HDX Questions

The disk noise from the HDX is as close to negligible as you're likely to find anywhere.

There are quiet disks and noisy disks... Naim uses the quiet, long life variety... another reason, no doubt, for the price of the HDX in the shops.    

Your PC probably (in fact definitely) uses a disk that's further down the 'quality scale'... there's really no comparison  (as you'll discover when your HDX arrives).

Hope you get as much pleasure from your HDX as mine provides to me.

Roger 

Now, this is going to get confusing. We have the esteemed GraemeH, and now we have Graeme H....

I wouldn't get an HDX. An NDX and a nas will be more future proof and will very likely sound better too. 

I think I can understand why a purist would favour that option: keeping music storage and playback apart, but as one who has only average IT capabilities I am tempted by the turnkey simplicity of the HDX option. Thanks though (and apologies for the user name confusion!).

No comments on HDX, I don't have one. I use a MAC with Audirvana +2.

Regarding metadata editing : You can edit all fields, downloaded or ripped. I use Audirvana or xAct (free) to edit.  There are many apps that you can use Matadatics, Yate among others.

You can, in any field,  write what you want, in particular the composer could be John Doe or Doe, John or whatever.

For ripping I use XLD (free), and before ripping you can change image, and also review/modify metadata.

Regards.

Erich

Hard drive in my HDX is extremely quiet too. Much quieter than the qnap nas that failed on me twice and ended in the trash! although I did replace with a much quieter nas to store hi-res music on. The HDX does have a fan which adds a bit of noise, but I can only remember mine kicking in a couple of times.

Love the convenience of the HDX

be a bit careful if using HDX with a non Naim DAC. Mine sort of hiccuped every now  and again, and is currently back at naim having what my dealer tells me is a known fix implemented. 

Graeme - you need to bear in mind that even if you get the HDX, you will still need a nas to enable you to back up your music. When I had a UnitiServe, setting this backup routine was the trickiest thing I had to do - setting up a standalone NAS was far easier. 

Regarding metadata, you can only adjust the Naim rips with Naim's own nServe app, or via the desktop client. You can however edit those in the downloads folder. The Naim rips can be automatically backed up to NAS, whereas thowe in the downloads folder cannot - they have to be done manually. 

Bear in mind that you can set upnp server software such as Minimserver to change the way bands and artists are shown, with no need to edit the metadata - for example The Smiths are shown as Smiths, The which means I can find them under S rather than T. Without this, hundreds of albums are shown under T. The Naim software on the HDX cannot do this. 

Naim have been steadily improving the functionality and sound of the streamers, for example adding Spotify and the new BBC HLS stations, but have not brought these to the UnitiServe or HDX.

You don't say Whay your system is, and it might be helpful. Say for example you had a 202 preamp - you could think of getting a 272, which would give you what the NDX gives, and is a better preamp too. 

All that said, the HDX is a fantastically easy way to rip albums, but beware of its limitations. 

Hope that helps. 

I am unable to tell a difference in sound quality between HDX and NDX. Therefore, on a cost basis alone the HDX looks expensive.

When our HDX-HDD turned up some years back I immediately compared the sound of internal HDD playback with NAS and found no difference. I was nervous about storing my music inside the HDX and I believed that running a NAS gave me better chances of success with disaster recovery.  The SSD version of the HDX came out subsequently and we had ours converted.

When it comes to HDD failure the question is when as opposed to if. Besides which, do you want to have to send your HDX away to (hopefully) get your music back when you could recover everything in a few hours at home? Nowadays you have the option of backing up your HDX to a NAS so this is more moot. Which brings us to the next consideration.

The HDX is mechanically and electrically noisy. There is no getting away from this or getting round it. It produces low level EMR and is best positioned off the rack. Two feet will do it, more if possible. This is a Naim (Jason) recommendation. Another Naim recommendation published in a past edition of their newsletter is to get the SSD version if practical because the lower internal noise and vibration gives better sonic performance.

For me the crunch came when my HDX failed and I was “forced” to feed my NDS with music via a NAS based software server – Minimserver, although I now run Asset alongside it. The HDX was getting in the way and not to a small extent. I asked the dealer to keep it and sell it. And despite keeping it in a well ventilated place and doing my best to look after it, it still failed (bad boot sector on the SSD) because all PCs eventually do.

As an all in one solution which can even play CDs, which is charmingly retro, the HDX is good bur still expensive for what it is. A streamer run off a NAS with uPnP server in situ will probably sound better (I’d say certainly but it’s different for everyone) and will be cheaper.

