Your opinion on the Naim matter!

[admin_exported]

Hello!

I am in two minds about Naim CD players, actually between CD5XS (which is already ordered and should arrive in couple of days) and HDX - hard disc player. Becides obvious price difference, I should say that HDX is ex-demo version and the dealer gave me a VERY good price for it, and CD5XS is brand new. I also ordered a power supply (Flat Cap XS) so that both CD5XS and FCXS can fit my Nait XS amp.

I am thinking of replacing CD5XS and Flat Cap XS and adding some more money to get ex-demo HDX which is brilliant! No more changing disc, simply make your own track list, great reviews in many magazines, more easy to party with my friends )

So please tell me your opinion about the matter... Should I keep the money and enjoy the XS series or enter the higher league?

Thanks!

Brando

 

[Anonymous]

Anybody??

 

[Craig M.]

i'd pair a mac mini with the naim dac. probably cheaper then a hdx, and the dac is meant to be quite a step up - sound wise. it shouldn't matter, but i've never been able to get excited about the hdx, purely on vfm grounds.

 

[crusaderlord]

it pretty much depends whether you love cd's as a source medium or whether your are happy ripping them all to files.

i cant speak from personal experience but i would stick with the cd player to be honest given the cost and doubt the hdx adds any more to cd player plus the flatcap in listening terms.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for reply guys!

DAC is a nice solution and I gave it much thought because not only it will be great to pair with computer, but will improve the sound of CD5XS.

As for the quality of HDX, I think that it is ranked much higher than CD5XS and is very near Naim's CDX2 which is twice more expensive than CD5XS.

 

[crusaderlord]

yes but your post said you would need to give up the flat cap as well as the cd player which would then make a difference compared to the hdx

maybe you should go a get a demo against each other so you know - but if you dont want cd changes any more than you may have answered your own question

 

[Anonymous]

The obvious drawback of the CD5XS is that it won't play Hi-res files...

Admittedly these are still in their infancy, but if you do have another demo, get your dealer to put a 24Bit file on the HDX...And then listen to the same track via CD on the CD5XS....I reckon this will make your mind up. Also gives you some future proof hardware for Hi-Res files to come...

Over-priced ?...Hmmm, Yeah, sure...Should the internal HDs be in there ? No....But, it's still a great machine if you can afford it.

As long as the next software update delivers what has been promised, it should finally be about there - and my credit card will finally come out of it's wallet !

As ever, demo and go with what you hear and like.

One final thing for you to mull over - go have a listen to a Linn DS (through Naim amps etc), probably the Akurate being on the same price point as HDX. You'll be very surprised.....As for the Klimax, well, it's in another league....

Steve.