Quite a few DAPs use AKM DAC chips.
In answer to the OP’s question, I doubt it very much. With the number of staff working in R&D, their unrivalled experience and endless enthusiasm for the products it’s very hard to see why they would!
However, there is a lot of very interesting reading material in this thread!
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My feeling is that in Hi End audio, like many occupations, you have to go to work every day, and you have to compete. You have to have the creative juices flowing, and you have to apply them. Naim has done their line of streamers, and it seems that the competition is quite strong, as evidenced by the discussion on this thread and others. I don’t think Naim can sit back an coast for 8 years on the performance of the ND555. Too many Naim members are reporting gains with alternate things. Some of the alternatives are reporting “musical engagement” as the feature they find, which is Naim’s claim to fame. Its going to be interesting.
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Agreed I maybe wrong but I doubt the new range will have a product life cycle like the old range of 10-years. I am guessing more like 5 now.
Spot on bailyhill.
The Uniti Core desperately needs upgrading or re-designing to compete with the Innuos Zenith and various Melco products. Without Roon Core capability, its market potential is somewhat limited.
When it comes to streamers, the ND555 is fabulous but faces really strong competition from several other manufacturers, for those consumers willing and able to audition alternatives. The ND555 and 555PS costs over £20k in the UK. That price rises to over £27k with 2 power supplies.
Having now auditioned the ND555 + 555PS against cheaper or comparably priced rivals from Chord, DCS, Sim Audio Moon and MSB, the ND555 only landed in the middle of the pack for musical engagement & enjoyment to these cloth ears, despite sounding delightful on its own.
Top of the tree came the MSB Premier, followed by the DCS Rossini + external clock. Chord M Scaler + DAVE came third, followed by the MSB Discrete, then ND555 + 555PS.
Chord DAVE on his own came 6th, with the new Moon 780D v2 in seventh but I preferred CDS3/555PS to bare DAVE or the 780D v2.
The DCS Rossini and the DCS Bartok never convinced me that they could be musical in any of the demonstrations. Plenty of sterile resolution but no emotional engagement.
The two options that really grabbed the heart strings were the MSB Premier with Powerbase at £27k (gulp!) and Chord M Scaler + DAVE at half of that, even with a posh cable or two.
Once budget considerations come into play, my money will be heading to Chord this time.
Even at these elevated prices, these streamers & dacs do sound quite different, so your preferences and final choices may well differ. At least we still have one Naim-based streaming system at home, as we still love the DAC-V1, certainly over a Chord Qutest.
Best regards, BF
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Absolutely, here, Naim is really missing something. I am almost inclined to say that the Core has become an item only for people with OCD – who can’t tolerate a different look on their rack; need a match with their Uniti box… Otherwise, you turn to the competition… Sounds a bit harsh, I know. But, let’s face it…
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Yes, and they are not located across the pond.
Here in the states the ND555 alone is $20K. PS adds $13K. So $33k is what it costs. You can of course add a second power supply at $13K and of course you really should have a 552 to bring out the best. That adds $20K and of course needs a power supply. So we are talking nearly $80K. Ouch.
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Hi bailyhill,
I have just summarised our findings in another streaming thread. If we lived in the USA, we would be making a beeline for our nearest MSB stockist!
Best regards, BF
Hello BF:
Auditioned an MSB DAC in store. I thought it was good. I asked the dealer to advise me what he would give me on trade for the ND555 and to set up an in home audition. He never called back. I called and pinged him after a week or so. He said he would get back to me, but he never did. I did audition a Meridian Ultra Dac, and that unit gave me what I was looking for and made the deal.
That’s about how much it costs in Aus as well.
The gap between the NDX2 and the ND555 is too big and leaves NDS owners high and dry if they want to upgrade for less than five figures. It tempts you into considering M Scaler plus TT etc, although the cost gets uncomfortably close to trading the NDS for a ND555.
I also shudder at the thought of spending so much on one component in an area of technology that moves fast. Let’s face it, the Naim Core is already hopelessly off the pace. The streamers could follow.
Keith
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Wow… it does show how different we all are… I was really disappointed with my 555PS on my CDS3… it sounded clinical and Hi-Fi with no real insight or engagement … I kept an xps2 specifically to power the CDS3 until I sold it. Musically I have always preferred the CDX2 mk1… albeit it’s not as detailed and slightly coloured… I still have my CDX2 and a place on my Fraim.
I wish Naim would produce a DAC that could compete with DAVE musically , but that would require a change in architecture approach and I suspect a move away from AD SHARC and almost certainly the dual TI PCM1704Ks… which will be quite a risk and endeavour for them… but I do think it’s holding Naim back as it’s an old technology bottleneck.
Hi Simon,
Are you going still using the Hugo 1 with your NDX2?
Keith
Indeed Simon, we have both accepted over the years that we do hear things differently. Clinical is the one adjective that has never been attributed to my CDS3 with 555PS. Having owned a CDX2 mk 1 myself for several years, we really do have a different appreciation of the relative merits of the 2 cd players.
However, we are fully aligned on the need for Naim to develop or source a dac than can keep up with the latest from Chord, DCS or MSB. The current dac is holding back Naim’s otherwise outstanding streamers.
Best regards, BF
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Hi Keith, will trade it in for DAVE… every bit helps.
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Or perhaps TT plus M Scaler? 
I don’t think so… I am not sure the TT2 is quite right for me… now DAVE and M Scaler is something I will try… but TonyM of this Parish did try with his DAVE and although it apparently brought a little extra… it want really significant enough given the overall incredible performance of DAVE and it went back.
I suspect if you have a quality transport with DAVE, M Scaler isn’t bringing a huge amount extra… but I will decide for myself at some point.
I have to agree Bert having heard the Chord products which do sound great, at the end of the day they did not make that emotional connection with me. Having spoken to Steve Sells recently he is passionate about his craft and the Naim sound, even if they could use FPGA technology…i don,t think it would sound like DAVE etc. Plenty of room in the Hifi market for different approaches and outcomes, which we should be thankful for as we all have different ears and musical tastes.
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Well, as usual, I’m on the sidelines soaking up information! Why? If I happen to run into some loot, at least I would know what to try!
It appears, if one likes the Naim Sound!
There are actually three major players:
Naim
Chord
Linn
And they are all based in the same area, you lucky gents:
" This time, we have Mr. Gilad Tiefenbrun, the President of LINN and Mr. Keith Robertson, the Chief Technology Officer of LINN from the United Kingdom visiting Japan ".
PS. Naim Sound = Amps!!!
Now, if I were designing an amp, it makes sense to design the preamp that complements my Amp!!! NAC 250 Julian’s Baby!