Using N-Serve or N-Stream (?) with a Macbook Pro, iPad, NAS, a router, a Naim DAC

An external hard drive isn't a NAS, and to use even a proper NAS in the manner I think you're after, you also need a streamer of some kind, i.e. an extra box.

But you could run a connection from the laptop to the NDAC and control playback from the iPad, albeit with different apps. Personally I'd go for optical if your macbook is old enough to support it, or USB if it's too new for optical.

Audirvana offers a free trial, and has an iOS remote app. I'm sure there are others, too.

You can only use the two Naim apps to control Naim server and streamer hardware, so they are no use to you with what you have now. You can use your Mac to store and play to your DAC, so that would be the way to go if you don't want more boxes. As Dave says, optimising your Mac with Audirvana would be a good start.

vintageaxeman posted:

I have tons of CDs and LPs, but I want to explore using digital downloads and/or streaming.

I want to avoid buying any more digital boxes if possible.

So...I have a Macbook Pro running Sierra, and an iPad Air.

I have a few spare external hard drives which could be used as NAS units, I have an Apple Extreme router, and an N-Dac within my system.

Can I use a hard drive as a NAS, run it all through my N-Dac, and control it with N-Serve or N-Stream from my iPad?    

And if so, how do I configure it all?    Is there a guide to doing this somewhere?

Thanks, people.

if you want to use n-stream or naim app, with your n-dac, you have to buy a uniticore or second hand unitserve or hdx.   Or buy other streamer like nd5x or ndx, and connect ndac.

But you can stream with other brands: auralic, sim audio, blue sound....and connect also your ndac: but you will not be able to use nstream or naim app.

Thank you for all that info. I am now a bit better informed, and I guess I will have to decide whether to save up and pay for a streaming box or just to use Audirvana with my MacBook.