Expensive Christmas...

Hungryhalibut posted:

What seems odd to me is that a nas sounds as good as, or better than, Naim's UnitiServe. So what makes the Melco so worthwhile? My dealer was espousing its merits to me, but is it just the new must-have gadget which in time people will realise is no better than a Synology? 

As you know HH, a demo is the only way to know. 

Not that I'm curious about a Statement!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

Just a thought.. Those playing with the Melco might want to wait for the next firmware upgrade from Naim that is in beta now. This firmware focuses on many things including reducing Ethernet networking noise.

Simon

Phew, thats a relief Simon. Thank you!

Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

Just a thought.. Those playing with the Melco might want to wait for the next firmware upgrade from Naim that is in beta now. This firmware focuses on many things including reducing Ethernet networking noise.

Simon

Thanks Simon. I'll now grit my teeth and not ask any follow up questions given you're probably not allowed to answer them due to NDA. 

Graham, although not under an official NDA we are asked not to discuss the testing or firmware.. however I hope Naim don't mind me mentioning this new firmware in this regard- it just may be the new firmware mitigates some of the benefits of the Melco - or it might make no difference at all - but probably better to assess this  when the firmware is released.

Simon,

Assuming you are allowed to comment (or opine) would you  say we are weeks or months away from release?

I do realise that dates are likely fluid, not firm, based on testing results (I work in product management and have also led engineering teams for a large IT security company), hence why I'm not trying to pin you down to a specific date 

Given I'm already on the fence with the Melco this seems another reason to wait. 

You are running an NDS Graham so you might want to consider asking to join the beta team. 

Graham, surely that's a follow up question?

Anyway, I'd say weeks, not months. We are also running beta versions of the Naim app and need to ensure that everything works properly together. It will be done properly, even if that delays things a little more. 

I suspect it might be possibly released during Jan/Feb.

Hungryhalibut posted:

Graham, surely that's a follow up question?

Anyway, I'd say weeks, not months. We are also running beta versions of the Naim app and need to ensure that everything works properly together. It will be done properly, even if that delays things a little more. 

I knew someone would point that out 

My defence is that Simon said he wasn't under NDA. 

Any idea how I would apply to join the beta group?  I have both NDS and NDAC along with iPads using different iOS versions. 

Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

I suspect it might be possibly released during Jan/Feb.

Thanks. We can pretend I didn't really ask a follow up question 

Drop a line to Phil Harris..

Speak to Tom AKA TJ.

Dustysox posted:

tonym posted:

It's a shame you chaps are a bit underwhelmed with the Melco. I was quite fancying the idea of using one in combination with a DAVE, once I'd figured out the best way to implement room correction.

Seasonal greetings Tony, i hope you are well. 

It's a close call for me. It might be my ears are full of seasonal mince pies!!!! The only way to know is to try it out. It really is good, very good even. For me it really "smoothes/cleans the music". I also like the rugged rawness of the Naim sound too much. I just think it's over priced which as a Naim customer might...............!

I would love to read your thoughts on a demo.

Hi Dusty old bean, seasons greetings to you too! My excellent dealer has Signalled that the Melco's very good, plus he's running in his DAVE, so I might give the combination a bash sometime soon. I'll report back sir!

Are Melco N1Z, Melco N1A and Dela N1Z, Dela N1A essentially the same products?

nbpf posted:

Are Melco N1Z, Melco N1A and Dela N1Z, Dela N1A essentially the same products?

Having just googled Dela, yes, it's the same product.  Didn't realise they branded differently in some regions.

Graham Clarke posted:

nbpf posted:

Are Melco N1Z, Melco N1A and Dela N1Z, Dela N1A essentially the same products?

Having just googled Dela, yes, it's the same product.  Didn't realise they branded differently in some regions.

Right, it seems that in Germany the brand was initially Dela (at the HIGH END 2014 in Munich) and became Melco starting from 2015. Best, nbpf

Dustysox posted:

Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

Just a thought.. Those playing with the Melco might want to wait for the next firmware upgrade from Naim that is in beta now. This firmware focuses on many things including reducing Ethernet networking noise.

Simon

Phew, thats a relief Simon. Thank you!

 

Might be in line with the observation that Naim seems to benefit more from using the Melco than Linn streamers. So I assume something better firmware can deal with. The journey keeps on being interesting, and always the question is when it pays off to be an early adopter of new improvements. As I don't have the expensive Melco I am definitely on the good side.

So back to the original topic...... This Friday my frame will come and I am really looking forward to what it will do with my sound. It has so often been talked about, now I will also experience it myself in my living area. I will create some pictures and will brief you on my experience...

Bert Schurink posted:

So back to the original topic...... This Friday my frame will come and I am really looking forward to what it will do with my sound. It has so often been talked about, now I will also experience it myself in my living area. I will create some pictures and will brief you on my experience...

Looking forward to it, Bert

Mike

So the story continues as today my Fraim was installed. We started of course from my starting position which was a good rack, but not an audio grade rack.

Stacking order on the left side, 552 ps, 500, 555ps, 500ps on top. Right side: NAD receiver, 552, NDS, on the top three boxes on top of each other Melco, Oppo Blu Ray and sat receiver....

The the unwrap happened while we also did simultaneously an upgrade of the NDS to the last firmware version (I was still pre-Tidal). After building it down you are left with 10 black boxes on the floor and you first have to clean as quite some dust settles behind the rack. 

P.s. I talk about we, while that's not fair and honest the dealer did all the work and I just observed and talked,....and made a couple of pictures...

Then the long and accurate work of setting the base correctly happened. What was great is that we could have the rack moving close enough to the wall so that the other side was not outside the wall. What also was great that the cable dressing could be done very accurate and again from scratch. In the old setup it was as good as it can get, but not 100 percent accurate.

The next position shows you an in between state, like I said the initial state setup took quite some while. But is a pleasure to look at how the dealer with his expert knowledge is ensuring everything is standing correctly and accurately. Something I would never have been able to do myself. The only let down was that the Melco didn't fit on ones of the shelfs. It was intended to land on top of the 552, but the network cables interfered with the back of the Fraim so we had to put it on the top of the rack.

Finally we got to the final setup switched everything on tested it and everything was working fine, so a very happy guy...

What was immediately audible that the tones especially also bass is not hanging in the room but sounds and is much quicker gone than before. For the rest I will update later on the sound development as the devices have been a couple of hours from electricity, so everything needs to warm up again.

So final stacking order now. On the left side:

500ps, 555ps, 552ps quite some space and then the NAD receiver on top.

On the right side the brothers. 500, NDS, 552, Oppo blu Ray, on top Melco with sat receiver on top.

Well done Bert. No small job but well worth it. 

The Fraim made a surprising difference to our system, seeming to tighten it up and improving tonality.  I expect you will hear more gains as it warms up and as you listen to more music.

I wish you big fun with it.