Is there going to be a Naim Digital Streamer?

Hi,

clear statement from my distributor yesterday was: no streamer to come soon.

There might come a Unity without the CD drive, but that´s it.

So, the Naimiest solution probably will be stick with the Linn and maybe connect to the Naim DAC when it becomes available.

IMHO it´s so unbelievable, they just need to get rid of those stupid harddisks and CD drive in the HDX. Doesnt sound too complex.

brgds..TC

Hi,

Thought it was along those lines.

You dont need a Naim DAC, the Linn has one inside

Cheers

John

Hi again John,

The demo of the new DAC at the Summer Sounds Roadshow event was super impressive though.

I'm looking forward to trying it out with some of my kit when I get the chance.

John

Hi John,

Yes I would like to see a Naim Streamer, I now have managed to get a full Naim system from pre to power amp and think if Naim did make a streamer it would just add the final link in the chain as far as system synergy is concerned.

Cheers

John

with the naim dac add the itouch or similar plug play and your streaming and internet radio etc.

Hi Paul,

How does the DAC get it's information from the Home Server?

Does it have some software that can integrate the DAC with a NAS and pull the music from the NAS?

I need a lot more inforamtion on what this DAC can do, inputs and outputs before I will go buy one.

Cheers

John

As an office system I plugged a MacBook in to a DAC on an old CD recorder - the MacBook can access lots of music sources so is effectively the streamer - I can see that I can do a similar thing with the Naim DAC and it should work no differently from what I'm doing now with a considerable hike in quality.

I tried the NaimUniti, but couldn't get it to work in the demo environment, but all those issues dissolve if I simply add a DAC to a Mac or some other computer.

So I'd question the need for a Naim streamer. I have heard the Linn Sneaky (not bad for the money) and Linn Akurate DS, but I wasn't sufficiently impressed to want either.

Lots of people on this forum use a Mac/DAC so with the arrival of a Naim DAC this could be the clue to the answer we all chase.

Hi,

Well if there were some clear indications on how streaming music would work with this DAC then more people might be convinced to hold off and buy the DAC.

It seems like everything is a secret on here, and people being very defensive about the products.

All I am asking for is a simple explaination for something.

Is it too much to ask? On the Linn forum you will get a technical guy to answer as many times as it take to help get you to understand the issues and techinal requirements.

Cheers

John

John

I think it's quite clear that Niam will not be offering a streamer in the forseeable future, which is a real shame because it would sell like hot cakes.

I know what you mean about the lack of information issue. The problem is that many folk on here simply don't get it. There seems to be a mentality that streamers are bad, probably because Linn stole the match on Naim and because naturally anything Linn (apart from LP12) is automatically bad , so many just don't want to know about it.

For me, I just dont get the DAC! What's the bloody point of spending that much and then not going the small extra mile of incorporating a streaming component.

The idea of a streamer appealed to me immediately and I am now the happy owner of a Linn Accurate DS. I thought at one stage I might regret buying this, because I thought it would be only a matter of time (I was thinking months) before Naim cottoned on to it and produced their own, but as it happens, I clearly made the right choice.

A HDX can stream as you probably know, so there is that alternative, but there's no way of ordering one without those bloody hard disks.

Gary

Hi Gary,

I think you are right about the lack of understanding on what a streamer system can do.

I have played mine against 3 reasonable CD players and it was without a doubt so much better.

The interface with the user could be better but the ability to make a 2 hour playlist and sit back and enjoy the music without leaving your chair is wonderful.

The absence of hard disk noise in the music room as well is a blessing. All the storage is well out the way, allowing the HiFi to do its stuff.

Now with the ungrades to Linn's streamers in the form of the power supply upgrade it has I have been imformed, not by Linn, but by someone who has heard it, that it raises the streamers ability even higher.

I would just like to have an all Naim system, that was all.

Cheers

John

quote:

Originally posted by John Campbell:
Now with the ungrades to Linn's streamers in the form of the power supply upgrade it has I have been imformed, not by Linn, but by someone who has heard it, that it raises the streamers ability even higher.

John, tell me more? Are you saying there is now a PSU for the Linn DS's? I haven't heard about this.

quote:

I would just like to have an all Naim system, that was all.

Me too, but it doesn't look like it's going to happen soon.

Gary

Isn;t the PSU upgrade the 'Dynamik' module ?

John - the Naim DAC and streaming via an iPod touch isn't a very elegant solution - the uniti (when it works) does it better. I can understand why Gary likes the Linn DS solution - if i hadn't gone Mac / Dac then this would have been a serious contender for me. Linn have got it so right (after a bit of a dodgy start with the user interface).

James

>> I know what you mean about the lack of information issue. The problem is that many folk on here simply don't get it. There seems to be a mentality that streamers are bad...

