HDX - my first listen and impressions

Posted by: winkyincanada on 25 September 2008

I've just arrived back from my dealer (doesn't that sound sleazy) where I listened to the HDX for the first time (via 282/250/NACA5/SL2 and XPS/SC - not sure exactly how PSs were configured). Yep. It did it for me. Bad case of the "wants". The whole shooting match, not just the HDX.

Highly detailed and fast yet not a trace of harshness nor brittleness. Dare I say analogue sounding? Could have stayed and listened all afternoon.

Downsides - the touchscreen is weak, bordering on pathetic. It should come with a Naim-branded tablet remote as standard. It was also surprisingly noisy. Not that you'd notice when listening, but when you went up to squint at the tiny screen to select the next piece. The noise is from the hard-drives, I guess.

Conclusion - definitely something I'd consider if I was about to drop serious cash on a new source.
Posted on: 25 September 2008 by gary1 (US)
Winky, it is a great piece of kit. Did you get a chance to listen with the XPS2 and the 555PS or just the XPS2 from your description?

That 282/250.2/HC or SC is incredible?

Touch scrren is bizarre and wasn't necessary. At Promusica we controlled everything through Ken's Vaio and web browser. Very nice. I do agree that a Naim Internet Tablet would have been a really nice addition, but for $2-300 you can make it happpen with a Nokia or other. I have a left-over tablet PC from work which is ideal, sits plugged in and removed for wireless connection when HDX will be used.

I'm looking forward to the weekend and re-listen as it will have about 9 days burn in and now the 555PS is hooked up. According to John really close to analogue vinyl re-play with 24 bit.

Your description is very accurate from what Scott and I heard last week.
Posted on: 25 September 2008 by winkyincanada
Not with the 555PS. I'm not sure if the XPS was hooked up to the HDX or not. It was powered in the rack, but I didn't ask John about power supplies.
Posted on: 25 September 2008 by kuma
am I the only one who likes that cute little touch screen?

It's a nice thing you could use your laptop or tv, but it's a nice thought that you can use one without it, too.
Posted on: 25 September 2008 by rega1
quote:
Originally posted by gary1:
Winky, it is a great piece of kit. Did you get a chance to listen with the XPS2 and the 555PS or just the XPS2 from your description?

That 282/250.2/HC or SC is incredible?

Touch scrren is bizarre and wasn't necessary. At Promusica we controlled everything through Ken's Vaio and web browser. Very nice. I do agree that a Naim Internet Tablet would have been a really nice addition, but for $2-300 you can make it happpen with a Nokia or other. I have a left-over tablet PC from work which is ideal, sits plugged in and removed for wireless connection when HDX will be used.

I'm looking forward to the weekend and re-listen as it will have about 9 days burn in and now the 555PS is hooked up. According to John really close to analogue vinyl re-play with 24 bit.

Your description is very accurate from what Scott and I heard last week.


I called mark tonight at Promusica and spoke to him about my FC2X. I asked about the HDX, all he could do was laugh with enjoyment and said "wait till you guys get here this weekend, you won't believe how good it sounds and what we are doing with playback and options".

I am not even buying one, but I am excited to hear it.

rega1
Posted on: 25 September 2008 by winkyincanada
The teensy screen is fine as a back-up, but hopelessly inadequate for primary use. Some (I) would say the whole point of distributed audio and HD-based music replay is convenience of access to our collections. To have to get up and walk across the room to select the next disc because the control screen is illegible.... well you may as well just put on a CD. Call me lazy, but.....
Posted on: 25 September 2008 by glevethan
quote:
Originally posted by winkyincanada:
Some (I) would say the whole point of distributed audio and HD-based music replay is convenience of access to our collections. To have to get up and walk across the room to select the next disc because the control screen is illegible.... well you may as well just put on a CD. Call me lazy, but.....


Thats why I want to use an iPod Touch/iPhone and the application Apple Remote - iTunes at your fingertips.

Gregg
Posted on: 25 September 2008 by winkyincanada
I also use Apple Remote on my iPod touch. Sweet application - and free, too! (excluding the cost of the iPod, the firmware upgrade etc...)
Posted on: 25 September 2008 by kuma
quote:
Originally posted by winkyincanada:
The teensy screen is fine as a back-up, but hopelessly inadequate for primary use. Some (I) would say the whole point of distributed audio and HD-based music replay is convenience of access to our collections. To have to get up and walk across the room to select the next disc because the control screen is illegible.... well you may as well just put on a CD. Call me lazy, but.....

I think that how individual are wired.

My mate doesn't want anything to do with computer and loaths a touch panel remote. ( hard key is preferred and love the R-com )

I have trouble operating iPhones but don't have a problem with iPod Touch if the function is limited to accessing the music.

Call me a dinosaur...
Posted on: 25 September 2008 by imperialline
Why can't HDX be built on top of Mac/iTunes or even Linux? Winker
Posted on: 25 September 2008 by garyi
Its probably fair to say that little screen is primarily there for initial set up as opposed to constant use.
Posted on: 26 September 2008 by GuyS.
The touch screen is useful but more as a backup to a Nokia tablet/pc interface and the supplied remote is pretty pointless.

