Naim App - Lacks True Random

Posted by: Canuck1 on 05 November 2015

As a new NDX user I was disappointed to discover the lack of a true random function on the Naim app for iOS.  Yes, there is shuffle, but it's an adjunct to both Queue and Playlist functions.  What is needed is an independent random function that acts on the entire song collection.  Slim Devices figured this out about 10 years ago. 

 

My guess is the current solution is limited by the number of songs that can be held in memory and displayed on the control device (in this case an iPad).  Naim software engineers need to re-think this.  I believe most users would be happy to select the entire collection or perhaps a single genre, click play, then scroll down to see the next 5 or 10 songs in the queue, and have the option of discarding those they might not want to hear.     

Posted on: 05 November 2015 by Phil Harris
Originally Posted by Canuck1:

As a new NDX user I was disappointed to discover the lack of a true random function on the Naim app for iOS.  Yes, there is shuffle, but it's an adjunct to both Queue and Playlist functions.  What is needed is an independent random function that acts on the entire song collection.  Slim Devices figured this out about 10 years ago. 

 

My guess is the current solution is limited by the number of songs that can be held in memory and displayed on the control device (in this case an iPad).  Naim software engineers need to re-think this.  I believe most users would be happy to select the entire collection or perhaps a single genre, click play, then scroll down to see the next 5 or 10 songs in the queue, and have the option of discarding those they might not want to hear.     

Hi,

 

We can do "random play" from any tracks list that the UPnP server makes available ... if the UPnP server is able to generate an "All Tracks" list then you can random play from it.

 

Cheers

 

Phil

Posted on: 05 November 2015 by Canuck1
Originally Posted by Phil Harris:
Originally Posted by Canuck1:

As a new NDX user I was disappointed to discover the lack of a true random function on the Naim app for iOS.  Yes, there is shuffle, but it's an adjunct to both Queue and Playlist functions.  What is needed is an independent random function that acts on the entire song collection.  Slim Devices figured this out about 10 years ago. 

 

My guess is the current solution is limited by the number of songs that can be held in memory and displayed on the control device (in this case an iPad).  Naim software engineers need to re-think this.  I believe most users would be happy to select the entire collection or perhaps a single genre, click play, then scroll down to see the next 5 or 10 songs in the queue, and have the option of discarding those they might not want to hear.     

Hi,

 

We can do "random play" from any tracks list that the UPnP server makes available ... if the UPnP server is able to generate an "All Tracks" list then you can random play from it.

 

Cheers

 

Phil

 

Posted on: 05 November 2015 by Canuck1

Thanks, Phil. 

 

So, if I change my UPnP server software, are you saying the Naim app will handle more than 500 songs?

Posted on: 05 November 2015 by ChrisH

Hi Canuck,

the way to do this is to select 'Tracks' via the remote control, pick a track and play it, then select 'shuffle' either from the remote control, or in the app (in the track that is playing touch the '...' in the top right hand corner and select shuffle).

This will be random play of all songs on your server with no limit.

 

As you say, the way you describe loading tracks into the play queue is I think limited depending on your server, I may be wrong about this though.

 

Hope this is OK for you as a workaround.

 

Chris

Posted on: 05 November 2015 by Canuck1

Hey Chris,

 

Sorry but this makes no sense. The Naim iOS app displays the folders on your server.  No matter how you configure those folders, if you select one folder and click Play, the Naim app will load and start playing the audio files are in that folder -- and sub folders.  It will even shuffle those audio files so the play order is not alphabetical.  But the app limits you to 500 audio files.  That's not the same as having a Random function that selects from your entire collection.  Furthermore, the famous 500 is selected alphabetically!  So you end up shuffling only those songs from ABBA to Copland.

 

I can use the keypad on the NDX to navigate to the master folder on my server.  If I press Play (with shuffle on), the system will provide a Random function.  Sure that's a workaround.  But, as I see it, there is still a problem with the Naim app.

 

Regards, Canuck1

 

Posted on: 05 November 2015 by ChrisH

Hi Canuck,

Yes, youre absolutely correct, it's a workaround.

 

As you say, it's not possible completely from the App, but it is possible either partially between the remote control handset / the App (as I describe in the above post) or via the remote control and direct on the NDX or a combination of both.

I do normally use a combination of iPhone and remote control handset anyway so I've normally got both to hand at my listening chair.

 

Im not sure I would ever go for complete random play from my music collection due to the complete variety of genres, so I don't see this as an issue, especially as there is a workaround.

But I suppose logically it could be seen as an ommission that could be / have been included.

Maybe it will happen.....

 

Hope the workaround could work for you in the absence of it on the App.

 

Cheers,

Chris