4.6 update and upgrade sound quality ?

French Rooster posted:

i have the 4.6 installed now on my nds, after difficulties to install the usb driver....

But i read before that it is advised to do a factory reset.  Do i have to do this factory reset?

I just restarted my nds, my serve, and installed again the app.  Is it not enough?

If your NDS is working OK and sounds good, don't bother with the reset.

ChrisSU posted:

French Rooster posted:

i have the 4.6 installed now on my nds, after difficulties to install the usb driver....

But i read before that it is advised to do a factory reset.  Do i have to do this factory reset?

I just restarted my nds, my serve, and installed again the app.  Is it not enough?

If your NDS is working OK and sounds good, don't bother with the reset.

thanks Chrissu, all sounds good so i will leave it as it is.

Just to be clear for anyone apprehensive about the upgrade process - It was only accessing the correct driver and my ineptitude that stalled me.

After advice and installing the driver it was all very straightforward.

Won’t get serious listening for a few days as father-in-law here helping with the decorating.

Will report in a few days.

G

Good stuff Graeme,  & thanks for a 'positive' post on this ..........  slay the naysayers.  

I have been getting 'tuned' into 4.6 when it was a beta & even now I'm hearing new stuff;   last evening we played London Grammar  "Truth Is A Beautiful Thing",  it gets a spin on quite a regular basis but last evening was the first time with 4.6 & I was surprised at the deep sub bass it has,  hardly noticed it before.

Tell the father-in-law to get his finger out. 

I must admit that I didn’t do a factory reset on mine and all appears fine.

My 2 cents worth- did the NDS 4.6 update and the result was dreadful ( sound EXACTLY as described by others here) --- so then did the factory reset and wow!- everything came back but way way better.Tidal has never sounded so good . Not doing the factory reset after the update In my experience with my own NDS would be unbelievably sad, Chris

Reading through some of the comments about whether or not to do the factory reset or not, I'm slightly baffled as to why, having followed Naim's instructions for downloading and installing the new firmware, one would decide not to carry out the final step contained in them.

I'm not hugely computer savvy, I admit, but would have thought that the reset is considered by Naim to be the important final step in the process, otherwise, why would they have included it?

I didn't listen to my NDS before applying the factory reset, so I can't comment on any effect on sound quality, but if the experience of 

BIGTREVY, above is typical, then I'm happy to have carried it out.

Anyhow, I'll more than likely have the chance to chat with Phil Harris over the weekend, and will seek his advice on the matter.

I didn't do a 'Factory Reset' on my 272 - it was fine, with notable increased SQ.

Then I did a 'Factory Reset' on my 272 - it was still fine, and still with the same notable increased SQ.

It seems as though the NDS may have a particular specific reason for benefiting from a factory reset (and, as it does good to some and no harm to others, that would be enough justification for including it in the instructions).

I've reset my NDS to Factory settings (why not?)

If you do this then you will need to check the following settings:

Front display time off (mine changed from 10 secs to default 2 mins)

Imputs enabled. The reset enables all imputs e.g. all digital inputs/spotify/tidal/usb/ipod/iRadio/UpnP and multiroom whereas I usually only have UPnP and iRadio enabled.

Systems automation - all devices disabled so had to re-enable Preamp and change Preamp Streamer input from the default AV input to CD. 

sjbabbey posted:

 

Inputs enabled. The reset enables all imputs e.g. all digital inputs/spotify/tidal/usb/ipod/iRadio/UpnP and multiroom whereas I usually only have UPnP and iRadio enabled.

Systems automation - all devices disabled so had to re-enable Preamp and change Preamp Streamer input from the default AV input to CD. 

That’s some useful advice about the System Automation, Steve. Hopefully if my connector lead arrives today I will do the same. When you say change the preamp streamer input, I assume that is done in the streamer settings as I already use CD input on my 552 for the NDS.

Is there any reason why you restrict the inputs? 

sjbabbey posted:

I've reset my NDS to Factory settings (why not?)

If you do this then you will need to check the following settings:

Front display time off (mine changed from 10 secs to default 2 mins)

Imputs enabled. The reset enables all imputs e.g. all digital inputs/spotify/tidal/usb/ipod/iRadio/UpnP and multiroom whereas I usually only have UPnP and iRadio enabled.

Systems automation - all devices disabled so had to re-enable Preamp and change Preamp Streamer input from the default AV input to CD. 

I too did a factory reset and have been able to reconfigure everything except the default pre amp input for the NDS. I have RTFM and can't seem to change the default input to CD and still it defaults to Aux 1 as the streamer input. Please advise, I feel such a plonker.

Hi Clive,  welcome to System Automation  ...........  do you know you can (or intend to) include your NAT-01 ??,  it can show as an icon on your app & when you touch that icon it shifts the 552 button to Tuner.

This is how I have my setup  ...  the Naim app Pre Tuner line can be changed to your choice  or leave it.       My NDX is,  like your NDS,  on the CD input.     

Nigel,  your solution is Streamer Audio > Pre CD 

Gonna do the 4.6 upgrade this coming weekend on my NDS. Bit of a faff though, locking it, lugging it upstairs to the PC, wiring it in, unlocking it, doing the upgrade and then repeating steps 1-4 in reverse. Presumably I need to take the PS upstairs too? The USB cable won't power the NDS just enough for an upgrade?

overprint posted:

Gonna do the 4.6 upgrade this coming weekend on my NDS. Bit of a faff though, locking it, lugging it upstairs to the PC, wiring it in, unlocking it, doing the upgrade and then repeating steps 1-4 in reverse. Presumably I need to take the PS upstairs too? The USB cable won't power the NDS just enough for an upgrade?

