Hi Res Options for my new ND 555

Regarding your NAS (lack of) you can put music on a USB stick, put that in the ND555, enable server mode, and use that to access music via the UPnP input. Other streamers on your network would also have access to this music. Maybe useful, if only to compare stored music with Tidal, Qobuz etc. 

100% agree to try a USB,  it might change your mind over not getting a NAS.    But please don't just load a 16/44 CD rip,  you need to buy, beg, borrow or steal a 24/192 PCM version of a favourite album to compare what is possible on your ND555 with a NAS vs web streaming & also how it fairs against your vinyl.      

Hi, I just upgraded to an NDX2 and started to explore Roon. And yes, you can get 24 bit Tidal Masters directly inte the NDX2 or ND555. However, this requires good network performance (wired ethernet) to be stable.

I have no experience with Qubuz via  Chromecast but I am equally interested!

BooBoo posted:

Hi All - not been here for a while, but have just taken the big step of upgrading my system.

I now have an ND555 with a 552 and a 300 (still non DR - but that's planned) - all running into B&W 800D's - its great - and a big step up (to say the least!) from my 272, 555PSU, 300 system that I ran for the last few years.

I've got a nice Klimax LP12 for all my Vinyl needs and that sounds great - but to be honest, thats a weekend persuit - i use Tidal for most of my listening (at least until Spotify go uncompressed that is!)

I think there is no way for the 555 to play Tidal Masters itself - and there may at some point (breath not being held) a software update that allows this - but is there a way that Roon (i don't have Roon - so assume no knowledge!) can get these through to the 555 in 24 Bit? ...lots of discussions on here, but i cant see the wood for the trees i'm afraid - so need a little help!

Also - I've just signed up for a trial of Qubuz - lots of hiRes on there - again i think there is no way the 555 can play these native (?) but is there a way i can possibly play these via Chromecast? ...not especially elegant i'm thinking - but would be super if i could use this method. 

I don't have a NAS anymore (long story!) and i'm not really that up for getting one - unless somebody tells me that the streaming services do nasty things to the FLAC files and i'm still only hearing half the music!

Thanks in advance for any thoughts guys.

I find the simplest way to play high resolution files on the ND 555 is to put them on a USB stick or drive [I have ssd drives attached] and select USB in the Naim app where your attached sticks/drives are listed.

I have Roon with a Tidal account activated and Tidal Masters can be played at 24 bit to the Roon ready ND 555. A computer will work for Roon core and remote, a NAS not necessarily required. You can be quite sophisticated in the use of Roon on additional equipment once you have your head sorted with its set up.

I have a Qobuz account and play high resolution files to ND 555  through Qobuz integration within the app Audirvana+ via that app\s UPnP out put. I find that the simplest way to get Qobuz to the ND but there are other ways which involve a little more complexity involving apps like BubbleUPnP, Linn Kazoo, Lumin - this works for Tidal, too. There is information on all this in other posts on the forum from the many experts here. A leisurely search will bring much wonderful access to you ....

BooBoo posted:

Hi All - not been here for a while, but have just taken the big step of upgrading my system.

I now have an ND555 with a 552 and a 300 (still non DR - but that's planned) - all running into B&W 800D's - its great - and a big step up (to say the least!) from my 272, 555PSU, 300 system that I ran for the last few years.

I've got a nice Klimax LP12 for all my Vinyl needs and that sounds great - but to be honest, thats a weekend persuit - i use Tidal for most of my listening (at least until Spotify go uncompressed that is!)

I think there is no way for the 555 to play Tidal Masters itself - and there may at some point (breath not being held) a software update that allows this - but is there a way that Roon (i don't have Roon - so assume no knowledge!) can get these through to the 555 in 24 Bit? ...lots of discussions on here, but i cant see the wood for the trees i'm afraid - so need a little help!

Also - I've just signed up for a trial of Qubuz - lots of hiRes on there - again i think there is no way the 555 can play these native (?) but is there a way i can possibly play these via Chromecast? ...not especially elegant i'm thinking - but would be super if i could use this method. 

I don't have a NAS anymore (long story!) and i'm not really that up for getting one - unless somebody tells me that the streaming services do nasty things to the FLAC files and i'm still only hearing half the music!

Thanks in advance for any thoughts guys.

You need a Roon Core running somewhere on your network. Either get a small NUC and build one using ROCK, or use a preconfigured device such as a Nucleus from Roon themselves. However the Nucleus has no option of internal storage for any music you may wish to store in the future.

Alternatively, and this could be, go for a SonicTransporter https://www.smallgreencomputer...variant=21510224516, add some internal storage, so you have the option of storing music locally if you wish.

Either of these configurations will give you the capability to play Tidal Masters, with the 1st unfold to 24/96, directly integrated into the ND555. You would then just Roon Remote to browse & control playback of both streamed and any locally stored music files.

Simon

I have Roon Core running in the background on my Mac in my office... you do need a bit of power on the Core for the DSP algorithms it runs, for playback and media analysis of your library.

simes_pep posted:

You need a Roon Core running somewhere on your network. Either get a small NUC and build one using ROCK, or use a preconfigured device such as a Nucleus from Roon themselves. However the Nucleus has no option of internal storage for any music you may wish to store in the future.

