Dropouts using NDS
Posted by: nigelb on 10 September 2015
I have just moved from NDX to NDS. Stunning improvement but I have noticed very occasional momentary dropouts - I will be listening and then a second of silence then back to music again. I believe this has only happened on 192 files but I couldn't swear to this. It doesn't happen often but a bit annoying all the same. I never experienced this issue with NDX.
The network is Ethernet wired with good quality cables and has remained the same during the move form NDX to NDS - same router, switch, server (Unitiserve) etc.
Has anyone else experienced the same issue and is there a solution?
Indeed, DoP is only used for sending DSD over a PCM framed transport such as SPDIF.
Simon
Told you I was a novice!
I have just moved from NDX to NDS. Stunning improvement but I have noticed very occasional momentary dropouts - I will be listening and then a second of silence then back to music again. I believe this has only happened on 192 files but I couldn't swear to this. It doesn't happen often but a bit annoying all the same. I never experienced this issue with NDX.
The network is Ethernet wired with good quality cables and has remained the same during the move form NDX to NDS - same router, switch, server (Unitiserve) etc.
Has anyone else experienced the same issue and is there a solution?
I'm having the same problem. Seems to always be on HD material. Thought it had gone away but it happened again a few times last night. I can't see the display from where I sit so haven't been able to establish whether it's related to the buffer yet. Also, because I've changed a lot of other things I'm not even sure that it's the NDS, but this thread gives me hope that it's software, so fixable.
Indeed, DoP is only used for sending DSD over a PCM framed transport such as SPDIF.
Simon
Hi Simon,
I realise you have not suffered these dropout issues but it is clear from others on this thread that there is an issue which may or may not be related to version 4.3 of the software. You clearly have good technical knowledge and experience with Naim digital kit.
What do you suspect the cause of the problem is? Maybe we are not implementing LAN's optimally maybe it is something else. It does appear to be a particular issue with hi res material (DSD and 24/192).
Come on - help us out!
Nigel,
I reported this problem to Phil Harris at Naim some time ago and I understand that this is indeed a software issue. I'm told that Naim's software team are investigating but I'm not sure whether it is being addressed in the current proposed beta firmware update.
I've sent an email to Phil to make him aware of this forum thread but it would be helpful if any forum members who have this problem could report it to naim support so that they are aware of how many naim users may be affected.
Nigel, I am sorry I really have no clear idea.. If it is firmware it will be internal to the Naim device and there could be many possibilities..
Nigel,
I reported this problem to Phil Harris at Naim some time ago and I understand that this is indeed a software issue. I'm told that Naim's software team are investigating but I'm not sure whether it is being addressed in the current proposed beta firmware update.
I've sent an email to Phil to make him aware of this forum thread but it would be helpful if any forum members who have this problem could report it to naim support so that they are aware of how many naim users may be affected.
Will do.
I was beginning to think that perhaps my NDX had an intermittent fault until I saw some of the latest posts on this thread. Most of the time it works fine but I too have experienced occasional dropouts of around 1s duration. My NDX is running FW version 4.3.
The dropouts have occurred on DSD64 played via the USB port on the NDX as well as on 24/192 FLAC played via UPnP from my NAS on a wired Ethernet network. The NAS is set to transcode from FLAC to WAV on-the-fly. The dropouts do not occur consistently at the same elapsed time on a given track and sometimes do not occur at all. The fact that the dropouts also occur on USB appears to indicate that problem is not with the network.
As Simon had not had any dropout issues and he uses an external DAC and these problems seemed to have appeared with the introduction of version 4.3 of software and does not appear to be software related, could it be that the issue is related to a combination of the internal DAC's in the NDX and NDS and 4.3 software? I am assuming here that Simon is on version 4.3
Yes a 4.3 version, it's a beta version, but the same as Mike is using.
Simon
As Simon had not had any dropout issues and he uses an external DAC and these problems seemed to have appeared with the introduction of version 4.3 of software and does not appear to be software related, could it be that the issue is related to a combination of the internal DAC's in the NDX and NDS and 4.3 software? I am assuming here that Simon is on version 4.3
Sorry the above should read '........and does not appear to be NETWORK related..........'.
Hopefully that makes more sense.
Got another 1 second drop out yesterday while playing a 192 file on the USB/iPod input of the NDS (on software version 4.3) so it is definitely NOT a network/cable related issue.
I have reported this issue to Naim Customer Support and would encourage others with the same problem to do likewise so they can assess the scale of the problem and help narrow down the root cause.