Spotify connect and bluetooth!

Interesting, if I am reading this correctly all units to include Bluetooth and Spotify connect, and the Qute 2 FM and DAB radio now an optional extra?  Presumably Spotify can be applied to existing streamers but Bluetooth can't.

Cool.. My UQ2 should pay a visit to AD soon then.

FM-DAB module now seems to be an extra for U2 too. Apparently only SU escapes from the axe of bean counters.. 

Not happy about this.  Even though I don't think much of Bluetooth, I'm still a bit peeved.  It looks like only Spotify will be available to the existing customers and not Bluetooth.  I really hope this is not true and Naim would provide a simple pcp upgrade for the existing customers.  I just bought a SuperUniti and have one from last year.

Well... bluetooth would require new hardware....

I guess, out of goodwill they could trace a line and say "From this date onwards, whoever bought a unit... will have the upgrade free" and that would make sense...  Design and tech moves on... providing a free and blanket upgrade to 'all customers' makes little business sense... But I see what you're saying. I am not into BT either, but the Spotify Connect? I'v been waiting for that since day one! 

Only the SuperUniti will be supplied with DAB/FM as standard, which (frankly) is not a big deal as nearly every FM radio station presents an Internet Radio feed (and as we have no DAB radio variants over here in the States).

In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if it sounds better, to be honest, without the radio module in place!

I guess we all hoped some of the Mu-so's features would turn up in existing/updated products. From a purely personal perspective I'm a bit disappointed because I've been waiting for a streamer with Airplay support.

Will Airplay ever happen?

I like my little FM radio in my qute, not all the internet versions broadcast all programmes live and I prefer the sound of FM for most of the ones I listen to as the bit rate can be quite low. 

I am a big Apple fan myself... but the drawback i see on Airplay is the constant toll on the battery of mobile devices streaming content to the player..  On  the one hand you have a solution like Spotify Connect (which I admit, you need to be a user of spotify to appreciate) which does not stream from the device but simply uses the mobile device as a remote control.  But I am digressing. I don't have a clue but I can imagine the license fees from apple to use Airplay tech will not be cheap. That, and the fact that you have similar functionality with BT... In other words, Airplay is cool, but I am not sure it will be implemented by Naim given the array of the other (cheaper) options around...

Last time I looked iOS devices did not support AptX, which is/was a real shame, as AptX can make Bluetooth sound quite descent.

Simon

My bad... You are right. Not iOS, just OS X. 

I agree, which is why I eventually broke down and bought a Sonos Connect. I use Beats, Qobuz and Deezer(1). I feel still Airplay is important for ad-hoc listening, but most importantly for those services that Naim doesn't yet support.

Given a choice I would have much preferred to put the cash towards a Naim streamer and put up with thrashing my iOS device batteries. At least now I can wait a year or two to see what Naim does going forward.

When I was testing speakers the Focal dealer hooked up a Sonos Connect with a decent Coax and power cable, and it actually sounded pretty decent. In the end I got a good discount on the Sonos so it only cost me GBP 200 which I'm ok with for an interim solution that supports Beats and Qobuz.

(1) The 12 month Deezer subscription was included in the cost of the Sonos Connect.

Spotify? No longer care. Have turned off my subscription in favor of Tidal, and will evaluate Deezer and Qobuz if they ever launch here in the US.

Bluetooth aptX? My $40 dongle has worked perfectly for over a year, but is now rarely used. My old iPhone directly connected to my NDS's USB port sounds better to my ears, so I can not get overly excited about this new feature either. May someday try aptX using the new naim for Android app, but would prefer Apple to support aptX natively on iOS.

It would be nice if Naim at least offered a Bluetooth upgrade path for existing customers, including a grace period for very recent purchases (as they've done in the past).

Hook

Hi All

DAB/FM is now standard on all New Uniti products. Previous to this update only UnitiLite did not feature this as standard. It now does.

Bluetooth hardware upgrade is not viable, this requires not only a new chassis but new PCB, Antenna, Rear Panel etc. so quite an intensive hardware change, more of a rebuild than simple upgrade, therefore not a cost effective option.

Interesting... Product-choice aside, We seem to be in similar situations. 

