Fully agree FR…I would add a reference “Core” as an alternative to Innuos and Melco?
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This would be very desirable. In fact all naim needs to do is to “optimize” Naim systems not any combination with non Naim gear. This would be already a tall order.
No. Absolutely not. The signal path begins at the analogue output stage of a source and ends at the speakers. Everything before that is not in the signal path as we mean it.
That doesn’t mean it doesn’t make a difference. But the impact is not one of sonic character (tone, pitch, bass, etc.). Anything you do to the the LAN feed or SPDIF is a matter of adding or subtracting noise only. The quantity and type of that noise is likely to affect your noise floor and one may subjectively find a certain amount of noise impact pleasurable (or not). Naim components, like anything in hifi, accept that there will be noise introduced both in terms on EMI and microphnic and takes steps to mitigate that. But equally operates under the premise that zero noise interference is (if unrealistic) best. Anything that reduces that noise and is not in the analogue signal path, should really just serve to let any piece of hifi reveal more of it’s true nature, not change the nature.
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At the same time you are saying, or is implying a better English word, that in practice streaming is just that - a black art. And that Naim, despite its dealers and high-cost boxes, only sell partial solutions to a bunch of hifi-nerds?
And a good add-on would be a Fraim shelf-type to at least hide all that tweakery stuff.
If this was such a big problem Naims solution would certainly be more like the Aqua LinQ streamer which has an isolating switch built into the box rather than just dump all this mess into the lap of the unsuspecting music lover/collector.
And please could someone make a Roon ROCK NUC with different boxes. A Naim Classic type, a Linn type and so on.
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Jan, this is exactly where I’m going. I have a full “third rack” jungle of switch/router/fiber box/ related power supplies and even a masterclock linked to the ER. Maybe not all, but a part of it could be included in a new Naim box maybe together with an SSD for storage; this would be like a Super Innuos or Super Melco or Super ROCK NUC… but made by Naim
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I would say no more than cassette play, record replay, tuner replay, CD replay… all can be plug and play, but all offer potentially infinite tweakery to suite the OCD tendencies of their listeners.
However I would say if you enjoy the tweakery side of streaming… DO NOT use a decoupled DAC and transport… it kills off a significant proportion of the tweakery options with respect to micro adjusting the resultant audio.
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It sounds as if you are complaining that your NDX2/HugoTT2 isn’t giving you enough reasons to waste more money 
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Yes, my tweaking days are mostly gone… I tend to more focus on the music these days…
BTW it’s Dave not TT2…
I take your point about the streaming element, but I wonder if this is so very different from tweaking a source in the past? I have gone from a Pioneer TT via Rega, Linn LP12 and it’s various arm/cartridge/cable, power combinations and finally back to a Rega for simplicity. Perhaps all of those streaming ‘tweakers’ will eventually settle down once a suitably developed ‘simple’ product is found.
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This is a good point.
I’m of the opinion that the reason we’re (not all wes mind you) doing so much tweaking with all of these ancillary gadgets is because the medium is at its infancy, and if you read about it enough it becomes painfully clear that there is no want of not understanding, misunderstanding and just plain preying on one’s OCD tendencies by ‘industry experts’ (same goes for said experts, but on the consumer side, bashing those who hear differences fora-wide)—it gets maddeningly confusing to the point nobody knows what to believe. Marketing has taken over in a PT Barnum sort of way rather than science and tech winning the day and quashing any iota of doubt.
It’s like anything, though. Once time goes by and sorts out the truth from fiction, and proven technology marries with sound design (and form factor), we’ll look back with some amount of embarrassment; if not that then perhaps a Paddy Chayefsky-esque, ‘cleansing moment of clarity’ at the very least.
Don’t get me wrong. I think there are many very smart individuals trying to tackle the perceived and not-so-perceived problems in streaming audio, but the tweakery side of it is lagging a little behind and we’re suffering the consequences.
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Yes certainly there is more tweaking because streaming is in its infancy. I see this also as an opportunity for naim to … make our “music simpler” and propose some standard solutions (from which everyone can evolve) but currently we have entire departments of the streaming music supply chain that are left unattended. My next “upgrade” would be an innuos 2 box statement music server. Although they are available in black…I would still like this to be Naim boxes!
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Why more Innuos vs Melco N10? Just curious Nestor.
Exactly what I did and absolutely don’t regret it.
Well Ok…without listening at this stage it is not a very strong opinion. Essentially because the innuos allows CD ripping while the N10 would require me to purchase a separate box. Also but not fully sure I understand the Roon intergration is better with Innuos than Melco?
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Do you also stream Qobuz? Do you believe there is a difference in SQ between locally stored files and the same streamed remotely? I always wonder about this, since I hear such a great sound from streaming.
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I stream Tidal.
The quality is very good but when I compare the same song to local (audio stored on NAS), local is still better.
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I understand now. For Roon and cd ripping in one box, the Innuos seems to make sense. 
The Melco however, with direct Ethernet connection into Nd555 gives a clear uplift vs online streaming.
The Innuos seems to be better in usb connection to a dac. My feelings only, but I made a lot of research on a lot of forums. Before buying the Melco, I was thinking on Innuos too.
You can’t go wrong with both.
Hi FR, I maybe wrong but I thought the Innuos statement was using also exactly the same direct ethernet connection to the streamer?
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it does, both usb and ethernet connections, reclocked and cleaned
Yes , but I found more people in forums preferring the Melco in that mode.
In all cases a direct comparison is the only way to really know.