Ah, I see ... sorry but that USB (EDO app) is a bit too-technical for me.

But the OP (as with myself) already uses (used) the optical digital out from the SBT to the SN.  If we leave the ND5XS (NDX) out of the mix then we're back to the scenario of SBT to SN but placing an external DAC in between.  Why go the USB ~ DAC-V1 route rather than via the nDAC (as was one of my first plans), other than for a cost saving?

And the OP has indicated that his SBT may be on the blink so he's looking to replace this which takes us back to the ND5XS (or, in my case: NDX)

Mitch

I disagree. Of course dealers will try to sell you NDX/XPS2 into NDAC/PS555.

 

but that's completely crazy.

 

NDX with PSU is all that is needed.

 

Maybe the NDAC is a better sound, so either buy an NDAC or an NDX or NDS

 

But not NDX into NDAC. What a waste of money. Money which could have been spent buying an NDS in the first place 

 

 

 

 

Originally Posted by sjbabbey:

There are those who would argue that the nDac is a distinct upgrade to the NDX especially when the nDac is powered by an XPS2 or especially a 555PS. So there is an upgrade path for musicmad to consider albeit a potentially expensive one.

 

I can't see where I've suggested a set up of NDX/XPS2/NDAC/555PS. 

I felt it was more helpful to musicmad to let him know of the option of adding a power supply to his NDAC rather than just saying that he'd wasted a lot of money buying his NDAC.

Dr Mark,

With thanks to Bluetorric for initiating this conversation, and in the hope our sub-discussion is helpful in the broader scope of the streamer setup he is pursuing, I can report my experiences so far serving music to an ND, after happy times with LMS and SBT.  

For me, LMS appears on the list of available servers on the NDX panel and in nStream, but tracks will not play.  I do not know if this can be remedied in LMS.  I installed MinimServer and Asset on a Mac to try them out.  At some point in the past, I found that pointing multiple server apps to the same music files seemed to cause lockups; so I created separate libraries of music for each app.  It is possible there is a way to make the apps work together peaceably, but it is not really a goal of mine to run multiple servers, long-term,  anyway; so I am not spending time there.  

The value in trying a couple of server apps is to see the different way each presents in nStream and on the ND panel.  Both Asset and MinimServer work great, and were reasonably easy to set up, and appeared immediately to the ND/nStream.

Because I was interested in testing different file formats, there are a lot of duplicate tracks all over.  I clearly have a lot of work left to do associating art and cleaning up tags.  Housekeeping goes with any hobby, of course.

Nick

Nick, I had the same issue ... may I point you in the direction of the following thread which I spotted one evening ... I now run LMS as my main server.  Whilst Twonky is the safest (i.e. it doesn't fall over) I find its menu options near useless (only "Album" is of any use with my library) and MinimServer is great ... but does not appear on the Server menu 75% of the time, LMS is nearly as good as when I used it with the SBT ... again it's not as stable as Twonky but it's so much better with the menu options.

https://forums.naimaudio.com/to...82#33245103098035182

Mitch

Thanks, Mitch!

I'll give that a try.  What about transcoding to WAV?

Cheers!

I don't bother ... the NDX handles FLAC perfectly well.

I've read elsewhere that others think the sound is improved with WAV so perhaps that'll be another upgrade for me at some time!

Mitch

Excuse me lads, interesting as your conversation is.

What I was wondering is, I am a bit confused about Twonky, Asset, Minimserver. Nstream,

At the moment I go on the internet with LMS and it plays files stored on my Mac, now if I purchased a ND5 XS what would I need on my Mac to play my files? 

Hi

You say that all of your music files are "controlled" by your Mac. I assume from this that they are either loaded onto the Macs internal HD or are on an external HD connected to the Mac. The ND5XS is a network streamer and works best over a wired network so you should connect your Mac and the ND5XS to your home network using ethernet cable.

The software mentioned (Twonky etc.) are media server software which does the job of organising your music files and serving it to the network player (ND5XS). Some of these programs are preinstalled and  run on NAS drives but some can be used on a PC or a Mac. I believe that there is a Mac version of Asset and that it well thought of by forum members here.

