Pretty Clueless...

Don't visit your dealer. They know nothing. They arrange dems to favour the equipement that they get the largest commision on.

Do you have a computer? Do you understand the basics of how it works?

Ian

My personal opinion.

Sell the XPS, and get an NDX/CHord Hugo combo with a NAS. You won't look back. This is exactly what i did by the way.

Graeme

.......or a NAS and a 272 would be nice, and you'd no longer need the 82. There, now you'll have to go ask a dealer or you'll never know which one sounds best. 

..............  XPS2 makes a 272 sound really nice

Hi Ian,

The HDX is great if you don't want to learn or deal with home networking 'stuff.' As you say it's self-contained.

If I were starting from scratch I'd like to listen to the N272.  Preamp and streamer/player all-in-one, with great reviews here it seems so far.  I prefer fewer rather than more boxes, and an N272/powersupply upgrade (XPS-2 etc)/200 -or- 250  seems like it should make quite the 3-box system.  But I've not heard it.

Personally I wouldn't consider an HDX, which is rather inflexible. This might be unfair, but I see it as an old-fashioned option, and I'm not convinced that style of device is still a development path for Naim.

I would audition, at least:

 - NDX / 82 / NAP250

 - N272 / NAP250

 - SuperUniti

 - V1 / NAP250

The first should sound most familiar to your ears. My guess is the second is actually the 'best'. The third would be an interesting one-box alternative. The fourth is the non-streamer route (no NAS) but will require a computer (which could be a NAS-like Mac Mini). Going outside the Naim brand, you could listen to option 4 with a Hugo instead of a V1.

My guess is the second option - the N272 seems like a winner.

Ok, thanks so far, guys...

Err, I will be sticking within the Naim range.. OK... Don't want to change too much, either - so forget the 272. I would also NOT be buying new - 'pre loved' is the way for me. So, NDX probably...

What would I need to make it work - ??  NAS drives..? A PC hook up..? Just Wifi....?

IanM  

As the 272 is too new to appear on the used market, an NDX sounds like a good option. You'll need a NAS to hook up to it and store your ripped CDs and/or downloads. This needs a computer to do the actual ripping, which you may already have. If that all sounds like a lot or faffing about, or you're as lazy as me, a Unitiserve is a good option - it's a NAS which will rip CDs itself, (like an HDX without the DAC.) It's still an expensive option compared to a regular NAS, though.

You could use your XPS as an upgrade to the NDX (not the Unitiserve.)

Good luck!

Chris

PS WiFi ...........Ethernet

@ChrisSU,

Cools. So, lets pencil in a used NDX - which I can see are around. Yes, I am sitting in front of my PC.... Which can rip.

Like the Unitiserve idea - but not sure any cheap ones will be around.....  

NAS sounds cheaper......

Yup, my XPS (pre loved..) will power an NDX... I know that...

Ethernet - cool - potential new system location allows this, easy peasy......   About 2 metres away... and 25Mpbs...!!

Thanks,

IanM  

You can run uPnP server on your PC without a NAS and get the NDX right away.  So you can decouple those purchases, configurations, headaches and money.

Ian,

I have a second hand NDX. Couldn't be happier. With a strong wifi network and a decent computer you can be up and running in no time flat.  Absolutely no need for a NAS. Particularly if your computer reliably wakes from sleep mode. I prefer to use 256gb usb sticks for reliabilty of signal but if my computer/hifi/router were on the same floor I'd have them hard wired with chord ethernet cable. Considering doing that anyway. 

Don't let anyone put you off the ndx. Hard to beat and certainly never will be redundant.

Andy

Ps you can stream quobuz or anything else to it. Just need to control from the computer. Not a major problem unless you are one of the couch potatoes who want to sit in one spot for ever.

Andy

+1 Andy  -  I don't agree 100% with playing from USB as for me using the Naim app with UPnP off a NAS & all the features that brings is a pleasure compared to what seems to be the clunky way with USB.     