The Nucleus can take an internal SSD or HDD if you don't want to use external storage. 

Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

I have Roon Core running in the background on my Mac in my office... you do need a bit of power on the Core for the DSP algorithms it runs, for playback and media analysis of your library.

But if there is no locally stored content, there is no music analysis, which is only on initial build and any incremental additions of local content. The OP is only looking to stream content from a Service Provider, such as Tidal.

All of the DSP functions are defaulted to Off, and only enabled if you want them or need them.

Simon

james n posted:

simes_pep posted:

You need a Roon Core running somewhere on your network. Either get a small NUC and build one using ROCK, or use a preconfigured device such as a Nucleus from Roon themselves. However the Nucleus has no option of internal storage for any music you may wish to store in the future.

The Nucleus can take an internal SSD or HDD if you don't want to use external storage. 

Ok, apologies - I had considered Nucleus to be a pre-configured server running Roon Core, without options for local storage, so more for those with existing libraries on USB or NAS disks. Then this is a good option for the OP - off the shelf Roon Core server with future option for a small locally stored library.

A backup solution would soon be required though. Not sure what Cloud based options there are, perhaps an additional service opportunity for Roon?

simes_pep posted:

Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

I have Roon Core running in the background on my Mac in my office... you do need a bit of power on the Core for the DSP algorithms it runs, for playback and media analysis of your library.

But if there is no locally stored content, there is no music analysis, which is only on initial build and any incremental additions of local content. The OP is only looking to stream content from a Service Provider, such as Tidal.

All of the DSP functions are defaulted to Off, and only enabled if you want them or need them.

This is true, but I use Roon as a replacement for UPnP, which in the Naim environment can make a lot of sense, and so I point it at my local media on my NAS as well internet Tidal and Roon effectively merges this .. it analyzes my media and incrementally does this when ripping local CDs etc and makes recommendations etc .. and the DSP functions do add to the usability and appeal and our configurable of course for different endpoints including not using it..

But yes if you didn’t want to use these features or use these Roon capabilities, then the Core could be basic and run on a very modest platform as it would not be doing so very much

BooBoo posted:

I don't have a NAS anymore (long story!) and i'm not really that up for getting one - unless somebody tells me that the streaming services do nasty things to the FLAC files and i'm still only hearing half the music!

Thanks in advance for any thoughts guys.

I'm with others on this, I too have a high spec LP12, but with your system I would want so much more detail from the music, as Mike B suggseted borrow 24/192 from a friend

it will show you what the system can do

This seems to have morphed into another Roon thread on the OPs absence. I’ve been dipping in and out of Roon for the last year or so, and it seems to run fine on my 5 year old MacBook pro. When I cranked the DSP settings up really high once, it distorted like crazy, but apart from that it seems to handle Roon easily. 

Forum members on the Roon Community site have reported a significant SQ improvement after moving from hosting Roon Core on a laptop or Mac Book to a dedicated NUC or server. Here the processor and OS is just focused on running Roon Core and not a general purpose computing platform.

Chris, I use a powerful iMac for my Roon Core, and the SQ appears preferable to other smaller platforms I have tried, although I am not entirely convinced it’s purely load/performance related, or genereal purpose to none genereal purpose OS related. The load for the most part is not usually high but every so often it rises... depending on what you are doing. 

Also because of the way RAAT works on the network with the end points,  as far as the network transport media flow control aspects  and link flow it is similar (or most likely identical)  to UPnP media transfer, and I have found that different UPnP server platforms can sound subtly different on the older streaming architecture , and when you examine the media transfer network timing profiles on the line, you  could see certain characteristics leading to differeing SQ or at least ‘voicing’ , and although not yet done the measurements and WireShark deconstruction with RAAT nor correlated with the new Naim streaming architecture yet I expect the same variables to exist with RAAT ... (this is to do with inter layer 2 frame  timing consistency).. albeit I am expecting the results to be slightly suppressed on the new Naim architecture.

So in essence different Roon Core platforms could sound different, just like different UPnP media servers... mind you distortion with the DSP points to something rather more different and fundamental.

Thanks Simon, I may eventually try a dedicated Roon Core at some stage. I thought I heard a very small improvement in SQ running Roon on the MacBook wired rather than over WiFi. 

I’m sure you’re right about the DSP distortion, I was just playing around with it, and had probably cranked the upper/mid frequencies way too high. 

To go back to BooBoo’s initial post, I would suggest that he reconsider a NAS in his system, and would suggest some ripped CDs which might change his perception of what is possible within the 16 bit world:

Pentangle ‘Basket of Light’

The Byrds  ‘There is a Season’’, especially ‘Eight Miles High’.

As to what NAS, that’s another topic entirely!

Getting Qobuz, 192/24 or 96/24 is fairly simple, however getting it to work gapless  on the ND555 is unlikely. The new UPnP architecture on the new range of streamers and all in ones  seems to be limited to only allowing gapless play via Naims own which does not support Qobuz. Unless they did not do this on the streamers, all the unity range this is the case though. If gapless is not  important then subscribe to Qobuz hidref options and use mconnect kazoo, or lumin app to get it into the streamer. If you want Tidal masters then you can use mconnect to do the first unfold but you won't get the fillers as Naims internal dac is not MQA supported. Or as others have mentioned give Roon a go.