Decisions, Decisions. . .
Posted by: Richard Lord on 02 February 2012
Naim design some superb kit. But apart from the entry level stuff such as the Qute, once you begin to climb the ladder, it is assumed and expected you will progress to an analog preamp based system. Perhaps ending up with the 500 Classics series. Beautiful stuff, but at an eye watering cost.
I bought my existing Northstar Essensio DAC in the hope that after the outstanding reviews that the UniQute has received, Naim would capitalise on this success and bring out a more upmarket version. One that had the same high quality and easily read display, the same high quality remote volume control which is easily readable from across the room, but with their nDAC quality DAC inside. The one that up samples sixteen times, that uses flash memory to buffer and virtually remove jitter. Surely it was a no-brainer to do this? Apparently not. Instead they bring out ever more refined digital products that simply re-invent the wheel; so we see the DAC, NDX, ND5 XS and soon the NDS, I believe. Each able to be further upgraded by adding an external power supply. But not one is able to connect directly into a Naim power amp without a Naim analog preamp, which itself will benefit from the external power supply upgrade. What appears absurd to me, is how wasteful this process is. Imagine the extra cost of adding an analog volume control of similar quality as the one in the preamps. Trifling in comparison to adding the separate preamp and its associated power supply.
Have Naim lost the plot? Let us see, if you have the NDX (or whatever) streamer, its additional power supply, together with the nDAC and its additional power supply, a good quality preamp and its power supply, we are already up to six boxes and we have yet to add a power amp. Contrast that with say a professional quality DAC such as the Weiss DAC202. One box, it accepts digital PCM (via FireWire) from a computer and outputs analog directly to a power amp. One box versus six.
I am reminded of the recent news about Kodak. Remember film cameras? Kodak were synonymous with film, that was what made them rich and powerful. Did you know they invented digital photography? But in fear of the prospect of losing their film sales buried it. Unfortunately for them, they were right. Digital photography did indeed ruin their film sales, but not through their actions, but their non action. Had they accepted the inevitable when they invented it, they might have been able to survive in business, who knows? But they bet the farm on digital staying buried, but it did not. It was taken up by their competitors. Result? They have had to file for Chapter 11 protection from their creditors.
I suggest a similar situation exists within Naim. Obviously they did not invent digital audio, but they appear not to want to embrace digital as an independent system to integrate with their existing power amplifier base. It would seem they are rightly fearful that a high quality Qute might not generate the same level of margin that they have enjoyed in the past from their analog preamps. The digital side of the audiophile market works on tighter margins, just look at how much is being traded over the Net. Dealers are going out of business, all are finding trading conditions tough. But whether or not Naim do eventually bring out an up market Qute (and I certainly hope they will, sooner rather than later), the digital side of the audiophile industry will eventually dominate.
Meanwhile they are losing market share to their competitors. Just look at the number of companies now selling digital DACs of one sort or another. The Naim solution is a good one if you are prepared to spend shed loads of cash and accommodate six boxes of electronics, much of it redundant. Think of the redundant power supplies in the base units before the external supplies are added, think of the redundant engineering with all those metal cases, circuit boards, even DACs. All this is waste, utter waste. Future potential landfill.
There will always be a hard core of pure analog enthusiasts of course. Maybe Naim can survive on these enthusiasts alone. The CD is now virtually obsolescent and if not actually dead it is dying a slow steady death. More and more people are downloading music. This inevitably means it arrives in digital form.
In my humble opinion, many would like to see a complete digital preamp from Naim, a more advanced device that offers the sonic advantages of the nDAC but having the ability to accept a Sp/Dif from a computer and then output directly into a Naim power amp. Simplification, not a word much used by Naim.
I would be prepared to bet it would sell. It may not generate the magin's they have enjoyed in past years, but those days have gone forever. We cannot live on memories alone. To survive a business must adapt. Today the world is very fast changing, too fast for many to keep up.
Naim must adapt or die.
Richard
Ok, so let's say that you are the first ones and there are other people taking this train slower. Your demand for a pré with internal dac will probably born one day... 
(PinkHamster - please can you list your kit in your sig? I find it difficult to pigeonhole people without this...
Sometimes the least obvious is the perfect match!
Harry if we see the NDS approaching the quality of the NDAC, I doubt it will be a single off board powersupply, there will be two - perhaps one offboard and the other internal - one for digital and one for analogue. I am sure it is that that helps transform the NDAC to such an awesome machine, and why there is such a difference between using it with its own single interal powersupply and when you use it with adding an additional powersupply for the analogue sections.....
I agree with that principle. I have nothing against any of Naim's products being designed from the outset to require an external power source - if that is the way to achieve superior SQ.
