Interesting idea, as a NAS might make sense for my huge photo collection. My only concern and why I am not sure this would be ideal for me is that when I tried servers (Asset, Minimserver), the result was less good than streaming my local files through Audivarna. Again, a noticeable difference, although the difference was less pronounced with Asset than Minimserver. So, I am skeptical that the best audio quality would be from a NAS until I find a UPnP server that matches Audivarna for my given setup. But maybe I am missing something about how streaming from a NAS would work. Thanks anyway for the suggestion; I will explore it.
1 Like
An interesting question posed by cephas. I too have a Core with which I’m delighted. When it comes to the end of its life, what happens to the SSD fitted in the Core? Rather than having to move the files from the external back up, is it possible to insert the SSD from the Core into another player/drive reader? What hardware/new player would I need? No doubt I’m missing something??? All my downloads and rips are FLAC.
1 Like
It should be no problem to move the drive to a different enclosure. You will of course need to source one and fiddle around to get it working (or pay someone else to do it). For me a robust backup strategy should include more than just the data, so I would run the Core automated backup to a NAS which is capable of running a UPnP server. Then if your Core dies there is no delay at all, you just select the other server in the Naim app and carry on listening. Then you can decide what to do with your Core drive at your leisure.
1 Like
I think one thing you maybe missing is that it’s highly likely that your SSD will fail before the Core reaches end of life. You don’t say what SSD you have, but I was surprised to discover that my Samsung 870 EVO 2TB started developing faults at about 4 years old and I had to replace it.
1 Like
@davidhendon Thanks David, that’s disturbing. I have a Samsung SSD, can’t remember the exact model spec. It’s certainly more than 4 years old. What signs were you getting of its impending failure? So far (famous last words) my SSD continues to work perfectly.
1 Like
Thanks ChrisSU, good point well made. I do back up to a separate external drive linked to the Core. I also save all downloads to a Samsung portable SSD which is attached to my mac. Not sure that either are capable of running a UPnP server. I’ll need to investigate that aspect.
Your Mac could run a UPnP server if you don’t mind leaving it running when you are playing music. Otherwise the cheapest Synology NAS with a single drive would do it.
The first sign of failure was when I tried to do a full backup and it failed at the same point. When I tried to stream the track that wouldn’t back up, it stopped streaming half way through. I wrote about it in a Core thread at the time and coincidentally someone else was working out why a similar problem had occurred for them. I replaced the SSD in the Core and then restored from my last backup. Then I had to re-add the recent additions. Then I did two full backups of the new disc. It was all a huge faff!
2 Likes
Thanks, David. I’ll know one of the signs to watch for. No doubt there are others. In the meantime I’ll do another back up from the Core’s SSD to check it’s still working
I rip in WAV because Naim & my dealer say it’s best. Dealing with any transfer should my Core become unusable I’ll probably buy a CD player. The Core is fantastic, I love everything about it but I would have bought a CD player or CD transport if Naim had had a genuine replacement for my CD5xs on offer when that failed. Trouble is the non Naim CD player replacements I see either don’t have the build quality of Naim or are the size of a small bungalow. Ah well, hopefully the Core sees my time out. I expect the first thing to go would be ripping (?) so playback might have a better chance of survival. Playing my own (ripped) CDs is so much more involving, for me, than playing streams.
@davidhendon I see you had the exact same SSD as I have in my Core. When you replaced it, did you get the same model again? And when the original failure occurred, did the backup simply not backup that track, or did the whole process come to a halt?
I did replace it with the same again.
And when the backup failed, it halted the whole back up process and just reported an “error” about 3% in from the start, as it happened.
I knew this was a new problem because I often listened to that album and had never had a problem before.
That certainly meets the size criteria, so thanks for that. I don’t need one just now, hopefully never will (although I may weaken at some point, you never know I suppose). The Core sounds better than my CD5xs/Flatcap 2 did by some margin & my dealer says it sounds better than streaming so I’m perfectly happy. Tbf I can’t tell the difference between ripped/streamed on my relatively modest system. I just can’t imagine ripping 3,000+ CDs again 
1 Like
That’s interesting. SSDs are know to have write limitations but this shouldn’t be an issue for the Core as it reads many times but only writes once. Maybe you just got a duff drive(?)
In any event, HDDs still have a place for continuous use applications (real time video recording, constant media playback, etc).
Hi David, last night I was listening to music on the SSD in the Core, playing a number of tracks without any problem. After a while, selecting various further tracks to play, none would play at all. Subsequently re-booted the Core and it’s now working again. I did however do a full back up to a connected drive and it backed up overnight with no problem. So my dilemma is whether to accept it as a one-off problem, or as a warning sign to replace the SSD. My current Samsung 850EVO 2Tb was bought in January 2017 so I guess it’s on borrowed time. I see there is an 870EVO 2Tb SSD available currently from my local specialist computer supplier, Novatech, for £189.98 plus postage, though I see Amazon is cheaper at £171.49. I presume that is compatible and a replacement for the earlier SSD and so would it fit as I see you have the same.
Incidentally I see that it comes with a five year warranty from Novatech - were you able to claim a replacement?
That doesn’t sound like a failing SSD to me. I suspect that may be a one off computer crash type issue and I suggest not buying a replacement SSD yet!
I bought 870 EVO from Amazon and I think I paid £171 in June 2025. I didn’t try to claim against any warranty. But I happily bought another one to replace the one that had developed a fault. The 870 EVO is the current version. I haven’t explored more expensive higher spec items, but I guess they do exist.
Thanks for your quick response and advice. If the same problem happens again, I guess it might make sense to get a new SSD but I’ll hold fire for the time being. Touch wood the SSD has been trouble free to date (famous last words). Thanks again!
I have sometimes the same problem, and we are many to encounter it. It’s a network momentary problem. You switch off your router, then on, wait, then same with the streamer. I have to do that maybe twice a month.
I rarely lose connection to the network. On this occasion it was sufficient just to power down the Core and re-boot. I was playing music I had purchased and downloaded to the Core’s SSD. I have an ethernet cable connection between the router and Core - possibly that helps? I didn’t have to turn the router off and on. Technology is wonderful when it works! I still use CD for much of my listening - too many CDs to either rip or ignore.