HDX

Given that the HDX is getting on a bit now, I guess dealers won't be keen on promoting it, or perhaps even stocking a demo unit. Probably makes it a good time to pick up a deal on a used or ex demo one. My limited experience is that it sounds comparable to an NDX with a NAS.

As for drive reliability, well all drives die eventually, and replacements are not cheap, so I would consider running it with an external NAS instead which can be replaced cheaply and backed up to a USB drive.

Do bear in mind that the hard drive in the HDX contains the software required for the machine to operate, so even if, as in my case, the music is stored on an external NAS, failure of the internal hard drive will result in a return to Naim for repair.

Possibly best to consider one of the new range of ripper / servers instead.

I have a HDX, and for what it does it's good to excellent. The quality of the rips is high, as in bit-perfect. The tagging is OK, some CDs have pretty odd tags, and is part of the closed Naim system if you rip to WAV. The sound quality playing into my Naim82 HICAP 135 is very high. The Internet Radio is good quality (for Iradio).

On the downside, there is no Tidal or other streaming integration, as I said before the tagging database used seem less accurate than on PC systems like DBPoweramp. It doesn't integrate with the Naim multi room setup, so you can't sync with Musos if you think you might go multiroom.

Much as I love my HDX for the sound quality, I have copied the rips to a new folder on the NAS, gone through and retagged them all with the Mp3tag app, and rip new CDs with dbPoweramp on a PC. I found Tidal on my Muso Qbs very useful, so I've added an NDX to the system to get it and it's now my primary streamer, still using the rips as the main source with Tidal as a second option. I'll look to trade in my HDX when I get a new Uniti as a second system. 

That sounds a bit damning, if it does exactly what you want and you aren't likely to want multiroom or intermet streaming services, then it's a very good music player. 

You could add streaming through another box, a new Uniti or many other options, but at that point the HDX starts to look like an expensive opinion for ripping and storing, with no digital inputs you can't use it as a DAC for the other device. 

Good comments from EOINK ........... my HDX / nDAC / 555 PS was my first venture into streaming, and when I got the NDS, it was so tempting to get rid of the HDX, as it is really a comparatively expensive way of ripping and storing to a NAS, when there are so many software solutions available to do the same thing.

However, the fact that it does the job simply, and without fuss, means that I've kept it, where to continues to rip CD's faultlessly, and acts as the required UPnP server to the NDS.

Would I go out and buy one today?

Probably not, but when it finally expires, I'll probably look at the newish Uniti Core as a replacement, rather than go down the computery route.

Hope this helps, though I guess it just adds to the confusion ............. sorry! 

I had an HDX. It could show a CDX2 a clean pair of heels. It scuppered my plans to trade up to the CDS3 because once the DAC/555PS was attached to it, it was a superb digital source. Different to the CDS3 but more importantly, better to my ears.

We live in a different world now. The HDX doesn't tag properly, sounds inferior to a NAS/Asset or NAS/Minimserver when played back through NDS, and in my experience didn't turn out to be all that reliable. 

I think it's a dead end. That's just my opinion. In terms of sound quality it's a good X level source. Certainly on par with the NDX. But again, only according to my ears.

I have had an HDX for many years and it's a solid piece of kit, love it.

have now bought a new core and intend migrating from using HDX to core, but the new Naim core has been a nightmare so far, and still have issues, so I will be holding onto the HDX for the foreseeable future.

its a simple easy unit That does what's expected

I am grateful for the comments so far

It would seem the HDX is now rather dated and expensive but convenient

I am visting a Naim dealer next week who is going to demonstrate better and cheaper ways of achieving my aims

I look forward to hearing how that goes and what you think.

Cbr600 posted:

I have had an HDX for many years and it's a solid piece of kit, love it.

have now bought a new core and intend migrating from using HDX to core, but the new Naim core has been a nightmare so far, and still have issues, so I will be holding onto the HDX for the foreseeable future.

its a simple easy unit That does what's expected

What advantage does the Core have over the HDX? Presumably you'll need to add a DAC plus the associated cables to replace the HDX?

I've been using an HDX since 2009 and had no problems so far. Very easy to rip to an attached NAS and the look up works well. I'm using it in a second system now and as a sever to an NDS in a separate building. Soundwise I prefer this route rather than serving direct from the NAS using Minimserver , although there is not much difference.

I'm one of the early adopters, my HDX was a 2x400GB model. I really love the HDX for what it is: a great machine to rip and store all my music! Unfortunately, mine had to be repaired twice: first time was because of the CD drawer which seemed to have a mind of it's own. The second time was because one of the harddrives failed. This made me trading in the HDX...

During the years I've owned my HDX, I've never bought more music!

Like others an HDX was my first foray into streaming, I was hooked. For me the natural progression at the time was to a NAC-N 272, QNAP TS212-P (existing), NAP250 DR & XPS DR. This is a popular combo not least due to the extraordinary synergy of the 272 & 250. I've since added a SH Melco N1ZH.

Visited Cymbiosis today

The HDX is not for me

Instead I am considering a streamer either ND5 XS or NDX

I think I can hear a difference between the two but I am wondering if having a ND5 XS with a Flatcap would be a reasonable compromise and this would also improve the performance of my Nait5 XS

The NDS is still one of the best streamers that money can buy. When viewed in this context its asking price doesn't seem all that unreasonable. The NDX, without question, offers the best value for money in the Naim range. It's very good. It's the ND5 which doesn't fit my logic. It's not cheap in its own right (I know it's all relative) yet it can't get close to the NDX. Not remotely.

This according to my brain, system, room, eats and uniquely personal experiences. Your will differ, possibly significantly.

nimrodmr2p posted:

 

I think I can hear a difference between the two but I am wondering if having a ND5 XS with a Flatcap would be a reasonable compromise and this would also improve the performance of my Nait5 XS

You need an XP5XS (may now be discontinued) or XPS for the ND5XS (a 555PS would be a bit OTT) if you want a PSU upgrade. 

James

nimrodmr2p posted:

Visited Cymbiosis today

The HDX is not for me

Instead I am considering a streamer either ND5 XS or NDX

I think I can hear a difference between the two but I am wondering if having a ND5 XS with a Flatcap would be a reasonable compromise and this would also improve the performance of my Nait5 XS

You can't power an ND5 with a Flatcap. If you can afford the NDX, think also about the 272. You could swap the Nait for a used 200. 

HH is right,  first Flatcap won't power a ND5 & second 272 with a 200 seems like a very logical solution.    If you do go ND5 the  Nait XS will become the weak link in the system.

If you like the all-in one convenience of the HDX, go for it.  "Dealers don't rate it" is irrelevant - they aren't buying it!