My only criticism of the HDX as a whole is that the screen cannot be turned off or even dimmed which is annoying. Can anyone offer an explanation for this ?
Posted on: 26 September 2008 by Adam Meredith
quote:
Originally posted by AllenB:
I would guess the colour touchscreen contributes a good 1000 GBP into the final cost of the HDX.
Posted on: 26 September 2008 by gary1 (US)
quote:
Originally posted by glevethan:
quote:
Originally posted by winkyincanada:
Some (I) would say the whole point of distributed audio and HD-based music replay is convenience of access to our collections. To have to get up and walk across the room to select the next disc because the control screen is illegible.... well you may as well just put on a CD. Call me lazy, but.....


Thats why I want to use an iPod Touch/iPhone and the application Apple Remote - iTunes at your fingertips.

Gregg


Yes, but a internet tablet for the same price or less than an itouch/phone and you've got the same set-up. Furthermore with an "i device" you can connect to the HDX through the web browser.
Posted on: 26 September 2008 by glevethan
quote:
Originally posted by gary1:
quote:
Originally posted by glevethan:
quote:
Originally posted by winkyincanada:
Some (I) would say the whole point of distributed audio and HD-based music replay is convenience of access to our collections. To have to get up and walk across the room to select the next disc because the control screen is illegible.... well you may as well just put on a CD. Call me lazy, but.....


Thats why I want to use an iPod Touch/iPhone and the application Apple Remote - iTunes at your fingertips.

Gregg


Yes, but a internet tablet for the same price or less than an itouch/phone and you've got the same set-up. Furthermore with an "i device" you can connect to the HDX through the web browser.


Gary

The iPod Touch/iPhone is ALSO an internet device with the Safari web browser. As such I imagine it can already be used to connect to the HDX.

Gregg
Posted on: 26 September 2008 by Patrick F
Iphone and ipod touch do not have Flash yet so they can not connect to the HDX. YET.
Posted on: 26 September 2008 by glevethan
quote:
Originally posted by patevil:
Iphone and ipod touch do not have Flash yet so they can not connect to the HDX. YET.


Ah yes - Flash - forgot about that Roll Eyes

Gregg
Posted on: 26 September 2008 by kuma
quote:
Originally posted by AllenB:
It's a nice feature, makes the HDX look the part, but worth it? Debatable?

It's only debatable, if you want to debate about it.
Posted on: 26 September 2008 by jon h
quote:
Originally posted by AllenB:
quote:
Originally posted by Adam Meredith:
quote:
Originally posted by AllenB:
I would guess the colour touchscreen contributes a good 1000 GBP into the final cost of the HDX.


Thank you for highlighting that Adam. Winker I do not know the exact cost of course, but touch-screens are not cheap (unless mass produced a la iPhone/ iTouch).

It's a nice feature, makes the HDX look the part, but worth it? Debatable?


This is not a super-expensive touch screen -- it has a floating plastic film over the top which bends to make contact. In reasonably small quantities, it is not going to cost more than some tens of pounds, if that.

Note: I dont know the price, thats my guess based on the technology and other pricing in other devices -- eg PDAs, which use a similar screen technology.

And I cannot believe that this is a custom part made especially for Naim. That would be madness, and completely unnecessary.
Posted on: 26 September 2008 by Dr. Exotica
quote:
Originally posted by GuyS.:
My only criticism of the HDX as a whole is that the screen cannot be turned off or even dimmed which is annoying. Can anyone offer an explanation for this ?


This seems like a reasonable candidate for a software/firmware upgrade. I can see how a small touch screen would be aesthetically unpleasing when listening in a darkened room.
Posted on: 26 September 2008 by Patrick F
it has a display time out function.
Posted on: 26 September 2008 by David Dever
I agree with kuma–I really like the display, especially in a dark room (wish I could set the color scheme to some chilled-out 70s turquoise, not).

However–if your network has Wi-Fi access, you could use a Nokia N800 to control the unit via the same Flash movie used on the front touchscreen. This works exceptionally well, duplicating everything but the NaimNet/DigiLinX functionality, and can be used with any of the servers running 1.4b software and above.
Posted on: 26 September 2008 by David Dever
quote:
This is not a super-expensive touch screen -- it has a floating plastic film over the top which bends to make contact. In reasonably small quantities, it is not going to cost more than some tens of pounds, if that.

Note: I dont know the price, thats my guess based on the technology and other pricing in other devices -- eg PDAs, which use a similar screen technology.

And I cannot believe that this is a custom part made especially for Naim. That would be madness, and completely unnecessary.


No–and you'd be REALLY surprised to see what other (rather large consumer electronics) companies use this screen–however, it's still a complete embedded computer itself (not just a cheap screen element), with software and other testing needed to make it function (and it is dual-mode, as it can be used to control NaimNet / DigiLinX in addition local playback).
Posted on: 26 September 2008 by David Dever
quote:
Originally posted by imperialline:
Why can't HDX be built on top of Mac/iTunes or even Linux? Winker


'Cos iTunes sounds shite. :P
Posted on: 26 September 2008 by jon h
quote:
Originally posted by David Dever:

No–and you'd be REALLY surprised to see what other (rather large consumer electronics) companies use this screen–however, it's still a complete embedded computer itself (not just a cheap screen element), with software and other testing needed to make it function (and it is dual-mode, as it can be used to control NaimNet / DigiLinX in addition local playback).


I assumed it is part used by other big companies in high volume. Didnt know it was a embedded micro itself, thats interesting
Posted on: 26 September 2008 by jon h
Ah -- just had a thought -- i guess this is why HDX has two IP addresses? One for the main proc, one for the display?