CDX2 vs streaming.

I've just spent a little time this afternoon at Finkfans, listening to the merits of his newly acquired 272.

I have to admit I am very impressed, I spent most of my time scrolling through the copious amounts of music available, most of which I have never heard of.

The 272 is a superb black box, I can understand that if hooked up to an XPSdr it would  quite possibly be an end point for many..

I am now just deciding which box to demo?

Having spent far to much money on black boxes in the last two years, I am considering either a new NDX or a pre - loved NDS. 

I would never have thought about trading in my beloved cdx2..... but it just might happen.... 

You'll have to hear both. This is what I did about 3 years ago. Having heard the NDS I could not buy the NDX. No regrets, especially after adding a 555PS.

AndrewG posted:

You'll have to hear both. This is what I did about 3 years ago. Having heard the NDS I could not buy the NDX. No regrets, especially after adding a 555PS.

 

Yes, I know others have said the same,  the NDS  is by all accounts  a great box

I too firmly believed I wouldn't replace my CDX2 with a streaming option, but spending time with the 272 has been a real eye opener. There is an enormous variety of music out there just waiting to be discovered. 

.........which is why I love my qute, but would never see it or a n other streamer as a replacement - like the click of the puck too much.....and the funky tunes.......although did a back to back comparison with flac files and the results were startling!

Finkfan,   how's that 272 sounding now that you have an XPSdr on dem?

Morning Wenger. Thanks for the demo of the XPSDR. I was expecting it to blow me away, but I was disappointed. It highlighted a few issues. Firstly it sounded more digital. I was very surprised. But after some head scratching yesterday I remembered that whilst installing the XPSDR I tidied the Ethernet cables up too. I had mad the schoolboy error of cable tying the wires into far neater loops. Whilst this ment they were now clear of all other cables the sound changed for the worse. I cut the cable ties last night, and that hard digital sound has gone again.

The other issue I've had is bass boom at certain frequencies. My room is small, 4.5 x 2.5 and for various reasons I'm using one long wall for the speakers and the other for a sofa. This arrangement means I can have my speakers 2m apart, and I sit 2m from them, forming a triangle. This gives me fantastic stereo imagery and a wonderful vocal, but the downside is the bass. Thin on some notes and over bearing on others. The XPSDR emphasised this even more. This morning I popped to the office for 10mins and decided to move the speakers to the short wall. I sat at about 38% distance from the rear wall, about 6ft, hit play and within seconds began to smile. The balance is back! It's amazing the impact the room has on the sound. 

Finkfan posted:

Morning Wenger. Thanks for the demo of the XPSDR. I was expecting it to blow me away, but I was disappointed. It highlighted a few issues. Firstly it sounded more digital. I was very surprised. But after some head scratching yesterday I remembered that whilst installing the XPSDR I tidied the Ethernet cables up too. I had mad the schoolboy error of cable tying the wires into far neater loops. Whilst this ment they were now clear of all other cables the sound changed for the worse. I cut the cable ties last night, and that hard digital sound has gone again.

The other issue I've had is bass boom at certain frequencies. My room is small, 4.5 x 2.5 and for various reasons I'm using one long wall for the speakers and the other for a sofa. This arrangement means I can have my speakers 2m apart, and I sit 2m from them, forming a triangle. This gives me fantastic stereo imagery and a wonderful vocal, but the downside is the bass. Thin on some notes and over bearing on others. The XPSDR emphasised this even more. This morning I popped to the office for 10mins and decided to move the speakers to the short wall. I sat at about 38% distance from the rear wall, about 6ft, hit play and within seconds began to smile. The balance is back! It's amazing the impact the room has on the sound. 

As we often say, systems are very much room dependant, I suppose it's a matter of deciding if you can live with a reconfiguration of your room to accommodate the XPSdr,  or if you prefer things as they were? 

True. Will make some changes this evening and have another listen. 

