hdx online

quote:

Originally posted by Ears:
Richard,

Apologies to you and other forum members if this has already been covered, but when a CD is played "directly" in the HDX, does it still pass through the hard-disk stage? ... making the machine a true hard-disk player at all times.

Regards, Ears

No need for apology, it's a good question. The answer is "yes". You can set the HDX to either automatically rip when a CD is loaded or to play the disc. When set to "Play CD" it does in fact rip the disc and play back via the hard drive. When the CD is ejected, the rip is deleted.

that means, that the cd can be ripped and played at the same time ? or at least it could be possible to save the ripp while playing the music ? would be a good idea, so it would be available next time...

sorry to ask as well, but couldn´t find the answer. can a nas be just accesed by a usb connection or also wireless like the linn DS players ?

regards p

Pylod,

for legal reasons you cannot keep the rip when the HDX is set to "Play CD" mode.

Otherwise, if your friends come over and play their CDs in your HDX, you'll end up with illegal copies on the hard drive... This is why whenever a CD is played back in "Play CD" mode, the temporary rip is deleted when the disc is ejected.

Of course, so long as you own the CD, then you can let the HDX have a few minutes to rip it to hard drive and then play it back from the hard drive as many times as you like.

Pylod

There is presently no need for me to take the HDX plunge - I am happy with my CDS3/555PS and I do not see the performance of the HDX beating that (or so has been said by those who have briefly listened).

I am looking for something to dabble with, create playlists, and have easy access to ""some" of my 1500 CD's (actually just a specific genre). Ten Thousand USD seems a bit excessive for what I am looking to accomplish - and for that price it will not even equal the playback I currently have. That is why I am looking for something reasonably priced (DAC-DS etc.) to play around with.

PC

As for taking my own medicine I do not wish to waste vendors, suppliers, and my time by taking them up on money back offers, in home demo listening, and then returning (then used) components. It does not seem fair to them and as such I prefer to do more reading than trying AND THEN take an educated stab at purchasing something which has a good chance of meeting my needs.

Now a stand alone Naim DAC on the other hand, with coax, optical and ethernet inputs - even upgradeable with various power supplies (so they can get even more of my money ) - which, with all of those inputs, would allow me to use any control software I so choose (read iTunes) - I would have enough confidence to buy that in a flash (Narcom that is ) .

Gregg

quote:

This is why whenever a CD is played back in "Play CD" mode, the temporary rip is deleted when the disc is ejected.

Of course, so long as you own the CD, then you can let the HDX have a few minutes to rip it to hard drive and then play it back from the hard drive as many times as you like.

Are you saying the the "drive" in the HDX is not an actual CD player? So you have to wait for EVERY disc you want to hear to rip first?

quote:

Originally posted by glevethan:
Now a stand alone Naim DAC on the other hand, with coax, optical and ethernet inputs - even upgradeable with various power supplies (so they can get even more of my money ) - which, with all of those inputs, would allow me to use any control software I so choose (read iTunes) - I would have enough confidence to buy that in a flash (Narcom that is ) .

Gregg

umm me too. they say it IS NOT going to happen.

quote:

Originally posted by pcstockton:

quote:

Originally posted by glevethan:
Now a stand alone Naim DAC on the other hand, with coax, optical and ethernet inputs - even upgradeable with various power supplies (so they can get even more of my money ) - which, with all of those inputs, would allow me to use any control software I so choose (read iTunes) - I would have enough confidence to buy that in a flash (Narcom that is ) .

Gregg

umm me too. they say it IS NOT going to happen.

Understandable - most likely they do not want to cannibalize NaimNet/HDX sales HOWEVER I do think that they will lose out on other sales to those who will be forced to use a non Naim route to achieve computer/server/streamer playback.

Gregg

Hello everyone,
I've heard today Naim have modified the HDX. Sound quality promises to be even better than currently expected.
So I phoned my retailer and they expect to have them in about three to four weeks. I think they will be pleasantly surprized at how good it will sound.
This is very exciting news.

quote:

Originally posted by pcstockton:
they say it IS NOT going to happen.

when was that? I merely enquire.

... & so the rumours begin!

It really looks like a simple case of never say never to me.

And no! I do not have any inside information!!

All the best from George

quote:

Originally posted by pcstockton:

quote:

This is why whenever a CD is played back in "Play CD" mode, the temporary rip is deleted when the disc is ejected.

Of course, so long as you own the CD, then you can let the HDX have a few minutes to rip it to hard drive and then play it back from the hard drive as many times as you like.

Are you saying the the "drive" in the HDX is not an actual CD player? So you have to wait for EVERY disc you want to hear to rip first?

No, if the unit is in "Play CD" mode, it plays the disc almost immediately it spins up, only it's actually playing data from the hard drive that is simultaneously being "ripped" to.

We actually found that performance is better this way.

This sounds a bit like a PVR (e.g. Humax) with the broadcast material replaced by the CD.

When I say "sounds... like" I don't mean audio quality!

For those claiming a computer solution is just as good, Naim make many claims about the method of ripping the CD being most important in the first place. The white paper on CD ripping goes into this. Apparently when using a computer with software on it (EAC for example?) the software can try to control the way the data is read off the disc, but ultimately the reading process happens in a macro held on the controller card. Naim have developed a complimentary hardware/software solution that works in combination to (hopefully) produce better results.

My understanding is that if you were to rip a CD using a computer and rip the same CD via the HDX and store the latter on the computer, the HDX rip would sound better. In essence, it's not a question of where you store the rip that counts, but how you rip in the first place.

Frank,

This is quite perplexing. Are you saying that some ripping is really not bit-for-bit?

Regards, Ears

YUP! Read the white paper...

quote:

Read the white paper...

I'd like to; is it available on-line?

Yes, on the link in the original post.

Thanks for your help, Frank

hey guys...why can´t you just except , that naim solution will rip and sound better...at least when it comes to reproduce the typical naim sound...certainly computer/dac solutions will sound good as well, but maybe not if your ears are spoiled by naim cd players...

1 to 1 rips doesn´t necessary guaranty best sound....


andrew...do you mean they will get a unit for demo into the shops or can you buy them already ?...i thought it will be in august or later first

regards p

quote:

Originally posted by Adam Meredith:

quote:

Originally posted by pcstockton:
they say it IS NOT going to happen.

when was that? I merely enquire.

this was what I was referring to. It appears I misread the original. I thought you said "would" in the below statement.

Posted Nov 10, 12:03 AM
"The arguments for building our own CD players with the DAC close to the transport are probably relevant but not applicable to other manufacturers' devices.

I cannot see a reason, apart from other priorities, why we wouldn't make a standalone DAC. Of course - there would be no NAIM device with which it could be advantageously used."

quote:

Originally posted by pylod:
hey guys...why can´t you just except , that naim solution will rip and sound better...at least when it comes to reproduce the typical naim sound...certainly computer/dac solutions will sound good as well, but maybe not if your ears are spoiled by naim cd players...

a cd ripper that boogies .

yeah


but still haven´t heard one...