Introducing Uniti, our revolutionary new streaming platform.

The core looks interesting to me because  it addresses all the limits of the US it replaces ,the only alternative for ripping ,serving and storing even in classic systems nDAC based . But unfortunately it doesn't exist any alternative as for streaming in either integrated or classic separates line ,so I can't see all this excitement as ripping it's about older fruition and streaming services already a reality. It would still be meaningful  in a uniti package.

"Also, since Naim has invested a lot of resources in optimizing certain aspects of the Linux system (for instance the sound subsystem or the kernel), I might be interested in implementing such optimizations in my server which, again, makes the Core (or, better, its software) potentially interesting to me."

Oh dear. 

Maybe Naim could do an OpenCore box for people to fiddle with? Zero support of course, but you wouldnt mind that. 

Naim might sell two.

jon honeyball posted:

Maybe Naim could do an OpenCore box for people to fiddle with? Zero support of course, but you wouldnt mind that. 

Naim might sell two.

There will be a moment that we run Minecraft on the display of the units, using the newly designed remote control.

No worries there

I'd like to run a Core as a small business server and for my website. I assume it can run Apache?

Solid Air posted:

I'd like to run a Core as a small business server and for my website. I assume it can run Apache?

Me too, but only if it also kills rats....

nbpf posted:

Thanks Phil! The Core has a BNC s/pdif connector. Thus, I would expect that it also runs a renderer or player. Could you please confirm?

The Core is capable of local playback via S/PDIF just as on the UnitiServe...

nbpf posted:

The fact that the underlying OS is Linux raises a number of exciting questions, among others about the sound signature of the new device. I'm sure that there will be plenty of opportunities of discussing such questions once the first Cores hit the market.

It's interesting that you guys on several instances have raised the sound signature imposed by the underlying OS but it can't be taken in isolation.

Perhaps if you were looking at an installation of Windows / Linux (or even a "Hackintosh" install of OSX) on a standard "PC hardware" platform then this might be an easy thing to isolate but the Linux core that is running on the Core (and the other products) cannot function outside of the Uniti hardware platform so the two are intrinsically linked and cannot be separated so discussion of the sonic signature of the underlying OS on the Core (or on the other Uniti products) has to include the hardware itself...

nbpf posted:

May I ask why the Core is not intended to run third party applications and why Naim does not plan to support streaming services on it? This sound like a weird policy to me: it obviously limits the attractivity of the new device but ... for what? What is the expected utility of not supporting running minimserver on the Core, for instance? 

It isn't designed to run third party applications because it isn't an "open" platform product. Just because something runs on a core OS then it doesn't mean that it should be seen as a general purpose "PC" or that it will even have the whole of that OS installed on it.

For example - we've had people asking us about running Desktop Client on Windows 10 on Raspberry Pi's and not understanding that the Raspberry Pi 'version' of Windows 10 is only a Windows 10 core and not a full end-user WIndows 10 operating system with GUI and full Windows 10 functionality. 

Embedded versions of Windows have been used for years in devices such as ATM machines and supermarket checkouts yet they can't run Microsoft Office.

The self-service touchscreens at KFC or McDonalds run on an underlying OS too but don't have the facility for customers to pop onto Facebook or Skype and my Freesat set top box runs a Linux core too (as far as I am aware) but is a closed system so that the manufacturer can maintain it and not have other applications misbehaving or loading it down in an uncontrolled manner.

I do have a number of open platform products myself (mainly media players that I've tried to beat into submission for use for network playback of video media) and the stability and joining up of functionality on the whole leaves a massive amount to be desired - the whole point of Core is to be a stable, joined-up and easy to use platform.

nbpf posted:

Congratulations for the new Uniti range and for the namegiving: Core is a great name for what the device is designed to be, I believe!

Thank you - we think that it's a fantastic product lineup...

Phil

Phil Harris posted:

manicm posted:

Hi Phil, sorry for repeating my question, but do the new Uniti players support gapless playback through USB?

No problem - I must have missed it the first time...

Gapless playback is supported via USB.

Phil

Why Phil, that's music to my ears 

Very nice product line up indeed, well done Naim!

Phil, one question, as I understand it the Core rips to WAV or lossless FLAC. The old US was able to convert files to mp3, I presume this functionality has been maintained?

It would be nice, if a multiple file format conversion functionality could be added over time. I am thinking specifically a functionality that would allow CDs ripped by the Core to be converted to AIFF, ALAC and AAC - so that one could easily carry them across to Apple / iOS devices. Is that something Naim might look to include going forward?

TIA

tp

totemphile posted:

Very nice product line up indeed, well done Naim!

Phil, one question, as I understand it the Core rips to WAV or lossless FLAC. The old US was able to convert files to mp3, I presume this functionality has been maintained?

