Naim HDX music server

[sprint]

I am looking to get a music server to store my collection of CD's on with the ability to perhaps also at some stage store music downloaded directly form the web and also for listening to internet stations?

My preferred option is 'an all in one' device such as the Meridian Control 15, QAT MS5 or the Naim HDX operated via a remote tablet, apple or android?

They are all a hell of a price for what they are so a used or ex-demo may be a possible route if I decide to go that direction?

However, I would like to hear from anybody who has some user experience of the HDX as to it's overall usability, sound performance and problems experienced?

It is my understanding that you can only rip CD's to the HDX and that you cannot download and store files from the web either directly or from a USB memory stick?

It is also my understanding that the Naim unit rips and stores in WAV files and not in FLAC?

WAV files are uncompressed and as such will take up a lot more memory than compressed lossless FLAC files?

It is also my understanding that WAV files do not support tags?

If that is the case then the Naim unit is going to be at a severe disadvantage in supporting and providing the necessary album metadata which is fundamentally one of the main reasons for having a music server in the first place, naimly to be able to be able to select by artist, music type etc?

If that is correct then how do Naim overcome this problem and do they provide all the necessary album metadata automatically during the ripping and storing process or do you end up having to manually enter all the necessary data and info?

Are there better and cheaper 'all in one' devices available?

[DSJR]

You're right, these units ARE a hell of a price, especially when some of the IT experts here could probably do much the same for a few hundred quid. A "home brew" wouldn't look as good though.......

[RichB]

they are lovely but that price I'd just as soon have a laptop with a nice big hard drive, or build a nice quiet media server. At the moment I'm using a laptop with all my tunes on connected to my DAC, I use a google nexus 7 tablet with remote apps for Media Monkey and Spotify and find it all works very well but really the remote is just showing off, i often just select the tunes on the laptop itself and if i need to work away i can take it all with me and throw a pair of phones and a wee dac in the bag. Just more flexibility all round for less dollar.

[sprint]

Am now looking to put together a Vortexbox ripping/NAS unit which will most likely stream initially to a Logitech SB controlled with an android tablet.

Whilst I would like and all in one unit such as the HDX or Control 15 etc I just can't justify the cost.

[Ashmore]

This is exactly what I do and it works very well indeed, never misses a beat. My vortexbox is a little atom-based aleutia.