New Naim network players

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New Naim network players

Post by Matteo »

http://forums.naimaudio.com/topic/new-network-players

Naim has refreshed all its players with the three new ND555, NDX-2 and ND5 XS-2. NDS is now discountinued.

https://www.naimaudio.com/network-players

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Last edited by Matteo on 2018-02-23 14:24, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: New Naim network players

Post by Matteo »

I started a similar thread on the LiFo, in the network player section, but rapidly they moved it to off-topic ...

I owned in the past the ND5 XS, which was my first streamer (before I sold it to a Marco's friend and bought a KRDS/0 from him).

I liked it a lot and appreciated the digital input for dvd, tv, sky ... but also hated the Naim app and the tricky firmwares updates via usb ...

The prices of the new Naim network players are not known at the moment.

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Re: New Naim network players

Post by Matteo »

Added some pics from Bristol Show:

http://forums.naimaudio.com/topic/nds-l ... 6419204944

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Re: New Naim network players

Post by Matteo »

On the Naim forum there are some speculations regarding the fact that the top spec ND555 could be only a streamer without UpNp facility.

In my opinion (and this could be an advice for Fredrik's streamer project) the future of digital (and video) is only streaming (Spotify, Tidal etc.), with different subscriptions for Mp3, cd-quality or HD files.

I have Spotify Premium and regularly find on it 90% or more of what I' searching for.

I had more or less 400 cd's; I found circa 350 of them on Spotify.

I really never liked cd ripped via NAS, too much factors involved (ripping, NAS, router, back-up, UpNp ...).

For me a new streamer should have more streaming service possible (at least Spotify, Qobuz, Tidal, Dezeer and also Roon integration).

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Re: New Naim network players

Post by matthias »

Matteo wrote:On the Naim forum there are some speculations regarding the fact that the top spec ND555 could be only a streamer without UpNp facility.
Matteo,
thanks for the links.
In comparison to the Linn product range of streamers their products give me the impression of a complete mess.
There is no information about the facilities, inputs and outputs and no comparison tables, just some buzzwords.
Really disappointing.

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Re: New Naim network players

Post by ThomasOK »

Naim already has some basic info and photos of the new streamers up on their website.

https://www.naimaudio.com/network-players

It shows that all three streamers have the same capabilities including UPnP, Chromecast and Roon ready status. The top line ND555 needs the 555PS to run it, in true Naim tradition, whereas the others have internal power supplies.

Although this doesn't relate to the Naim announcement, Roon is making some big announcements at the show. The one of most interest to some here is that Roon will now work with Linn DS players. The DS units are not Roon ready but Roon has written some special kind of bridge software allowing Roon to work with Linns' implementation of UPnP. This is not unique to Linn as my understanding is Roon also had to write custom software to work with Devialet and Sonos. The main difference between the custom implementation and Roon ready status is the inability to sync multiple rooms wit other manufacturers gear. So while you can use Roon across multiple DS units in your house and sync them together, you wouldn't be able to sync a DS to a Bluesound or Naim streamer, for example. However, you can sync Bluesound, Naim, Chord, Oppo, etc. players together if desired.

Along with this support for Linn, Roon also just recently released the Nucleus and Nucleus+ units at $1400US and $2500US respectively. The Nucleus units are server/core units that serve up music from your NAS, Tidal, etc. onto your streaming devices. The difference between the two is that the Nucleus is designed to handle up to five zones whereas the Nucleus+ handles larger numbers of zones due to faster processing speed and more RAM. Both also have the option of internal SSD storage but they generally expect you will be using a NAS for storage. So Roon seems to be getting more prevalent. We just signed up with them and have received a Nucleus. I am looking forward to seeing how it works.
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Re: New Naim network players

Post by ThomasOK »

Another somewhat off-topic post related to the Bristol show and not the Naim streamers. I found it rather amusing, as did the people at What Hi*FI, that the Chord Cable company chose to make a major announcement of their new "revolutionary" ChordOhmic speaker cable plugs. What makes it more amusing is that it appears to be simply a silver plated Deltron banana with a fancy metal sleeve. AudioQuest has used silver plated connectors on their higher end cables for years and the Deltron banana is certainly not new. So it is interesting that a marriage of these two long-existing products would be considered revolutionary.
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Re: New Naim network players

