I wanted to buy an NDX ... but ...

Posted by: Musicmad on 12 December 2010

Present set-up: CD5x + FC2x + SuperNait to ProAc Tri-Towers ... very happy listening.

But over the last year or so I've moved over to audio streaming using a Logitech Duet: signal from desktop PC's external HDD through router; Squeezebox receiver connected via optical to the SN's DAC ... some software and hardware issues but generally excellent.

And I really appreciate having the ability to control the music from anywhere in the house using the Squeezebox Controller or - when at my desk, via the PC (SqueezeCenter).

And so the NDX appeared to be the obvious way forward ... replace the Logitech kit with the NDX.

Only my dealer tells me that this kit is not designed for use throughout the house. There is no hand control which will allow me to see / access / control my music database. Which means I would need to be in sight of the NDX or, at best, to have access to a PC (I do not have - or want - any iPhone kit).

So it looks as if I shall be keeping my Logitech set-up unless anyone can identify where my understanding / logic is at fault.
Posted on: 12 December 2010 by David Dever
This is incorrect - not only can one use the supplied IR remote, as well as the n-Stream app on an iPod touch, but the NDX behaves just like any other UPnP device. Content can be pushed to the unit via any UPnP control point application, with the NDX functioning as a UPnP renderer.

As for faulty logic - there's nothing wrong with an iPod touch, it's inexpensive, flexible, and also works well as a remote for your Logitech kit!

Practicality wins over orthodoxy every time. Winker
Posted on: 12 December 2010 by js
I believe there's an Iphone/Ipod touch app that does exactly what you're looking for and more.
Posted on: 12 December 2010 by Musicmad
Thank you both for the feedback, but if I can't see a menu, etc. then how do I know what to select?

And as I wrote ... I don't want to buy into the iPod/iPhone regime. I had assumed that the NDX would come complete with such a facility but its user-interface appears to be restricted. If I listened to my music in the same room as the hi-fi kit then I acknowledge that the unit's screen and hand controller are fine but that's too restrictive for me.
Posted on: 12 December 2010 by js
Do as you please but the menu's will be there as it's a dedicated app and you can buy an Ipod touch for less than Naim could supply it for in the quantities called for. You don't need to buy into or use it for anything but an effective WiFi remote control. Of course if you're scared that you may lose control and actually use the other cool tools it has to offer when traveling etc. then be afraid, very afraid. Winker Big Grin
Posted on: 12 December 2010 by fathings cat
Will an i pad work as a remote in the same way an i touch would?

regards

Gary

ps sorry for hi jacking thread....hopefully only a small detour!
Posted on: 13 December 2010 by Harry
Yes it will. I'm not interested in the iPod/Phone/Pad "culture", don't give a toss about apps, low quality music files, social networking and all that but I use an iPad for N-Serve and it's excellent even at it's current iPod/Phone resolution. It will only get better. Same holds for N-Stream.
Posted on: 13 December 2010 by Tog
Ipad is a great control platform

Tog
Posted on: 13 December 2010 by Geoff P
OK so Apple make you open an account BUT that does not mean you have to buy any music or downloads from i-tunes. Granted you have to install i-tunes on a PC to sync the i-pod and download control point software to it to turn it into a remote for the NDX, but this is not signing over your life to Apple. You do not have to have i-tunes look at your music at all. The i-pod will then be able to run the NDX anywhere within range of your wifi network ( whole house?).

A neat thing that also happens is some control point software apps for i-pod ( or /pad/phone) can then turn the i-pod into a media player which can play music directly streamed from your storage and you can play that anywhere in the house via headphones or by plugging into an audio dock as an altrenative to listening to the NDX when the mood takes you, very portable and usefull to have.

regards
Geoff
Posted on: 13 December 2010 by David Dever
quote:
OK so Apple make you open an account BUT that does not mean you have to buy any music or downloads from i-tunes. Granted you have to install i-tunes on a PC to sync the i-pod and download control point software to it to turn it into a remote for the NDX, but this is not signing over your life to Apple. You do not have to have i-tunes look at your music at all. The i-pod will then be able to run the NDX anywhere within range of your wifi network ( whole house?).