+10 - Spend your money downstream.

I would consider a Naim streamer such as NDX or 272 rather than HDX for the following reasons:

-They have more support for new developments such as DSD format, iRadio, Web streaming.

-They nearly all include an FM module, either as standard or as an optional extra; this will give you much higher quality than iRadio can provide, which I imagine is a high priority for a R3 listener.

-As you're also getting a Unitilite, you'll be able to control both units from the same app, and use multi-room mode if you want.

-Both streamers can access a single NAS which can be located anywhere you like as long as it has a wired network connection. You can put it on or beside a hifi rack if you want, or hide it in a cupboard elsewhere.

As you have a large CD collection to rip, I would suggest a Naim Unitiserve as the easiest way to do this. Like the HDX, you just connect it up and start sticking your CDs in it, and if this is all new to you, you won't find a quicker, easier way to rip your collection. Once you've done that, you may choose, as others have, to transfer the music to a regular NAS and spend the cash elsewhere.

Good luck!

I’ve had the SSD version for just over 4 years. Like you I wanted something that was simple and straightforward to use – an easy way to bridge from CD to downloads.

In the main it as delivered. Over time software updates have improved both its stability and functionality and I have found the sound quality to be excellent – certainly better than the CDX2 I had for several years. I partner it with a Supernait and Allaes and it makes for a compact system. In terms of reliability my unit has had its moments having had both a faulty front display panel and power supply failure but somehow I can forgive it this. I shouldn’t – but I do.

I don’t regret getting the SSD version (as opposed to the one with the built in hard drive) but I can see the attraction of just the HDX and separate backup drive as opposed to HDX, NAS and backup to NAS.

However, many of us have the feeling that Naim has now gone cold on further development and it looks like we will not be getting streaming services (the likes of Spotify, Qobuz, Tidal etc.) and its not even clear if we will get the BBC HLS streams either. In spite of this I am confident that Naim will take care of the HDX as regards service and repair.

For that reason – unless I was  buying a demonstration or late used model at a good discount – I would not make it my first choice at full price unless I accepted these limitations upfront. However, anecdotally (from reading this forum), and lack of development aside, HDX owners seem to be a happy bunch and I count myself amongst them.

This was the tipping point for me also. Music streamed from the HDX sounded better than our CDX2. We ran them side by side for a year and the CDX2 ended up a paper weight - but it found a good home.

In those days it was US, HDX or NS. No dedicated streamers. More choice at more competitive prices nowadays.

Just to muddy the water further, I think it might be better to buy a Unitiserve than an HDX. You would get to save several thousand pounds immediately which you could spend on a streamer like the ND5 XS if you would like to keep the US away from your listening room. The streamer will give you FM, DAB (which you will probably never use) and iRadio including the BBC HLS streams if you are in the UK.  Also the streamers are what Naim is developing for streaming services and they have explained in this forum that developing the servers for streaming isn't something that makes sense to them. A good NAS for backup will cost only a few hundred pounds and Naim will help you set it up if you get really stuck (thank you for that Phil!). Using the US is a doddle.  It is effectively silent in use, albeit briefly noisy while it rips a CD. There is no fan.  The n-serve App on an iPad is an ideal way to control the ripping and you can edit the metadata if you want.  I rip a few discs one after the other and always edit the metadata and artwork in the same session, putting a little green sticker on the back of the CD case when I'm done. 

I use a Unitlite in my home office too, but if I were starting again, I would probably either use a UnitiQute 2 or a SuperUniti instead, depending how business was going at the time! if you have an HDX or a US you don't need the CD player, unless you want to play CDs that you won't want to rip.

So in summary, if you are thinking of an HDX for your main system and a Unitilite for your office, I suggest you consider a Unitiserve, an ND5 XS streamer, a Synology NAS for backup and a UnitiQute 2 which altogether ought to cost you a bit less.

i hope this helps

best

David

Thank you to everyone who replied.

To those who asked about my current system, I have an old (about 10years now) CD5X (with a HiCap), the classic NAC202/NAP200 combination, and a pair of B&W 804 Diamonds.

I have decided against the HDX. It does seem a lot of money for the convenience of a one-box solution nd I do worry about noise. What I am going to do instead is to get the Unitilite (which is a no brainer for my office - preferred over the Uniticute not so much because it plays CDs as for its slightly greater power that will better suit the speakers I want to use), together with a NAS drive and then see how I get on with ripping from my PC.

If that works out then I will get an NDX. If it doesn't then I'll think again and the worst-case scenario is simply writing off the cost of the NAS.