Post by Matteo »

http://audiophilemusings.blogspot.it/20 ... t.html?m=1

Here the sunbeamgls report of Bristol show

Thanks

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Re: New Naim network players

Post by HansW »

ThomasOK wrote: Although this doesn't relate to the Naim announcement, Roon is making some big announcements at the show. The one of most interest to some here is that Roon will now work with Linn DS players. The DS units are not Roon ready but Roon has written some special kind of bridge software allowing Roon to work with Linns' implementation of UPnP.
That is very interesting. I haven’t been able to find out anything about this anywhere else. Do you know when this will be available? Will it require additional hardware?

Also, I am greatly looking forward to your views on the Nucleus.

I am very keen to find a simple way to implement Roon with my KDS.

Best regards

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Re: New Naim network players

Post by matthias »

HansW wrote: I am very keen to find a simple way to implement Roon with my KDS.
Have you tried the Sonore approach?

https://www.computeraudiophile.com/foru ... idge-beta/

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Re: New Naim network players

Post by macrotech2 »

matthias wrote:
HansW wrote: I am very keen to find a simple way to implement Roon with my KDS.
Have you tried the Sonore approach?

https://www.computeraudiophile.com/foru ... idge-beta/

Matt
On a more general note, have people here tried the Sonore + DAC approach? I'm considering trying this as an alternative to the Linn streaming approach (not necessarily for Roon, just generally).

What about experience with other network bridges like Auralic Aries and SoTW?

Then the question is what DAC to partner with.
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Re: New Naim network players

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matthias wrote:
HansW wrote: I am very keen to find a simple way to implement Roon with my KDS.
Have you tried the Sonore approach?

https://www.computeraudiophile.com/foru ... idge-beta/

Matt
Thanks for the tip but I am looking for a solution that doesn’t require extra hardware or more than a bare minimum of computer installation. That is why the Nucleus appeals to me. It may be more expensive than buying a small computer and downloading/installing bits and pieces but it seems like a simpler and more stable solution.

Best regards
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Re: New Naim network players

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HansW wrote: Thanks for the tip but I am looking for a solution that doesn’t require extra hardware or more than a bare minimum of computer installation. That is why the Nucleus appeals to me. It may be more expensive than buying a small computer and downloading/installing bits and pieces but it seems like a simpler and more stable solution.
AFAIK, the Nucleus does not work with a KDS.

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Re: New Naim network players

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matthias wrote:
HansW wrote: Thanks for the tip but I am looking for a solution that doesn’t require extra hardware or more than a bare minimum of computer installation. That is why the Nucleus appeals to me. It may be more expensive than buying a small computer and downloading/installing bits and pieces but it seems like a simpler and more stable solution.
AFAIK, the Nucleus does not work with a KDS.

Matt
I am hoping that the news I qouted from ThomasOK means that it will.

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Re: New Naim network players

Post by matthias »

HansW wrote:
matthias wrote:
HansW wrote: Thanks for the tip but I am looking for a solution that doesn’t require extra hardware or more than a bare minimum of computer installation. That is why the Nucleus appeals to me. It may be more expensive than buying a small computer and downloading/installing bits and pieces but it seems like a simpler and more stable solution.
AFAIK, the Nucleus does not work with a KDS.
I am hoping that the news I qouted from ThomasOK means that it will.
Maybe Thomas can shed some light on this?

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Re: New Naim network players

Post by ThomasOK »

It appears that I pre-announced this as I had been told it would be shown at Bristol. It is not quite ready yet but should be soon. I'll let you know when I have more info.
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Re: New Naim network players

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macrotech2 wrote: On a more general note, have people here tried the Sonore + DAC approach? I'm considering trying this as an alternative to the Linn streaming approach (not necessarily for Roon, just generally).

Then the question is what DAC to partner with.
For an alternative to Linn Katalyst I would try the Sonore Signature Rendu SE + Schiit Yggdrasil DAC.
Much less money than the DS.

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Re: New Naim network players

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matthias wrote:
macrotech2 wrote: On a more general note, have people here tried the Sonore + DAC approach? I'm considering trying this as an alternative to the Linn streaming approach (not necessarily for Roon, just generally).

