New NDS Streamer

As for the CD player range, the offer was too large anyway

What model do you have already Edouard ? 

There might be a ND555, but not in the foreseable future IMO. I'd be glad to be proven wrong, but I'm not convinced they have enough experience (meaning also: enough time having passed) with the technologies involved to produce a state-of-the-art-no-compromise-cost-no-issue streamer at that point in time. Is only UPnP streaming here to stay ?

That makes me questioning the possible evolution of the 500-series line of products as a whole. Naim have made tremendous effort in the digital domain -- with success it seems --, and even if I'm not really able to understand technically why would a digital preamp (or amp for that matter) be an evolution sound-wise, I can't help thinking that the Naim for Bentley project, with its extensive DSP processing, D-class amp and so on, is the source of more wonders to come.

A very interesting read as always.

The NDS will have to be on my short-list for my ultimate Streamer/Player set-up. I will have to save up massively however. And listen before I buy and compare with ADS + Renew DS and with some other very good streamer+DAC offerings.

I agree with Hook: Naim's strategy where you can upgrade your products by buying better or multiple PSUs is one that will make it easier for me to afford the NDS + PSU, as I can start out by buying one of the lesser PSU options first and then trade in, or sell on and buy the upgrade.

I can't wait to read the first reviews and have a listen myself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Best wishes,

Peter

I can answer this tomorrow after 10am...

Phil

The validity of the above statement will be confirmed or otherwise tomorrow at 10am ...

... I could tell you but I'd be in the doodoo if I did.

Phil

You like that, don't you Phil ?

Cool to see you as much excited as we are !

This "S" moniker conveys something special.

Well this is good news 

Looks a great design and can't wait to hear it 

It should mean I won't need my Naim DAC or CDX2 and that frees up two shelves and the 555PS/Power-Line and the Hi-Line so it is about 1/5th of the price of a KDS (which is far to expensive for me no matter how good it sounds: I couldn't justify paying that for only one box , but I will listen to it if I get the opportunity) ... so back to the just about affordable NDS ... no redundancy and full use of my 555PS plus optical and coaxial inputs if I need them - a Naim renderer to accept a network connection from a UPnP server on my Vortexbox (which if it is like the UQ will just work), no noisy USB or Firewire interfaces which I'd never use ( no redundancy), but a USB slot for sticks like the Beatles high resolution stick and a digital out (not sure if I'd use that, but nice to have if ever the need arose to send bits to my Yamaha CDR for example). 

Will it support Airplay and can I plug in my iPad? 

As long as I can select and play an album using nStream then that is fine - don't need any frills. 

The end of the quest for my ideal streamer/DAC solution and the end of the digital interface debate.  

I know it will not suit everybody, but I think it is wonderful that Naim has designed a product that addresses my requirements perfectly. I only hope it sounds good .... i.e. improves on my Mac Mini/Naim DAC/555PS and that'll be it. 

All the best, Guy

PS - Now found I can run dbPowerAmp on my Mac without Windows 

PPS - Apologies if this post has upset anybody. I'm sure the KDS is wonderful, but it is out my league price wise. 

Exactly, I cannot understand the thinking of a few posters here who seem to prefer a cul-de-sac rather than the opportunity to upgrade as and when.

The NDS appears to maintain this upgrade path as, subject to audition, it appears that I could sell my nDac and use the 555PS on the NDS. This makes the NDS a very attractive option.

Anyone who has experienced the improvement in sound quality of Supercap over Hi-Cap and 555PS over XPS will understand this. 

I hope that the NDS lives up to expectations.

Gwerry 

"It should mean I won't need my Naim DAC or CDX2 and that frees up two shelves and the 555PS/Power-Line and the Hi-Line so it is about 1/5th of the price of a KDS (which is far to expensive for me no matter how good it sounds,"

Guy

I am not on the attack here, just discussing. You say you can purchase a 6,250 GBP NDS for about 1/5th of the price of a KDS/1so your calculation assumes you trade in a some of your current equipment to migrate to the NDS/555PS. Folk that decide for a KDS/1 aren't precluded from doing this as well. Personally I disposed of a CDS3, a 555PS and an Linn ADS so my KDS was nowhere near the retail price, In fact I ended up paying significantly less.

This is a fairer purchase comparison scenario I feel. 

regards

Geoff

How so?????

Hello Geoff

That doesn't sound like an attack at all - a perfectly polite response - and one I find it hard to disagree with; yes you absolutely right I could negotiate a trade-in for the CDX2/nDAC/555PS and offset that against a KDS. [I was only hoping nobody would see through the flaw in my argument] At at this juncture, I've no idea which would sound better though I tend to think like Allen that the answer is likely to be neither and they will both sound very good. Some will prefer one and others another. Worse - I may think the KDS sounds better and then listen again and think it is the NDS and get totally confused. As long as we all end up with a system that makes us happy then it is a success. 

