Are Naim streamers competitive

I have no first hand experience with a Naim streamer so can't answer on this but I have used Sonos into a CA DacMagic and its not upto it sonically in my view, however the Sonus interface just works as it should.

If Naim streamers sound the same or even close to their cd players then I could put up with a few clitches but I think in most cases clitches are ripping/user input related. It is still early days in streaming so I think any minor problems will settle down with some fine tuning or further development in the software.

In terms of convenience they are not competitive thus far. Even basic functions like FF/RWD, choosing tracks by numbers or pausing of podcasts are missing, not to mention advanced database functions like full text search through your collection.

Soundwise they are of course far superior to consumer products like Squeezebox or Sonos. But compared to older Naim products (heard CD5x, CDX2, HDX) the new digital generation (heard NDX, Superuniti, nDac) sounds IMO slightly artificial and 'HIFI-ish'. Like I wrote in another Superuniti thread: With the newer gear I know to hear a (very good) synthetic copy of the music but don't get the illusion of sitting in front of the band anymore. Maybe Naims 'zero jitter' technology isn't the last word in terms of naturalness. Hopefully NDS will be a step forward in this respect.

I don't use any of the Naim streaming products after auditioning the Unitiserve and the Uniqute over a year ago I purchased the Naim DAC and feed it from 2K+ ripped CD's stored on a QNAP NAS via a MacMini. IMO the DAC is the best part of the recent Naim digital products. I get a lot more realism, detail, sound staging and boogie factor out of my system now.

On the MacMini I use iTunes, Apple remote on iPad (great functionality)

I have not auditioned any of the more recent streaming products but looking at the posts on this forum I am glad I chose the route I did

Rest of the system is 282, 250-2, CDX, Rega P3, HiCap, XPS2. (250-2 added almost 2 weeks ago).

I agree with you that the nDac is the best of Naims recent digital products. My criticism regarding lacking naturalness aims primarily on the streamers (NDX, SuperUniti).

I guess I'll just stay with my SBT and CA DacMagic until the operating issues with Naim's streamers have been sorted out. I still wonder how people can pay this kinda money for a product which doesn't even have the most basic functionallities, which are standard with the competition.

I think people are prepared to pay for sound quality plus the Naim brand premium (which has a whole lot of issues wrapped up in it, including reputation, service, support etc.).  i also think many Naim buyers are early-adopters who are happy to work round the glitches to get things going.  I have upgraded the firmware on my Uniti and my DAC several times. Thirdly, there was some brand research recently that showed once you have bought a branded item there is a strong propensity to buy more items from the same brand.  Just look at the systems people own on this forum to confirm that.

Once again, the difference in sound quality is SUBSTANTIAL.  There is a trade off between functionality and sound quality, and folks balance them as best suits them.

I tend to listen to discs all the way thru, and so the functionality of nServe running my UnitiServe is OK with me.

And yes, the brand was important and having an all-Naim system, supported by my local dealer, had some value for me.

I've been a Naim user since 1981 and love the company and most of their products. I am lucky to have been able to climb the ladder to a 500 series system, and a second modest Naim based system, which both provide me with much musical pleasure.

I've been trying to 'get with the program' for a while and get my head around streaming devices. I continue to read about unreliability issues with the equipment, which is a turn-off.

But my main concern is - 'Who needs it?' A Hi-Fi streaming set-up is needlessly complicated.

After much discussion, deliberation, research, and experiencing friend's systems, I have purchased a MacMini, and an M2Tech 'Young' DAC. I have my digital music library on my iMac, mainly sourced from my ripped CD's in Apple Lossless. Having set-up and 'paired' my MacMini with my iMac, I have wirelessly transferred my music library onto the MacMini, and downloaded the free Apple 'Remote' app onto my iPad.

The MacMini connects to the DAC with a USB cable - I do not need to buy a NAS device - I do not need to route the data through a router (probably having to buy a better one) - I do not have to run cabling around the house, and I have the flexibility to upgrade the DAC if necessary.

I have been fortunate to receive assistance from friends who have taken this route, because unless one is totally au-fait with the arcane art of the computer, it's a bit scary to get it set up.

But ............ having done so - the Apple 'Remote' app is working flawlessly and simply, allowing me to access all the wonderful features of iTunes like 'Genius' to control musical selection from my iPad.

The latest MacMini (costing a relatively reasonable £529 in the UK) seems to be a pretty good quality musical data-storage device. The trick is to turn-off all unnecessary apps and progs and let it simply work as a dedicated iTunes server.

