n-Stream update long overdue

Perhaps it's the 2 week break from using the DS apps or may be just my increasing familiarity with n-Stream but I'm not finding it too bad. Certainly with Majetic running on my Mac and serving up my iTunes managed library it's a fairly good experience. I agree with Simon on many points. The single step navigation is clunky and the ability to make playlists on the fly is sorely missed. It's also a bit of a dark and dull experience and not quite fitting with the lovely Apple control point it runs on. Saying that, n-stream on the iPhone looks better than on the iPad. The extra real estate the iPad provides is not really utilised which is a shame. Just take a look at Chorus, eLyric or even the new Kinsky to see an app that uses the space intelligently, gives a crisp, good looking user interface and allows very easy navigation in one screen without needing to step back and forth. I think as a long time Naim users we're sometimes happy to lose a bit of functionality to gain the best sound quality, but in this case and with the target market of the Qute and Uniti products, a potential customer, new to Naim and used to the slick experience of the ITunes  or Sonos remote apps will find the Naim offering lacking

James

Hi Simon

Do you know the minimum cpu/ram requirments for succesful transcoding FLAC to WAV?

Asset is the only solution available for this operation? Typical Linux nas servers (qnap/synology) can do it? or they have not enough cpu/ram power?

What about Vortexbox?

Nikos

Hi SImon,

If you have FLAC you DO NOT need to re rip. FLAC is a lossless format. What you need to do is transcode to WAV for current Naim streaming boards

Thanks. I have both WAV and FLAC files of the same cd. I can try transcoding flac to to wav when streaming but will that then alter (reduce) the bit rates of any HIRES FLAC files on playback?

Hi SImon,

Hi Graham, if you use Asset for transcoding then the bit depth and sample rate is maintained after transcoding. So your hidef FLAC will simply turn into hidef WAV .
Simon

Sorry I meant if using the Naim decode to WAV function. Guess I will just have to try it/

Graham,

the first line of support is your supplying dealer.  They should be there to hold your hand through the ins and outs of getting the best from your set-up, and that should include Naim software optimisation.

Failing that, Naim have a hotline  - the Naim phone number - where you can speak to Steven Hopkins, Naim's Customer Service Manager.  Often it's best to e-mail him with specific queries, that way he can consult on any specific technical or software issue.

Many of the issues you are having are down to the upnp server it would seem, so not specifically Naim related.  Of the third party upnp servers, I have found Asset (as also used by Simon) to be very good and works well with the NDX and n-Stream.

Hi Richard,

many of the issues you are having are down to the upnp server it would seem, so not specifically Naim related

The point I have been trying to make is that my Sonos automatically picked up all the WAV information and presented the album artwork and the tracks in the correct order whereas the Naim software does not. I am not sure why this is anything to do with the upnp server as such.

The same files are stored in the same directory of an external USB hard disk which is now attached to my QNAPNAS. I have also copied the the WAV files to another folder on the NAS itself.

My point is that I would have thought that Naim software would have been written to account for these situations. After all NAIM could clearly see what the competition did and I would have hoped they would have then gone one better as they certainly did with the sound quality.

I agree about dealer support, in one sense, but the Naim equipment works and sounds great. Are you saying that all dealers been trained in Naim/NAS configuration?

Why is there info in the manuals about physical "connections" but precious little about "connecting" to the network and assisting with these configuration issues. I am sure Phil (?) at Naim does not want to keep receiving loads of similar questions from individual customers,  so what about more advice in FAQs about setting up Uniti\ HDX\\NDX products with the most common types of NAS drives or a separate forum only for software/NAS configuration issues.

Regards

Graham

Hi Simon,

My Sonos was connected to my wireless router and the WAVs were on the USB drive which was attached to the PC. I assume it was using its own (and/or  the Windows Vista and then later the Windows 7)  operating system.

I was never aware of UPNP - Sonos just worked. My SONOS still works and displays album art and tracks in the right order even though I no longer keep the PC on. It works with the QNAP NAS and the attached external USB drive

 Sorry if you think I being unfair on NAIM but SONOS worked correctly and so far the QNAP and NDX doesn't. QNAP NAS drives are highly recommended in this forum so I assumed they would work with NAIM software and present the WAV music files in the same way but with better sound quality.

I have asked a similar query about Asset on another thread you are contributing to. I do not want to have to run a PC in order to stream music. I would happily consider installing the Asset on the QNAP as an alternative to Twonkymedia but have no idea if this can be done.

As I said earlier I am not a network expert.

Regards,

Graham