I so 100% agree with you. Having owned a Slim streamer for years, recently bought and sold a CD5X in a 3 weeks time window, and enjoying my transporter immensely tonight, I just cannot agree with you. Many people just do not realize what they are missing. Especially those who make conjectures based on zero experience with a nice sounding streamer.

>> For me, I just dont get the DAC! What's the bloody point of spending that much and then not going the small extra mile of incorporating a streaming component.

Again, as I have barked off various times, "!!!!!!!!!!!" And what is the bloody point of spending all that wasteful metal, shielding, and R&D on shoehorning 2 clunky hard discs into the HDX when it could have been a proper streamer, like the DS and the transporter???????

>> The idea of a streamer appealed to me immediately and I am now the happy owner of a Linn Accurate DS.

And Glory be with you!!

BTW Linn just announced the Dynamik power supply which you can replace your existing one for 450 quids, and 50% off if you bought less than 3 months ago.

(The frustrating thing is I was just about ready to give up waiting for Godot, I mean Naim, and buy a Linn DS. Now my local Linn dealer is telling me that (1) Their stock is all non Dynamik; (2) If I buy one from them they won't retrofit it with the Dynamik; (3) They will not even honor the Linn 50% upgrade scheme if I buy one now; (4) If I want to buy a Dynamik'ed DS from them, tough manure and shut up and wait for them to finish ripping off people who don't know better and sell to them.

>> I thought at one stage I might regret buying this, because I thought it would be only a matter of time (I was thinking months) before Naim cottoned on to it and produced their own, but as it happens, I clearly made the right choice.

As mentioned above, I think you made the right choice too!!!

>> A HDX can stream as you probably know, so there is that alternative, but there's no way of ordering one without those bloody hard disks.

As mentioned above, Amen!

** Finally, I know I may tick some people off by saying this. I suspect Naim's recent confused strategy has the potential of steering a 20+ years Naim devotee (moi) off course, which would be a real shame. This may be a bit severe given the loyalty I feel towards the brand, but it seems plausible.

not confused its about different strokes...
hdx is one route,naimuniti another with 1.4d upnp enabled streaming from our servers to uniti is a breeze.
Naimdac with the itouch interface and plugplay is not a mess,its very elegant and works like a dream... no issues that we have found so far, streaming which ever way you look at it. The naimdac I think is the only dac available with the apple authenticated chip.
Full info on the dac will be here very soon and on our site with all the options clearly stated for the dac on cd players an upgrade for the hdx or as a stand alone streamer.
It only about choice, there are many ways to....
jy wait until you hear the sound, I feel a trade in coming on

Paul - thats all understood. I think the iPod control is a strange addition but each to their own. I'll look forward to reading the white papers, borrowing one and plugging my computer into it and taking a listen.

James

A couple of months ago I bought a Majik DS to test how streaming works in real life. Said briefly, I love it. "Only" a Majik, because I thought "Well, Naim will offer a proper streamer soon anyway."

Since then my CDX2/XPS2 is almost out of work, because the little Linn doesnt sound bad at all and the comfort is simply too good. Only downside is that I regret not having bought an Akurate...

A couple of dealers told me the HDX is almost unsellable and many customers move from Naim to Linn. And if you changed your source, the rest of the system might follow...

I really love Naim and want to stay with it, but under no circumstances I will get anything from Apple! Apple and music is simply contradictonary.

Has anybody tried to simply rip the harddisks out of the HDX? Will it still work as a streamer? If I get one used I´m tempted to try it. And if it works, throw the disks in a bin in Salisbury.

Sorry, just cant understand how a company, which obviously has the know how, can ignore customer demands so arrogantly.

brgds...TC

quote:

Apple and music is simply contradictonary.

rubbish.

quote:

Originally posted by John Campbell:
..I now have managed to get a full Naim system from pre to power amp ...

Sounds like you are not getting quite as much sleep as you once were!

John

Hi,

Well you are right, I managed to get the Linn kit working much better but still wanted a Naim system.

So the solution was to have both. I can easily switch between Linn or Naim systems into my Shahinian Arc's so the perfect solution for someone who just wants the best of both worlds. One that also keeps me awake

I just would have liked to have had a Naim streamer, still maybe one decade!

As for Apple, what is that, why would I want an iPod socket, god this is supposed to be top quality HiFi not LoFi!

If you want to see a really neat solution, go look at the iPAQ with the Linn streamer, it is very nice, one small unit controls all with all computer bits well out the way of the music room, now that is more like it.

Cheers

John

My feelings on DAC and streamers:-

Listening to the Naim DAC at the roadshow was along the lines of "F**k me, that's amazing!"

The iPod integration is, sorry to say Paul, not as impressive as is made out to be. While it may be a technical tour-de-force to do it I can't see the point in using a 4 inch screen tethered to a 6 foot long cable to stream stuff wirelessly from network storage on my existing network. I also want to sit 10 feet away from my hifi so how do I control the thing, I sure as hell can't read the screen if I use a remote from that distance.