Can't you use a laptop and put it next to the streamer, it seems like a real faff to move the whole NDS and PSU just for an update? 

Mike-B posted:

Hi Clive,  welcome to System Automation  ...........  do you know you can (or intend to) include your NAT-01 ??,  it can show as an icon on your app & when you touch that icon it shifts the 552 button to Tuner.

This is how I have my setup  ...  the Naim app Pre Tuner line can be changed to your choice  or leave it.       My NDX is,  like your NDS,  on the CD input.     

Nigel,  your solution is Streamer Audio > Pre CD 

  

 

Thanks, Mike. I assume I could select turntable input too. Are there any instructions available from Naim on all of this, or is it just a matter of translating what is set out in the NDS user manual?

Would if I could Chris but don't own one. It'll actually be easier to bring the PC and monitor downstairs I think plus gives me an excuse to dust the old box down.

Yes, could be easier to move the PC! Can't you borrow a laptop for half an hour?

Clive B posted: 

Thanks, Mike. I assume I could select turntable input too. Are there any instructions available from Naim on all of this, or is it just a matter of translating what is set out in the NDS user manual?

I assume the TT can be so specified by enabling whichever of the Pre Aux inputs you have the TT connected to on the 552  (& renaming as you wish)

No there are not specific instructions from Naim other than translating & working it out from the manual.     I got mine written up a while back as it was useful time saver with beta testing.  

Clive B posted:

sjbabbey posted:

 

Inputs enabled. The reset enables all imputs e.g. all digital inputs/spotify/tidal/usb/ipod/iRadio/UpnP and multiroom whereas I usually only have UPnP and iRadio enabled.

Systems automation - all devices disabled so had to re-enable Preamp and change Preamp Streamer input from the default AV input to CD. 

That’s some useful advice about the System Automation, Steve. Hopefully if my connector lead arrives today I will do the same. When you say change the preamp streamer input, I assume that is done in the streamer settings as I already use CD input on my 552 for the NDS.

Is there any reason why you restrict the inputs? 

Hi Clive, I just disable any inputs which I don't use. I seem to remember that there was some discussion (quite a while back) which indicated that there was some sonic benefit in doing so and you can easily reactivate any inputs using the app should you need to do so.

Steve

Me too Clive & Steve,  not sure about sonic benefits - one of the many myths methinks -  but I do know it makes for a tidier iPad screen.   iRadio, NAS, TV, FM Radio is all I use most of the time.     If I need USB or Spotify it's only a few moments to enable in the app settings.

nigelb posted:

sjbabbey posted:

I've reset my NDS to Factory settings (why not?)

If you do this then you will need to check the following settings:

Front display time off (mine changed from 10 secs to default 2 mins)

Imputs enabled. The reset enables all imputs e.g. all digital inputs/spotify/tidal/usb/ipod/iRadio/UpnP and multiroom whereas I usually only have UPnP and iRadio enabled.

Systems automation - all devices disabled so had to re-enable Preamp and change Preamp Streamer input from the default AV input to CD. 

I too did a factory reset and have been able to reconfigure everything except the default pre amp input for the NDS. I have RTFM and can't seem to change the default input to CD and still it defaults to Aux 1 as the streamer input. Please advise, I feel such a plonker.

Scratch this, CD default input now assigned after much playing around.

Mike-B posted:

Hi Clive,  welcome to System Automation  ...........  do you know you can (or intend to) include your NAT-01 ??,  it can show as an icon on your app & when you touch that icon it shifts the 552 button to Tuner.

This is how I have my setup  ...  the Naim app Pre Tuner line can be changed to your choice  or leave it.       My NDX is,  like your NDS,  on the CD input.     

Nigel,  your solution is Streamer Audio > Pre CD 

  

 

Thanks Mike, after messing around in System Automation I got there in the end.

I must say, I continue to be very impressed with the SQ on 4.6. It goes to show that our 'legacy' streamers are still capable of more although I suspect this will be the last update Naim offer to the legacy streamers as they understandably focus developments on the new streamers.

One thing I think is OK to reveal from the beta testing world is that Naim take optimising the software for the  "legacy" streamers extremely seriously. Each and every product range is thoroughly tested for sound quality by Naim golden ears as well as beta testers (who between us own the full range of kit) before release.

The only limit to what they can and will do for the older products is enforced by the limitations of the technical/hardware characteristics of the streaming platforms therein.

Back to Purdah...

Clive B posted:

sjbabbey posted:

 

Inputs enabled. The reset enables all imputs e.g. all digital inputs/spotify/tidal/usb/ipod/iRadio/UpnP and multiroom whereas I usually only have UPnP and iRadio enabled.

Systems automation - all devices disabled so had to re-enable Preamp and change Preamp Streamer input from the default AV input to CD. 

That’s some useful advice about the System Automation, Steve. Hopefully if my connector lead arrives today I will do the same. When you say change the preamp streamer input, I assume that is done in the streamer settings as I already use CD input on my 552 for the NDS.

Is there any reason why you restrict the inputs? 

For future reference, if anybody is still trying to figure it out, here is Naim's System Automation manual. I think it may have confused as many people as it has helped over the years, but who knows, you might learn something!

https://www.naimaudio.com/site...ystem_automation.pdf