Charlie's Streaming Adventure

In a long post, my thoughts and experiences as a newcomer to Naim UPnP streaming.  I share my experiences for whatever good they may be for others.  Perhaps some of you can enlighten me with your experience.  Perhaps Naim are listening, and will be (no doubt) improving their products and software.  This may be a difficult "conversation" due to my USA Pacific Northwest time zone, but here goes.

A Streaming Experiment

I was an early adopter of using a computer in my music system, starting with a squeezebox, and evolved to using a Macbook with iTunes to a DAC and into my Naim system.  The quality of my digital replay from files (ripped uncompressed from CD using dBPoweramp or XLD) soon surpassed my CDX + XPS, which I sold.  Until recently, my system consisted of 2008 MacBook, USB disk, iTunes, Audirvana + or Pure Music, TC Electronics Firewire interface, DC1 coax, nDAC, XPS2, 282 + (2)HiCap, 200, CP Dynamics speakers.  After helping a friend set up his UnitiQute, and upon seeing a used one at a good price, I purchased a UnitiQute:  

• partly because I was struggling with frustrating software compatibility issues between iTunes 11 and Audirvana + or Pure Music; 
• partly because I wanted to learn more about UPnP having been intrigued by nStream; 
• partly to compare sound quality using the UQ as streamer with digital output to nDAC + XPS; 
• and partly because I find the UQ to be an amazing and elegantly appealing bit of kit.

My interest was/is in BOTH sound quality improvement, but also in user interface and in the overall musical enjoyment experience.  Frankly, I was/am prepared to compromise the tiny last measure of sound quality for improvements in the overall experience.

For the price I paid, this is a low risk experiment - I will either keep the UQ as a streamer (in spite of the embarrassing waste of its nice DAC and integrated amp), sell it on (though I am loath to part with it), use it as a second system in family room (party mode), or gift it to my daughter.

Clearly the technology for digital music replay is evolving rapidly, is still in an awkward infancy, but promises much in musical enjoyment.  I have always been comfortable with computing, so I have a high tolerance for the challenges one can face at this stage of development.  Many of these challenges can be avoided by purchasing a UnitiServe or HDX - but for me I am inclined to invest that sum of money in a NAP250 or Supercap instead (or not spend the money!).

First, Sound Quality

When I started, I used my RCA - RCA Naim DC1 cable with the BNC adaptor on the UQ.  I manually switched the cable between my UQ and Macbook setup to compare music replay.  I later bought a BNC - BNC cable for the UQ, which I clearly prefer, and I can switch sources at the nDAC.  The UQ is wired to a Netgear network switch.  I have used two different servers:  1) A WinVista PC located upstairs, with files on a second internal 1TB drive, with AssetUPnP transcoding to wav; or 2) My MacBook, located in my listening room, wired to the same Netgear switch, running AssetUPnP on the Crossover WinXP simulation, serving files from an external USB 1 TB drive.

On first listening, comparing the Mac->DAC vs the UQ->DAC, both sounded very good and subtly different.  The differences became more obvious on extended listening. I immediately noticed and liked an aspect of the UQ/UPnP sound that I described as "solid."  Instruments and voices were a little more "coherent" and "stable" or "unwavering" in both space and timing or texture.  This is hard to describe.  The Mac->DAC seemed less "solid" and a tiny bit more "wavering" - not fuzzy, but less "anchored."  While I liked the "solid" "coherence" of the UQ/UPnP, the Mac->DAC seemed more "alive" in the way that vinyl playback can be (perhaps not at vinyl's best).  The UQ/UPnP was solid in a very slightly mechanical way, and the Mac-DAC playback was a little more fluid and musically engaging.  My first impression was:  this is a toss up.  Both are good in different ways.

In the following week the (previously used) UQ warmed up, I acquired the BNC cable, and perhaps most importantly I updated the UQ firmware from 3.12 (or was it 3.13?) to 3.17.  The result was that the "solidity" of the UQ/UPnP playback lost it's tiny "mechanical" nature and became for fluid and natural.  I have trouble describing the differences, but I find I definitely prefer the sound of the UPnP streaming with the UQ.  The difference is small enough that my final decision will likely be based on convenience and software interface rather than SQ.  I think….

