Holiday music/hi-fi ponderings...

Ahem.  This does seem to be precisely the moment where certain well known Chord products would be very useful.  However, as you've transported what I assume is four half width boxes into the mix already, I'd add another one in the form of a DAC-V1 if you're planning to use a laptop as the source.  Simple and effective.

....Or you could buy a Qb.  I've no experience, but I doubt the dragonfly will do the rest of the kit you've transported justice, might as well make the most of it.

I'm going to be the Devil's Advocate, so just a few thoughts :

1. How much time will you spend at the holiday home with the second hifi?

2. How much of the time will you actually be allowed to listen to the system by your partner?

3. How much do you want or are willing to spend?

4. Do you really want to leave expensive equipment in a house which is not occupied by you for most of the year?

Personally, we almost never go away for more than 2 weeks at a time, and certainly don't have a second home!  Of your 2 options I would suggest the USB DAC etc,

If it's only you listening, then you could just get a good quality portable player/recorder (e.g like my own Korg MR2), transfer the music you want onto large capacity SDHC card(s), (you don't need to re-record them, just copy onto the card) and get a decent pair of headphones.   That's unless you wanted to 'go analogue', in which case you need a batch of good quality cassettes and a Sony Walkman Pro (if you can still get hold of one)

I have a good mobile setup with my Sony and the Shure SE846, so very good and enjoyable.

I must say that this for year's holiday, managing without Naim-delivered music seemed more difficult than usual, and I think a Qb is almost a dead cert for next summer,.probably with lots of music on a USB stick.

So here's a question.  If I set up a wifi hotspot with my iPhone and connect the Qb to it, will I be able to control the Qb with the Naim app on my iPhone?

And if the answer is no, if I set up a wifi hotspot with my iPhone and connect my iPad and the Qb to it, will I be able to control the Qb with the Naim app on my iPad?

best

David

To answer a few questions:

I spend about 8 weeks over the year down here (holidays and am fortunate that I can work remotely. And the in-laws spend a lot more time here).

How much time will SWMBO allow me to have music playing...? Never enough...And that is a damn good point

How much to spend? Well...the Cyrus kit is a sunk cost as its old. A Dragonfly USB DAC is 99 euro and I can get the Wharfedales for 180 euro. And my ears are getting very sweaty in this heat with my headphones, hence the thoughts of getting a "proper" install 

Muso is a helluva lot more money..but more discrete.

It all comes down to the questions Dungassin asked, budget, priorities, and not letting hifi get in the way of musical enjoyment. I much prefer listening on my Naim setup, but I also enjoy music on my crummy stock Mazda car audio system when out and about. (I decided long ago that expensive auto hifi was a waste of my money for a number of reasons.)

OK.  I understand.  Personally I am happy to listen to listen to music using Apple or MP3 when on holiday using my iPhone and a pair of B&W headphones (can't remember the model, but they were >£200 a couple of years ago).   To be honest, though, I am more likely to be listening to an Audiobook, and I suppose that with the advent of the USB stick which I can plug into the phone, I may upgrade to using lossless audio.

Like DrMark (are you a 'real' doctor like me, Mark?), I am not always too fussy about the equipment I use, and am perfectly happy with very modest systems when away from home.   Still, I'll probably enjoy the NAP300DR a lot when It's installed in my study a week tomorrow!

Now, I must go and get out my Bass guitar, as I don't think I've played it for a month ...

I have taken a Mu-so QB on holiday with me this year and absolutely love it. No need for a network - I just bluetooth to it from the iPad (although it is networked too if I want to stream some radio etc). Sounds great, love flicking through my collection on the iPad and choosing what to play next. Really very impressed with it. Suits my needs. 

I keep a Muso at the holiday home in Italy and feed it with Tidal. It's great for solo listening and I park it in the doorway when we are dining outside and everyone fights over the Ipad.

JF Lux posted:

Holiday time and for the first time I am missing "just listening to music" even after just 3 days of being here...Never even thought about putting a music system in  our house down here before. But something must have been at the back of my mind as I did put the retired Cyrus pre/power/PSX-Rs into the back of the car at the last minute on Thursday night.

So...idle thoughts - All music is with me on a laptop and external hard-drive (my file back-up) so I could go into Barcelona on Monday and get an Audioquest Dragonfly USB DAC, Audioquest 3.5mm-to-RCA interconnect, and have seen Wharfedale Diamond 220 on offer (at the same dealer)

Or do I get a Muso Qb...? And can I just plug in the laptop or external hard-drive...? Or does it need a network? (If yes - that won't work as there is no NAS etc).

I was in a similar situation this spring but had an old radio instead of the Cyrus gear. I also did not wanted to rely on a wired connection between my laptop and the radio. I bought a capable router (which also ensured a fast internet connection via LTE) and a Chromecast Audio. With minimserver and BubbleUPnP Server running on my laptop, that worked flawlessly.

Haven't had one in a long time, but for me a long, dedicated vacation signals a time to get away from the mainstream and find alternative means of relaxation. Maybe that's hiking, skiing, enjoying a hot tub, or just lazing for hours with a book, etc.. Things you wouldn't normally spend your precious time at home doing. I prefer the notion of getting away from TV, wifi connections and music on vacation. Makes me appreciate more my music system at home once I get back there. As I age, I'm taking every opportunity to simplify my life rather than add complexity. Apologies for the digression.

Personal way and the best way would be a nice DAP, i use Sony ZX2 and it is a gem of a product, also there is a new cheaper and nice alternative AK70 , but you need a nice pair of IEMs as well. If you are a on-ear type guy a basic phone/tablet/computer + tidal ( you can always save your favourite holiday music and run it without wifi)  + chord mojo is a fantastic set up. 

if you want a background music a nice blue tooth speaker without braking the bank UE Boom is fantastic, very durable and splash proof with a decent sound, not a Muso but it is good and far easier to run on battery power and transport space, less fragile....