Very Interesting Finkfan. I'm enjoying the bare 272 so much as it is so well balanced and I struggle to imagine what an XPSDR could improve.

G

555PS should certainly help

GraemeH posted:

Very Interesting Finkfan. I'm enjoying the bare 272 so much as it is so well balanced and I struggle to imagine what an XPSDR could improve.

G

Hi Graeme. Adding the XPSDR makes the 272 sound stronger, more powerful. There's more detail throughout the frequency range and were the bare 272 sounded a little lean on lower notes, they're now there with authority. I have no doubt a 555PS would be even more impressive. Hopefully in a couple of hours time I'll get a chance to have a good listen and then remove the XPSDR to see how the bare 272 stacks up again. 

Finkfan posted:

GraemeH posted:

Very Interesting Finkfan. I'm enjoying the bare 272 so much as it is so well balanced and I struggle to imagine what an XPSDR could improve.

G

Hi Graeme. Adding the XPSDR makes the 272 sound stronger, more powerful. There's more detail throughout the frequency range and were the bare 272 sounded a little lean on lower notes, they're now there with authority. I have no doubt a 555PS would be even more impressive. Hopefully in a couple of hours time I'll get a chance to have a good listen and then remove the XPSDR to see how the bare 272 stacks up again. 

Keep us updated.... 

That's a very good simple description of what the XPS DR adds to the 272 - stronger and more powerful....

I've never thought of it like that, though I guess it's appropriate. I found the XPS makes the 272 more real, believable and musical, it transforms it into something altogether better.

I download my music from HD tracks 192khz sound through my NDS is brilliant 

have also bought some downloadeds from Naim and Linn

have given up on Tidal it's just flat and lifeless.

tonycurran1 posted:

 

have given up on Tidal it's just flat and lifeless.

Interesting your poor experience with Tidal, any ideas as to why?

Tidal was flat when I first tried it. But 6 weeks down the line and it sounds extremely good. For me, I guess it was the 272 burning in. 

Finkfan posted:

Tidal was flat when I first tried it. But 6 weeks down the line and it sounds extremely good. For me, I guess it was the 272 burning in. 

After having a listen to your system midweek, I would agree, it's sounding extremely good, the XPSdr really gives the music  a solid heavy punch...superb combo

Just sat with [@mention:50422349809511500] comparing CDX2 to Tidal hifi. As good as the service is, it's no CDX2. I will compare again when I have made some tweaks to my network. Also I guess I should  use a TQ black diamond streaming cable and be powering the 272 better for a fairer comparison. 

...for me streaming just offers so much choice and via a 272 listening to music couldn't be easier...I would never go back, simply no need and like HH I got tired of the cds littering the place up! ...tis the future...

Yeah I have to agree [@mention:30006578891015027]. I haven't taken the plunge and purchased a nas yet. Tidal has a great choice of music and is so easy to use. I don't think I'll be streaming 100% of my music just yet though. I can't help but smile when I hear the CDX2. I'm going to try a meicord opal between my router in the house and my switch in the office, which is only for the hifi. I'm hoping that will improve the sound of Tidal a little. At some point my dealer can get me the TQ streaming cable which will be interesting to hear. 

wenger2015 posted:

tonycurran1 posted:

 

have given up on Tidal it's just flat and lifeless.

Interesting your poor experience with Tidal, any ideas as to why?

Suppose you could describe it as a bit flat compared to a cd rip. I do subscribe though for browsing and the kids like it.

I'll be doing the same when my free trial expires next month. It will be very popular when we get a Qb in the house. 

Finkfan posted:

Tidal was flat when I first tried it. But 6 weeks down the line and it sounds extremely good. For me, I guess it was the 272 burning in. 

Indeed, Tidal is FLAC which can sound less than ideal on Naim, and the internet route and server latency at a particular time and or track replay can affect how hard the network tcp machine in the streamer works. In experiments I have undertaken I have found this can  subtly affect SQ, although this is lessened to a fair degree by using an off board DAC from the streamer transport.

Simon