Best digital stream player

Recommend you audition the Naim HDX. It is hands down the closest thing to a good quality vinyl front end I have ever heard.

Aside from the DAC implementation, what are these products doing to the digital stream that could impart their own sonic signature? When you install Windows, does the code change depending on if you're using an Asus DVD-ROM or a Toshiba one?

Rakuennow et al:

I am not nearly knowledgeable enough to answer your questions. But I can tell you this. Sonically and musically for the auditioning I have done, the Naim HDX is far better than the ARC CD8, the DCS Puccini or Scarlatti (Can't remember which I heard), and a Mac through a $17500 Wavelength DAC. And those are some great digital sources as we all know.

No more CDP purchases for me. I intend to get a Naim HDX in 2010!

What do you do when a hard drive in the HDX fails? Are they user replaceable with 3rd-party hard drives?

Pubul57:

The Naim HDX employs two 400 GB hard drives in its most basic configuration. Music is stored on the 1st hard drive and automatically backed up to the 2nd hard drive once every 24 hours at whatever time of day or night you select. You can use 3rd party hard drives to expand the basic configuration storage capacity, i.e., beyond 800 GB. I do not know if 3rd party hard drives can be used to replace a failed drive in the HDX unit itself. And even if it could be done, there could be warranty invalidation considerations associated with an owner servicing his/her equipment instead of allowing Naim to do so. I learned what I know about the Naim HDX from Don Better and from the Naim National Sales Manager at a special event at Don Better's home last fall. I will try to get an answer to your question from Don and update via a follow-up post to this thread.