My beef is against redundancy for its own sake. The purchase of a perfectly good device which when upgraded renders some of its internal electronics redundant, be it the power supply, the internal DAC or an internal power amp. In this regard I also believe it should be feasible to design the device to accept the output via USB directly from a computer. Not everyone wants to shell out money wastefully for streaming. The Apple designed iTunes is so user friendly and when mated with BitPerfect offers a superb user interface together with superb SQ. True it does not support Flac. But that is of concern only to those who have gone down the Flac route. Many are happy with Apple Lossless. Thus a Naim based system might consist of a MacBook (or Mac Mini) into a Naim digital Preamp into a Naim power amp. Everyone is free to choose the level of complexity they desire. Personally, I am certain I would be well satisfied with an XS level.
After reading more about Naim's products on their Website, I should modify my suggestion to develop a range of three digital preamps, it should be four! Then each would pair with their existing analog ranges, 500, Classic, XS and i series. So the 500 and possibly the Classic models would be two box devices from the outset.
If it genuinely sounds better, so be it .
A very interesting thread, thank you Richard 
Originally Posted by Edouard:Thank you, Edouard!
I have been struggling with this idea of wasteful redundancy for some time. The hierarchy at Naim are well aware of this stubbornness on my part to accept the status quo.
In a spirit of cooperation, I would like to embellish my previous thoughts.
Not everyone wants or needs streaming. Some, such as J.N. (see his posts above) want simplicity. He, like others including me, prefers a direct connection to a computer via USB. Others will want streaming from a dedicated network server and/or Internet radio and/or distributed multi room music. We are all different with different needs. In days gone by, we as a rule enjoyed our music in splendid isolation. Streaming the sound to different rooms meant running wires. Few audiophiles were very happy doing that. Nowadays it can be done easily and wirelessly, at least with Apples's products (I duck quickly before I am pelted with rotten vegetables ).
Seriously, as all our needs differ, I would suggest the simplest way to minimise waste and to cater for the various needs that digital technology now offers, Naim should design the digital preamp from the outset to be able to accept push in boards that offer wireless connectivity and Internet radio, etc. Maybe this approach should apply to having a USB input. These plugins would be ordinarily supplied and fitted by your dealer. Although I see no reason why they could not be designed to be user retro-fittable. They should be accessable without the need to open the case. In fact, this is in my opinion a mandatory requirement.
How to do this? Design the preamp such that the rear panel has in its default mode, blanking plates which can be removed by unscrewing a few fixing screws. Then the optional extra board, together with its backing plate (a single item) is slid into the empty compartment and plugs into a back plane. Remember this is a digital, not an analog connection. If the USB option is also on offer, then perhaps two or even three such adjacent compartments would be available. Naturally, the device could be ordered with these options ready fitted.
I suggest this would address those concerned about wasting resources on unnecessary extras. It would also be unique, so far as I am aware, but I am prepared to be corrected on this.
Expensive? Of course it will cost money. But Naim is not about cost cutting, but about offering the very best SQ available anywhere, period. This answers several issues; not just wastefulness. The wireless connectivity could be optimised (depending on choice of board) for different standards. Think how Apple appear to have ploughed their own furrow in this market. I know from my own experiences just how different their wireless management is to the present Naim system. But my proposal would offer an optimised board for Apple as well as the normal default standard. I know all OS are supposed to adhere to a common standard, but experience does not bare this out.
These are my thoughts. Some effort should go into the design to confer ruggedness and ease of access. One other advantage is this will allow future proofing against changing standards. This is not a minor consideration in this fast evolving era.
Richard
I was told this week by a Serial mutiple Naim box owner who has built his own DAC.
That the Weiss DAC splits its chip between the headphone socket and the other.
So if you get shot of the headphone socket it could sound better????????
Firewire connections are at the end of there road now.
So its game over for the Weiss at that price anyway.
Most choose what works best for them in their system.
I love the Naim DAC because i can feed it lots of sources and it never lets me down.
There is no better DAC than the one that works for you.
Stu.
I was told this week by a Serial mutiple Naim box owner who has built his own DAC.
That the Weiss DAC splits its chip between the headphone socket and the other.
So if you get shot of the headphone socket it could sound better????????
Firewire connections are at the end of there road now.
So its game over for the Weiss at that price anyway.
Most choose what works best for them in their system.
I love the Naim DAC because i can feed it lots of sources and it never lets me down.
There is no better DAC than the one that works for you.
Stu.
Phi Stu,
I don't know about the Weiss chip sharing duties, but never under estimate a small vigorous company's response to market forces. They now offer support for USB. From their Website:
"NEW: Now available with an additional USB input, the DAC202U"
This is the secret to commercial success. Be prepared to adapt your products. Those that are moribund or steeped in their own mystique go under.
Richard