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Naim HDX

MichaelC

MichaelC

pfm Member
Starbuck's thread has got me thinking...

I don't want to get involved with computers etc and linking them to the hifi, which makes the HDX an interesting proposition. How does the sound quality of the HDX compare to, say the CDX2, CDS3, CD555?
 
It compares very well actually,I sold a CDX 2 and replaced it with an HDX and I much preferred it,use your own ears to make the decision not someone's elses.
 
The later versions are pretty good - e.g. SSD and are a relaxing listen. They remind me of the Old CDI only better. perhaps as good as an old CDS , I've had both and still have a HDX but it now feeds a NDS and Teddydac. Have a listen, I'd recommend you buy from a dealer who can help set the system up though. They are good value 2nd hand now.
 
I've always liked the HDX - got me into streaming, without too much pain. An HDX/DAC/555PS sounded good enough for me to sell the CD555, before the price fell through the floor.
Moved on to a KDS, now that I have a handle on servers, uPnP, networking and all that jazz
 
If you don't fancy ripping and all the aggravation, and considering that cds are a vanishing technology, why not look at cloud streaming? Tidal and Qobuz give you cd quality, stored in God's NDX in the cloud. All you'd need to get into the game would be a Sonos for small hundreds. You could do worse than get a trial subscription and see how many of the cds you own are available to stream.
 
If you possibly can, the only sure thing is to listen for yourself. For me, the HDX held its own against a CDX2 just fine. I ran them both side by side for a year before moving on the CDX2. The HDX is just as positively susceptible to potential upgrades (if you want to go there) as the CDX2. What the CDX2 cannot do is open the door into the world of higher than 16/44 resolution. And that’s significant for some.
 
Harry said:
If you possibly can, the only sure thing is to listen for yourself
Click to expand...

Very sensible advice - only you can decide if it sounds good to your ears.

FWIW, I previously had a CDX2 and struggled to find any computer audio solution that sounded even remotely as engaging to my ears. I tried nDac, nDac/555PS, NDX, NDX/555PS as well as a number of the 'flavour of the month' DACs that come and go.

I ended up buying a HDX and, partnered with a Teddy XPS, it has been with me for around 12 months now and it has been one of the best purchases I've ever made. It constantly amazes me with the level of detail I hear but yet it is always engaging musically.
 
Was at a dealer friends place in the week where he was playing an HDX into NDX with 282/HCDR/250 and PMC 26's. I thought it was boring and unengaging. He thought it sounded OK along with his business partner, who is a real streaming enthusiast. I suggested they play the same music on a CD5si (1K) and compared it to the 8K's worth of streaming front end. Having done this in another dealership who are pro streaming i was confident of the outcome. Both of them laughed out loud and said the CD player was miles more engaging. The business partner said he now has zero interest in streaming and was cursing the fact that he had sold off all his CD's. I have never thought streaming to be engaging, ever.
 
I replaced a CDS3 with an HDX about 2 years ago. Found it to be a worthy successor and my better half and I are very pleased with not having to faf around trying to find the cd we want to listen to. The nServe app works well!
We actually listen to more music together.
Peter
 
gary yeowell said:
Was at a dealer friends place in the week where he was playing an HDX into NDX with 282/HCDR/250 and PMC 26's. I thought it was boring and unengaging. He thought it sounded OK along with his business partner, who is a real streaming enthusiast. I suggested they play the same music on a CD5si (1K) and compared it to the 8K's worth of streaming front end. Having done this in another dealership who are pro streaming i was confident of the outcome. Both of them laughed out loud and said the CD player was miles more engaging. The business partner said he now has zero interest in streaming and was cursing the fact that he had sold off all his CD's. I have never thought streaming to be engaging, ever.
Click to expand...

The Naim streamer must be really poor.
Keith.
 
gary yeowell said:
Was at a dealer friends place in the week where he was playing an HDX into NDX
Click to expand...

Does that mean that the HDX was just serving the files over a network to the NDX so that it was the NDX's analogue output that was fed into the 282?

I owned an NDX for about 4 months and found when listening to an album that I tended to get bored halfway through. The HDX, on the other hand, can keep my attention for the whole album.
 
Dabbled in many Hi end Dacs/ streamer , but for me the CDS3 is something very special "sheer musicality", its still my favourite digital reference source(ps i have not heard a Cd555:rolleyes:) . Interestingly i had a friend over on Friday night who has an Lp12/ekos/arkiv , he left gobsmacked , just could not believe how good a CD player could sound :)
 
linntroika said:
Dabbled in many Hi end Dacs/ streamer , but for me the CDS3 is something very special "sheer musicality", its still my favourite digital reference source(ps i have not heard a Cd555:rolleyes:) . Interestingly i had a friend over on Friday night who has an Lp12/ekos/arkiv , he left gobsmacked , just could not believe how good a CD player could sound :)
Click to expand...

Happy to carry on with my CDS3 here too, not heard a digital source to match it yet, Dac or otherwise.
 
gary yeowell said:
Happy to carry on with my CDS3 here too, not heard a digital source to match it yet, Dac or otherwise.
Click to expand...

Then be happy, but justifying it with stuff about optical disc spinning somehow being superior to the same files served directly is absurd. My CDS3 was a fine player but if you can't find an alternative digital system to equal that - you are not trying very hard. If you are determined to stick to Naim then yes, the CDS3 will be hard to beat.
 
SteveS1 said:
Then be happy, but justifying it with stuff about optical disc spinning somehow being superior to the same files served directly is absurd. My CDS3 was a fine player but if you can't find an alternative digital system to equal that - you are not trying very hard.
Click to expand...

Don't have to justify it. Absurd as you think it is, i hear what i hear, and i'm not alone. End of.
 
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