I could probably assemble a conrad-johson system that would make me happy or an all Linn system or, as I have, all Naim system. My attempts to mix and match have never worked for me with the exception of my Linn record player (and my TD150 speakers in the office). Again, no reason others might not succeed where I have failed. 

I always think of my neighbour's system - I don't like horn loaded loudspeakers, I'm not keen on valves, I can't imagine why anybody would buy a TT from Musical Fidelity - but he has MF TT/SME arm/cj amps/Tannoy speakers and it sounds wonderful.

So reaching a conclusion is far from easy, so please forgive my floored logic. 

All the best, Guy 

The line I was only hoping nobody would see through the flaw in my argument is from Monty Python's Stake Your Claim where folk make illogical statements with supporting evidence that doesn't hold up to closer scrutiny. 

MP:I wrote the works normally associated with William Shakespeare

JC: How do you account for the fact they were performed 300 or more years before you were born

MP: I can't, I was only hoping nobody would see through  the flaw in my argument. 

Google the Codeweavers CrossOver Wine 

I do *LOVE* working here and doing what I do - and yes, I am excited about this product launch (take what you want from that).

I'm looking forward to seeing the first posts back on here when people have heard it...

Phil 

I tried CrossOver MAC to run dBPoweramp and was not successful. The program starts up fine but it can't 'see' the computer's CD/DVD ROM drive. This was confirmed as a problem by Mr Spoon. ASSET UPnP will run fine with CrossOver since you can still find NAS on the network. It is only the CD drive that becomes non accessible.

To run dBPoweramp on my MAC it was necessary to use Parallels or Bootcamp.

You maybe lucky Guy.

regards

Geoff

Teasing, I meant !

But that is a great thing to have people from Naim like you posting on the forum, showing how proud they are of what they do, and how much they love it ! And feeding the fire with some teasing sometimes.

How could we be excited if the ones building the thing in the first place were feeling unconcerned ?

Absolutely no offense intended what so ever. Please keep on !

Geoff,

Do you know if one could run ASSET UPnP on a MacBook Pro to serve files up out of iTunes using CrossOver? Could ASSET transcode AIFF to WAV on the fly, do you know? It can transcode FLAC to WAV on the fly in a Windows environment...

Many thanks

tp

Well, I've ordered mine from my dealer.  (finance plan = eBay NDX & nDAC & XP5XS, & sign up for new interest free credit card to cover remainder). Keep 555PS for NDS.   Retire gracefully and make my way through a few tens of thousands of NAS music tracks... and from June(?) create playlists on the fly as I listen.  To quote George Michael - Faith.

No offense at all taken - what I meant by "take what you want from that" is that I get to play with a lot of kit and I am *VERY* excited about this one ... I don't have one at home (yet - but I'm trying) and the guys here that do have them are not giving them up without a fight...

...as I said, "take what you want from that".

I'm looking forward to the postings up here tomorrow from Bristol - feedback from the guys is that the room's sounding "pretty good".

Phil

I've booked the morning off work tomorrow... not to go to the show, it's too far, but to sit and read the posts here!

that isn't going to help with your financing plan

You're right... I hadn't thought of that...

Ok for you but I've got to find the money from my pension!

It's a date then! 

I'll be here to try to put things straight when they veer off on a wrong tangent...

Phil

In principle I think yes. I assume you are playing your music out of i-tunes via USB so I am not familiar with and wonder if i-tunes and Asset would conflict since they are both acting as servers. I have served files from my NAS to my KDS using Asset in CrossOver on my Mac AIR to do the job but that was via a network connection with no i-tunes involvement.

Asset can transcode AIFF to WAV on the fly, the only restraint is the speed of the computer it is running on and i don't see that being an issue with a MacBook Pro.

regards

Geoff

Thanks a lot Geoff, that's interesting. I currently use Yazsoft's Playback UPnP server to serve files out of iTunes to my ND5XS. Thinking about it now, the files probably don't get served out of iTunes but rather the iTunes Media folder, which resides on the HDD, so essentially it's just another folder on the MBP's HHD. If Playback works, surely Asset should work as well, if CrossOver gets it to run on the Mac OSX, that is. I might give it a try, good to know this option exists.

Do CrossOver and Asset both run stable on a Mac or do they cause hick-ups of any sorts? Are there any drawbacks one needs to be aware of when deciding whether to download CrossOver or not?

Br

tp

Yes seems to run fine. I had no problems when I tried it though for normal use I have Asset running on my NAS so don't need it on the Mac.

If you point Asset at your i-tunes music folder you should be able to run it without starting up i-tunes.

Geoff