Naim’s approach to audio, even with recent hardware releases, seems to be to keep the signal path as lean as possible, which generally is an approach I support.
However, there seems to be an industry trend towards DSP, Subwoofer integration in DSP, room correction - Dirac, HDMI and Dolby+ processing.
In the past, I viewed these as interesting additions / approaches - but not something generally used in higher quality audio products like Naim. However, many of these features are coming to serious HiFi products e.g. Arcam Radia SA45.
I am curious if Naim will also move in this direction, and what are the values of Naim which would dictate, for example - Sub integration in DSP - yes, Room correction - no.
Alternatively, if Naim would see improvement by taking things out of the signal path e.g. direct digital amplification.
Im eagerly awaiting the comparisons between the new Arcam offerings and the Unity series.
Yes agree, it’s a very good question.
Linn and Lyndorf for example are moving very fast in this direction and with very good feedback so far.
For a purist POV i’ve always tried to be far away from it…thinking that the « brand signature » would be lost if with corrections « on ».
In the other side and looking on the issue we have with our room (matching WAF could have a very bad impact in sound ) is see now such « tuning » as a potential solution.
Today i’m still (back again) on the pur analogic side…but things could change so fast
I think in the end it just depends what sounds best in your situation. Dsp software seems to be improving at a marked rate I’d certainly be willing to try it in the future. After all it doesn’t really matter if the improvements are due to hardware or software as long as the music sounds great. The only reason I’d be hesitant to depend on software is the recent trend of trying to make a lot of things subscription based.
True… the question is if rhythm and timing outweighs all the other benefits that DSP potentially could bring. Many companies added MQA support because their customers wanted it. I would like to think that is not a reason for Naim to change their approach.
Not familiar with Linn’s product in this area, but interesting that at that level its an acceptable approach…Do any of there product have a direct mode to bypass or turn off DSP?
For what i know , yes, « room optimization" could be set to OFF.
BTW as we have some owner of very nice Linn system in this forum …i will let them confirm
Yes, and we have (at least i have) already enough « subscription » would like get rid of new one.
Not talking about the software embedded/needed to run those => update (connection needed for it) => obsolescence
Room correction in Linn can be turned on and off and the flick of a switch (in app), it can also be dialled in by you or your dealer. Linn Exakt (active) goes a a step further and delivers some astounding results.
DSP can be a valuable tool in minimising some undesirable room effects, simultaneously correcting some speaker limitations, however it cannot fix all room problems and is best used only after addressing the room itself as dar ad possible. Some people say that DSP causes audible artefacts, though whether that applies to the best DSP products I don’t know. But the big question is, which is worse audibly, any artefacts, or the negative effects the DSP is correcting? I suspect that in all but the most fastidiously set up (and likely dedicated) room, with very good speakers, the judicious use of DSP is likely to sound better than without. Added to that, DSP has the potential to be used to give really effective “loudness correction” if desired, vastly improving listening quality at low levels, though I have not yet come across that being done in a quality quality hifi system. As Naim hasn’t got into room correction (yet?), perhaps they can be the first to introduce proper (sound level linked) loudness correction…
I suspect DSP is swings and roundabouts - what you get by attempting to compensate for room issues is outweighed or maybe balanced by some signal degradation. My one experience with linn SO was that I didn’t like what it did to the sound so I have it switched off. A small bit of targeted room bass treatment did far more goodness. Your experience may vary. I will hear some of the more recent linn digital preamp stuff in a couple of weeks when am with a friend comparing various linn DS sources. They have put a lot of effort into it but I have not been convinced yet.
The most exciting and informative DSP related technology I have heard was kii audio studio monitors - well worth looking at how that technology works if you are interested. Firing inverse phase signals to the rear of the speaker to cancel out some of the rear port bass signals did some remarkable things to the soundstage or the precision of the positioning of the instruments and voices in the mix. It was hearing what was possible with that that led to a couple of simple and cheap sound treatments and I was able to replicate a similar improvement in my speakers at my house. Best value upgrade I ever did.
Anyway it’s an area that no doubt will continue to develop technology wise.
DSP is of course used widely in recorded music production and has been for a long time… I suppose the amount and type of degradation will depend on the quality of the kit used. And likely very much less than using the crude tone controls that were common in hi-fi amps until the 80s or so.
I’m not an expert in DSP but I would take a guess that managing a crossover point for a subwoofer would be much simpler operation than room correction. Seemless integration and taking the deeper bass away from the main speakers should provide many more advantages than any negative DSP effects.
Of course, if it’s possible to switch all DSP off, I would say please add it and then I can decided if I want to use it or not.
Some say that Freud was a genius but freudians are PITAs who take Freudianism too seriously.
I think most people here take HiFi too seriously. We need a new Vereker and less Verekerians.
I think the issue is the digitisation step. Kii digitise the incoming signal so that they can do their clever processing for their loudspeaker. Linn have abandoned analogue pre amps and keep the signal chain digital for longer so that they send processed signals to the power amps passive or active. Urika 2 digitises the lp12 signal - I didnt get on with that and reverted/upgraded/sidestepped back to urika 1.
Digital dsp does’t seem to fit the Naim design philosophy as far as I can see. But will be interesting to see how it develops.
I guess that is the difference between high end hifi such as Naim vs midfi type solutions that focus on flexibility for maximum market reach. Here electronic processing and AV is attractive, albeit at the cost of true hifi. Side by side the difference is obvious … just compare timing, phase accuracy and subtle micro dynamics between the two.
But true Naim might not always best now for multichannel cinema.
Indeed. I don’t actually see many, if any, Naim price level brands doing any of those things. Of course my Denon AV amp does all of them, as to be expected.
) is see now such « tuning » as a potential solution.