HDX with SSD (solid state drives)

You beat me to this..! I was going to ask much the same...2-3 weeks on and we still know hardly anything.......

Is it simply a slimmed storage SSD version holding the OS/Ripping software/Buffer or are there more changes....?? I thought I had read one report from the Bristol show that indicated the cost would be higher than a standard HDX - which seems a bit crazy, IMO.

Still, gives me more time I guess. But I certainly wouldn't be confident pulling the trigger on a HDX purchase right now knowing the SSD is lurking around somewhere in the background.......

Info, pleassssse, Naim...is it really so hard ?

Steve.

From the internal layout, it seems to me that Naim just replace the 2 HDDs with 1 SSD, pretty much the same with the rest. I wonder if they will provide modification for current HDX owners!

If I were to speculate (shirley not), now that the 1.5 software is up and running, the internal hard disks are superfluous for music storage - you can rip straight to a NAS. So, as Steve says, all that's needed is a small SSD for OS/software/buffer, with the added bonus of silent running. It doesn't make sense simply replacing the hard drives with SSD, simply on grounds of cost, unless that accounts for the alleged 'higher price'

I believe that I've posted this elsewhere - but here you are anyway.

I have been told by the highest source that the HDX-SD variant has no hard disks, instead having a solid state drive containing only the system platform. Ripping is therefore exclusively to external storage. Price is expected to be a little higher than the standard HDX (apparently due to cost of the solid state storage) and the SD is expected to start shipping at the end of next month. I've also been told that, if you can be bothered with having to rip to external storage, the SD is probably the HDX variant to go for...

It's definitely the variant to go for, without question...As many have argued, ideally it should have been that way since inception....

But how it can be justified to charge extra for the SSD I'll never know...I'm not sure what size SSD is being considered, but a quick browse shows something like a Kingston 128Gb going for a couple hundred quid - at retail! Even Intel 160Gb and above are £300....I'm sure there will be 'HiFi speak' that the sourced drives have to be a certain spec and Enterprise class etc etc, but how this cost difference to HDD cannot be swallowed on a £4.5k machine seems a bit cynical to me - are margins really that tight on a HDX ??!

Less is more and all that....!

Are both HDX versions going to be run in tandem then ? I had presumed the SSD badged version was to be the replacement for the current HDX.....?

Steve.

It is very likely that sound quality will be improved by get rid of the internal HDDs (motor noise, vibration, etc), so if someone got a NAS storage already, it's very logical to ask for SSD replacement.

Same thought with SC, I wonder will Naim still produce the HDD version after the SSD version launched.

Sorry for the delay on the info for this its coming, so far it looks like May for shipping, we are trying to get the price to be the same as the hdx, but the ssd price for the enterprise grade we use is very high-more than 2 of the installed discs.
We still have strong demand from customers who want a complete single box solution, they have no interest in NAS storage. It may surprise you but this is a much bigger group of people than those who would buy the SD variant.

quote:

Originally posted by Paul Stephenson:
We still have strong demand from customers who want a complete single box solution

Which is my case, definitely. A single box to rip, store and play is all I'm asking for

Thanks Paul,
So Any plan for Naim to provide modification for current HDX owners who prefer the SD variant.

Many thanks Paul!
regards Ralf

quote:

Originally posted by Paul Stephenson:
We still have strong demand from customers who want a complete single box solution, they have no interest in NAS storage. It may surprise you but this is a much bigger group of people than those who would buy the SD variant.

Guess I'm one of those...



Regards,
Michel

Does not surprise me, as it only adds more variables to the equation.

quote:

Originally posted by gary1 (US):
Does not surprise me, as it only adds more variables to the equation.

You just wait till your music collection grows a bit larger .

Using a NAS is no big deal in the way the HDX connects with it.
Not at all like the problem you hear about with Uniti UPnP streaming issues.

-
aleg

Aleg,

I already use a NAS and yes it is very simple to connect to the HDX, but it still does not surprise me to hear Paul's comments, especially in light of the fact the 400-500GB stores somewhere between 550- 750 CDs. That's alot of music for most people.