It would be nice, if a multiple file format conversion functionality could be added over time. I am thinking specifically a functionality that would allow CDs ripped by the Core to be converted to AIFF, ALAC and AAC - so that one could easily carry them across to Apple / iOS devices. Is that something Naim might look to include going forward?

TIA

tp

The parallel MP3 functionality is to be retained but whether it will be included in the initial firmware release is yet to be confirmed...

Additional file format support for the MQ ripping and LQ conversions is something that can always be raised as a suggestion going forward...

Phil

The Core is of interest to me for ripping.  I have ripped most of my collection with dBPoweramp or XLD to mostly AIFF.  A visiting friend brought me two albums (which I have in AIFF) which he ripped with a UnitiServe, under controlled conditions, to WAV.  I was quite surprised to hear a worthwhile improvement in sound quality - the kind that seems subtle at first, but you can't live without if you go back.  We described it as removing digital "fog" from the music.   I concluded Naim do know something about rips that may not be obvious.

The US puts me off due to price and reported reliability.  And I have had concerns over portability of metadata with the WAV rips.  But I will consider re-ripping some or much of my collection to gain that extra sound quality, and I am attracted by hints that the new Core might offer improved ripping performance over the US.  And it is less expensive.

And it may be a better source of SPDIF into my DAC/555 PSDR than my current rig?

So, I am looking into the metadata issue with WAV, awaiting reports from listeners, and experiences in configuring the Core for best rips and best playback into DAC.  I am also eager to hear how or whether Roon may be integrated.

Charlie

The Core is of great interest to me as well.  Just when I thought I was going to have to move away from Naim to find something in my price range they come up with this! (same thing happened to me when the Nait 5 arrived).

I just hope the price is as advertised and converts to Canadian dollars without too much of a mark-up.  

CharlieP posted:

The Core is of interest to me for ripping.  I have ripped most of my collection with dBPoweramp or XLD to mostly AIFF.  A visiting friend brought me two albums (which I have in AIFF) which he ripped with a UnitiServe, under controlled conditions, to WAV.  I was quite surprised to hear a worthwhile improvement in sound quality - the kind that seems subtle at first, but you can't live without if you go back.  We described it as removing digital "fog" from the music.   I concluded Naim do know something about rips that may not be obvious.

The US puts me off due to price and reported reliability.  And I have had concerns over portability of metadata with the WAV rips.  But I will consider re-ripping some or much of my collection to gain that extra sound quality, and I am attracted by hints that the new Core might offer improved ripping performance over the US.  And it is less expensive.

And it may be a better source of SPDIF into my DAC/555 PSDR than my current rig?

So, I am looking into the metadata issue with WAV, awaiting reports from listeners, and experiences in configuring the Core for best rips and best playback into DAC.  I am also eager to hear how or whether Roon may be integrated.

Charlie

The metadata issue with WAV is only a problem if you rip to WAV with a US and then want to use a different upnp server. The US handles WAV metadata perfectly well if you are using it as a server. You can also rip to FLAC rather than WAV and then transcode "on the fly" from FLAC to WAV.

We don't know what Naim have decided to do with the Core yet of course.

best

David

David, yes.  It is the portability that concerns me.  Presumably others have solved this?  Perhaps create an AIFF or FLAC backup?  I admit i had pretty much ignored the US until recently.

Charlie

CharlieP posted:

David, yes.  It is the portability that concerns me.  Presumably others have solved this?  Perhaps create an AIFF or FLAC backup?  I admit i had pretty much ignored the US until recently.

Charlie

With the US the way to do it is to rip in FLAC, which then backs up in FLAC, and have it stream the FLAC file as a WAV when you want to listen to it. As FLAC is lossless the WAV is the same as a WAV rip. 

Some people say they don't hear any difference between FLAC and WAV. FLAC files are half the size of WAV, although that isn't really an issue with large HDDs being so cheap, unless you have thousands of albums.

But again we don't know what exactly Naim will do with the Core yet.

best

David

Solid Air posted:

... So I agree, I don't understand the excitement around the Core either - it seems to be a solution to yesterday's problem, not tomorrow's. ...

It could be a solution to yesterday's problems but it also could be a very smart and innovative move. Naim could initially limit their support to more or less the same functionalities already addressed by the US. This alone would offer traditional US users a faster and more reliable platform. But Naim also could exploit the flexibility of the underlying OS and give expert users the freedom to implement their own custom solutions. They could even take advantage of such solutions and integrate the most popular use cases in their default offer.

Hello Phil,

I had been interested in a US for some time due to its positive influence on SQ in my system; however have refrained from purchasing due to its high cost, relative to other upgrades such as Powerline, Fraim etc.

My two questions regarding this product now that it is refreshed and cheaper to buy;

1- Does US/Core really improve the sound feeding an NDX as compared to a NAS feeding NDX? If your answer is yes, would the Core further improve on the SQ benefit of US?

