The naimnet tuner more information?

Posted by: Claus-Thoegersen on 30 December 2007

In the latest newsletter there is a very short sentence about a tuner wich will be part of the Naimnet launch.
network-equipped multiple DAB/FM tuner.

Does this mean that we will see a tuner that can play internet radio?

Even just with a dab and fm tuner this could be very interesting, depending on how much naimnet that is in there also. I understand that the tuner must have the eithernet interface, but I hope it will more or less be an updated tuner, and leave all the digital processing to the other ns servers, so cost can be as low as possible.

Finally any ideas about the price?
Posted on: 30 December 2007 by Skip
I'm no expert, but internet radio seems pretty low-fidelity to my ears. Not sure why I would want to spend the money on a Naim-level tuner for it. I love the musical variety and the price, but the sound is nothing special over the computer based internet resources I have heard.
Posted on: 30 December 2007 by Manu
Skip is right, Internet radio is low-fi. In my previous life i have been involved in the development of Codecs RealPlayer (among others) is using, it was an achivement in the compression ratio (8 to 13Kbps), but nothing to do with HIFI.

An no the Naim-Net tuner won't be able to catch Internet Radio, but your computer will be and able to send it to a Netstreams network. So playable by a Naim room amplifier.
Posted on: 31 December 2007 by rupert bear
It may be lo-fi in some respects, but it does offer a huge range of great programming, e.g. on the US public service stations, not available otherwise. Sound is definitely better than the DAB standard foisted on UK consumers. So it would be a neat arrangement for any network device to include it.
Posted on: 01 January 2008 by Claus-Thoegersen
quote:
Originally posted by Manu:
Skip is right, Internet radio is low-fi. In my previous life i have been involved in the development of Codecs RealPlayer (among others) is using, it was an achivement in the compression ratio (8 to 13Kbps), but nothing to do with HIFI.

An no the Naim-Net tuner won't be able to catch Internet Radio, but your computer will be and able to send it to a Netstreams network. So playable by a Naim room amplifier.


No internet radio is not hifi not even close! But it could bring radio stations like bbc radio4 back on my hifi. As it is now I can only get on the computer, and I would prefer even very low quality streams beeing played on my Naim setup not on my minimal speakers on the computer, speakers that is on all the time to produce synthesized speech from my screenreader so this will also interfeer with streams played over the net.

What do you mean by:
but your computer will be and able to send it to a Netstreams network. So playable by a Naim room amplifier.[/QUOTE]

I fear that you mean the new ns servers, not standard naim analog amplifiers? or will the tuner be able to receive streams from the computer?

Anyway since I live in a Flat where it does not make sense to buy one of the analogue tuners I hope this new tuner could be the way for me to get my other important source Naimed!


1
Posted on: 01 January 2008 by Adam Meredith
I find internet radio one of my best audio discoveries for years. In England, I tried DAB for the promised extra content and was prepared to take the performance hit (I still had my Creek tuner). It disappointed me in both areas.

Down here I have been forced to fall back onto the internet and it is absolutely unbeatable for content. Keep the playback system sensible and the sound quality is bearable - the content really is good.

When recently back in Salisbury I pushed for some Internet Radio facility to be incorporated into NaimNet. For the moment, I think sound quality will bias development toward FM and DAB. In the long term I cannot see that one can ignore the internet and it should be a piece of cake to expand NaimNet's capabilities to include it.
Posted on: 01 January 2008 by Adam Meredith
quote:
Originally posted by Frank F:
What is DAB apart from a fish??


Well - if GOD is DOG backwards we may have a hint.

I have used (and did here before I got ADSL) satellite for Radio 4. Unfortunately (or not) I keep the television in the dungeon and so the listening experience proved unfriendly.

When at the computer I can tune in from the PC but I like the additional functionality of the Acoustic Energy thingy - a parting present from Naim Audio and horribly appreciated.

The general feeling is that satellite can be pretty good - possibly an opening for someone to take the radio aspect more seriously and try to beef up the quality of this potential source.
Posted on: 01 January 2008 by garyi
There are plenty of radio station streaming at 192 and above, which sound just fine to my ears. OK not like the very best source, but certainly very good. There are plenty to choose from in iTunes for one thing.

Little tip for you funsters, many radio feeds ont he web can simply be dragged into your Music window in itunes. Simply click it when you want it.

Sadly does not work for BBC as the stupid shits are still in bed with Microsoft.
Posted on: 01 January 2008 by Paul Hutchings
I find most stations that broadcast at 128kbps and higher just fine when piped across my Airport Express into my DAC/F80.

Such things are always hard to quantify, tbh it sounds really bloody good.
Posted on: 01 January 2008 by Andrew Randle
From what I've seen and heard, DAB is actually worse than Internet Radio. Particularly when Internet Radio can be had for 256-320kbps at the moment.

Most DAB transmissions are severely reduced in their data-rate.

Andrew
Posted on: 01 January 2008 by Mark Dunn
Hi garyi (and others),

Re:

quote:
Little tip for you funsters, many radio feeds ont he web can simply be dragged into your Music window in itunes. Simply click it when you want it.

Sadly does not work for BBC as the stupid shits are still in bed with Microsoft.


1. Go to the BBC website
2. Click on the 'Radio' tab at the top
3. Click on the radio station you want to listen to.
4. When the relevant page opens click on 'Listen Now'
5. When the BBC's iPlayer opens, let it start streaming and then click on 'open in stand alone player' (I use Real Player)
6. Close the iPlayer window
7. Now the station is playing in Real Player, in Real Player go to File -> Clip Properties -> View Clip Source
8. The first line in the window that opens is the source's address and starts with 'rstp'. Select and copy that address.
9. Open a text editor such as Window's Notepad (or in garyi's case, SimpleText) and paste the address.
10. Save the file.
11. Change the file's extension to 'rm' (for Real Player) or the extension of the media program you wish to use.

Now when you double click on the file it will open the chosen program and start playing the stream. I went to the trouble of doing this because as a Brit living in the U.S. I find the radio content here appalling, except for National Public Radio. Auntie Beeb gives me a taste of home, but I don't like having to go through the rigamarole of getting to the content when a simple double-click should suffice.

Best Regards,
Mark Dunn