why again are Naim streamers not supporting Spotify?

And you're not alone. I get round it via iPad and Apple TV, but Naim do seem slow to add functionality. Anyone remember Airplay?

If Naim supported Spotify, I'd buy 2 Unitiqutes tomorrow to replace my Sonos amps.

That is the one thing that has stopped me investing in a naim streamer. Poor functionality compared to other products. Sonos is superb

Why should a Premium Hi-Fi product like Naim Streamers support a Low Fi product like Spotify ?

Naim streamers only really give their best when fed High Res Music

I'm a fan of Spotify but Naim are putting their money on Qobuz (Hi-res) coming to a streamer near you next Mon 2 Dec.

Because it's a great way of hearing new music and, in this hobby, I still think that ought to be a major concern of anyone involved. It's functionality that is expected of streamers.

It doesn't have to give its best when playing Spotify - just playing it would be great for that usage.

I end up getting a Naim streamer because I wanted the digital inputs as well and digital audio is a very secondary source in my system (meaning I didn't want to spend DSM bucks on it), but the fact that I'll have to get an Apple TV irks me.

While I have proved to myself by A/B testing that 320k isn't as good as CD quality, it really isn't that bad, obviously nowhere near high res but perfectly adequate for either checking an album out, or casual listening. Somewhere between 192 and 320, something rather good seems to happen.

The streamers and servers already support internet radio -- which is also a Low Fi product.  So that cannot be the answer

And you know this for sure?

Naim is listed amongst the companies that will be integrating the Quobuz API into their streamers. 

More here (in French)

http://blogs.qobuz.com/qobuzbl...-futurs-innovations/

Really?  For what other purpose are those optical digital inputs provided?

I just have a problem understanding why people with streamers + iPads + discretionary income problems issue with Naim not providing spotify.  Is the Apple TV solution not reasonable enough?  You can rename the input from Digital 3 to Spotify.  The Spotify ipad app is also very high quality.  There really is not much to be gained through native Naim support.

My opinion obviously... But I suspect Naim has a similar view.

That's what it says:

http://www.qobuz.com/uploads/c...ease-20131024-UK.pdf

I would much rather not have to deal with another box plus its set of cables.

The iPad Spotify app is totally fine, and one could just use Naim's Airplay support to stream it directly - if it existed.

On the discretionary income point, Naim's Managing Director reported to What Hifi that Airplay would be available in Q1 2012 via a simple firmware update.  I (and perhaps others) bought Naim equipment  relying on this statement.  I consider Airplay to be bought, paid for, yet undelivered.  I don't think it is reasonable to require additional equipment to serve as a crutch given that airplay is supposed to be native at this point (according to Naim).  

Good point Kevin. I think I have to put my doubts aside. During the home demo i just listened to Spotify for maybe 30 minutes and the rest of the time I was rediscovering my CD collection (+600 albums), now in FLAC. For me, Spotify is a way to discover new music and for casual listening. Maybe something like an Arcam bluetooth DAC or an Apple TV is the way to go for integration of Spotify with naim streamers (for me that is..)

Indeed - just for reference, one of the mentions of Airplay support: http://www.whathifi.com/news/m...reaming-player-range

If there is any one reason why AirPlay ought to be integrated, it's the fact that it was promised.

The Apple TV / Airport Express sounds Excellent.  Yes you need to send it from your iPad or a computer but it works very well.  The Spotify App is better than anything Naim would include in n-Stream.  The ND5 is great for what it offers.

Exactly so.

For me, there's a sizeable gap between Spotify via Airplay (Apple TV) and the USB on the front of the DAC. Presumably, Bluetooth from the iPad is worse as it's limited to 128kb/s. I'm upgrading to the NDS, but the USB input doesn't work with Apple products so it's the drDock for me unless/until Naim address whatever it is that makes developing their software so painfully slow.

Keith

The Apple solution does not rely on BlueTooth.  It uses WiFi.  You can stream full quality Spotify from iPad to Apple TV / Airport Express.

Hi Kevin,

I know and I do, but it doesn't sound as good as when directly connected to the DAC.

If the streamer had Spotify embedded it's the same and better than direct connection. There's Spotify Connect now too.

Keith

That's a bit of an overstatement. I think they sound exceptionally good with standard CD rips as well and make some 320 kbps streams sound rather good too. As to hires, well some will sound very good other hires files will not automatically sound better than their original CD file counterpart. Any streamer will sound its best with a good hires file, not just Naim.

As to Spotify, why then do they enable Internet radio at all and rave so much about Radio Paradise? They stream at 320kbps.

It would be interesting to know whether Linn support Spotify? It's a great service and there's no apparent reason why Naim should not support it, even if they planed to go with Qobuz.