Good net-work player?

Posted by: hifinerdwannabe on 03 February 2011

I need a good net-work player source or one to fit either with the naim dac or am considering the new Naim NDX network player. However I would need a net-work player with a remote control where you can also see the songs at the control since I will not always face the network player when I listen through ear phones. Is there an option of a remote with a touch screen or similar from where you can see and monitor the songs? If not, is there a good alternative of music server or one that I might be able to combine with the naim dac, or is there an app for iPhone for instance that you can monitor the NDX from?

Has anyone compared the NDX with its internal DAC to the Naim DAC? Is the Naim DAC much better? Right now I have a Squeeze box classic but I would guess that the NDX will sound much better than the SB + Naim DAC – Anyone has experience in this?

The net-work player will go together with an XS and Neat Motive SE2 speakers. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Sorry about the many questions - hope they will make sense

Posted on: 07 February 2011 by AMA
Reference:
Would you say that the Logitech's interface through iPhone is better than Naim's interface through the app n-Stream?
Logitech is definitely more functional and flexible. In terms of comfort -- yes, it is more comfortable for my way to access the music library.
Posted on: 07 February 2011 by AMA
Reference:
Is it a huge sq difference between the n-dac and transporter?

You should compare nDAC in terms of some transport obviously.
First of all DAC is really a good leveler -- all decent transports sound very close on nDAC.
TP is very sensitive to the transport quality and in my practice the built-in transport was always superior to externals.

TP->nDAC sounds a bit more punchy and clearer. TP through analogue is a bit more relaxed and softer.

TP->nDAC/XPS is in a different league to TP -- it's more open, bigger sound, more holographic with a heavy punch. It's a grand machine comparing to a stock box.
Posted on: 09 February 2011 by Andy S
Hello all (AMA )

Just a quick visit. If you want cheap(ish) something like an Acer Revo running xbmc ontop of Linux into the nDAC. Have moved on from worrying what my hi-fi sounds like to just enjoying what it does.  Now have 3 around the house as streamers...

BTW AMA: James never did come down and do a comparison....
Posted on: 10 February 2011 by Mr Underhill
Andy S,

Yes, I've gone a similar road.

In this area Naim have gone down a Meridian route, reselling functionality in a variety of boxes, at differing qualities.

Keeping my fingers crossed that they will produce a stream renderer & control.

Not holding my breath.

M
Posted on: 10 February 2011 by pcstockton
Originally Posted by Mr Underhill:
Keeping my fingers crossed that they will produce a stream renderer & control.
If what you have is working well, with possibly more flexibility, and for less cost, why do you want something from Naim?

-Patrick
Posted on: 11 February 2011 by AMA
Originally Posted by AMA:
Originally Posted by Andy S:
Hello all (AMA )

Just a quick visit. If you want cheap(ish) something like an Acer Revo running xbmc ontop of Linux into the nDAC. Have moved on from worrying what my hi-fi sounds like to just enjoying what it does.  Now have 3 around the house as streamers...

BTW AMA: James never did come down and do a comparison....
Hi, Andy! We really miss you on the forum.

Your contribution is always helpful and highly regarded.

As promised I paid a visit to our company technical guru (whom I trust a lot because we used to drink beer together ) and he explained me on the possible reasons in transport sensitivity through re-clocking DACs confirming a lot of what you said before.

Shame on james 

AMA
Posted on: 11 February 2011 by Andy S
Originally Posted by AMA:
Hi, Andy! We really miss you on the forum.

Your contribution is always helpful and highly regarded.

As promised I paid a visit to our company technical guru (whom I trust a lot because we used to drink beer together ) and he explained me on the possible reasons in transport sensitivity through re-clocking DACs confirming a lot of what you said before.

Shame on james 

AMA
Hi AMA,

It's good that you have confirmed in your own mind what is and isn't going on with the nDAC. It's such a great bit of kit that gets used daily here (although not often as a music playback system as it's part of the main audio replay chain for any movies/recorded TV we have). I've given up worrying about any perceived differences between sources and just enjoy what the system does. No upgrades planned in the future either - I'm too busy distributing audio and video around the house digitally now (I have 4 PCs in my 3.5mx3.5m office just for starters). Once you get the distributed "thing", you see how much more convenient leisure time can be.
Posted on: 11 February 2011 by AMA
Andy, why bother with custom PC-based setups?

Logitech suggests a very good range of network products to answer all possible needs, I guess.

And very good internet radio.
Posted on: 11 February 2011 by Mr Underhill
Originally Posted by pcstockton:
If what you have is working well, with possibly more flexibility, and for less cost, why do you want something from Naim?

-Patrick
Ideally I don't want switching psu near my HiFi.

M
Posted on: 12 February 2011 by pcstockton
Originally Posted by Mr Underhill:
Ideally I don't want switching psu near my HiFi.

M
The Linn players use one to good effect.  The Serve uses one.  People seem to be digging it.

It seems like power supplies for streamers dont affect SQ as much as others.

I am sure the masters at Naim and Linn, and other companies that use the power supplies you dont like, check into this aspect of things.  Dont you?

-Patrick
Posted on: 12 February 2011 by james n
BTW AMA: James never did come down and do a comparison....

I know. We had a date set, you cancelled due to a last minute holiday booking and then dissapeared from the Forum...until now.

I don't have the Weiss Mac combo anymore to do the comparison since a Linn ADS has taken up residence so sorry AMA - shame on me .

Andy, if the invite is still open (and you have a couple of sources to compare) then drop me an email

James
Posted on: 12 February 2011 by Andy S
Hi James,

Yup, came back after the holiday and kind of fell out of the habit of visiting the forum!

Sending you an email now. The only sources I have are the PC and a cheapo DVD player (if it still works that is).
Posted on: 12 February 2011 by Andy S
Originally Posted by AMA:
Andy, why bother with custom PC-based setups?

Logitech suggests a very good range of network products to answer all possible needs, I guess.

And very good internet radio.

Because I use it to stream hi-def movies as well. Everything is centrally stored on a HDD here and xbmc does all that as well as stream anything I've recorded off air. I have a computer dedicated to recording via a MythTV setup and can be streamed to any TV with a mini PC underneath it..
Posted on: 12 February 2011 by Andy S
Originally Posted by Mr Underhill:
Ideally I don't want switching psu near my HiFi.

M

So locate it a distance away, put it on a separate spur and run an optical cable to the nDAC. Sorted
Posted on: 12 February 2011 by AMA
Originally Posted by james n:
so sorry AMA - shame on me .

Andy, if the invite is still open (and you have a couple of sources to compare) then drop me an email

James
James, it's never late as soon as Andy is serving a beer during a session