Firmware updates in 21st Century

Posted by: Tog on 24 July 2012

How is it that Cambridge Audio can update firmware via the internet for their "stream magic" brand and Naim cannot - just a thought.

Tog
Posted on: 24 July 2012 by james n

Although they rather shot themselves in the foot with no support for gapless on the first release - not very 21st Century.

 

If the Mdac thread on the other forum is anything to go by, they need a quick way of updating software - Very buggy (great design, cheap chinese build....) with a lot of testing done by their customers.

 

You pays your money etc...

Posted on: 24 July 2012 by Jon Myles
Tog Naim's update strategy seems more bizarre by the day. On the one hand they embrace streaming, on the other they seem to restrict updates to a certain platform or a visit-to-dealer strategy. To me, it makes no sense. Especially so as it is easy to implement. I do think there is a thin line between 'this is best for sound' and being wilfully obdurate. At present I have a mix of Naim and Linn. The Linn is there purely because I can update easily over the internet. Unfortunately, I cannot listen to any of it at the moment as I'm flat on my back with a neck injury. But I'm dreaming that when I get home Naim has moved on to meet my expectations.
Posted on: 24 July 2012 by Jan-Erik Nordoen

I'm fully bilingual, since I have both the Naim DAC and the M-DAC. I've never updated the nDAC firmware - I got as far as downloading the file, but never felt the need to go all the way, as there are no reported improvements in SQ (I don't do FLAC). However, I've regularly updated the M-DAC firmware because of reported improvements in sound quality and useful improvements in functionality, like display dimming.

 

The update strategy is surely secondary to the reason for updating. Now if Naim were to offer a FW update for the nDAC providing volume attenuation in the digital domain, with no loss of SQ, I would certainly appreciate the ability to do so via the internet. That Naim don't offer internet updating suggests one of two things to me, either that there are very few SQ or functionality improvements possible, or that these are possible but not desirable from a marketing POV, in order not to upset the SQ hierarchy.

 

Just musing,

 

Jan     

Posted on: 25 July 2012 by Jon Myles
Jan With all respect, you've missed the point. Naim make updates available in their website which offer both SQ and functionality improvements. They are Windows-specific. Mac users are out. Naim's only advice on this is to "borrow" a friend's PC. The fault here lies not in what Naim deems best but in the way the original software was implemented and a (seemingly) lack of desire to improve the situation. As I've said before: I find it bizarre that n-Stream only works on iOS devices yet updates to Naim's streaming devices are Windows-dependent. Naim has never explained this anomaly. Nor do I expect them to, because, frankly, it's a dumb mistake and too late to change. I'll repeat a scenario: Salesman: "You can control all these products from your iPhone with the free Naim App." Customer: "Great. And if updates are released I can download them?" Salesman: "Of course. If you have a Windows machine." Customer: "I don't." Salesman: "Well, pop it back to us and we'll do it." Customer: "OK. I'll pay petrol, congestion charge, parking to get a simple upgrade? Minimum £100. "I see Linn do it for free via internet. On a Mac." Decision? Leave it to you. Jon