NDX hi res files

I'd be very interested to know this myself as I'm currently considering an NDX to play files from my NAS. Is the 96KHz limitation in hardware or something that can be firmware upgraded in the future?

Not sure I would hear any difference, but if I buy 24/192 files I sure wanna play them on my streaming box instead of getting an error. nDAC is firmware upgraded from usb stick so maybe the same can be done with NDX, assuming it's not a hardware limitation though...

 don´t know , if i remember wrong, but paul mentioned in another thread, that the ndx will by time be able to play 24/192. it would be vital for me , as i am as well interested to buy one.

Can i just ask a quick question?

You say the NDX cant "stream" 192 khz files. Do you mean it cant "play" them at all??

Or is this just wirelessly, or digital out or something else?

I was thinking of purchasing a NDX, but it would HAVE to be able play 192khz files....

TIA

Only via S/PDIF at the moment but Naim may very well be able to "unlock" 192kHz streaming via a software patch in future...

Quote:

Streaming Versatility

... Its network connection can be either wireless or wired, and NDX can stream audio files, including iTunes libraries, stored on a computer or on network storage, via UPnP. It can play all common, and some not so common, audio file and stream formats at up to 24bit/96kHz resolution: WMA, MP3, MMS, AAC, Apple Lossless (from iPod), WAV, FLAC, AIFF and Ogg Vorbis. NDX also recognises M3U and PLS playlists formats and supports gap-less playback on all lossless formats.

....

Three independently selectable digital inputs enable S/PDIF audio signals from CD players, computers and other digital audio sources at up to 24 bit/192kHz resolution to be handled by the NDX. Each digital input comprises a different connection socket option; optical TosLink, coaxial phono and coaxial BNC, to provide yet greater versatility and optimised sound quality.

Thanks Totemphile for the quick answer.

How disapointing that it cant play 192khz..

In fact, the more i think of it, it seems bizarre that Naim should make a Hi-Rez Streamer / Player that cant play hi-rez files ?!?! 

Oh well, off i pop over to the Linn DS forums then !!   I keep on changing my preference to and from Linn & Naim for a Streamer / Player...   Each time i decide "yes, this is the one", something crops up like this, and i have to start looking from scratch again... 

One more question please:

Is it also true for the HDX and for the Unitiserve (with nDAC) ??

No. The UQ and NDX are both uPnP clients and thereby share the same 24/96 limitation :-(

Can someone from Naim confirm that this limit will move in future by SW update?

It looks like Naim have once again shot themselves in the foot.... 

Why? I think the limitation is due to either hardware or firmware in the NDX and not because it is implemented as a uPnP client. I second T38.45 that a formal response from Naim would be appreciated. Is this technology partly or in full developed by 3rd parties meaning Naim have to rely on others for 24/192 to be supported?

I third it........

https://forums.naimaudio.com/di...ent/3678285650986709

In above it's stated that HDX (And I belive allso US) is Hardware limitaded and is forced to 46 Mhz. So no SW upgrade, but Motherboard issue)

That's not related to 192 kHz support, but to 176.4 kHz support. There are many motherboards nowadays that no longer support 176.4 kHz due to lack of support from the audiochips used on them, but they all do support 192 kHz.

I believe it was once stated here on the forum that 192 kHz requires much more stability in the components used, to obtain the high level of SQ and that it was not easy to obtain that level of stability. Therefore 96 kHz oftens sounds better than 192 kHz.

-

aleg

thx for clarification

During the online chat about NDX, Gary Crocker, the head of the NDX design team clearly expressed why they avoided 192:

"We wished to optimise the audio processor and network performance for 44.1 media as this is why the NDX does not support 192..."

and he continued:

"that’s not to say it won’t in the future….."

This last part worries me a little bit; why should a well working optimization be sacrificed because there is demand for it?

I had the NDX on home demo which convinced me that I need to replace my Sonos with a Naim streamer. However and this is a big but, the user interface from n-stream was a huge disappointment. I am used to Sonos on an iPad creating playlists, having an active queue that I append to and modify while listening and later save as a playlist, etc. With NDX streaming from a Synology NAS I could not see the track length, not able to fast forward, no active queue, could not browse library and the same time control player, etc. This was the first time I used a uPnp client so things might be different with NDX playing from other servers, I don't know. To me this was a big step backwards that I am not willing to take.

Handing in NDX after the demo I got a UnitiServe instead. Took a while to get it syncronised with my NAS music library but once up I have almost as good an interface as the Sonos. Playlists, active queue, presenting tags, fast forward etc. all there with n-serve iPad application. Did not do a comparison side by side NDX/US but SQ appeared same to me playing through nDAC/XPS2. And it plays 24/192 :-) Only negative is that I would have wanted it in a full width box to match my other boxes in the Fraim...

Are you sure ??

I asked this question a few comments above, and the general consensus was that the NDX / Userve / HDX couldnt play / stream 192 Khz files...   

I hope your right though....

UnitiServe and HDX do playback 24-bit/192kHz to the SPDIF connected devices like a DAC, but do  not stream 24-bit/192kHz over UPnP. UPnP is limited to 96kHz

Aleg, are you sure about the limitation that it can't stream 24/192 over uPnP if a client supports it? Not that it worries me as I ordered US and will not use it as a uPnP server, but I thought this limitation had to do with Naims uPnP client and not the server.