Naim Streaming Products Update - Version 3.17

Where????

Presets all intact at this end.

Actually it is a Fat Bob, which is a Harley Dyna. Fat Boys are Harley Softails which is a different model with hidden rear suspension.

DSP/DAC update complete - early days but there seems to have been another subtle change in sound on my SU (Better separation and detail in the mid & top end but also some changes in the bass regions)

 need to do some more listening but would be interested to hear some other first impressions....

I second that. 

Separation & details much better. Soundstage bigger, too.

Very warm sound. 

Gotta do more listening in regards to the bass.

Updating Uniti 2 to firmware 3.17 via mini-USB cable.

Actually, that was VERY scary!

Update process: downloaded the patch and opened the pdf instruction. The link to the mini-USB driver is broken. Found the driver on another page of the website. Installed that and carried on.

Started the Naim patch - how quaint! Like being back in the 90's. However, it worked - even though it did switch my Uniti on and off about 4 times. After about 7-8 minutes all updated. Phew!

Everything worked fine - network connection re-established fine, presets all in order but had to re-scan for DAB stations (hope to listen to Liverpool get beat again later!).

Overall impression of SQ - slight improvement in detail/separation, particularly on female vocals. Nice!

Vlad

PS My Uniti was running firmware 3.15 from new and not 3.16. 

I don't think we saw 3.14 and 3.15 publically avaialble did we ? We went straight from 3.13 to 3.16. Maybe that means we won't see the 3.18 mentioned earlier either.

Perhaps we need to have our own IT department and somebody in control of patch management. 

I still don't see why it would be so hard for Naim to automate this aspect of its network attached devices. Surely it is easier for Naim if everybody uses the latest production software. 

I think this is important to customers like myself who have a UQ or similar ... everything else about it is fantastic. 

As Vlad says "Actually, that was VERY scary!" .... surely not what Naim wants for its customers. 

Hi Vlad -

I agree that the Naim upgrade process feels quite dated, but there is no reason to be scared.

IMO, the only truly scary outcome of a firmware update is "bricking", where the process leaves your component in an incomplete state, and with no chance of restarting.

According to Phil Harris, the reason they selected this "quaint" updater was that it eliminated the possibility of bricking.  This updater can be stopped at any point, and restarted from the beginning. All of the modern, network-based updaters I have seen issue stern warnings about interrupting the process. I have only bricked a component one time -- a Denon AVR -- but it was no fun doing without while it was being serviced.

I would like to think that if Naim found a better way to update firmware (but still had zero risk of bricking), that they would move forward in this area.

Hook

Further remarks on SQ (Uniti 2):

I initially played what I'd been listening to most recently via streaming, which was Laura Nyro (Christmas and the Beads of Sweat) and Aimee Mann (Bachelorette #2) which aren't the greatest recordings IMO.

Having played some better recordings (Jo Hamilton's Think of Me and the radio mix of the same from the bonus content and tracks from Alison Krauss''s Paper Airplanes, Pergolesi's Stabat Mater on Harmonia Mundi and Karine Polwart's Traces), all from the NAS, I'm struck by the greater detail and separation.

There seems to a subtle change in tonality which I'm struggling to articulate. Alison K sounds slightly more fragile and human, Fink and Prohaska more radiant and Jo Hamilton more luscious. These are all very good things indeed!

Vlad

Update done very quickly less than 15 mins, and all works fine on my Qute

I've done my Superuniti ok (not tested yet) but, having newly bought a 'Qute, I now have my first problem in that it has RS232 port, not USB.

I have a Startech FTDI driven USB/RS232 converter which I've used previously to update my Meridian devices using a specific 'null modem' cable (whatever that is). However, my RS232 cable is female-female (adaptor is male and Meridian input is male) and I've just dragged out the 'Qute far anough to access the RS232 to find that it's female !

Therefore, if I want to use this adapter, I now have to get another RS232 cable with male at one end and female at the other it seems. Does anyone know if it will have to be one of these 'null modem' things, or must it definitely NOT be, or does it just not matter ? What a load of a**ing around !

Hi Hook,

I'm in no way qualified to suggest a better/easier way of updating. I feel I am entitled to express my concern over the current method - I quite like my Uniti and certainly don't want to "brick" it. Nor do I want to experience that emotion myself!

Having applied the update, and some Imodium, I got it to work first time.

I'm delighted with the outcome (please see my post above).

Vlad

Jobseeker - I had to get one of these for my original Uniti, seem to recall there is a link in the update instructions where you can purchase one for a few quid. (Includes all the drivers you need)

You need a gender bender. 95p off amazon

Surely, it is not so complicated to stop bricking ... My Wii, Sonos nor ATV, Mac, iPad has never bricked. Surely all you do is download to flash and keep a copy of the last good version in flash for safety. A reset boots from the last known good version. Downloading to USB would be fine too. Most folk are not going to be happy dismantling their system or messing about with PCs and Windows drivers ... That is why a Naim streamer is not on my wish list ... It won't be unless the issue is solved. 

i don't like scary .... one 5th November a year is quite enough for me .....

The Naim DAC does not need all this messing about to upgrade. Let's hope the same is true of the forthcoming Reference DAC. 

Well I can confirm that if the update fails half way through, it is possible to start the whole thing again so although I was somewhat alarmed at the failed update, it went ok at the end.

I would second the comments about in this day and age, I have updated ios devices and ps3s etc online and never really had much problem, even on the odd occasion that an iphone has failed to update properly, you simply reset to factory defaults. 

all this messy method of updating in the streaming area will lose customers

My steps to update.

Borrowed my wife's PC (netbook) with XP.

1. Downloaded update from Naim

Link: http://www.naimaudio.com/sites...amer-Update-3.17.zip

2. Downloaded usb/uart driver.  Link: VCP Driver Kit and chose the installation file CP210xVCPInstaller_x86.exe. (pc is 32bit)

3. Connected SU via Ethernet (I normally use wireless).  Stopped wireless and restarted so wired connection enabled).

4. Located a mini-usb/usb cable (luckily out of my 2,343 cables one was of this nature.)

5. Connected said pc to SU with mini-usb/usb cable (successful in finding the driver previously installed in step 2).

6. Unzipped naim update file (Naim-Streamer-Update-3.17_windows.zip) and ran the setup.exe.  Following all prompts/instruction.

Success!

Simples?????????????????

Just dont get what all the fuss is about. Would rather have this, with a "you cant break it" policy than an "update now" button that screws up.

Out of interest II see this update is also mentioned under downloads for the NDX but not   for the NDS. However, beware of the following notice by Naim

• Naim Streaming Products Update - Version 3.17 - English

  Please note that if you have an NDX running software version BC SW 10198 DO NOT INSTALL THIS SOFTWARE. Streaming product updaters must not be used to revert or downgrade a device to an earlier version as this will make your product inoperable. Please contact support@naimaudio.com for further information.

Had an easy time installing both 3.16 and 3.17 on my SU using Paralells on my Mac.  

Surprisingly big improvement in SQ with 3.17, much bigger than 3.16, IMO.  (And I thought 3.16 was significant...)

As someone who first purchased naim gear some 20 years ago, I have to say it's amazing to get this level of improvement for free - in the old days you had to pay dearly for this!

Thanks, naim.

Evan

But why can't Naim create an update now button that doesn't screw up - just like every other device i have does. 

If it means using Windows then my choice is something else. Perhaps these products are not aimed at peole like me, which is disappointing, but at least i have other options.