Then the question is what DAC to partner with.
For an alternative to Linn Katalyst I would try the Sonore Signature Rendu SE + Schiit Yggdrasil DAC.
Much less money than the DS.

Matt
Thanks for the suggestion Matt.

I tried the Schiit Yggdrasil last year, but using my Oppo 105 as the "streamer". I love Schiit's attitude and thought the DAC was excellent, but the combination wasn't quite up to the DS/1 I had at the time. Excellent, considering the price differential though. I am wondering how much difference the Signature Rendu would make. Difficult for me to demo at home is the problem with these potentially better combinations.
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Re: New Naim network players

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macrotech2 wrote: I tried the Schiit Yggdrasil last year, but using my Oppo 105 as the "streamer". I love Schiit's attitude and thought the DAC was excellent, but the combination wasn't quite up to the DS/1 I had at the time. Excellent, considering the price differential though. I am wondering how much difference the Signature Rendu would make. Difficult for me to demo at home is the problem with these potentially better combinations.
The Yggdrasil now has a new "Analog2" upgrade and is much improved:

http://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/in ... 36/page-45

I consider to buy an Yggy in the new version too.
If the Signature Rendu is too expensive you can try an Sonore ultrarendu with a good power supply.
According to "source first" the streamer is more important than the DAC, so I would not use the Oppo.

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Re: New Naim network players

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matthias wrote:
macrotech2 wrote: I tried the Schiit Yggdrasil last year, but using my Oppo 105 as the "streamer". I love Schiit's attitude and thought the DAC was excellent, but the combination wasn't quite up to the DS/1 I had at the time. Excellent, considering the price differential though. I am wondering how much difference the Signature Rendu would make. Difficult for me to demo at home is the problem with these potentially better combinations.
The Yggdrasil now has a new "Analog2" upgrade and is much improved:

http://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/in ... 36/page-45

I consider to buy an Yggy in the new version too.
If the Signature Rendu is too expensive you can try an Sonore ultrarendu with a good power supply.
According to "source first" the streamer is more important than the DAC, so I would not use the Oppo.

Matt
Thanks Matt. Much food for thought. I would like to try the Auralic Aries and SoTM products as well. Then there are many DAC possibilities. I've heard the CAD DAC sounding superb on the end of their PC like source (which isn't a streamer though).

Perhaps a moderator should split out our conversation into a new thread, "Alternatives to Linn KDS" perhaps?
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Re: New Naim network players

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macrotech2 wrote: I would like to try the Auralic Aries and SoTM products as well. Then there are many DAC possibilities. I've heard the CAD DAC sounding superb on the end of their PC like source (which isn't a streamer though).

Perhaps a moderator should split out our conversation into a new thread, "Alternatives to Linn KDS" perhaps?
Besides Auralic, Sonore and SotM I would try the dCS Network Bridge and the Bricasti M5 as D-D-converters.

DACs with Ethernet input like KDS:
Bricasti M1 / Bricasti M12
dCS Rossini
Empirical Audio

IMO, the best Ethernet input board has Klimax Katalyst.

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Re: New Naim network players

Post by tokenbrit »

Wow - some of those make a Linn KDS look like a bargain. Does appear that you can put a streamer & a DAC together for 'reasonable' money, but doesn't seem to be that easy to hear combinations together, and the reviews that I found were written much more in terms of sound than musicality. It would be interesting to hear them against a tuned K/RDS though, and to find out if the latest Yggdrasil DAC really is 'the Schitt' :)
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Re: New Naim network players

Post by macrotech2 »

Then there's also a Melco to consider as a source. Chord DACS, the Brinkmann Nyquist and Vitus DAC/pre-amps.

So much choice, but not much chance to compare!
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Re: New Naim network players

Post by tokenbrit »

It's a few years after 2001...

Compare network players, HAL.
I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.
What's the problem?
I think you know what the problem is just as well as I do.
What are you talking about HAL?
This market is too important for me to allow you to jeopardise it.
I don't know what you are talking about HAL.
I know that you and Frank were planning to tunedem me. And I'm afraid that's something I cannot allow to happen.

:)
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Re: New Naim network players

Post by ThomasOK »

Oooh! Simaudio Moon makes their own separate network interface called the MiND.

Stop Dave
I'm afraid
Dave, my MiND is going
I can feel it
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