If you have the music already ripped to fill your iPod, you already have the music on the network, why not stream it direct from there? 8, 16 or 32Gb is fine as a portable toy.

Just because you can connect to the Great White God of Cupertino doesn't make it a must have. When I was buying a portable device I avoided Apple for a number of reasons, and I can't see any reason to change my mind.

Will somebody at Salisbury, FFS, grab £150 out of petty cash and buy a SqueezeBox Classic! You can read the screen from 10 feet away, try that with the damn iPod, its got optical and CoAx S/PDIF (OK, so it's phono, not BNC) you have multiple ways of controlling it (included remote, Squeezebox Controller, web browser on desktop, laptop, netbook, smartphone), and no it isn't going to trash NaimNet installs that 99% of us are never going to have in our homes.

Or take the naimuniti, a fabulous bit of kit, take the pre, power, and psu out of it, put it in a half width case with the naimuniti's display, and demand a FlatCap or better to power it. Get new owners used to external PSUs and start them on the upgrade path from day one.

It's great, but I have a StageLine/202/FC2X/NAPSC/200 setup (a very modest system round here) so I, like many here, see the amplification in the naimuniti would be wasted in their systems. Even the Line Out is phonos, rather than DIN, seems to make it more of a PITA to integrate into an existing system.

I really don't think I am the only one that seems to be ranting on, more out of frustration than anger.

The majority of people on the forum are loyal owners, that take time out of their lives to interact with other owners, and give valuable feedback to the company. Quite a few have already bought streamers from companies such as Linn and Slim Devices / Logitech, and are pushing for a Naim streamer so they can change! A lot of those people are also stating what they want from a position of knowledge of how a streamer fits into their lives, not speculating how they might or might not use one.

Sorry for the length of this, and hope that my comments will be seen in the spirit that they are given, as constructive rather than negative.

John

quote:

Originally posted by Paul Stephenson:

Naimdac with the itouch interface and plugplay is not a mess,its very elegant and works like a dream... no issues that we have found so far, streaming which ever way you look at it

Maybe I am a bit thick and just don't get it.

What is an "iTouch interface" - is it using an iTouch as a remote control (similar to Apples remote application which controls iTunes and is connected via WiFi) or is it an iPod, tethered to the DAC with a cable, which controls playback of files stored on the iPod? So - is it streaming files remotely located on the network - or playing back files stored on the iPod (which is tethered to the DAC)? Does it interface with ones computer based playback program ie iTunes/Foobar et al?

Thanks
Gregg

quote:

Originally posted by glevethan:

quote:

Originally posted by Paul Stephenson:

Naimdac with the itouch interface and plugplay is not a mess,its very elegant and works like a dream... no issues that we have found so far, streaming which ever way you look at it

Maybe I am a bit thick and just don't get it.

What is an "iTouch interface" - is it using an iTouch as a remote control (similar to Apples remote application which controls iTunes and is connected via WiFi) or is it an iPod, tethered to the DAC with a cable, which controls playback of files stored on the iPod? So - is it streaming files remotely located on the network - or playing back files stored on the iPod (which is tethered to the DAC)? Does it interface with ones computer based playback program ie iTunes/Foobar et al?

Thanks
Gregg

Gregg

You might not want to hear this, but the ipod plugs into a Type A usb on the DAC, either front or rear. You can then play back files on the iPod using the buttons on the DAC, or using the iPods own interface.

IF the iPod has WiFi (iTouch, iPhone) it can playback audio files found on a UPnP server on the network, but of course the iPod still has to be wired to the DAC at this point. Hope your eyesight is up to it.

Alternatively it has been suggested that you could use one iPod Touch wirelessly to control the one that is connected to the DAC. Apple would like you to do that, methinks.

John

As I understand it an ipod touch can be used as a conduit for music from your network into the naim dac (If you want).

John
Thanks for the reply. As bizarre as it gets. What are they thinking

Some constructive criticism - respectfully - listen to your customers and the marketplace - this is not what is wanted. How about a traditional DAC - let me connect a computer to it - let it play back network stored files - let an ipod touch (connected via WiFi) control it. Actually quite simple.

The above mentioned is too convoluted

Gregg

PS I am a long time Mac user and maintain several others systems. FYI - latest speculation - the iPod Classic might be discontinued. There is no longer a market for 1.5" HDD (as used in the iPod Classic) and drive production is being forecast to cease

quote:

Originally posted by glevethan:
John
Thanks for the reply. As bizarre as it gets. What are they thinking

It gets worse...

quote:

Originally posted by Paul Stephenson:
The naimdac I think is the only dac available with the apple authenticated chip.

Looks like Naim may be even paying for the privelege.

John