This approach works very well for me, adding another relatively simple, high quality flexible source to my vinyl and CD replay.

John.

I bought a Uniti in Dec 2009 and spent best part of a year messing around with different uPnP software products on both Mac and PC trying to get uPnP streaming working reliably - and failed (though I'm certainly not as techy as a lot of people who post here).

In December just gone I bought a UnitiServe.  Solved all problems streaming to the Uniti.  It just works - reliably.  And SQ is great - significantly better than I was getting streaming from iTunes (where I had all my CDs ripped as uncompressed WAV - so same format / bit rate as US), and better than the CD player in the Uniti.

nStream app also works fine in my experience.  I confess I had not noticed you cannot FF/rwd within a track.  Metadata is all present and correct - including genres.

Never having owned a Naim product prior to the Uniti I am now a definite convert, to both Naim and streaming audio.

I have no previous experience of streaming whatsoever and yet have found the transition totally straighforward

1. I bought a 4TB NAS (QNAP TS-212) for about £375 and connected it with the Ethernet cable to the Netgear router supplied by my broadband ISP
2. I then ripped (FLAC) all my CD's using dBpoweramp on my laptop and transferred them onto the NAS
3. I downloaded the PlugPlaer app onto my Android mobile phone (HTC Desire)
4. Connected my Naim ND5XS to the router using the Ethernet cable

It all works without any problem whatsoever an sounds superb!

Hope this helps

Ps ..... The NAS (QNAP) came with pre-installed Twonkymedia and it all works very smothly

I object to that. See Linn.

truthfully they all charge toooooo much

Mr Frog,  are you controlling your ND5 XS by means of the PlugPlayer? 

Yes and it works absolutely fine.

If I ever get an iPhone or iPad I'll look at the nStream, but for now PlugPayer works very well indeed

> Why have you bought your Naim streamer and didn't go for any of the other, better working, competitors?

Simples, I don't anything anywhere near as good as the Naim UnitiQute at under £2000. 

And the UQ doesn't cost anywhere near that. 

Just add Vortexbox to store music and stream it the UQ and it works perfectly using nStream

OR

simply plug in your SB Touch and use the interface you use now. 

You could substitute ND5/Nait XS for my UQ with even better results.

You'll never go near IAG Cambridge Audio again. 

All the best, Guy

Wow, steady on there Mr Frog…….You are in great danger of dispelling the strange myth that this is all some kind of magic.

Why buy Naim? Well firstly I’d say sound, then there’s their unrivalled service, oh, and the sound. The products are realistically priced and have an upgrade potential like no other I am aware of, and of course they sound so good.

If you have any particular needs they will go to extraordinary lengths to assist if they possibly can; did I mention the Sound?

Peter

I should have made it the trinity of variables -- functionality, sound quality, and cost.  Thanks, Rich!

Hi John

I already own Naim Nait XS,CD5i-2,MF V-DAC and i am tending to buy either ND5xs or M2tech Young dac.Have you compare these products?

Are you satisfied with Young DAC? I have already read in several forums very good reviews.Do you also have an extrenal power supply for Young dac,if yes which?

I m close to buy ND5XS but i find it a little pricey and as i live in Greece economic situation is not ideal.

Thanks for your time.

I also listen to audiobooks. Whenever I get distracted I need to go back 30 secs or so. This is why I keep pondering on ff/rew.

Are Naim streamers competitive? I guess they are if you like the Naim sound. I adore my NDX into NDAC/555PS, it truly is a fantastic music replay machine that goes hand in glove with the rest of my non Naim system.   I look forward to listening to it  to most evenings and weekends I am at home.

I listened to cheap squeezebox variants and a Linn ADS and KDS. As good as the last two Linn items were they really were not to my taste, and kind of left me emotionally unconnected.

Therefore for the amount of enjoyment my NaimAudiio equipment  gives me I'd say it's great value for money, but given the outlay audio clearly needs to be a big part of your life.... Certainly it's not a lifestyle fashion purchase.

Simon

@Richard Lord

Yes I'm using the optical out from the Mac Mini with a Chord company glass cable. Others like Guido Fawkes use  a different glass optical lead and others use USB/Hiface ...

I like to keep things simple and put less things in the way of the bitstream. I may try a different optical lead at some point if I can try it without spending any money but for now I am enjoying my system and won't be fiddling with it in a hurry.