With a mac you will only get one set output sample rate based on what you set the midi settings in Mac os. Their app does not support exclusive mode for bit perfect sample rate switching like the iOS App. So it will up or down scale to what the Mac is set as or you have to change the rate manually for each album that’s a different rate to the last to get true lossless. Both Tidal and Qobus support exclusive mode and rate switching
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Ah. Well…I guess I’ll use the iPad for sure then eh? Actually that was a thought to replace the lost screen art on the Nova when using a wired Apple Music connection. I’m now using the iPhone but will prefer the larger screen of the iPad. So thank you. I didn’t know that, and it’s a bit surprising the Mac is so restricting. iPads (mine is a Pro) are amazing though. But as the main music source I’ll lose the iPad as my toy so the Mac will replace that.
Yes, I have the Mac directly attached to the Topping with the Mac supplying power. I usually leave my Mac set at 24/192. But as CrystalGypsy said, to get the best sound, you need to switch it manually per album/track. It will be interesting to see what Spotify does with their Mac app and how Naim implements the hardware connect app.
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It makes me think why its taking Spotify so long to come out with thier upgrade migjt be they have now take nto account for a lot more variables for connect as it will need to know what each device can support if doing hires to know what to send on or resample if not supported.
I’m guessing the hardware connect apps will work independently of the control points and will switch rates as per each manufacturers implementation, which is presumably strictly dictated by Spotify.
But there is Spotify code in that streamer to do that. That likely needs updating to allow for the different clock rates or it will be pulling incompatible streams to devices that don’t support them? But yes I imagine infrastructure has something to do with it as well. At least it won’t need you to jump through hoops to get it to work in your existing hifi or let’s hope not.
So I returned the silver D10s and here’s the black model with my iPad. In order to charge while playing I bought the USB-c VGA multiport adapter and it works! lol.
I’m listening to and comparing “Safe From Harm” by Massive Attack between Apple Hi res and Qobuz Hi Res. Right at the beginning with the Apple there is a guitar (I think) part that is very audible if not prominent. With the Qobuz version that is barely audible. To me Apple is the clear winner there.
You would need to verify if they are the same release. I have Safe from Harm on CD and I dont here prominent guitars on the beginning at all other than the bass line. Mine is a later mix from 2012.
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I can’t tell if the versions are the same; the Qobuz says 2011 but what does that mean? I do believe Apple Digital Master Hi Res Lossless sounds best. Clearly. And I really like Qobuz also. A big drag is when hardwired to an Apple source the screen isn’t showing artwork. I’ll keep Qobuz just for that! lol…with Airplay the artwork does show tho, so if they get with it and update to handle the 192 with Airplay 2 then the hard wire won’t be necessary.
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Yeah. Now comparing between Qobuz and AM hi res listening to Peter Gabriel “So” and to me it’s no comparison. Apple hi res lossless masters blow away Qobuz hi res.
Note on speaker placement: my Chora 816s are front ported and therefore supposedly forgiving in placement close to a wall. Nah. I moved mine back from where I’d had them and it killed the sound. I had them back for a while and kept thinking the Nova was becoming boring. lol. No.
Interesting.
I tried Apple Music from iPad via USB camera connector to my Oppo 205’s DAC then analogue from Oppo to NAC 282.
Apple Music didn’t do much for me via that route, Airplay to the Nova to 282 sounded better.
Shame I couldn’t get optical out to the Nova from the Oppo.
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I’m using the USB-C VGA multiport adapter to the Topping for my iPad, the camera adapter to Topping for iPhone. I’m still not clear on how to connect the Mac Mini?
Hi All,
First post so please forgive…
I’ve had various Naim products going back to a Supernait in 2007, followed by cdx2,
Hicap, and another power supply which i think was for the CDx2 all outputted via Chord cables to Focal Micro utopias BE standmount speakers. For various reasons this was downsized to a Unitlite into the Focal Micro Utopias in search of streaming hi res nirvana.