I have been thinking about the dilemma of ultimate convenience and availability (UC&A) vs ultimate quality (UQ)

Like you, I am a big fan of streaming but also appreciate great sound quality. Not that that it is an  either/or situation by definition but for the time being, they seem to be (yeah, ok, you've got CD quality streaming services like Qobuz) but in my particular case, I have settled with Spotify (and I can't afford Qobuz fees for lossless, which is double than Spotify... and I am not sure their catalogue is as extensive... anyway). As a result, i am limited to 320Kbps.. So, I have Spotify vs my own (very limited) music collection (CD quality) stored on a NAS.

Also, like you, I am a fan of Sonos, In my case, a BIG fan. Got a mix of Connects and Play 1, 3 and 5 through out the house. Interestingly the one room I don't have Sonos is the room where my Naim rig lives

For now, UC&A and UQ remain separate for me. I use Spotify in the car, walking and on the train and at home, but the latter only for discovery services. And when I want UQ, I go to my own music collection stored on my NAS which is then sent to my Naim rig. 

What's wrong with that? Well. Once you have 20,000,000 tracks to discover, at your finger tips, it's difficult to go back to your humble 6000 track collection. ALAC or not. 

I am sure a lot of people in this forum will thing Im nuts, but that is how I feel at the moment. As much as I LOVE my Naim system, the concept of Everything Everywhere has spoilt me.

Yes but DAB what ???

DAB & DAB+  as per WorldDMB / Eureka 147  ???

Naim need to be more specific on this in the unit spec details & maybe more important the marketing blurb.  Most all the DAB countries have either moved to DAB+ or are in the process of going to it, some with mixed DAB & DAB+ or DAB+ only.  

When I bought my first Uniti it did not have the 24bit/192kHz streaming capabilities. When 24bit/192kHz streaming became available on the newer Unitis, the importer sent me free of charge a pcb and instructions of how to change over the 3"x2" pcb.  This I did myself and presto I could now stream at 24bit/192kHz (with software update of course).  So I really think Bluetooth upgrade is also viable. My problem is not Bluetooth itself, it is the fact that if hardware upgrade is not offered by Naim, the resale/trade value of my recently purchased Superuniti would be severely eroded.

 Question re. connecting an iphone that way. Does it bypass the iphone/ipod internal DAC or just takes the analogue signal out?

I guess it will be down to retailers AND depending on WHEN you purchased your Uniti/Streamer to offer a swap... if you bought it 12 months ago vs. last week... I dunno, but I am sure they will/could have some room for movement... 

Just curious. Would you care to elaborate? 

Also... How do I listen to Tidal on a Naim streamer without the use of a dedicated computer or hard-wiring a iOS device ? I've been to the (really nice) tidal website but could not find an answer

Hi Ryan -

Assuming AirPlay is coming to Uniti and network players, will it too only be supported on new hardware?

Thanks.

Hook

Did I miss something? I just read Apt-X and Spotify connect was coming...  Is AirPlay coming too?

http://www.naimaudio.com/news/...-and-spotify-connect

I run Tidal on an old iPhone 4 running iOS. It is directly connected to my NDS's front USB port. Not very elegant, but it works fine. It is a bit "split brain" having the naim app for iRadio and UPNP and system automation, but then having to switch to a hard-wired iPhone for Tidal via USB.  Would prefer everything I need one iPad.

If Apple supported aptX on iOS, then Bluetooth would allow me to unify all these functions on one iPad. Spotify sounded ok via non-aptX Bluetooth, but with Tidal I can hear better sound using USB. In the past, I have tried using two different generations of Apple Airports, but had too many dropouts and gave up on that device. Bluetooth, by comparison, has been much more reliable.

Unfortunately, I suspect I am at a dead end with my Naim NDS in terms of seeing additional wireless functionality, so may be looking soon at Sonos Connect. Connect is only $350 here in the US, and Deezer and Sonos are planning a nice launch here soon -- $120/year for Deezer's 35 million tracks. I would then only use the naim app for system automation.

ATB.

Hook

Airplay is only on mu-so today. Given today's announcement, along with prior statements of direction (including one from Naim's MD), it is reasonable to assume that Airplay remains on their roadmap for Uniti and network players.

That offer is available now in Europe and actually tipped me over the edge in to buying the Sonos Connet. Due to Qobuz's financial issues I wasn't sure I wanted to commit to another 12 months.