Sonos gets Apple Airplay support

In terms of the best quality audio, why do we want this again?

Who knows, Tog? An announcement at the end of the year might be just that -- an announcement. Given Naim's recent track record for timespan between announcement and shipment, Apple could be on V3 by then. (I wish I could put a smiley there, but cant bring myself to, sorry)

Apple's not in the business of proper audiophile devices. They're in the business of low-fi for the masses who don't know better, and are happy to give Apple their money for things that look cool and are easy to use. 

I'm very big into Apple products and work on a Mac and iPad every day, but I'm not holding my breath for Apple products to become an important part of Hi-Fi integration.

So, anyway, I'll ask again.

What has this got to do with ultimate sound quality?

Is there any reason to suppose Airplay, Sounds any better than UPNP?

Or is it just that people want yet another way to connect to music regardless of quality?

The people from Linn don't like AirPlay because it is not open. And personally I might add:

•  I don't want to have a Mac or PC running all the time, especially not in the living room, in order to use iTunes.
• There is no FLAC support in iTunes, most Hi-Res music is FLAC.
• UPnP is an open alternative, there are a lot of apps out there, e.g. the Naim apps, and you can point your UPnP server to your iTunes collection.
• In fact, the UPnP apps are much better than Apples "Remote" app.

So for me there is no point in adding AirPlay support. If you want to airplay get an Airport Express. No need for Naim to hurry.

What are you referring to???  I dont get anything like that???

UPNP is a mature technology, sadly no one has developed a server for mac that actually works.

Chorus for the Linn DS players works very well. Runs on a Mac and integrates perfectly with an iTunes library too. Hopefully someone will do the same for the Naim UPnP players.

James

Remember that Airplay and UPnP are completely different beasts. UPnP is server-oriented, the content is stored and streamed from a server via some control software. With Airplay there is no central server. Any app on an  iPod, iPhone, iPad or (via 3rd party support) a Mac can send audio directly to any Airplay-device (like a little AppleTV2 connected to the ndac). It is also supported in  iTunes.

For the moment connecting AppleTV2 to the ndac is a low-cost easy way to add reasonably musical sounding Airplay-support to a Naim-system. The AppleTV2 is small and black and blend into the Naim system. (I prefer sound of the AppleTV2 to the ZP90 which is also connected to the same NDAC. But none of them can touch my HDX-SSD). 

If Naim eventually can figure out a way to get more music out of Airplay they have a winner. I see no point in rushing out a solution as long as the AppleTV2 is so small, black and low-cost. I really hope the HDX will be included if they do it in software. But they may also do it in a hardware-box to support SN and stand-alone ndac systems.

You are comparing apples and oranges. Logic Pro and Final Cut Pro (and Aperture) are professional products targeted to content creators. iTunes and the iOS devices it syncs with are targeted to consumption by the ignorant and loyal masses. Apple is in the business of selling songs that download directly to those low-fi iOS devices. I don't see them marketing audiophile tracks that only make sense consumed on non-Apple devices. I just don't see them getting into the hi-def audio market at all. Even their video is still 720p when the rest of the market embraced 10280p long ago.

I see the move from 128k iTunes to 256k iTunes Plus as move of an upgrade from lower-def to low-def. There was nothing hi-def about it. And it was more a move to remove DRM (I refused to spend a penny on iTunes until DRM was gone).

It would be really nice to see iTunes support FLAC, but I'm not holding my breath waiting, and I haven't seen the slightest peep of any rumor that it's even in the cards.

True, but video is a different matter. People tend to be more critical of quality, because they can visualize it easier. Look at all the people who will spend thousands on a large 1080p display and Blu-ray player, and completely skimp on the audio part by getting a $500 all-in-one 5-speaker audio system for it at the local Walmart.

I would love to see Apple embrace hi-fidelity audio, but there just doesn't seem to be any evidence they will.

You may deride the iOS devices as "low-fi" but for those "ignorant and loyal masses" its probably the best quality hifi they have ever had. 

My point was that Apple understands the hidef world very well indeed. And any move for vox populis to move to higher quality sound will come from their efforts, not those of the hairshirt tweakers. 

Neither do I. I'm using Songbook DS on an iPod touch together with a Synology UPnP server. It took some time for both products to become mature but now that combination works fine.

AirPlay is about streaming media from a source to a destination using a control point. I can see nothing in AirPlay that UPnP could not deliver as well (as far as audio is concerned).

Naim should spend ressources on supporting open and reliable standards rather than on a protocol that Apple can change or dump any time at their whim.

Totally agree with that. It would be nice if Apple went hi-fi. Too many people run from the Apple store in the mall, to the Bose store in the mall.

FLAC support in iTunes? 24/96 music in the iTunes store? iTunes as a UPnP service? Bring it on! (but I'll keep breathing normally in the meantime)

Who needs Airplay?

I just replaced my Sonos with a UQ as a source.  FM, iRadio and wireless streaming from my UnitiServe.  I works absolutely brilliantly.  And while n-stream is not quite as slick (or quick) as the sonos ipad interface, it does the job and displays the artwork etc.

And if anyone brings over their ipod, I just plug it into the front of the UQ.  So, with the UQ instead of Sonos, Airplay is totally unnecessary.

in the broader context though, airplay is more than just simple audio.

> Who needs Airplay?

Me please. 

> Airplay is totally unnecessary.

For you fair enough, but it would be great for me, bring it on. 

I've no doubt your US and UQ work brilliantly, but I have my music elsewhere and Airplay would be a great asset for me. It would be great to see Naim supporting Apple devices and iTunes without the need to add extra software or plug things in. Not suggesting they take anything away.  AIFF support would be wonderful too, please. 

All the best, Guy

The list of partners on the Airplay page of Apple's website includes Denon, Marantz and Bowers &Wilkins. The proportion of the public that looks down their noses at these brands as not being proper hifi must be so tiny that I can't imagine why Apple would think it made sense to cater for them.

I expect you're right.