CD or harddrive?

Posted by: EJS on 07 October 2011

A question I have been pondering for some time now: keep CDX2 and HDX together, or go with one? The fact that they sounded so close made the question logical for me, and at the same time difficult to answer. In the end, CD has won out. Next to the ever so slightly more involving sound of the CDX2, I find the medium more convenient (absolutely detest the need for metadata editing, which proved a must for classical music). And any space issues have largely been addressed by using gatefold sleeves, which were purchased originally to allow me to store CDs in an economic manner after ripping them...

 

Today I've traded in my HDX for a Supercap, a powerigel and some bits. I feel quite good about having made this choice. Despite the fact that this was quite an expensive experience, no doubt in my mind anymore that I'll stick for CD for as long as my CDs hold out. 

 

Cheers,

EJ

 

PS the Supercap is a mind-blowing addition to the 282. Worth a separate post but there are already so many of those!

Posted on: 07 October 2011 by james n

Ah yes - the 282 sings on a Supercap. Enjoy 

 

James

Posted on: 07 October 2011 by sktn77a

I've wrestled with the same question for most of 2011.  I ended up going with the HDX and selling the CDX2 for a couple of reasons: 

1.  Uncertainty about the cost and level of support in the future for the CDX2 (or more specifically, the cost of upgrading a bad VAM1250 mechanism to the newer VAM1205) 

2.  My wife and kids' continual bitching about the slide out tray mechanism and puck (I wish I had a dollar for every time they put a CD in and forgot the puck......... Gaaahhh - this MP3 generation!) 

3.  A new 5 year warranty on the HDX (US warranty). 

4  Evolution (?!)

 

The consensus was that, sound wise, there was very little in it (slightly favoring the CDX2 but, to my 60 year old ears, probably not something I couldn't live with).  And I've made a pact with myself to live with and learn the user interface!

 

So, goodbye CDX2, hello HDX!

 

Keith

 

 

Posted on: 07 October 2011 by Guido Fawkes

> the cost of upgrading (???) a bad VAM1250 mechanism to the newer VAM1205 (or 1202?)

 

A bit like upgrading Patek Philippe to a Timex. 

 

VAM1250 one of the best Dutch transports ever made

VAM 1202 is cheap and PRC

 

Naim have to re-machine it to get a half decent sound from it 


I think EJ has made the right call, but I agree with you that these things must pass away: a bit like hard disks; keep plenty of back-ups  (I back up my downloads to CD). 

Posted on: 07 October 2011 by Alamanka

EJ,  you made the right decision by trading features that you did not really care about for a higher level of quality. Well done!

 

Streaming solutions are evolving. Economically, it is wiser to invest in the analog side (amp/speakers) of the system at the moment. The investment will be more durable.

 

Maybe you will consider a streaming solution again when your children grow up and start being interested in the system. But then you will then certainly find more affordable (and more modern) components than the HDX.

Posted on: 07 October 2011 by sktn77a
Originally Posted by Guido Fawkes:

> the cost of upgrading (???) a bad VAM1250 mechanism to the newer VAM1205 (or 1202?)

 

A bit like upgrading Patek Philippe to a Timex. 

 

VAM1250 one of the best Dutch transports ever made

VAM 1202 is cheap and PRC

 

Naim have to re-machine it to get a half decent sound from it 


I think EJ has made the right call, but I agree with you that these things must pass away: a bit like hard disks; keep plenty of back-ups  (I back up my downloads to CD). 

Sorry, yes, I meant the VAM1202.  The VAM1250 is in short supply and won't be available from NAIM as a repair item at some point in the future.  The solution will be to replace it with the 1202, probably requiring a replacement control board, also.  While it's good that Naim have a backup plan for a discontinued mechanism, it won't be cheap.

 

Yes, I plan on a network backup of the internal backup of the main drive!

 


 

Posted on: 07 October 2011 by Mr Underhill

EJ,

 

This seems to me to come down to what gives you most pleasure, and in stating that you prefer the CDX2 you have answered your question.

 

For me my NS01/nDAC beats any CD player I have owned, and having the files available for the family to use through various routes is an added bonus.

 

In fact I have thousands more LPs than CDs - BUT, I have more than doubled my CD collection since getting the NS01 - which answers the question for me!

 

M

Posted on: 07 October 2011 by Stoik

CD is not dead, and will certainly find a purpose for those who just want to keep their music playback plain simple to use. I'm now using mainly my SB Touch to play music, but I still have a CD player in my setup and it will sit there as long as I have a free input for it on my nDAC.

 

Good move for the Supercap.

 

Bye.

Posted on: 09 October 2011 by Bart

Going with the source YOU prefer of course is the right solution for YOU

 

For me, starting anew building a system, I decided that freeing myself, my girlfriend, and my parlor (living room) of discs was highly desirable.  Yes there are a few hanging around, waiting to be ripped into my UnitiServ (or done ripping but not put back downstairs).  But for us, a hdd-based system seemed to make sense and we are quite happy with it.  (But I jumped at a used CD5 XS too and am glad it's in my system, albeit it a bit redundant.)

Posted on: 09 October 2011 by Klout10
Originally Posted by EJS:

A question I have been pondering for some time now: keep CDX2 and HDX together, or go with one? The fact that they sounded so close made the question logical for me, and at the same time difficult to answer. In the end, CD has won out. Next to the ever so slightly more involving sound of the CDX2, I find the medium more convenient (absolutely detest the need for metadata editing, which proved a must for classical music). And any space issues have largely been addressed by using gatefold sleeves, which were purchased originally to allow me to store CDs in an economic manner after ripping them...

 

Today I've traded in my HDX for a Supercap, a powerigel and some bits. I feel quite good about having made this choice. Despite the fact that this was quite an expensive experience, no doubt in my mind anymore that I'll stick for CD for as long as my CDs hold out. 

 

Cheers,

EJ

 

PS the Supercap is a mind-blowing addition to the 282. Worth a separate post but there are already so many of those!

Just out of curiousity, are you using a Hi-Line as well?

Regards,

Michel

Posted on: 09 October 2011 by Harry

Got to do what your ears tell you. I went through the same parallel evaluation for about a year, both into nDAC. As you say, expensive. But with conclusive results you at least know what's best for you. All the best with it.

Posted on: 09 October 2011 by EJS
Originally Posted by Klout10:
Originally Posted by EJS:

...

Just out of curiousity, are you using a Hi-Line as well?

Regards,

Michel

Michel,

 

No, the regular cables.

 

EJ

Posted on: 10 October 2011 by Massimo Bertola

I still love CD replay and am still considering an XPS2 for my CDX2, but I have to admit that in a careful and hopefully unbiased listening test I have done, a bare HDX has very slightly outperformed a bare CDX2, opening up a new line of doubt for me, who needed none..

Max