In fact–once you have created an iTunes Store account, you need not re-connect the unit back to your computer–you may use the App Store directly from the device to add whatever you desire.
Posted on: 13 December 2010 by Harry
Quite so and as long as the iPad is picking up your WiFi app updates will be installed over air.
Posted on: 13 December 2010 by Klout10
quote:
Originally posted by Geoff P:
OK so Apple make you open an account BUT that does not mean you have to buy any music or downloads from i-tunes. Granted you have to install i-tunes on a PC to sync the i-pod and download control point software to it to turn it into a remote for the NDX, but this is not signing over your life to Apple. You do not have to have i-tunes look at your music at all. The i-pod will then be able to run the NDX anywhere within range of your wifi network ( whole house?).

A neat thing that also happens is some control point software apps for i-pod ( or /pad/phone) can then turn the i-pod into a media player which can play music directly streamed from your storage and you can play that anywhere in the house via headphones or by plugging into an audio dock as an altrenative to listening to the NDX when the mood takes you, very portable and usefull to have.

regards
Geoff


That's exactly the way I'm using it!

Regards,
Michel
Posted on: 13 December 2010 by GaryP
Sign over your life to Apple or sign you life over to NAIM. I know which is less damaging to one's financial health Smile
Posted on: 13 December 2010 by js
What of hapiness? Big Grin
Posted on: 13 December 2010 by PureHifi
quote:
Originally posted by Musicmad:
And I really appreciate having the ability to control the music from anywhere in the house using the Squeezebox Controller...

So it looks as if I shall be keeping my Logitech set-up unless anyone can identify where my understanding / logic is at fault.


What is the difference between using a Squeezebox Controller and an iTouch/iPad to control the music selection ?? both are wifi products to essentially do the same thing.
Posted on: 13 December 2010 by pcstockton
quote:
Only my dealer tells me that this kit is not designed for use throughout the house. There is no hand control which will allow me to see / access / control my music database. Which means I would need to be in sight of the NDX or, at best, to have access to a PC

How is this different from ANYTHING else, including the Logitech devices?
Posted on: 14 December 2010 by Musicmad
Thank you to all for the considered responses ... they have certainly started me thinking (and even researching iPod Touch, etc.)

I appear to have caused some confusion (consternation perhaps) in my views and conclusions. For anyone interested ...

... I used Apple PCs back in the early 90s and haven't used one since. I have no Apple products other a 160GB iPod Classic which I've owned for about 10 mths - it is still in its unopened box (a marketing gift from Pioneer who annoyed me so much ...)

Anyhow, having seriously considered buying an NDX I then found that the product will not give the same highly useful and greatly used facilities as the Logitech Duet. From the responses above it appears that to replicate the facilities I have now, I should have to buy an iPod Touch or ...

js writes "... you can buy an Ipod touch for less than Naim could supply it for in the quantities called for..." and he may be correct. But I should like to know if Naim did consider licensing such facilities so that their own product's hand controller could do this. If Logitech can market a Duet at around GBP200-250 which includes the Receiver then what cost a Naim hand controller with such (licensed) facilites? Surely less than the cost of an iPod Touch.

But, yes, I'm re-considering as I would like an NDX. Who knows, maybe I'll become an Apple devotee ... Smile ... and then I might get around to opening that iPod Classic!
Posted on: 14 December 2010 by Musicmad
quote:
Originally posted by pcstockton:
quote:
Only my dealer tells me that this kit is not designed for use throughout the house. There is no hand control which will allow me to see / access / control my music database. Which means I would need to be in sight of the NDX or, at best, to have access to a PC

How is this different from ANYTHING else, including the Logitech devices?


The Logitech Controller has a screen displaying the music menus / options / choices. I can lie in bed and select my music (accessed from a HDD in a spare bedroom and played via the Logitech Receiver / SuperNait in the living room) - how could I do this with a Naim hand-controller which has only buttons?

The Duet's menu includes an alarm so the screen displays an attractive clock (which can act as a night-light, too) and the music - set on random (any one of 29,000+ tracks) can wake me. Wonderful!
Posted on: 14 December 2010 by David Dever
You can select individual devices via the n-Stream app.
Posted on: 14 December 2010 by Tog
The problem is that those people who started with Squeezebox well before streaming went mainstream got used to a degree of flexibility that they are now being expected to do without.