Now back with a Supernait 3 and ND5 XS2 and having read as many reviews and forums I was expecting that I would need a further dac and various camera adaptors to get Apple Hi res into the ND5 XS2. (I also have an Opportunity 105, which said camera adaptors aided in Usb connection but would not pass higher than 24/48 to the ND5 xs2 via coaxial.)
What I have found today is that by simply connecting my iPhone directly via lightning to USB on the front of the ND5 XS2 I can now play all apple music in Lossless and High res lossless including those in 96khz and 192khz.
I presume this is also true for the NDX2.
Long story short my experience seems to go against everything I have read.
Anyone have any thoughts?
Best regards,
Richard W
Just tried to connect iPhone via usb for hi res.
Seems I was connected via airplay 
So have now ordered a topping d10 and will update in a few days time having double checked all findings.
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Here’s the other thread. See if you understand my rambling here…lol…sorry
I have a Topping and have been experimenting…
To sum, with Apple, you must change the bit rate in the Mac if you want it to match the source of Apple Music. But with Qobuz I’ve found through the Qobuz app it switches (and thus displays) on the Topping.
You are not the first person to be caught out, thinking that you were using USB on a 2nd gen streamer because it was wired up, when in fact the connection was via Airplay! The phone will still charge from the USB port but unlike the 1st gen streamers it will not play through it.
I thought this very kind reply from Steve Harris to my posts on a similar streaming topic would be of interest to those in discussion here.
Hi guys,
That Cambridge audio article is out of date and a bit misleading.
iTunes on Mac OSX now uses Airplay2 so the app currently sends a AAC feed. If Apple so desired it could send an ALAC lossless stream representing the lossless music.
Here is an example of the Atoms Airplay metrics screen showing what is actually going on:
On PC iTunes v12.12.2.2 it’s still using Airplay1. iTunes does the decode from AAC to ALAC 16/44.1 on the PC and then sends it over to the player. Hence its still AAC, just the PC has decoded it, rather than the player.
Again evidence below:
On iOS devices Airplay2 is used if the playback device supports it. If a playback device supports Airplay2 it also supports Airplay1 as well.
With Airplay1 it’s a realtime stream so only a few seconds are stored inside the product, so this makes the audio prone to dropouts if the Wifi signal is poor. Airplay 1 uses NTP for synchronised multiroom playback when using iTunes on PC which isn’t as precise as PTP.
With Airplay2 it has the option to do buffered stream, so it pushes many minutes of the audio into the playback device and then its clocked out in sync using the precision time protocol (PTP).
On the Naim implementation we support up to 24/44.1 ALAC lossless for Airplay2 and do a mix of hardware and software clock synchronisation (small clock drift tweaks are done using a programmable clock gen IC), big adjustments are done in software to drag things quickly into sync. Most manufacturers just do software ASRC to join the clock domains together so it tracks the elected PTP master on the network - ASRC has audio quality implications though. On sample rates supported the limit is currently an Apple enforced limitation - the platform can do 32/384 ALAC if required.
Best wishes
Steve Harris
Software Director
Naim Audio Ltd
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Topping d10 has been in place for a few days now and as well as pestering the forum and Apple support with regard to AirPlay Lossless I have also done some extensive listening.
Apple Music into The topping via coaxial into the nd5 xs2. Alac lossless 24 bit 44.1
Apple Music via Airplay into the nd5 xs2 - iPhone says lossless alac 24 bit 44.1 - Naim say it’s playing lossy aac.
Tidal on the nd5 xs2. FLAC 44.1 16 bit
So all are using the nd5’s Dac.
Playing Adele 30 my thoughts are:
Apple music via Airplay puts Adele in a booth behind and completely separate from the other musicians. Her spoken words are very difficult to hear.
The Topping brings her out of the booth and in amongst the musicians but the ensamble don’t seem to be in sink and though Adele’s voice is somewhat clearer it is still hard to follow her spoken dialogue.
For me playing via Tidal Adele came out in front of the other players and for the first time her dialogue was easy to follow and the whole seemed to gel more musically though as a whole the album still had a studio feel.
So although I prefer Apple music’s layout and range if the same album is available on tidal, for now that’s where I’ll be listening.
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