ND5XS2 Auto On

Streaming Audio
1

Hi Everyone :slight_smile:

I’m running an ND5XS2 connected to my PC via Optical.

Now this is absolutely a first world problem, but I have to manually bring the unit out of standby when I start my PC, or if I leave it alone for a while and it has hit the auto-standby (which I do still want as I’d rather not have it on all the time).

Any suggestions as to how to get the ND5XS2 to automatically come out of standby when I have the PC come on? It’s not coming out of standby when the Optical connection kicks in unfortunately.

Cheers.

2

@Whizzo32 Would setting auto standby to “never” in the Naim app, help?

3

The optical connection does not offer such an option in itself.

There have been threads on people calling “URLs” of Naim streamers, and thus triggering certain actions. One thread I found (but there might be more) :

You could create a small script/shortcut, which you could run with a double-click from a Windows/Mac/Linux desktop, or something similar.

4

Technically this would work, but I would rather save the power by not having it running overnight or during the day when I’m at work. I’d still like to keep it in standby most of the time.

5

Interesting, I’ll have a look and see whether it’s something I could set to auto-run when the PC logs in

6

I cant see how this will work. The nd5xs2 does not have an “ auto on” feature as far as I know.

7

Whilst not an “auto on” feature via a traditional input port, it’s kind of using an “instant on” feature over the Ethernet, from the app.
When you tap the icon in the Naim app, it “wakes up” the device.

In the networking world, there used to be a similar thing called “WoL” or “Wake on LAN” when I were a boy!

On this device it could be “spoofed” (for want of a better word) by sending it a transmission over the network from a PC to “wake it up”

I guess this is what’s being discussed?

8

Ah right. Aware of WoL.

9

Close. Or: in principle yes (fully wake a device over the network), technically it’s not 1:1 the same.

Actual WoL has a device not running an active IP network connection, and acting on a very low level “(Ethernet) magic frame”, which the half-sleeping network interface picks up, let’s the “computer part” know to start up and get the whole NW stack running. (I wake my NAS this way. It’s still a thing today, when supported by devices.)

The Naim streamers/Unitis/Mu-sos keep their IP network up, while in “(network connected) standby” (still complying with EU regulations on standby power consumption). That’s how the app connects to them, and as per link above there are “URLs” on the devices (based on their current IP), which can trigger specific actions on the devices (like: do a full wake up).

10

I see the ND5 XS 2 as an available UPnP or Chromecast device in my network indeed. That goes for Qobuz Connect as well as Audirvāna.

When I choose the device and start playing music, the ND5 XS 2 wakes up.

I guess that kind of works the same as the Naim app?

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11

More or less: yes. The streamers keep the network connection and protocols available in their compute part (using a tiny power supply), but have the more power hungry hardware switched off. When those are needed (due to getting any command to play something) they switch to their main power supply and bring up all the audio parts.

This way they stay available for AirPlay, „Connect“ protocols, etc.

(My own experience is with Uniti devices, but I guess they are very similar, sharing the same „compute(r) inside“.)

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