I was also unconvinced that Tidal via Bubble was a clear improvement on native Tidal into my N272. Possible caveat here is that I find Bubble server / app quite fiddly to set up and I may not have optimised all the settings (WAV transcoding was set).
Since OP owns a Mac, I’d suggest giving Audirvana a demo (free 30-day trial available). Audirvana sounds better than Bubble to my ears, and setup is a breeze.
Bubble config is simple really. I confirmed with my missus and we both agreed that the Bubble proxy was better then Tidal via the Naim app. Transcoding was set, it just sounded a little more refined.
And of course I can use Qobuz studio 
QNAP/Bubble/Kazoo/Tidal through UPNP on my SU is night/day better than Native Tidal on my SU.
@ElMarko - can you remind me how to set this up? I have a QNAP NAS and want to try this out again. Thanks.
Is there perhaps consensus on which software sounds most satisfying between Naims own app, bubble upnp or audirvana upnp?
I suppose it’s system dependent and even genre dependent but am curious to now what you guys prefer?
I think I prefer Audirvana running on my MacBook Pro.
There’s a thread here that discussed the setup that I used. You need to dl the minimserver app to your QNAP. Install minimwatch on your computer ( for me it’s a mac) and set the stream transcode configuration to “flac:L16”. There might be some other details. I’m heading in to the office and will try to find it later.
Edit- this is the thread I think. It’s kinda disjointed but should get you there.
Okay, I’ve got Tidal playing via bubble and kazoo, but I’ve got an issue. I’ve tried a couple of my favourited playlists and every track is playing twice. Any idea what’s up?
Actually it seems to repeat each track on and on. It’s doing the same thing in LUMIN too. Any ideas? A setting in bubble?
Deleting and reinstalling Kazoo seems to have done the trick 
It may be worth noting that the stream from Bubble can be viewed simultaneoulsy in the Naim App UPnP window so you can see the File type & bitrate details if Kazoo is not doing so.
Added a third powerline. This one to the NAP. Think I now prefer bubble over Audirvana. Treble can be on the hot side though, but everything else is more satisfying.
Also, if someone knows, is there a way to make kazoo play an entire album or playlist when starting in the middle so to speak? I have no problems playing an album when pressing play next to the album, but if I choose a song in the list, then only that song gets played.
How’s it going now?
Are you still convinced that bubble is better than native Tidal?
My question is whether this is worth doing?
Or should I get an entry level Melco and Melco ripper?
Or get an Innuous mid level with built in ripper?
Will a Melco or Innuous sound a bit or a lot better than bubble via a Qnap or similar Nas?
Yes bubble sounds better than native Tidal but is more of a hassle to use. You need a computer running the nas and the functionallity of Linns app isn’t all the way compatible with naims streamers. I have no experience with Melco or other hardware.
Thanks - that’s what I thought.
I’m not really up for extra ICT hassle right now, unless that’s the only way I can get that SQ uplift.
But it’s not the only way.
So that drives me more towards Melco or Innuous, which seem less hassle thana “NAS and PC and Bubble and Asset and dbPoweramp”, etc.
I get the impression that in most systems and to most users Melco and Innuous are also giving better SQ uplift than IT NAS based solutions.
[But perhaps some NAS owners would not agree with that!?]
I think Melcos use Bubble upnp anyway, but perhaps there is less fiddling with the way it’s implemented and used in a Melco?
Do they? I thought the Melco’s were just rippers and Media servers?
Honestly, I have no idea.
I don’t really understand what ‘universal play and play’ is.
I’ve never used it or read up on it.
But I happened to see the following by Ralf on another thread this morning:
T38.45
I’m just in the test of Melco N1A using it as upnp source to feed ND555. On the Melco are different files
ripped by/from D100 (Melco’s CD transport), blue-ray and standard CD transporter (EAC, itunes). The results are interesting! Apart from that, they have wav, aiff and flac files stored to compare. My findings so far…
I can hear a difference btw. D100 rip and CD standard rip.
Especially highs and fine details (strings!!!)
Compared the Melco with other upnp sources I have, it’s much much darker, more “live” and shows much more colours…
think about a glas of fresh opened champagner vs one glas that stands open for 2h.
Compared the upnp Melco file vs roon on Innous (with internal music), the Melco wins.
It sounds so natural…
My summary:
-if you don’t want roon go for a Melco!!!
Easy to use, great quality, dead silence, superior SQ.
I know what Santa will bring to you this year Jim🥳
A house for your cherished ecm hirez, made by Buffalo.
but should I hope that Father Chrimbo brings the bottom Melco or the middle Melco?
amd should I hope that he brings the Melco ripper too??
Even if the ripper is high class, the 24 bit ecm are still better. So the n1h2 would be enough. For 1k, you can buy 15 euros X 65 so 65 high Rez ecm albums.
Great point FR
So I don’t need a ripper because I rarely listen to any thing on my existing cd collection
So just get the LPs that matter now as 24 bit files…
but do you mean the Melco you have, which I think is the N1A/2?
or the middle Melco, which I think is the N1ZH/2?
i.e.should I save longer and get the better Melco, as you plan to?
or get the N1A/2 and invest in other areas of my system?
and what app do you use to control the Melco with?
does that work thru upnp?
and would I feed my Tidal stream thru the Melco as well as play stored files with it?