quote=whathifi mag. This is Naim’s new HDX, launched today at the Munich High End Show and described as ‘the world’s first upgradable audiophile hard disk player. The £4500 unit, which will go into the shops in August, uses twin 400GB hard drives, one acting as a back-up for the other, and can be upgraded with the use of Naim’s XPS or PS555 external power supplies. unquote.
As an IT Consultant I've been involved in installing Music server systems for some years now, however it's beginning to look as if this business is being taken by Apple Computers that customers can easily install and configure themselves. Obviously anyone can build or buy a PC that will do all the Naim does and more for less money, but he'll need to be an expert.
However a friend of mine has just paid £769 for a remanufactured 20" iMac. It has a 700 Gig HD and came with a handset that controls Mac's excellent media program, Front Row, and this enables you to play all your Movies, purchased TV programs, to slide show your photographs accompanied by selections of your music, and play all your music whilst displaying its Artwork. It can stream to up to 10 rooms via Aiport Express Wireless 802.11N at £65 ea. and be remotely controlled by an iPod Touch that also surfs the net and provides a host of other functions for £200, or you can use a product like Sonos to stream 32 different tracks to 32 rooms if you need to. It also has Bluetooth to collect photos, music and movies from Phones etc.
And an iMac is a fast and easy to use computer that looks wonderful is beautifully made and part of a beautifully integrated Home Media System. Since most of the Music we buy is made on Mac computers and an Apple Mac Mini only costs £399 it is an ideal mechanism with which to store and play your favourite music, especially as all they all come with a digital output that can plug into a hi end DAC to sound as good as the best CD players.
For storage and backup a 1 terabyte hard disk only costs about £150, so they are easy to use for backups kept in the loft and 2 or 3 of them is affordable.
I was very disappointed when What Hi Fi reviewed AVI's ADM9s last year, that they didn't use a Mac and explain the benefits because in my opinion this is not the future of hi fi, it's what's been happening for a year or two.
I'm sure that the Naimnet will find a niche with up-market installers but for the real world it's yesterdays product because it doesn't deal with photographs, TV programs and Movies as well as music and because it doesn't have an iTunes interface.
And is is IMO ridiculously priced at £4500.
As an IT Consultant I've been involved in installing Music server systems for some years now, however it's beginning to look as if this business is being taken by Apple Computers that customers can easily install and configure themselves. Obviously anyone can build or buy a PC that will do all the Naim does and more for less money, but he'll need to be an expert.
However a friend of mine has just paid £769 for a remanufactured 20" iMac. It has a 700 Gig HD and came with a handset that controls Mac's excellent media program, Front Row, and this enables you to play all your Movies, purchased TV programs, to slide show your photographs accompanied by selections of your music, and play all your music whilst displaying its Artwork. It can stream to up to 10 rooms via Aiport Express Wireless 802.11N at £65 ea. and be remotely controlled by an iPod Touch that also surfs the net and provides a host of other functions for £200, or you can use a product like Sonos to stream 32 different tracks to 32 rooms if you need to. It also has Bluetooth to collect photos, music and movies from Phones etc.
And an iMac is a fast and easy to use computer that looks wonderful is beautifully made and part of a beautifully integrated Home Media System. Since most of the Music we buy is made on Mac computers and an Apple Mac Mini only costs £399 it is an ideal mechanism with which to store and play your favourite music, especially as all they all come with a digital output that can plug into a hi end DAC to sound as good as the best CD players.
For storage and backup a 1 terabyte hard disk only costs about £150, so they are easy to use for backups kept in the loft and 2 or 3 of them is affordable.
I was very disappointed when What Hi Fi reviewed AVI's ADM9s last year, that they didn't use a Mac and explain the benefits because in my opinion this is not the future of hi fi, it's what's been happening for a year or two.
I'm sure that the Naimnet will find a niche with up-market installers but for the real world it's yesterdays product because it doesn't deal with photographs, TV programs and Movies as well as music and because it doesn't have an iTunes interface.
And is is IMO ridiculously priced at £4500.
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