Spotify Connect Arrives for Naim Streamers
Posted by: Arthur Geraerts on 15 December 2014
Best christmas present ever. Updated my UQ2 and it works like a charm!
Thanks guys! Naim rocks!
Oh dear! This all sounds far too complicated. I understand I now have to update the software in my NS01, update the nStream app to the new Naim app AND have to update the software in the NDS!
This sounds all too risky to me and I fear it will inevitably go wrong. Does it HAVE to be done? What are the real benefits? Does it sound any better?
It not risky at all. Just grit your teeth, follow the instructions and get on with it. It will work better and more reliably once updated.
The naim app keeps asking me if I want to switch sommer time on/off - every time when I start the app. Am I the only one with this problem?
Never heard of that one. I suggest you delete the app and reinstall it. It that doesn't work, turn off the streamer and turn it on again.
The latter I have done several times - newly installing the app I will try. Anyway, right now I only get the failure message on my SU screen: "Cannot conect to Spotify Server."
All in all, its not really running smoothly, as it usually does with Naim...
Oh dear! This all sounds far too complicated. I understand I now have to update the software in my NS01, update the nStream app to the new Naim app AND have to update the software in the NDS!
This sounds all too risky to me and I fear it will inevitably go wrong. Does it HAVE to be done? What are the real benefits? Does it sound any better?
It not risky at all. Just grit your teeth, follow the instructions and get on with it. It will work better and more reliably once updated.
+1
Originally I was dreading it, but it was so easy. There is a PDF instruction sheet, and also a short video on how to do it. It took me 15 minutes. Piece of cake!
Why don't you take your black boxes to your Naim AD? Make it their responsibility and issue before taking them back fully tested in situ. I know it'd involve time, fuel cost and other possible transport expenses and inconvenience. But still.. That'd be the way for my UQ2 after Christmas.
Finally!
Not that it'll ever replace my trusty LP12 as the primary input, but it's just terrific that my "old" and ages ago upgraded NDX got a facelift to the 2010's! It took years but you made it - so, a sincere "Thank you Naim!" is in order and merry xmas to you all!
Cheers,
M
Allen, sorry you feel the naim story is two steps behind, but remember our prime concern is the music replay, we work flat out to integrate soft ware that does not screw up the sound. Music first, the fluffy stuff,though important comes second.
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS!! Fantastic improvement to have Spotify directly on my NAC-N 172XS. This was what I was waiting for!
I must admit my enthousiasm for Naim had dropped a bit after I lost all my playlists from n-stream during the upgrade to the new Naim app.
But this is really great and works very simple: select the 'Spotify' button on the Naim app and start Spotify. Use the little loudspeaker button to stream to any of your Naim streamers. Very nice that the Spotify playlist is loaded to the streamer, the song being streamed is displayed and that the remote control can be used to switch songs. Also one of the remote preset buttons can be programmed to start Spotify.
No more need to run Spotify via an output cable from a PC, SmartTV or AppleTV!
Many thanks for your Christmas present! Well done Naim 
P.S. For newbies: The biggest hurdle for me was to order the correct mini-USB to USB cable and to download a working COM3 driver on my PC. I had both in house from a previous firmware upgrade, so the total upgrade was done within 30 minutes. Clear PDF instruction and video.
Penny has just dropped... Once Spotify Connect setup, then the Naim app need to be run at all, and the regular Spotify app is all that is needed, and then once the Spotify app has loaded the playlist (which it does automatically) into the streamer, no further app input is required and you can close the Spotify app down on the iPad .. Now I do like this functioanlity.. Nice one Naim.
Simon
Yes the 'connect' element is in essence making the spotify app on you phone a remote control. This tells the connect app on the streamer to goto the internets and get the requested track.
The advantages are obvious, none the least of which you are not relying on wireless between the phone/router/streamer.*
*Assuming the streamer is wired
In order to do this, which file do I need to download from the website? The NS01 doesn't seem to be listed, but there are files for HDX / HDX-SSD and another for UnitiServe / UnitiServe-SSD.