Setting up a NAS the right way is fiddly for sure, but within the capability of most people. As far as I can tell - subjectively - most problems occur when people don't take the obvious advice. This is partly Naim's and dealers' faults for not publishing the recommended options, but Phil Harris from Naim has, at least on this forum, been pretty clear. Follow that advice and a NAS-based system is faultless. Using alternatives such as USB or a laptop does work well, but a NAS is really optimum.

I've written it before but I'll do it again: QNAP/Asset or Synology/Minim NAS (the former is easier); WD Red disks; Cat 6 cables; a switch.

With kit that we can't control we can't give definitive recommendations - people ask us to recommend routers that 'work' but we have no control over router manufacturers firmware updates, similarly people ask us to recommend NASs and UPnP servers that work and again we have no control over firmware updates on NASs (recently Synology's 5.2-5565 update 'bricked' guest access to shared folders) or software development on 3rd Party UPnP servers.

This is why we developed our servers.

Yes, they aren't cheap - I do understand that - but then we can control the environment from the CD Slot / tray to the Ethernet port and make a fit-and-forget solution.

...and saying "using USB sticks eliminates the need for all this networking malarky" is a bit like saying "If I leave it in first then it saves all this changing gear malarky" ... if you learn what the other gears do then you can have so much more fun!

Phil

Wat,  you are really sounding like a right old luddite.    

The glass is half full - unless of course its a beta, then its failed to meet its design intent.   

The Chord marketing guys had a blue sky huddle & saluted a few flag poles & decided that Streaming Cables differentiate the product from the market place & would enable price realisation that meets corporate objectives........  .     

C-Stream is simple Cat7 ethernet made in Taiwan,   the kings ransom stuff is a bundle of miniature coax's so in fact its not ethernet anyhow,    it does the same job tho' 

@Phil - totally get that - it's hard to get involved with other companies' kit with a development path you can't control. However, the very flexibility of the streaming solution encourages lots of options, and some are better than others, so people get stuck. Plus it's harder to help them because they're using some obscure bit of kit and the real answer is they should have bought something else.

The NAS industry is maturing now anyway, and the key players like Syno and QNAP are increasingly reliable. Yes, a firmware update may throw everything out of whack, but very rarely, and those firmware changes happen whether you make a reco or not. Surely it's better to have all your users on the same few systems and handle the problem than leave it open and get blamed anyway when their music stops playing?

I understand the point about your own solutions, but there's a slight danger of getting out of kilter with the market, who generally seem to be buying a non-Naim NAS..

If you have a mooch around on here you should find consistent advice from us...

For a NAS to use with our servers : NetGear ReadyNAS, Synology or QNAP. (We have setup guide documents on our knowledgebase.)

For a NAS to use as a UPnP server : We've had issues reported with pretty much all the 'standard fit' UPnP servers supplied with NASs and the most stable one we've come across is Asset UPnP so pop that onto a QNAP and you should be OK.

That info should be dotted about all over...

Phil

Thanks, Phil. Very clear.. now - and consistent... 

Will be noted, should I go the NDX route.

IanM

@Graeme - ??  Cant see where you posted this....?

Thanks for the offer, but an NDX 'now' wouldn't work for me, sorry.

Need to rid myself of an unwanted wife, first.... 

moderated post: the earlier post was removed as it contravened a cardinal forum rule...

Sorry to hear that.   My advice:   If it's at all possible keep things friendly and keep the solicitors at bay,  otherwise it could easily end up costing you in excess of a fully active 500 system !

Paul said to keep hold of the Aurender for this weekend and have another play. So will be doing just that. Will make a decision at that point. Will let you know how i get on. Hopefully better than last weekend

+1 been through this myself. Best advice i was ever given is bite your pride and remember its only money. Especially if kids are involved. Life exists on the other side.

Yup - been there myself - exercise in damage limitation.

Try not to let things get personal (I know that's hard) and it is only money ... mine cost me the best part of £100k but I came out of it unscathed (poor) and with my head held high.

Now I have a TVR and my Naim kit.

Phil