The 4.6 verdict
Posted by: Jack From Adelaide on 14 April 2018
Well, it is now a week since I updated my NDX to use the new 4.6 firmware. My principle purpose was to try and improve the stuttering I had on TIDAL and I didn't expect anything else. The playback through TIDAL is vastly improved. There, post done. WAIT there's more.
What I didn't expect from the description was any noticeable change in sound quality. I don't have a multi-room system (would that I could afford such a luxury!) but I do have quite a good main music system, which includes an NDX.
What I found after the first few albums was that the bass was tighter and more "tuneful". Then I noticed higher resolution. This became apparent almost immediately because my music room is next door to my Mother In Law's bedroom and I usually have to either use headphones or listen at painfully low levels so as not to disturb her. I was reading a book and kept having my attention drawn to whatever I was playing. The instruments and the singers were literally leaping out of the speakers into the room. It was uncanny. At this very moment I am listening to K. D Lang's "Hymns of the 49th Parallel" on UpNP server (minim server - rendered to WAV) and the piano in Hallelujah has this wonderful dynamic presentation, the loud and quiet passages are rendered more noticeably. K.D.'s voice and her exquisite control of the pacing and phrasing is there to hear. In a way that I have never noticed before. A couple of days ago it was Imogen Heap and her Ellipse album on TIDAL. Again the sense of her being in the room was remarkable. At some points it made the hair on my arms stand up. I have listened to E. Power Biggs playing Handel, the bizarre and ultimately rewarding Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith's "The Kid", Dami Im's new album "I Hear a Song" and Ryan Teagues "Block Boundaries". Every album is surrendering new details and expression that I have never heard before.
For those of you as ancient as me it is equivalent to the first time I put a moving coil cartridge on my turntable: I am rushing to listen to old favourites and new music to see what it sounds like now! In some cases I am discovering that they aren't as well recorded as I thought (Scartaglen's "This Nights Fun" was closed in and you could hear each microphone feed was in a separate acoustic) others are better than I ever suspected.
This upgrade was extremely painful to load (see my recent posts on the issue) but it was well worth the effort. Here is the magic of digital audio: a simple firmware upgrade is like a multi-thousand dollar improvement in your system.
My advice: If you can't load the firmware after an hour of effort, simply take your gear to your dealer and offer them $20 or something to do it for you. It is well worth the effort.
Posted on: 03 May 2018 by Mike-B
You say I've always checked the DSP' -- how do you do that and what do you compare that against. and what 'other info' do you also check. This could help a lot of people.
Hey Ken, howzit going? I may have mislead you a bit on this, I always check a number of things to verify the new firmware & out of interest to see & note what is new. I note the new firmware version number for e.g. & this & other new install rev numbers can be seen in the app 'Settings>About' However re DSP; new firmware does not mean a new DSP version number, it might sometimes, but not always. To see the DSP version in the ND display screen ......... with the remote, touch the 'tool' button, scroll down to Factory Settings > System Status & scroll to DSP Version.
Posted on: 03 May 2018 by J.N.
Now I'm concerned, I think 4.6 is moving back towards the Linn path on my system, and this is something that I do not want.
In my opinon this is not in the direction of PRaT.
I really hope this is not the beginning of me moving somewhere else...
Best regards from a worried Naim owner
Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree) has it nailed - 'Arriving Somewhere ........... But Not Here'.
Good luck.
John.
Posted on: 03 May 2018 by fred47
Is Naim trying to merge with Linn? That is a surprise. You never know!
Posted on: 03 May 2018 by musicfan51
Is Naim trying to merge with Linn? That is a surprise. You never know!
Maybe merged with Focal . Doubt they ever merge with Linn.
Posted on: 03 May 2018 by GraemeH
Is Naim trying to merge with Linn? That is a surprise. You never know!
Maybe merged with Focal . Doubt they ever merge with Linn.
The final Nailinn the coffin?
G
Posted on: 03 May 2018 by Peder
Is Naim trying to merge with Linn? That is a surprise. You never know!
That would be a disaster,then we just have "cleaner and clearer" without pace and rhythm = hifi-sound.
/Peder????
Posted on: 03 May 2018 by Chag...
Focal might be on the verge of acquiring Linn then. Déjà vu. ????
Chag -
Posted on: 03 May 2018 by DaveBk
Still plenty of PRAT here on 4.6...
Posted on: 03 May 2018 by musicfan51
Focal might be on the verge of acquiring Linn then. Déjà vu. ????
Chag -
No point in that . Ha!
Posted on: 03 May 2018 by musicfan51
Still plenty of PRAT here on 4.6...
Me too!
Posted on: 03 May 2018 by DaveBk
Just reran the stats.. now 75% positive for 4.6 with no correlation to speaker brand.
Posted on: 03 May 2018 by musicfan51
75% huh. At least more are positive than negative . That is good.