Given that I can't imagine that I'd ever use Spotify, is it necessary to update the iPad app and move away from nStream in order to benefit from the other 'improvements'?
When you say that it will work better and more reliably, do you mean that it won't lose the server? This is something the NDS does every so often necessitating a switch off and on of the PS.
Its not available for servers only streamers.
Its not available for servers only streamers.
No, I believe I need to update that as well to 1.7b.
Hurrah, it's finally here. A few of us have been testing the new firmware over the past few weeks, and have been through five or six versions over that time, ironing out issues and suggesting improvements. Hopefully everyone will find it bug free. We've certainly tested it to destruction!
Halibut,
My compliments! You, your fellow volunteers and of course the Naim engineers have done a terrific job. The Spotify functionality works like a breeze, both on the Naim app and the remote control. Really pleased to see that the Naim guys (Tom Johnson, Phil Harris?) went for extensive beta-testing before releasing it to the masses.
Merry X-mas to all!
Clive - The server update makes the server run more reliably. It's nothing to do with the streamer update, which makes the streamer run more reliably, improves iRadio and adds Spotify. The new app is another thing as well, and works with the new software very well. I've been doing the beta testing and both the streamer software and the app developments go hand in hand. Update the lot.
Could someone confirm if there is any value to updating a uniti that does not have the hi def card in?
I have never used spotify before and got a message from Naim that it is now possible to update the software to be compatible. The only restriction is the 24bit/192khz, which I have since I can play higher than 1411 kbps files. I have updated the software on the NDX, installed spotify on ipad and android phone and tried, but nothing... So I checked the system information and it appears to be 2D instead of 3D. Does this mean that I also don't have hi-res? Or do I have an intermediate version that does have hi-res but no 3D? According to my dealer I had one of the first NDX with a new board (end 2011) so I wouldn't need the free upgrade that was offered back then. I'm confused.
Hi there,
I've downloaded and installed the USB mini driver (as per naim instructions p. 2) on my MacBook Pro running OS 10.10, but in the Mac System Report no USB mini driver (USBtoUART bridge controller) is visible. I then checked the release notes, and they only go up to Mac OS 10.9 (see below)
Did anyone manage to run the naim installer from OS 10.10, please, and if so, how did you get the USBtoUART bridge controller, please?
Thanks,
Stefan
P.S.: given that the screen dumps in the naim instructions show OS 10.7. only, my hunch is that perhaps nobody has tried it with OS 10.10. as yet, and that the naim instructions would better discourage using 10.10.? Well, hopefully this outdated driver won't ruin my new Mac!
FROM THE NAIM INSTRUCTIONS p 2:
To find most up to date drivers follow the below link:
http://www.silabs.com/products...ridgeVCPDrivers.aspx
AND THE RELEASE NOTES SAY:
This release includes the Macintosh OSX driver for the Intel and
PowerPC Platforms versions 10.4, 10.5, 10.6, 10.7, 10.8 and 10.9.
I have never used spotify before and got a message from Naim that it is now possible to update the software to be compatible. The only restriction is the 24bit/192khz, which I have since I can play higher than 1411 kbps files. I have updated the software on the NDX, installed spotify on ipad and android phone and tried, but nothing... So I checked the system information and it appears to be 2D instead of 3D. Does this mean that I also don't have hi-res? Or do I have an intermediate version that does have hi-res but no 3D? According to my dealer I had one of the first NDX with a new board (end 2011) so I wouldn't need the free upgrade that was offered back then. I'm confused.
I'd drop a line to Naim with the serial number and they can confirm what's what. The original version could play 96/24, but not 192/24.
Hi there,
I've downloaded and installed the USB mini driver (as per naim instructions p. 2) on my MacBook Pro running OS 10.10, but in the Mac System Report no USB mini driver (USBtoUART bridge controller) is visible. I then checked the release notes, and they only go up to Mac OS 10.9 (see below)
Did anyone manage to run the naim installer from OS 10.10, please, and if so, how did you get the USBtoUART bridge controller, please?
