The easy ways are to either purchase a Sonore Bridge or a pre-built solution like @Camphuw uses or use a Chromecast Audio which sounds crap.
The harder way is to use a software solution called lms-to-upnp as you have to install and configure it.
This is what I use. All the bridge solutions give the same sound quality as local streaming via a decent UPNP server trans-coding to WAV. Roon sends the music as PCM which is basically the same and this works for Tidal and QoBuz as well. This gives a significant sound quality improvement for Tidal compared to the Tidal implementation within the Naim Application/Streamer.
The advantage with the software solution is that it is free and also probably more future proof as there’s no device to conk out.
I host mine on a QNAP NAS in a container which runs the plugin withing Logitech Media Server (LMS). It’s not necessary to use LMS but I found it easier.
For me I have found Roon to be a real revelation, I started with just a local library and then added Tidal. This weekend I have switched to QoBuz which has better studio masters.
There was something wrong with what you were doing then HH because the Chromecast Audio sounds absolutely fine in my experience and the experience of two of my non-Forum friends who also use it.
I tried one into my NDX for a while, and it really didn’t sound that bad to me, either. Perhaps there’s some sample variation going on, or even differences between different sources.
Everyone’s ears are different. Some people believe the SN3 is significantly less good than the SN2. Whether or not the CCA sounds ‘crap’ should be considered in this context…
I have a couple of CC audio devices. They are surprisingly good when used as a transport via optical cable to a device. I do wonder about those who say it’s really bad, not my experience at all. Is it the best? No, but amazing value for the money. Too good in fact for its price.
I’ve got three of them, one on my 272 and one on each of my SuperUnitis. They all sound the same to me, ie better than iRadio for BBC Radio 3 HD, but not as good as my NAT05 XS. I think variability of source is certainly an issue. I use the BBC Sounds app and on Radio 3 material they work fine.
They used to be very cheap but now that supplies of new sealed ones have pretty well dried up, the price for pre-used ones is about double what a new one cost 3 months ago.
Yes, I picked one up for £20 just after they were discontinued, but last time I looked, they were going for more like £50. I wonder why they stopped making them.
@Blackbird
Thanks for the pointer - seems a low cost option and so not much to lose.
@trickydickie
I’m aware of the Sonore Bridge, although that’s a bit more costly, about £200 I think. The software solution would be good but I think I’d have more chance understanding Klingon than trying to implement it myself. However it’s good to know that there are SQ advantages to be had.
@anon4489532
That’s a lot of albums! I find Tidal and other online services a bit like watching Jools Holland; every now and again you find something you never knew existed and like it!
I was bought an audio Chromecast Audio about 12 months ago (unasked for) as a stocking pressie for Christmas. It has sat, unused, in its box as I havent got the faintest idea what to use it for! Like quite a few others I have plenty (> 4000) of albums ripped to my US and NAS. I don’t have a CD player or vinyl deck, and the only streaming service I use is Spotify, very occasionally, to check out an unknown band or artist.
Would anyone care to enlighten me as to how one uses this little device, or should I whack it on eBay and make a cheeky little profit to spennd ona few more albums?
But in response to my own posts I guess the main takeaway is that existing and new owners of the 272 (which includes some that may still buy a brand new one as they are still on sale) have to go to these lengths to find workarounds to replicate what is available on other Naim streamers…so this really gets back to the very point of this conversation, and the hope that a new version will be released.
Think of it as a miniaturised version of a Naim streamer/DAC. In practice, if you already have an old generation Naim streamer, connecting a CCA lets you use Chromecast to play a fairly large range of web based streaming services, such as Qobuz, Deezer, BBC iPlayer, Soundcloud, and lots more.
If I knew what Soundcloud was I might agree with you HH - I can’t even be bothered to Google it! Naively I thought the CC would enable me to stream the contents of my NAS to an old Onkyo unit I use for music in my garage. I’m really not interested one iota in commercial streaming services. £50 it is then (hopefully).