The strength of Squeezebox was that it was software driven by Slim Devices and SlimServer's Open Source status supported a thriving development culture. Slim Devices were years ahead of their time and with power source modifications and the development of the Transporter they opened the way for the current generation of streamers.

It is a shame ownership by Logitech has turned out to be such a disappointment.

My key point is that good engineering is not enough - software is the key.

Tog
Posted on: 14 December 2010 by likesmusic
.. but, at least for me, the irony now is that iPeng on an iPhone/Touch is altogether a better way of controlling a Squeezebox than Logitechs own remote. I guess that's a consequence of the 'thriving development culture' though.
Posted on: 14 December 2010 by garyi
What ever squeezebox had its been at least matched by myriad other offerings, personally i would take a mac mini with XBMC over a SB any day, but thats just my preference, hitting market right now is googleTV, boxee box and a number of other devices which especially when outputting to a DAC piss all over SB on software alone.

I don't personally understand the SB touch, it makes no sense to me what so ever.

I also own a logitech harmony1000. Although I get on withe the remote it has a number of total disasters to deal with, none the least of which is the 'community based' learning of devices. Sorry but open source and community don't always work very well in my experience. (And of course sometimes it does work very well, it seems where ever there is a 'corp' behind it, thats when it goes tits, something to do with suits I think)
Posted on: 14 December 2010 by realhifi
quote:
Posted Tue 14 December 2010 18:35 Hide Post
The problem is that those people who started with Squeezebox well before streaming went mainstream got used to a degree of flexibility that they are now being expected to do without.

The strength of Squeezebox was that it was software driven by Slim Devices and SlimServer's Open Source status supported a thriving development culture. Slim Devices were years ahead of their time and with power source modifications and the development of the Transporter they opened the way for the current generation of streamers.

It is a shame ownership by Logitech has turned out to be such a disappointment.

My key point is that good engineering is not enough - software is the key.

Tog


Couldn't agree more. The interface on an iPad is superb, the support for third party apps is terrific (ie Rhapsody, Pandora, etc.) and they flat out work. Reads files effortlessly from both my Mac and my PC.
Posted on: 14 December 2010 by pcstockton
quote:
The problem is that those people who started with Squeezebox well before streaming went mainstream got used to a degree of flexibility that they are now being expected to do without.


If you really like the SB as a streamer why not forgo the NDX and simply get the (superior) Naim DAC?

-Patrick
Posted on: 15 December 2010 by AbsoluteMusic
quote:

"If you really like the SB as a streamer why not forgo the NDX and simply get the (superior) Naim DAC?

-Patrick


Just my two cents....that was my initial path, but the result using the Ndac vs SNdac with my SB was better, for sure but not for the price asked for the NDac.
So i decided to stay with the SNDac (better VFM)....at least with my SB3 as source.....perhaps a better steamer would show me a bigger gap than which identified during my test (Files used during the test were AIFF and FLAC)
Posted on: 15 December 2010 by Timbo
I have a Squeezebox touch as I wanted internet radio. It sounded OK into my 252 using a direct connection. I also have a Mac mini server and a Dlink NAS with two 1.5TB hard disks running as a mirror array and have been ripping my CDs to it for some time.

Whilst waiting for my 300 to arrive Bryan at the Gramophone suggested that I take the NDac as hostage. Connected to the SB everything sounded a hell of a lot better and within a week I was really enjoying internet radio and playing music via the SB slim server on my mac. Further improvement was adding a Welborne Labs power supply - although I wouldn't recommend using Welborne as they have an awful customer services record. My visa was charged twice and I still haven't got a refund and according to many was lucky to get the power supply delivered. Funny how one finds this out after the event. Also downloading hires music has been an eye or rather ear opener.

Anyway I have a few decisions to make in where to go next. The obvious first step is to get my CDX2 converted so it connects directly to the Dac and move the XPS2 and the Hiline onto the Dac. But what then? Perhaps unitiserve to rip CDs, but I already do that with my mac, so will have to be convinced of an increase in quality. NDX? Not sure - does it do internet radio? What about an HDX - again perceived duplication, but could be better quality. I will get me an ipod touch or an ipad and use ipeng to control the SB, or it might be better quality all round to invest in some Naim fraim. Nearly forgot, always could try out the unitiqute, but would that give me better quality and it seems a shame to only use a few of its features.

Tim