Naim App Ideas/Improvements

Streaming Audio
41

Bumming out on Tidal where it kept reverting to internet radio menu seems to be finally sorted thankfully, used to drive me mad

42

Well Iā€™ve moved on and no longer have any need for the Naim app. As anyone paying attention will know Roon was the game changer for me. However my journey has led me to the Auralic ecosystem as well as the Bluesound ecosystem.

Auralic shows me that Naim arenā€™t doing such a bad job, the Lightening (Auralic) app is much of a muchness wrt the Naim all. Bluesound is the best brand specific app Iā€™ve come across and when in the ecosystem would often use its radio and streaming functions over Roon.

But when it comes to serious listening and my main system (predominantly Naim) itā€™s Roon all the way, simply streets ahead of the pack.

.sjb

3 Likes
43

Disregarding ā€˜theā€™ whilst sorting is done via your music server software on your NAS and has nothing to do with the app (the app only shows what the server software tells it to).

I use minimserver which is very customisable. I have mine set up with the following tweaks (which is exactly how my physical collection was ordered)

  1. Artists in alphabetical order with ā€˜Theā€™ disregarded (eg The Beatles sorted as Beatles, but still see ā€˜The Beatlesā€™)

  2. Artists albums sorted chronologically, with oldest first.

  3. Certain artists grouped and sorted as one (eg Neil Young & Crazy Horse & Neil Young all sorted as Neil Young & still see full artist name)

  4. Compilations are at the very end and sorted by name and not year of release.

Hope this helps.

1 Like
44

I thought Iā€™d register a vote of approval for the existing App! It works perfectly for me, listing the 800 or so artists in my collection in alphabetical order, just as my CDs were stored on shelves. Itā€™s very easy to scroll through when seeking inspiration, although nine times out of ten I know which artist I fancy listening to.

I understand why some may prefer the Roon approach, but I tend to use this forum for inspiration should I fancy a change, using Spotify for a quick confirmatory listen before buying the CD.

Getting back to the App, I find it pretty much rock solid, does what it says on the tin. ā€˜If it ainā€™t broke, donā€™t fixā€™ it is my mantra

3 Likes
45

Hmmm thatā€™s interesting. I was under the impression that Bluesound limited you to Italian porn soundtracks.

46

Naim can better stop the terrible app and make all the streamers Roon compatibel. I really love my Naim system but hate the app so Iā€™m using Roon but sadly my 272 isnā€™t Roon ready.

47

In what way is it terrible? I use it happily and it does everything I want. Thereā€™s no point just saying something is rubbish without explaining exactly why. What exactly should be improved?

5 Likes
48

You beat me to it. Iā€™ve never ever had any issues with it since day 1.

G

4 Likes
49

The bluesound app is great used with Asset it allows me to folder browse and then use Roon, if only Roon would support folder browsing.

50

Iā€™d like the Naim app to work with Apple Music on my Android phone.

51

Me for oneā€¦

The reviews on the Android App store relate specifically to how unreliable the Naim app was (maybe still is). Even basic functionality was compromised and made the app almost unusable. Updates were (and it seems still are) a bit hit and miss so I took the auto-update off mine some time ago and itā€™s been fairly stable since.

To try to temper my negativity, I used to work in software test and systems integration and releasing software across platforms of differing hardware and software configurations whilst maintaining full compatibility is almost impossible to achieve. Iā€™ve got 4 Android devices at home, 2 phones and 2 older tablets), all have different hardware and are at different software levels. The point is Naim simply cannot test every possible configuration which is why some work flawlessly and others fail. I really do feel for their developers and testers.

I should add Iā€™m a 172 user and donā€™t need the app to work on the latest hardware so I doubt I will ever update it again.

1 Like
52

I like that suggestion, hereā€™s another one of my own.
I enjoy using the Naim app with my Core but I donā€™t leave my Core permanently on. So sometimes When Iā€™m flicking through Discogs or auction sites, I want to peruse my collection of rips. But I canā€™t without turning the Core on. Surely there must be a way to save the ā€˜lastā€™ data from the last time the Core was used, to enable it to be perused with the Core off?

2 Likes
53

Great point, totally agree. I use bubble upnp (android) as a work around, but a bit of a pain having to use different apps.

54

Why do you turn the Core off? Itā€™s designed to be left on all the time.

Best

David

55

Iā€™ve heard arguments both ways. Personally I dont leave ANY of my system on all the time, due to limited valve life, hdd/ssd life, caps life etc. I understand the arguments for permanently on, and those for ā€˜give it an hour or two to warm up before you use itā€™. But thereā€™s also the elec bill to consider and the future of the planet to consider. Never actually heard an absolutely convincing answer from any camp, so I just do what I feel is best for me. Iā€™d love to know if thereā€™s any recommendation specific to the Core. After all, the flyer that comes with the Core when new was next to useless from an advice point of view. I canā€™t believe there isnā€™t a proper manual and a best practice advice section. Instead, with no offence intended to anybody, the forum seems to be the only source of advice, and good though that may be, itā€™s experienced but nevertheless unofficial advice from most of us members.

56

Personally I would leave it turned on, but alternatively, you presumably have a backup copy or two. Stick one if these on a USB drive, connect that to a computer you use for surfung, and you should be able to refer to your music library easily.

57

Thanks for that suggestion. So let me get this rightā€¦
My internal drive is a 4tB samsung ssd. So if I do a backup using the Naim app onto perhaps a NASā€¦?
Then, at some later time, when my Core is powered down, The Naim app should be able to find and display the data on the backup?

58

The Naim app will not see a drive unless its content is shown by a UPnP server. I was thinking that you could just browse the music on a computer. Either just browse the folders, or run one of the many music apps that run on whatever computer you use, e.g. iTunes, VLC, Roon, etc. etc.

59

I bought the Unity Atom like 6 month ago and love the sight and sound of it - I have also owned for many years both several Bluesound devices and a Sonos amp. The Naim app (Android) is to put it mildly very bad in both reliability and ease of use. I might not have understood all functions and ways to do things in the Naim app but compared to the other apps ā€¦ The Sonos is very reliable and easy to use, but that also to some degree caused by itā€™s very limited connectivity - the Bluesound is not as easy as the Sonos since it has much more functionality, but itā€™s still a lot better than the Naim app. For me the bad reviews on Android goes for both reliability and functionality. I do hope they will fix this app to be more reliable and ā€œsimpleā€ to use.

1 Like
60

Could not agree more. I feel like the Naim app is a really sh!t joke and I am still waiting for the email saying ā€œonly joking, hereā€™s the real appā€, but nothing yet.

I overcame the shocking, rubbish app but throwing money at the problemā€¦ I bought Roon for my iMacā€¦ bliss and brilliance. Vervent, why not buy Roon and get sexy, no one will touch you!!!