DAC & HDX

Don't worry, it'll come back-why not try it and see?

Make sure also to experiment with the chassis/floating signal ground switch.

Anxiously awaiting your results.

For me, it has nothing to do with any perceived "Naim sound". If it's better, it will sound better. Simple as that.

Heard a Weiss today. XPS is a better upgrade. I wont comment further.

quote:

Originally posted by js:
Heard a Weiss today. XPS is a better upgrade. I wont comment further.

I guess you did not like that DAC

Sorry but for me, at that price (HDX/XPS2), I'll take a Klimax DS.

I am waiting for the Naim DAC though - if it is reasonably priced than it will be a nice way to dip the toes into the water.

Gregg

I didn't say that and wont.

I borrowed an HDx and compared it to the Weiss and the Weiss was muchmuch better in every respect,I hope Naim can improve upon the SQ of the Weiss with their new dac, it will make an interesting comparison.

quote:

Originally posted by js:
Heard a Weiss today. XPS is a better upgrade. I wont comment further.

Just to clarify, you felt the HDX DAC with XPS outperforms the Weiss DAC?

I find this hard to believe in my system as much as I wanted to like the hdx it fell so far short of the Weiss.

I posted some preliminary findings yesterday re comparing the HDX/555 to the digital out of the HDX going to my EMM Labs DAC2. They seem to have disappeared. The sound is different - but is it better? Hard to say. The DAC has a great sound to it - instruments very palpable, wide soundstage. However, the HDX is certainly no slouch. Things seem more precise, if that's the correct word. There also seems to be a greater sense of intimacy with the HDX/555. I really enjoy the sound that way. I'll be interested to hear how the HDX sounds with a Naim DAC.

Yes I also had a post deleted, I guess it just wasn't fulsome enough in it's praise for the naim product,I wonder if any of the 'trade' members here have their posts deleted, I somehow doubt it.

quote:

Originally posted by munch:
DHT,
It was not your post.
It was Eve,She went down yesterday twice.

Eve needs to have a word with my missus!!

quote:

Originally posted by munch:
DHT,
It was not your post.
It was Eve,She went down yesterday twice.

quote:

Originally posted by DHT:
Yes I also had a post deleted, I guess it just wasn't fulsome enough in it's praise for the naim product,I wonder if any of the 'trade' members here have their posts deleted, I somehow doubt it.

I think mine was the first in the series to get cut. Must have taken off in a bad direction. Said the Weiss had a lot going for it but the Naim supplies are a significant upgrade. I prefer the supplies as an upgrade but opinions will always vary. What else is new. LOL, No biggy. All should listen and decide for themselves.

I heard an HDX today, through 102,202,282. If the DAC is going to be anything close to this... watch out. If they are better we are all in BIG trouble.... financially.

My cheeks are sore.


thanks connon!!!

quote:

Originally posted by nocker65:

quote:

Originally posted by munch:
DHT,
It was not your post.
It was Eve,She went down yesterday twice.

Eve needs to have a word with my missus!!

*chortle*

...erm, I mean...

*cough* Now now fellas - lets keep it clean... ;-)

Cheers

Phil

quote:

Originally posted by pcstockton:
I heard an HDX today, through 102,202,282. If the DAC is going to be anything close to this... watch out. If they are better we are all in BIG trouble.... financially.

My cheeks are sore.


thanks connon!!!

You enjoyed it then? Good to hear ...

I run an HDX + XPS, 252 + SuperCap and NAP300 (+ 300PS of course) at home and it still stops me dead in my tracks sometimes ... I was sat in the "listening room" talking to a friend today and they later commented that half way through a sentence I just shut up for the duration of an entire track and then carried on with what I was saying as though I'd never stopped. :-D

Phil

quote:

Originally posted by munch:
Phil,
You would say that though
Stu

Nah - I'd just not say anything...

(It was Peter Gabriel's "Mercy Street" by the way - I do love that track!)

...listening to David Gilmour's "On An Island" at the moment and when it gets dark I'll be firing up the projector and spanking the backside out of "The Dark Knight" possibly followed by "Iron Man".

Phil

quote:

Originally posted by DHT:
Yes I also had a post deleted, I guess it just wasn't fulsome enough in it's praise for the naim product,I wonder if any of the 'trade' members here have their posts deleted, I somehow doubt it.

DOUBT no longer. http://forums.naim-audio.com/e...8019385/m/6502988917.

quote:

Originally posted by David Dever:
Don't worry, it'll come back-why not try it and see?

It sure does.... just for fun, when demoing the HDX in my 102, the wonderful store owner (Connon, Tune Hifi) threw my Beresford into the mix using the digi out of the HDX.

It was still surprisingly pretty good, but in comparison to HDX's internal the music went flat, lost all excitement, and became jumbled.

Then he added the f'ing XPS to it. I dont even want to spoil the experience with words.

So yes, the boogie comes straight back. If ANYTHING can improve on what I heard, even despite my lowly 102 (and store supplied 200/Allaes), I will punch everyone in the face. It shouldn't be this amazing. It cant be.

Unless it is this..... Jaw permanently dropped.


Playing through these...


252/300/CDX2/XPS/HDX/XPS/Superline/Supercap/'Geddon/LP12/SL2s/N-Sub

Sorry for the shitty pictures, my hands were trembling.

And yes those are a bunch of Powerlines coming from the an Audience block.

Also demoed, Powerline, 282, Hiline (not sure about that one).

I've been in a daze since I left the store.

You'll love the highline. It's so much better when you can route it without touching anything between the connections and it's often difficult to pull off in an A/B. Sometimes a demo cable can get 'stressed' in a shop and lacks the strain/coupling relief of a fresh one.

Well PC, I'm glad you were finally able to hear the HDX and know first hand what those of us have been saying.

The hi-line is a biig upgrade. I agree with JS, sometimes in a shop demo situation it can be difficult to hear things for a variety of reasons. When I got mine and put it into the system, it was a very noticeable improvement.

The best way to describe it compairing with and without is that with the standard connection it seems as if it wasn't enough to allow everything to flow through the smaller diameter cable and clearly there was some slight amount of "struggling" at the upper range. Most noticeable with classical music.

Once the hi-line was in everything just opens up more and the music, especially the hi's, flow just effortlessly.

Firstly, Connon brought it to my attention that it was actually the 555ps on the HDX, not the XPS. The improvement was quite substantial and almost rivalled the Hicap2 on my 102, which was the 2nd best "upgrade" I heard that day.

The #1 upgrade was obvious and expected but no less dramatic and stunning. We started with a CD5i, playing tracks from John Zorn's The Gift. It was no slouch and clearly betters my Beresford. Upon throwing that same CD into the HDX took my head clear off. Incredible.... Fully plastered perma-smile.

I didn't get the opportunity to do a CDX2/CDS3 vs HDX battle, nor would I be really interested as I am not in the market for any of them. I will be VERY interested however in hearing my PC and theoretical Naim DAC vs the HDX through the same.

Those wondering if the Powerline brings immediate sonic improvements should head to their dealer today.

Lastly, regarding the Hiline, Im not saying I didn't enjoy what it did to a good recording. But on a few tracks it was simply providing too much and actually pushing the music. Forcing it. I would be worried about it being far more revealing than I might prefer. What the Hiline does is analogous to seeing someone naked. It ALL depends on how they look.... some people you would never wish to see in anything but a full survival suit.

If it were me, I would be happy with the standard interconnect, and address the Hiline last.... after a Fraim.... gorgeous.

-patrick