Naim Lossless Streaming Roadmap Campaign

+1, and well said Graeme. I hope that Naim will take advantage of CES to lay out their strategy and roadmap for integrating lossless streaming services. Even if the forum represents only a tiny fraction of who Naim sells to world-wide, I can not think of anything more important for driving network player and Uniti sales. Lossless streaming is no longer a "desirable extra" - it is now table stakes for being in the streaming game. A game, I might add, in which Naim is currently trailing. But hopefully 2015 sees Naim leapfrogging it's competition once again. Fingers crossed...

Hook

Graeme - I agree with your ask - it would be interesting to see if Naim respond.

Hook it will be great if Naim come back in 2015 with some leadership/innovation in this space rather than just playing catch-up.. the NDX and NDS was a great start - but perhaps resources have been since focussed into Muso and Statement...

HNY both

Simon

Thanks for chipping in Hook & Simon and Happy New Year to you and all at Naim.

Best

Graeme

+1

The year is round, so good 2015 to All.

I also would like to know some information, for example I would upgrade my source and my dealer inform me year ago on incoming pre/streamer combo in addition to XS.

If not and the budget don't allow to go separate then seems Hugo is the most attractive alternative. But what is so complicated into Hugo that Naim can't update in their line I still don't understand.

A new pre/streamer in the quality range of Hugo with lossless streaming would be very good!

And in a price that don't sacrifice SQ, with possible Caps upgrades and so on.

Couldn't agree more

Previous attempts to get NAIM to pre empt or answer any specific "what's next" question are met with silence or  "when it's here you'll hear about it".

 I am not a business man but it doesn't sound like good policy to give competitors a heads up, even if you think they are well ahead in the game.

The problem with making promises is that if you fail to meet either the timeline or goal you get crucified in the court of public opinion.  

Anything really cool as far as third-party integration may very well be sewn up in Non-Disclosure Agreements - but I think that you could always ask for a particular feature or functionality; many requests from multiple people can often be a motivator!

Has aeveryone seen the newsletter from Qobuz? They seem happy to share their intentions.

Would it really be difficult for Naim to at least say that they have intentions of including more streaming services or that they are hoping to announce new products at whatever show.

There is one thing giving specifics aways - and no one expects that. However sharing a broad roadmap and broad strategy outlining a direction and intent is usually very much expected for both customers and investors. In business not many like surprises. Naim I suggest is not an impulsive purchase for many - so some degrees of planning and future expectation is helpful - albeit such an intent is clearly not binding.

Bananahead, I guess Qobuz relish the ability to now be able to state broad direction and intent given the uncertainty they faced last summer?

Simon

"TIDAL already has integration agreements made with 35 of the world’s most respected audio brands, including: Anthem, Airable by Tune In Media, Astell & Kern, Audeze, Audiovector, AudioQuest, Auralic, Aurender, Autonomic, Bel Canto, Bluesound & NAD, Dan D'Agostino, Definitive Technology, Denon HEOS, DTS Play-Fi, Dynaudio, Electrocompaniet, Harman Omni, HiFiAkademie, ickStream, JH Audio, Linn, McIntosh, Meridian, MartinLogan, Paradigm, Polk, Pro-ject, PS Audio, Raumfeld, Simple Audio, Sonos, Steinway Lyngdorf, Wren Sound Systems with more to come."

Why is Naim Audio not in this list of "respected audio brands", which you can find on the Tidal-Homepage? is Naim sleeping? spotify ist not the thing I need.

Thanks for the further contributions folks.

Broad strategy would at least be acknowledgement that our streamers perhaps have a place in this fast moving lossless arena.

G

+1

Spot on, Simon.

Another example of a company in this space that has released it's intentions s is Audirvana (i.e. remote app and intergration of streaming services - starting with Qobuz).

Jude 

I wholeheartedly support the idea behind this thread. I'm currently paying £9.99 for three months' Spotify, but won't be renewing at the end of that time. There's lots of music available, but it really does sound a bit rubbish, and I don't want my stereo to sound a bit rubbish. Something that sounds as good as CDs is what's needed, and if Linn can do it, then so can Naim.

As others have said, I don't expect a statement of which provider will be integrated, as there are numerous commercial considerations around that, but I don't think a positive statement as to the company's intentions vis a vis CD quality streaming is too much to ask for. People can then make an informed choice.

Yes, the lossy (less than Redbook quality) does sound rubbish to me, and I won't renew Spotify Premium when my trial ends.  I do like 'checking out' music I read about on the forums, but I can find it on YouTube -- enough to at least see if I'd be interested.  I don't need a $10/month lossy service to scratch that itch.

I too don't care what 'brand' the service is marketed under; Spotify, Qobuz, Tidal, Apple, Google, Amazon, etc. 

It's inconceivable that Naim are not aware for at least some of its users wishes and apprehensions.

I think it is functionality that will win out for me in 2015. I will not be buying a streamer because it has Naim written on it fascia but one that allows me to use all the  available options open to me at the moment. Frankly I still find it staggering that my squeezebox touch gives me qobuz and tidal functionality and iPeng has a user interface that is so far superior to the Naim app it's just not funny any more. 

I agree with the thrust of this thread that Naim need to give some sort of roadmap if they are not to lose a lot of us to competitors in the next year or so. 

SJB

Oh, Wat, if only you'd look for them on Spotify....

Although I've said it elsewhere on the forum, since this now seems to be the official venue, I would firstly like to congratulate Naim on the quality of their Spotify integration. It's better than 'a bit rubbish' and pretty acceptable for non-critical listening. However, most of us buy Naim because we want excellent sound, and lossless Spotify can't give us that. So I add my voice to those asking for news of lossless streaming integration, preferably some time soon.

Paul

The quality of integration is top notch, it's just the sound that's a bit rubbish.

One of the great things about a Squeezebox Touch is if you think Spotify is rubbish you can always switch to Qobuz. 

Dave

I almost always agree with your postings, oh fishy one, but I do think 'rubbish' is overstating it. I'm listening to Ella Fitzgerald and Oscar Peterson on Spotify as I write this, and it's perfectly listenable. But we don't disagree on the desired outcome!

I never said rubbish, just a bit rubbish.

"a bit rubbish" means what then? Not Red Book CD but quite good even so?

Dave

Not quite good, not complete rubbish. Just a bit rubbish.