Posted on: 03 May 2018 by ken c
You say I've always checked the DSP' -- how do you do that and what do you compare that against. and what 'other info' do you also check. This could help a lot of people.
Hey Ken, howzit going? I may have mislead you a bit on this, I always check a number of things to verify the new firmware & out of interest to see & note what is new. I note the new firmware version number for e.g. & this & other new install rev numbers can be seen in the app 'Settings>About' However re DSP; new firmware does not mean a new DSP version number, it might sometimes, but not always. To see the DSP version in the ND display screen ......... with the remote, touch the 'tool' button, scroll down to Factory Settings > System Status & scroll to DSP Version.
i think its I who misunderstood. My question was triggered by CDI's experience -- where he reports he ran the update to completion but NDS settings still showed 4.4!!!? I assumed that if the update process showed the little 'success' window with a tick at the end -- then all should be ok, but seems not?? if you then have to check NDS to ensure all is OK, seems to me hat may not be enough -??
enjoy
ken
Posted on: 03 May 2018 by Mike-B
Ken, I am not sure CDI said he got to the end of the install & the "Success" window showed. Naim are aware of this thread & I would prefer to leave it at that for the time being
Posted on: 03 May 2018 by wrc
Just reran the stats.. now 75% positive for 4.6 with no correlation to speaker brand.
@DaveBk What's the sample count?
Posted on: 03 May 2018 by CDI
For clarity - I think I “clicked off” something at the end of the update process and that caused the “hybrid” version that still registered as 4.4 on the NDS and sounded horrible.
It is all sorted now and sounding pretty good even with my slightly bright kudos C20’s that are awaiting an upgrade to catch up with the electronics.
I’m still tying to pin down my other half to give her verdict on the new update v old - she has far better hearing than me and will be a valuable evaluator.
Will post the result ASAP - and when someone replies to my original post - Hos do you revert back to 4.4 !
CDI aka NDS
Posted on: 03 May 2018 by ken c
Ken, I am not sure CDI said he got to the end of the install & the "Success" window showed. Naim are aware of this thread & I would prefer to leave it at that for the time being
OK
Posted on: 03 May 2018 by Mike-B
- Hos do you revert back to 4.4
Go grab a copy in Naim>Customer Support>Suport & Information>Product Updates, drill down to 4.4 .......
....... the easy route https://www.naimaudio.com/updates
Interested on how you hear diff 4.4 v 4.6, please let us know.
Posted on: 04 May 2018 by jmtennapel
Software (firmware) has the habit to install completely or not at all. I find it very unlikely that the length of the USB cable could influence the sound.
Corrupt firmware updates would result in a not functioning piece of equipment.
Posted on: 06 May 2018 by Chag...
I have been a 4.6 supporter from the beginning without denying a few downsides. FWIW I have now slightly repositionned the D28. 2cm in the room and 1/2cm more toe-in. All to regain image focus, lower resonance and a little of PRaT. Probably to find a new knot in the resonance scheme. I believe some have reported similar adjustments. ????
Chag -
Posted on: 06 May 2018 by ken c
Software (firmware) has the habit to install completely or not at all. I find it very unlikely that the length of the USB cable could influence the sound.
Corrupt firmware updates would result in a not functioning piece of equipment.
you know more than I do. I only reported what happened. install 2wice with my desktop and 5m USB => unmistakably horrible sound. then reverted to 4.4.
3rd time, re-installed 4.6 using a measly dell laptop and a much shorter USB => horrible sound definitely gone - but a very 'different' SQ from what I was used to with 4.4.
I cant pretend to understand what's going one here -- maybe someone who knows more can shed some light?
enjoy
ken
Posted on: 06 May 2018 by French Rooster
perhaps the best update download must be done by chord music usb to mini usb cable ?
Posted on: 06 May 2018 by ken c
perhaps the best update download must be done by chord music usb to mini usb cable ?
Posted on: 06 May 2018 by French Rooster
perhaps the best update download must be done by chord music usb to mini usb cable ?
more seriously, my usb cable has 50 cm length. Some didn’t liked the update, but horrible, i didn’t heard. Can you borrow another laptop with short usb cable, to see if it changes something ?
Posted on: 06 May 2018 by ken c
perhaps the best update download must be done by chord music usb to mini usb cable ?
more seriously, my usb cable has 50 cm length. Some didn’t liked the update, but horrible, i didn’t heard. Can you borrow another laptop with short usb cable, to see if it changes something ?
no point. as I said from my earlier posting, I am over the 'horrible' sound now. just learning to live with the 'new' sound now... which is definitely 'different'
and as far as I have understood from people here who know a lot more about this domain than I do, its unlikely the USB cable had anything to do with the horrible sound, so I am still in the dark as to what actually changed things in the end, or combination of things. There are probably many variables involved with complex interactions...
enjoy...
ken
