is if you want to listen to it!

M

Thank you Mr Underhill, for your exact and detailed explanations!

Sorry I read NDAC as NDX.

To many Ns!

Yes thanks for the explanation.

I just wonder whether if all other things were the same (download or ripping software/NAS/nDAC/Preamp etc), there would be any difference in SQ when using the HDXHD or HDXSSD or NDX in the replay train between the NAS and nDAC.

 (In practice, for CDs HDX users are probably going to rip to NAS from the HDX wheras NDX users are going to use either the Serve or ripping software using PC/MAC so this introduces another variable re quality of the rip).

John

Hi Gary,

I know from your regular posts that you completely understand this ...just didn't want Jonn to get confused.

Jonn,

Good questions, and you'll see people like Allen and Aysil putting in a lot of hard work to try and give us all some idea of the differences.

Personally, I am DETERMINED not to worry about this, I really enjoy what the NS01 / nDAC does for me, and the only addition I will make will be a PSU for the nDAC, sometime in the future.

.....but, somehow I still find myself reading Allen's posts.

M

John,

I can pretty much guess there will be no significant difference between HDXHD and HDXSSD when reading from external NAS. We may expect some difference between HDX and NDX. I will try to find out how significant this difference is during the next weeks, since I happen to have both at the moment.