Thanks again.

It's always handy to have a nas around for your backups.  No matter how you store music, you need to back it up.  Even one nas to another (or to usb drives).  If you end up getting an HDX you'll need the nas for backups anyway.  In the meantime you'll get up to speed on ripping and tagging and faffing about with a nas

OK - I've now bought a QNAP NAS and it seems to be set up and working fine as I learn how to use it. In anticipation of delivery of the Unitilite I am starting to put some music on it.

But I have one question that the online user manuals don't answer - probably because it is a very stupid question that nobody has asked before.

Is it normal practice to keep the NAS drive powered up, as you would a server, or do you turn it on and off as needed? I will only be using it to store music for playback.

As you will guess, I am a music/HiFi person not an IT geek.

Thanks

Graeme

You can do either Graeme. I have mine (a ReadyNAS NV+) running on a power scheduler (built into the NAS) that allows me to set time for the it to power on and off. In the week it powers up before i get home from work and then powers off around midnight and then is on all day during the weekends. If i need it on earlier then i just press the power button and it boots within a minute or two and then turns off as scheduled. 

There are no reasons for it to be on at any other time (unless i'm doing a backup to an external drive) so it saves wasting energy leaving it powered all the time 

I think you may get a range of answers to this question! It the NAS in question is designed to be left on 24/7 then personally I would do that because electronic equipment is most stressed at switch on and so  something that is turned on and off often is more likely to fail than something left on permanently, especially if it is designed either to hibernate or just to keep running.

I don't know about the QNAP NAS in particular, and I expect someone else here will, but I run my Synology NAS with WD Red drives 24/7 even though it's only used for automatic backup once a week.

Keeping something on all the time will use a bit more electrical power, but you will be leaving the Unitilite on all the time anyway, won't you?

best

David

This could get confusing...particularly if I chime in about my old HDX, present NDX or ....etc, etc.

Welcome Graeme H,

GraemeH

You can please yourself. I keep mine awake 24/7 because they don't do much and run quietly. It is my experience that the majority of hardware including HDD failures happen at startup. So I don't spike them with power cycles too often, same as the HiFi system.

+1

Absolutely right Harry.   Perceived wisdom in IT circles is to keep disks (hard drives) running continuously.  If a hard drive could smile, that's what would make it smile 

Again thanks. I was asking about turning off and on primarily because of noise. While the QNAP is pretty quiet there is a gentle background hum (from the fan I guess) and I am hypersensitive to these things. The NAS is not in my main listening space but in my office where I do also listen to music. But if it does bother me I can put it away in a cupboard with no problem.

Now my next headache (I am starting to think I should just spend my money upgrading the CD player!). I have installed dbPoweramp which seems to be a highly rated way of ripping and I tested it with a first CD. It ripped it quickly, sounds good (as best as I can tell through my PC anyway) and found the album art and good metadata. Then I tried copying it onto the QNAP. All the tracks were there but only as individual songs, not as an album, and the cover art was missing. This happened both when I cut and pasted the folder in Windows Explorer and when I tried uploading the tracks using the QNAP browser interface.

Kind people, any idea of what I am doing wrong?

Graeme

Assuming the tracks are all in the same directory and that the directory was copied to the QNAP.

The cover art is a jpg file which should be in the same directory as the tracks and called folder.jpg.

If the tracks are “floating free” the uPnP server has failed to pick up the “Album” tag. So check that the album field in the tag editor contains the name of the album. I also delete “Album Artist” if present and just use the “Artist” tag.

Don’t necessarily accept the dBpoweramp default tags when ripping. It only takes a few seconds to alter them to say exactly what you want to.

The issue you are experiencing is almost certainly about the tags.  Personally I would use dBpoweramp to strip them out and add my own. Leaving the tags for track title and # intact if they are correct.

Thanks Harry. I must admit that I am baffled at the moment.

I've ripped two trial discs at the moment. In both cases dBpoweramp finds everything and all looks well. On the QNAP they appear in the file station with a folder for the artist, a sub-folder for the album and then the tracks (plus jpg) within that sub-folder. And yet within Music Station they are all unknown artist, unknown album. Changing the default tags doesn't seem to have made any difference.

Graeme

As I use a Unitiserve, I can't help you much with this problem, but as you are going to listen to these on a Unitilite, I wondered whether you had looked at what is on the QNAP using the naim App (which actually talks to the Unitilite rather than the QNAP)? Also if you use the front panel display on the Unitilite and the remote control, do these tracks still show up as separate items?

best

David