Thanks,
Stefan
P.S.: given that the screen dumps in the naim instructions show OS 10.7. only, my hunch is that perhaps nobody has tried it with OS 10.10. as yet, and that the naim instructions would better discourage using 10.10.? Well, hopefully this outdated driver won't ruin my new Mac!
FROM THE NAIM INSTRUCTIONS p 2:
To find most up to date drivers follow the below link:
http://www.silabs.com/products...ridgeVCPDrivers.aspx
AND THE RELEASE NOTES SAY:
This release includes the Macintosh OSX driver for the Intel and
PowerPC Platforms versions 10.4, 10.5, 10.6, 10.7, 10.8 and 10.9.
Please excuse my half understanding here but I believe 10.10 has introduced sandboxings for Kexts. Now I have no deep understanding of what this means, but I do know it put pay to some apps that needed to be upgraded.
Perhaps the driver for this needs to use a resource which is now sandboxed or some such?
Hi there,
I've downloaded and installed the USB mini driver (as per naim instructions p. 2) on my MacBook Pro running OS 10.10, but in the Mac System Report no USB mini driver (USBtoUART bridge controller) is visible. I then checked the release notes, and they only go up to Mac OS 10.9 (see below)
Did anyone manage to run the naim installer from OS 10.10, please, and if so, how did you get the USBtoUART bridge controller, please?
Thanks,
Stefan
P.S.: given that the screen dumps in the naim instructions show OS 10.7. only, my hunch is that perhaps nobody has tried it with OS 10.10. as yet, and that the naim instructions would better discourage using 10.10.? Well, hopefully this outdated driver won't ruin my new Mac!
FROM THE NAIM INSTRUCTIONS p 2:
To find most up to date drivers follow the below link:
http://www.silabs.com/products...ridgeVCPDrivers.aspx
AND THE RELEASE NOTES SAY:
This release includes the Macintosh OSX driver for the Intel and
PowerPC Platforms versions 10.4, 10.5, 10.6, 10.7, 10.8 and 10.9.
Hi Stefan,
Yes, I installed the upgrade from a MacBook Pro running OS X 10.10. I didn't have any problems. I downloaded the driver from the link given in the pdf (the link ending in "Drivers.zip" the one above the one you used). I restarted the Mac and could only see the mini USB in the system report when it was connected to my switched on Naim unit. It had a slightly different number (CP2102 USB instead of CP2101 USB).
After this I ran the updater and had to select the USB port from the dropdown list as it appeared blank at first. But it all went very smoothly, it was just unusual to have to install a driver on a Mac!
...
Please excuse my half understanding here but I believe 10.10 has introduced sandboxings for Kexts. Now I have no deep understanding of what this means, but I do know it put pay to some apps that needed to be upgraded.
Perhaps the driver for this needs to use a resource which is now sandboxed or some such?
You definitely don't need to do that!
Many thanks, Graeme,
I had already deleted my response to garyi after I had seen your most encouraging comment. You are a brave man, connecting the Mac to the streamer without seeing the mini USB driver in the System preferences before that - but when it works it works. I'll try it later...
Best,
Stefan
Couple of issues
had the normal issues with upgrading with my pc not recognizing the superuniti and then managed through a Mac. Process is complicated but I accept that maybe it is coming from a fail safe solution.
Update was finally ok.
Then as already reported by someone I couldn't find the superuniti in the app/speaker button. Nothing iphone , iPad couldn't see the superuniti.
Finally realized that I had it wired only with wireless off. Turned it on and all is ok. Just recalled that some other users might have same network setup.
Sound quality is fine for discovering new stuff /radio type listening for Saturday mornings Or friends dinner. Thanks to naim for the update. Surely spotify will go hi res soon .
Is it so that spotify connect it only works through wifi? I guess it is part of the point....
Luis
have just downloaded new software on my superuniti. iPad will not talk to superuniti as like yours is in wired mode on setup in SU menu. It will not allow me to enable wireless, wants to just stay wired. Just says ABORT. Frustrating as just have spotify premium up and running on iPad for 1st time.