My Macbook is an early 2008 model (will not run Mointain Lion, so stuck at OSX 10.7.x), and the SPDIF output is from a firewire interface (does not support integer mode, for example), so it is possible that a new Mac Mini with optical out or with a USB Audiophila out could tip the balance in SQ.  And of course, one wonders whether an NDX would improve on the UQ as streamer - but this is not a value proposition from my point of view. To be honest, I tire a bit of chasing the last measure of sound quality - it all sounds really fine.  My friends who visit would think of me as quite crazy for needing to "improve" the sound of my music system.  I am guilty as charged.  But for now, I am quite focused on assessing the user interface for access to my music collection.

Software "User Experience"

I "grew up" on iTunes, which I personally like except: 1) i don't use it for ripping CD's; 2) it won't automatically change sample rates; 3) its playback sound quality can be improved.  Thus I must deal with third party software - this was made more challenging when iTunes 11 was released, but perhaps these other vendors will catch up soon.

I was enthusiastic about n-Stream from my superficial first use of it.  It seemed quite smooth, and I loved my first encounter with the Rovi All-Music data base.  After living with n-Stream for several weeks I mostly like it but have the following issues:

• The Rovi metadata is sometimes really nice and sometimes very superficial: no lyrics, no track credits (composer? vocals? piano? guitar?…etc).  Similar albums or artist are often lame.

• Playlists are essentially non-existent - they are ephemeral, not saved in library.  The interface for creation is fine, but they reside on my iPad and are destroyed by a library rescan.

• I really miss these "must have" features (for me) from iTunes:  1) ability to rate the playing music track, 2) ability to create "genius playlist" of music which is "similar to" a selected track. 

• In the UPnP concept, one interacts with both a control point (n-Stream) AND a server (AssetUPnP, or similar).  I guess this is a sales pitch for the HDX or UnityServe - but in my case I am interacting with two software vendors.

• I rarely will use Airplay to duplicate my music in the family room system with AppleTV to non-Naim system.  This has been addressed by new Party Mode if I can afford a second Naim player.  Hmmmm…

Given my inexperience with UPnP, I am climbing a learning curve regarding servers.  This is admittedly complicated by my preference for Mac (Hi, Patrick - hope you are doing well!)  ;0)

UPnP Servers

As I mentioned, I started with Asset on a Vista PC.  I prefer not to use this system because:  it is located upstairs; it uses a copy of my music library; and mostly because Vista is a PITA.  So I could put Win7 on it, move it, buy an NAS, etc  but for now I am trying to get by with my Macbook.  I think when AssetUPnP is finally released for Mac, this will be better.  

I have used Asset running in Crossover, but it has many issues - perhaps due to my older OS?  Not all of my playlists are listed (playlists created in iTunes, exported, then edited because of difference in file path in OSX vs WinXP/Crossover).  Asset is very slow to notice added new music files, and produces errors on rescanning.  Perhaps JRiver will be a solution on the Mac, but I have not yet tried that.  Given the "Must Have" features noted above, and a desire to create permanent playlists, I could go on about my server adventures, but it tires even me to go on...

My Current Compromise

My current compromise is as follows:  I run the UPnP server "Playback" on my Mac.  Playback uses my iTunes library, which I create by ripping with XLD and manage with iTunes.  As I said, my Macbook is in the listening room, so I can go to the Macbook to rate songs as favorites (1 to 5 stars), create Genius or other playlists.  I simply export the playlists from iTunes, then the server picks them up and I can select them from nStream.  

Since the UQ does not support automation, I have to use the 282 remote to change volume - but this is no big deal for me at this time.

I can change DAC inputs to select my Macbook, which I use for Pandora, YouTube, and preview listening on Amazon, HDTracks, Naim Label, etc. I sometimes just go back to playing my music with iTunes.  Also, with Airplay I can play the same music in the family room system for parties.

I occasionally use the iRadio on UQ, and visitors can plug their iPods into the UQ, for which we like the nStream on iPad interface (this is worth the small SQ compromise if any from plugging iPod into the DAC USB port). 

Playback has its limitations:  no transcode to wav for small SQ boost; no replay gain for the occasional overblown-compressed track in a playlist;  no 24 bit palyback, for small SQ boost.  Disconcertingly, Playback sometimes does not list all of my music tracks.  I haven't figured this out yet - I can use the directory/folder listing to find and play them, but this annoying.

I am very much enjoying my music, and I just can't see letting go of this delightful UnitQute.  But I am somewhat in limbo, waiting for Naim to add my "Must Have Features" to n-Stream, and for other developers to evolve their servers.   If this takes too long, I may give up on UPnP, but for now I persevere.