2- Are you planning to introduce a pure streamer, rather than NDX (streamer + DAC)  or N-272 (Streamer + DAC + preamp), since having an NDX yet adding an Ndac or any other DAC seems like a waste of money to me?

Thanks

Phil Harris posted:

nbpf posted:

May I ask why the Core is not intended to run third party applications and why Naim does not plan to support streaming services on it? This sound like a weird policy to me: it obviously limits the attractivity of the new device but ... for what? What is the expected utility of not supporting running minimserver on the Core, for instance? 

It isn't designed to run third party applications because it isn't an "open" platform product. Just because something runs on a core OS then it doesn't mean that it should be seen as a general purpose "PC" or that it will even have the whole of that OS installed on it.

For example - we've had people asking us about running Desktop Client on Windows 10 on Raspberry Pi's and not understanding that the Raspberry Pi 'version' of Windows 10 is only a Windows 10 core and not a full end-user WIndows 10 operating system with GUI and full Windows 10 functionality. 

Embedded versions of Windows have been used for years in devices such as ATM machines and supermarket checkouts yet they can't run Microsoft Office.

The self-service touchscreens at KFC or McDonalds run on an underlying OS too but don't have the facility for customers to pop onto Facebook or Skype and my Freesat set top box runs a Linux core too (as far as I am aware) but is a closed system so that the manufacturer can maintain it and not have other applications misbehaving or loading it down in an uncontrolled manner.

...

I understand that the Core is based on a minimal OS with likely no X11 and perhaps even without a web server (although, in a music server, a small web server can be extremely useful, e.g. to serve cover art and booklets to applications).

I do not think that many potential buyers would be interested in deploying the Core to control touchscreens at KFC or McDonalds.

But, given that the Core is meant to be a music server, I expect that many potential buyers would be interested in using the Core to run applications like MinimServer, mpd, upmpdcli and perhaps basic file exchange programs like rsync.

I understand that Naim can only provide support for a well defined set of "core" functionalities, of course.

Phil Harris posted:

totemphile posted:

Very nice product line up indeed, well done Naim!

Phil, one question, as I understand it the Core rips to WAV or lossless FLAC. The old US was able to convert files to mp3, I presume this functionality has been maintained?

It would be nice, if a multiple file format conversion functionality could be added over time. I am thinking specifically a functionality that would allow CDs ripped by the Core to be converted to AIFF, ALAC and AAC - so that one could easily carry them across to Apple / iOS devices. Is that something Naim might look to include going forward?

TIA

tp

The parallel MP3 functionality is to be retained but whether it will be included in the initial firmware release is yet to be confirmed...

Additional file format support for the MQ ripping and LQ conversions is something that can always be raised as a suggestion going forward...

Phil

That's good to hear. I think it would make the Core a much more compelling proposition. I always thought the US had some appeal but was put off by its closed architecture and ridiculously high price. It is good to see that the Core has been priced more reasonably. So there are just a few small steps to go now. Maybe you can put in a word with the powers that be ;-)

Many thanks

tp

Will the Star and Nova support 512GB SD cards?

Solid Air posted:

I'd like to run a Core as a small business server and for my website. I assume it can run Apache?

I bet it does. But this does not mean that the Core runs a web server per default. On the other hand, running a lightweight web server on a music server can make a lot of sense. For instance, I use one to make booklets (and cover art) available to applications. It is a shame that most control points (included the Naim App, I believe) are not yet able to display booklets even if these are made available in the same folder of the music files and under a standard name. I very much hope that whatever re-imagination of one's music collection the new Uniti range will bring, it will at least contemplate the capability of browsing an album's booklet, at least when this is made available locally!

Glad the Core has a more classic look. The star looks like a cake one half burnt and cut in the middle. Designwise a total  miss. 

nbpf posted:

Solid Air posted:

I'd like to run a Core as a small business server and for my website. I assume it can run Apache?

I bet it does. But this does not mean that the Core runs a web server per default. On the other hand, running a lightweight web server on a music server can make a lot of sense. For instance, I use one to make booklets (and cover art) available to applications. It is a shame that most control points (included the Naim App, I believe) are not yet able to display booklets even if these are made available in the same folder of the music files and under a standard name. I very much hope that whatever re-imagination of one's music collection the new Uniti range will bring, it will at least contemplate the capability of browsing an album's booklet, at least when this is made available locally!

I think you are taking Solid Air's comment too literally...

Phil Harris posted:

...

Perhaps if you were looking at an installation of Windows / Linux (or even a "Hackintosh" install of OSX) on a standard "PC hardware" platform then this might be an easy thing to isolate but the Linux core that is running on the Core (and the other products) cannot function outside of the Uniti hardware platform so the two are intrinsically linked and cannot be separated so discussion of the sonic signature of the underlying OS on the Core (or on the other Uniti products) has to include the hardware itself...

...

Will Core users be able to run MinimServer on the device?