Streaming newbie

I think that the answer is to wait a few weeks to see what is included in the next firmware version. Then you can visit a dealer and get them to demonstrate products to you.

Bill my best recommendation is to take an hour or two and read a bunch of threads here from the past year.  Ok maybe it will take a bit longer. 

There is no single post . . . as there are many options available and many preferences and opinions and religions here on the forum.  Again . . . read, digest, think . . . come back and ask some pointed questions.  That's one suggestion! 

NB -- cd quality streaming is still, relatively, in a state of infancy.  Most of the threads you'll read here are about whether Tidal or Qobuz etc is "the best," and whether any of them have the finances to stay in business for the long term.  A bunch of the other threads chide Naim for not supporting them presently (Naim streamers currently support only Spotify, which is not cd quality (and a ton of Internet Radio, which also is not lossless/cd quality.)  But as you dig, you'll see how others use these services, for example via a Sonos device or a Mac Mini etc.  Keep digging

Hi Madgerald !

I agree with what Bart is telling you, but to take a long story short and to help you a little bit more, you have the following alternatives with different pros and cons, price tags and SQ (that where previously discussed in the forum). For your convenience I'll list you the basic combinations in order of complexity (to setup and to maintain where 1 is the highest):

1) PC/Mac + NAS (NAS not necessary if the computer has a big storage) + DAC

2) Hardware like Auralic Aries + DAC + NAS

3) Naim Streamer (ND5; NDX or NDS) + Hardware like Sonos connect for lossless streaming (till Naim firmware of ND series is upgraded to support lossless streaming) + NAS

4) HDX/Unitiserve + Hardware like Sonos connect for streaming (because HDX/Unitiserve cannot stream Spotify nor lossless streaming)

5) Nac N-272 + Hardware like Sonos connect until Naim releases firmware for lossless streaming

If you need just the streaming services (and you don't want to listen to locally stored files) you could also go for a 2 box solution: PC/Mac or hardware like Aries or hardware like Sonos connect + DAC. (The DAC is not necessary with hardware like Sonos connect, Bluesound Node etc. but is advisable in order to enhance the SQ). Last thing to keep in mind is that the Sonos connect doesn't stream Hi res files  (maximum is CD quality for now).

Naturally you can also combine the above stated combinations in dependence of your budget or preference (for example you could add a DAC to the 4th combination to increase SQ or you could switch between NAS and HDX/Unitiserve in the 3rd combination if you don't want to fiddle with computer hardware or you could switch the Sonos connect with the Aries in the 4th combination.

I'm sorry not to give you any more details or pros and cons of the various combinations but, as Bart said, in the forum there are plenty of discussions regarding this subject and you have to read first the basics in order to understand properly.

Last but not least I have a curiosity: you have a high quality CD and a fairly low budget amp: why did you choose this setup whichcould be seen as a bit unbalanced ?

Thanks everyone this is all incredibly helpful and I will do my homework!

Bill

I would like to add the Bluesound Node to the hardware list...

I don't think Tidal/Qobuz will be integrate soon in the Naim streamers. Apparently, Naim prefers a 'connect' style of streaming service (aka Spotify)...