I’m putting good stuff on the HDX and sending the rough stuff or hardly ever listened to stuff to NAS. There’s no logic to this. I suppose something in the back of my legacy HiFi memory says shorter distances, less interfaces and signal paths equals better. But if off board storage and the absence of HDDs on the HDX improves sound quality, that would be my priority. I hope (what with bits being bits and all that) it will make no difference and keep both “camps” equally happy. I guess we’ll get to hear what’s what in due course and I hope it won’t herald the establishment of a digital round earth versus digital flat earth era. Stranger things have happened.

Thanks for the words Paul....Much appreciated, and great to hear the SSD isn't going to be too far away then..!

Have to say, given the way the streaming market is(has) establishing itself, I'm surprised on your predicted demand (how was this surveyed?) for the HDD vs SSD+NAS.....Will be interesting to see how, or if, this changes once the SSD is there in existence....

Steve.

update from hdx to sd variant maybe possible by some distributors we will finalise these issues shortly.

quote:

I’m putting good stuff on the HDX and sending the rough stuff or hardly ever listened to stuff to NAS. There’s no logic to this.

I would have thought with all things being equal that less activity on the HDX internal drives would be better ... interested to see if you hear a difference. Does the HDX read a track from the HD into RAM and then play it or is it continually accessing the HD (or external NAS) ?

James

Sounds like an interesting option Paul. Does it shorten boot times as well?
Mind you, mine stays on all the time anyway

Hey Allen,

One thing that may make a difference to the 'standardised' approach of raiding HDD is that SSD shouldn't really suffer any failures...Whilst mechanical wear/failure is to be expected with HDD, it shouldn't really be a factor with SSD as there are no working parts........Having said that, one could argue it should still be backed-up in case of any other type of failure...

Enterprise drives hey....I just knew that would get thrown into the mix..!

quote:

Originally posted by SC:
Hey Allen,

One thing that may make a difference to the 'standardised' approach of raiding HDD is that SSD shouldn't really suffer any failures...Whilst mechanical wear/failure is to be expected with HDD, it shouldn't really be a factor with SSD as there are no working parts........Having said that, one could argue it should still be backed-up in case of any other type of failure...

Enterprise drives hey....I just knew that would get thrown into the mix..!

Mind you, also solid state memory devices will gradually wear down.

-
aleg

quote:

Originally posted by AllenB:

quote:

Originally posted by SC:
Hey Allen,

One thing that may make a difference to the 'standardised' approach of raiding HDD is that SSD shouldn't really suffer any failures...Whilst mechanical wear/failure is to be expected with HDD, it shouldn't really be a factor with SSD as there are no working parts........Having said that, one could argue it should still be backed-up in case of any other type of failure...

Enterprise drives hey....I just knew that would get thrown into the mix..!

You have a point there, Steve, SSD's should be more reliable.

But what about a system crash or corrupt OS, or is this not an issue with embedded windows?

Cheers

Allen

Embedded means it is stored within a chip which cannot be written to except by flashing an update. So system crash or corruption of OS is indeed not an issue.

-
aleg

Now announced...

Apparently shipping in July





Naim HDX is to be offered with a 16GB Enterprise grade, Single Level Cell (SLC), Solid State Drive (SSD). This totally silent drive will contain the operating system and includes space for future upgrades. This and the performance upgrades are an upgrade option for existing HDX owners.

HDX-SSD – designed for the music lover with a larger music collection – has no local storage and is designed to save to Network Attached Storage (NAS), giving almost infinite storage capability.

Research carried out by Naim indicates that there is an almost exactly 50:50 split between HDX owners and potential owners that would prefer to store all their music locally or on a NAS drive somewhere convenient in their homes. The option, of course, exists to start storing locally and expand to NAS but many potential customers have expressed a preference to start with NAS. The Naim HDX-SSD will be available in July 2010.

The HDX–SSD also gets significant performance improvements with double the RAM to reduce paging and therefore reduce variable current draw and more importantly a new Naim designed low-profile PCI audio card. This new card is designed for a single stereo output is further optimised and consumes less current than the one it replaces. This delivers a twofold opportunity for a sound quality improvement. These improvements are also heard on the digital output.

Existing owners can upgrade their HDX with the new RAM and PCI card at their Naim retailer. The upgrade to the SSD drive is also possible but this would require a return to Naim or the local distributor.

Owners should contact their local retailer for availability and cost.

New PCI card for existing HDX owners also...Interesting.

I have made the enquiry about a retro mod.

This is what I would have bought had I known of it's existence at the time.