NEW NAIM!

[znorter]

Sorry for the long post: copy&paste, nothing more...

 

Naim's world premier of their HDX (4000£) has a plethora of uses and upgradeable both in firmware and power supply. The HDX is a CD player/ripper, hard drive storage, external HD/Thumb reader via USB... and lots more! According to Naim, PCs have shown that a CD can be copied to hard drive within a couple of minutes. Unfortunately, due to the weak error correction system implemented on audio CDs, the resultant audio files can be not bit perfect. The issues can range from subtle but audible unnecessary interpolation, to random clicks and pops when copying used CDs. This type of ripping is known as “Burst mode” and assumes that the sectors being read from the disc are perfect; hence a fast copy can be achieved. Some mechanisms provide hardware-assisted correction in this mode, but typically it results in unnecessary interpolation of the audio, rather than trying techniques to get the real audio samples from the disc. The Naim audio servers use a superior technique called Secure Mode Ripping on a specially selected audio grade CD mechanism.

 

Secure mode works by using a CD mechanism that does not cache data and reads the sectors multiple times. It also uses the un-correctable C2 error feedback information supported by the CD mechanism, so known problematic areas can be re-read and handled accordingly. The Naim engine typically spins discs at peak speeds of 16x, but when problematic areas of the disc are reached, the disc rotation speed is reduced, as this can help on reading the data off the disc. Naim have developed a custom PCI audio driver to ensure correct bit for bit data is transferred to the audio environment. The PCI card is actually two six layer PCBs. Each PCB has been designed for high speed signal paths using the latest ECAD systems. Careful tracking design techniques are required to ensure the data in the parallel bus arrives at each PCI Audio controller without corruption. As with all high speed design the route of the tracks must ensure no overshoot or undershoot on the fast edges of digital signals. Ground planes are also utilized to reduce electromagnetic radiation.

 

Furthermore, the PCI card has separate regulation for each stage in the PCI card, there are four low noise regulated power supplies on the main PCI card; there are a further three on the PCI daughter. Only the PCI main is used in the HDX design. There are two Naim designed extremely low jitter auto switched master clocks on the PCI main board: 49.152MHz and 22.5702MHz. These clocks are separately buffered to each PCI Audio controller. DAC processing is via 24-bit/192kHz stereo and handles 400GB of data via a pair of hard drives. One for use, the other is for automatic backup. Color touch screen front panel, it'll play DVD-Audio, and formats it handles includes AAF, FLAC, wma, wav, AAC (m4a only), and mp3.

 

Lastly, other features include, but are not limited to:

 

Toroidal transformer - linear power supply - for audio with double regulation

Naim thru-hole component audio output stage

Naim Extended Music Database to easily find music

Multiple regulation for very low noise power supplies

Stream to up to 6 StreamNet devices

British design and built (umm, like Lucas refrigerators... my personal joke about warm beer)

Extremely Low Jitter

Multiple methods of control

Rich Metadata

Network Scanning

Plays portable music direct from drive

 

If it sounds like i like this device you'd be wrong. i simply love this unit and it is about time a high-end audio manufacturer offers these diverse features... especially wireless use, color touch screen and multiple USB drive input capability. Yes indeed, Enjoy the Music.com has reviewed various Naim products including their Naim Audio Nait 5 integrated amplifier, the Stageline Phono Stage and Flat-Cap 2 power supply, their CDSII CD player, for subwoofer the Naim N-Sat, and lastly the complete Naim X Series system.

 

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/high_end_2008/thursday/naim_hdx.jpg

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/high_end_2008/thursday/naim_hdx_rear.jpg

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

I've been looking into this one and contacting a few sources about it. Very expensive, but has some interesting technology. I'll post some info about it when I get the inside scoop :-)

 

Thanks znorter!