Finally, while you can control the ND5XS from its remote control you might also want to consider getting an ipad or iphone (if you don't already have one) so that you can use the nstream app to browse your music library and control the ND5.

Hi,

When you say you "go to the Internet", you are probably opening your Internet browser (e.g. Safari, Firefox, Chrome) to access Logitech Media Server, running on your Mac, and accessing files stored on your Mac, or another computer on your home network.  This is technically not going onto the Internet -- it would work the same, even if you had no Internet service, minus the features in LMS that may depend on it, like Internet Radio streaming. 

There is also the free Squeezebox app for iPad/iPhone you could be using right now with the SBT.  nStream is the same kind of thing, furnished free by Naim, to remotely control Naim streamers.

Nick

Thanks for the explanations, it is now a lot clearer in my mind....

After a lot of thought, I have decided against the purchase of a Naim streamer for the reasons below.

The preferred method of connection seems to be that it better to be hardwired, this to me defeats the benefit of using a streamer of  not having wires all over the place.

My SBT  works fine wirelessly, so maybe a linear PSU will sort its glitches.

And if it does fail a simple digital cable from my sp dif out of my Mac directly into my faithful SN will do the same job for a few squid as they  reside in the same area.

I realise that this is not a solution for everyone, and many thanks for all your replies, its made my decision much easier.......

I can only whisper it on this forum but have you considered powerline adaptors, e.g. the devolo range. Much better than wireless as I have found from my own experience.

If you are using SBT digital output not sure a linear PSU will make much difference to SQ.

Dave

Yep, I have considered them as I use one on my Youview  tv recorder  thingy  with great results.

What gets me is that if the SBT works fine wirelessly, for a couple of hundred quid, why can't Naim achieve the same thing for a couple of grand.

Thanks for the heads up on the SBT PSU idea.......

Hi

Naim streamers work fine wirelessly. While I have my ND5XS wired to my network, I also have a UQ2 upstairs which plays wirelessly files up to 24bit and 96KHz sample rate. 

Bluetorric: Can you elaborate further on what you means when you say that your SBT has been a  little "temperamental"?

Hello,

            The problem with the SBT, is really only a niggle, but its annoying.

When switch on from cold, ie the mains, nothing happens until I withdraw the PSU cable from the back of the unit and re-insert it and then it will start up, sometimes this has to be done a few times and then it works faultlessly, 

Good news that the ND5 XS should work wirelessly, I thought it had to be hardwired....... 

Simple! Leave it switched on same as all your Naim equipment.

Dave

Yep, but sometimes were  away for days at a time, and will not leave my HiFi on when the place is empty....

Fair enough. I can't say it is something I've experienced with my SBT but it does take a few minutes to boot-up from cold. Does the mains (orange) button on the remote have any effect?

Dave

Can't say I use the SBT remote, I generally just use the touchscreen or control via android phone or Mac (knee deep in remotes as it is).

I use a SBT coax digital output (24/192 enabled) with linear PSU into a Hegel 10 DAC, Exposure 2010s, Pro-Ac Response 1s.  The linear PSU was a worthy upgrade.

Oh, I am on here because my other system is a Unitiqute 2, into Exposure 2010s power-amp, Duevel Planets.

Am I confused? I'm not sure I understand the question

Just for the record I use the EDO USB app on my SBT feeding into the DAC-V1 USB input and the built-in BitPerfect tests all pass up to 192kbs/24bit. I'm using the stock SMPS. This is why I say I'm not sure a linear PSU will make much difference to SQ.

Dave

............but not at higher bit rates apparently (ref: your UQ2 wi-fi signal quality/strength thread)

Dave
 

Touche.

Yes but I think that's more likely down to my poor wifi signal than the UQ2 (or at least I hope so).

Just a quick update.

Yesterday I snagged an ND5 XS off the bay, ( I know I said I wouldn't ) 6 months old and in mint condition at a good price.

I now wait arrival,  I will report back with results and no doubt any problems with setting up, which I'm sure I will need your advice.