Multiroom limitation?

This makes sense to me, as there is no way to control the source via SPDIF which connects your UQ to your digital inputs . Its basically like an analogue input (RCA or DIN) and is only sending  music data into the UQ, ND5, DAC, etc. not control events (play, pause, skip a track.) In the same way, you can't control your CD player in a multi room system via RCA or DIN connectors.  

Its far easier to use a UPNP server  to control multiple "renderers" via your network.  You can also do multi room through iTunes, which you are basically doing already with the airport express.  Think of iTunes on your phone or Mac as the source, not the airport express. The airport express serves the same function via Apple AirPlay as a renderer (such as an ND5, Squeezebox, etc) does in a UPNP set up. UPNP and Airplay send both control events (play, pause) and music data.

Mutterback - thanks for your quick respons (mine is much slower due to the Christmas preparation stress).

I still don't see the problem to Multiroom an SPDIF music stream (I really don't need the control events). Isn't the supported iRadio also just a "music stream"?

I agree iTunes can be used (I assume through the USB/iPod input). However, this does not allow me to stream Spotify or anything else not stored on the apple device. Or have I missed something?

Thanks!

Hi. likewise... Yup, you've missed something fundamental in how the multiroom audio works over a network.  You are not broadcasting a single source to a single receiver (like a radio, or a long speaker cable.) The UQ2 control app (or itunes) is actually controlling all of those players in each room. They can be playing separate music, or the same music, at different times. that requires a way to control a source that isn't just playing in sync like a traditional CD, LP, etc. I'm trying to think of analogies - like on an airplane now where everyone can be watching a different movie at their seat, vs. the old setup where they played a tape and every seat TV saw the same movie, at the same time.  You need a source - in this case a hard drive - that can deliver all those async streams. A CD - or the audio data coming of your ipod when its not simply being a hard drive - can't do that.

The spotify case on your ipod is a bit complicated. as you say, its not stored on your ipod, so the UQ2 can't control it. In this case, the spotify app is acting (a bit) like the UQ2 when you stream from UPNP. The UQ2 can't control spotify, only receive the audio out (analog or digital) from the output jack.

Sonos can play multi room (uncompressed) from either streamed music source or from any line level source plugged into any of the controllers.  Naim has a way to go on the functionality stakes with multi room.

Thanks both!

I think I start to understand the Naim control Pre-recs for Multi-Room streaming. Makes sense somehow. 

But I also think it is true other suppliers have managed to provide Multi-Room streaming regardless, e.g. with Spotify as source. Maybe different technology and quality trade-off?