Thank you JDP, I will have to look into it as I like Apple OS and to keep things simple that look after themselves.
Mitch.
Dear HH,
Our home NBN modem/router’s ethernet connections are full. It might be possible to hook up an external device to this box to allow more ethernet connections, though I do not know-how. If I do go down the path of an ND5XS2 and Uniti Core. I am hoping that I can connect the Uniti Core to the ND5XS2, rip my CDs to the Core, save any downloads to the Core, and also play back all stored music from the Core via the ND5XS2 as well as stream from the ND5XS2.
I do not know if this is possible as I am so new to streaming products. I too have an iMac and a portable DVD drive that plugs in via USB to the iMac. OS Monterey 12.01.
Warm regards,
Mitch.
If you want to keep things simple in terms of a music server for your prospective ND5 XS2, then I would first recommend the obvious - ask your Naim dealer.
One possibility is the Naim Uniti Core but it may not be very competitive these days in terms of either performance or price.
Innuos make a highly competitive range of servers to suit your budget and they have a cd drive slot in them so can rip your CDs as well as store them.
We went with a UK company called Audiostore and bought one of their higher spec models called the Audiostore Prestige. A call to their immensely friendly Martin Smith will be highly informative and helpful but probably not very short (!)
If you like to use Roon software to manage your music collection, either Innuos or Audiostore servers will be suitable. We run Roon on our Audiostore Prestige.
Roon themselves make a product called the Roon Nucleus which is another viable alternative.
HH has mentioned a NAS drive, usually made by either Synology or QNAP (both are excellent makes). You may need to be slightly more IT savvy to set one up but it is not impossible.
If you have run out of ethernet sockets on your home router, you can buy a simple “extension block” called an ethernet switch to extend (and improve) network performance. These devices start at about £20 with something like a Netgear GS105UK (internet search engine is your friend). Plug it into one of your existing router’s 4 ports, then plug the cable that you had to take out of the router and put it into one of the GS195UK’s 5 ports. You will then have ports for the server, your ND5XS2 and one for just in case.
If you check with your Naim dealer, he may even help you to install and set up your chosen server.
Hope this helps, BF
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Any server you get, Core, NAS or something else, needs a neat work connection to enable you to copy things to it. If you get a switch, that gives the extra sockets. As Bluesfan so rightly says, get your dealer involved to help you.
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Dear HH,
BY this I read that the Uniti Core must be located next to the ND5XS2 and connected with a S/PDIF connection. Then also in my case a 20 metre run of ethernet back to the NBN modem Router.
Kind regards,
Mitch.
Mitch, as mentioned already, the process is to rip a CD (most people here recommend dbPowerAmp), then copy to either a NAS drive or Core. The other option is to copy to a USB Drive or Flash Memory and plug in the front or rear USB port of the ND5 XS2. The Naim app will read all the metadata off that device and give you all the usual options of Artist/song track/Album name details. You can always get a NAS or Core later, but it’s a nice simple solution that I personally use.
Remember also that people here are here to help you though any questions you have.
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Sorry, there is a typo - neat work should be network.
There is no direct connection. Both ND5XS2 and Core or NAS are connected to the network. The two can be 20m apart and will work fine.
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Dear GM,
My apologies, I must have missed the reference to this software. I also see that it is Mac compatible. With reference to the USB inputs on the front and rear. Would you know the maximum size of a USB stick that it is possible to use, please? I suppose one may be able to hook up a portable HDD to this input as well. Would this be the case?
Apology again. I see you state that a USB drive can be connected.
Kind regards,
Mitch.
The Core is connected to a switch, the Nd5xs2 also. They are not physically connected between themselves. The Nd5xs2 will stream Core files or files stored on your Mac, through network.
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Hello HH. 3 questions .
Is there noise from NAS . Is it in separate room to your system and finally what lengths of Ethernet cable do you use.
I am particularly interested in distance from switch to streamer.
Thanks.
The nas lives in the dining room. It does clonk gently as it starts a track - put it this way, I wouldn’t want it in the sitting room unless it was in a cupboard. The cable is 2 or 3m long, I don’t remember.
Thanks for that HH
I wouldn’t advise anybody considering moving into streaming to buy a NAS. Now, that would be a waste of money.
NAS drive, hard drives, server software and ripping software.
I’ve been streaming from a NAS for the past 10 years, but since I started streaming from Deezer, Tidal and finally Qobuz, about two years ago, I very rarely stream from the NAS. It is now mainly used to backup stuff on my PC.
Although, I do realise some people get great pleasure from spending hours and hours ripping CD’s, creating music libraries, fine tuning music servers, modifying metadata and tags etc. (Although to be fair, most of the above is actually unnecessary). 
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I did not enjoy the amount of time I originally put into ripping all my CD’s but have found the NAS to be valuable as a backup to streaming music. There is occasions that I have music on my NAS that is not available on Qobuz and the NAS makes it easy to access vs looking for a CD. The majority of the CD’s are packed away in containers in a closet. Out of site and not taking up space. The NAS is located in a room downstairs and does not have to be anywhere near the audio system.
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I can see myself ripping Australian artists to a Core one day as not all Australian bands or singers make it onto streaming sites. I do not recall which sites at the time as it was a while ago. It was a site that you could purchase HiRes music from.
Mitch.
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If you’ve already have a NAS with hundreds of CD’s ripped onto it, that’s a bonus, for the reasons you’ve stated.
However, if all my music got wiped off the NAS and I didn’t have backups, I personally wouldn’t re-rip my CD’s.
Also, I’d estimate I haven’t even bothered listening to 10% of the CD’s I ripped 10 years ago through the streamer.
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I have all my ripped CDs on a 1 TB SSD attached to my Roon music server. Since I’ve had Qobuz I almost never stream any of the CD files. I have some hi-res (24/96, 24/192) FLAC files, mostly purchased classical music that I stream on occasion, but 95% of my overall streaming is from Qobuz.
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USB HDD or SSD are fine, and a lot of people use them. I also like the fact that it ia also a backup of your music. I don’t think there is a Drive size limit, but see below.
What you may not know, is if you are buying new then an ND5 XS2 comes with a 3 month trial of Tidal, then £9.99 per month
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Update:
I took up a one-month subscription to the Qobuz HiRES account and am sold. The convenience is just too easy. The home’s NBN bandwidth held up. I might actually achieve value for money with my unlimited data account. I am not rushing out to purchase an ND5 XS 2 just yet as the minister of finances and I will be having a pre-discussion tomorrow. Though down the track it looks hopeful. I will stay playing vinyl and CDs when my wife is watching 4k TV. Though other times I think I am going to have a field day.
The variety of country, gospel, soul, rock, and soundtracks are amazing. I think the only problem will be limiting my playlists. Albums that I have missed out on that commanded $299 AUD are there in 24/192k. I doubt if I will ever hear the difference. Though it is there my example is Miles Davis’s “Kind of Blue”. There are Australian artists that have sadly passed away. The complete Darlene Zschech Hillsong collection and more. So much more.
Thank you everyone for putting up with my posts.
Warm regards,
Mitch.
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It’s been a really interesting thread, thanks for starting it and being so active!
Looking forward to reading about what streamer you end up with 
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