I currently have an NDX in my main system that’s reading from a NAS however I’m having some issues with it dropping the connection. I’m thinking the problem might be the NAS (it’s a WD and I read people have had all sorts of trouble) so considering upgrading the NAS. I also have a zone two in another part of my house that is already wired in with speakers so been considering getting a second amp to drive zone two with rca connection to the NDX. I can get a Unitiqute 2 for a reasonable price and wondering if it can solve both of my problems. Here’s what I’m suggesting:
Connect the Unitiqute 2 to zone two and control it using the Naim app.
All of my music is stored on an external SSD so connect that to the Unitiqute 2 via USB.
Here’s where the question comes in…will the NDX recognize the external SSD connected to the Unitiqute 2 the same as it would from a NAS and operate it as if it’s streaming from a NAS vs USB? The reason I ask is when playing from USB the NDX doesn’t show integration with Tidal to display other albums by the artist but when streamed from the NAS it does which is a great feature that I want to keep. I called my local Naim rep and they said good question but didn’t know the answer so suggested I contact Naim. Before I try that I’m guessing someone here can answer my question.
Hi, if you were looking at a current gen. streamer such as the Atom, you could use it as a server for the NDX with an attached USB drive, but this does not work with the old streamers. So you really need a decent NAS that can serve music files to both streamers.
You would connect both the UQ2 and the NDX using ethernet back to your router and as Chris says, use a NAS with a upnp server installed as the place to keep your music.
WD drives are fine but WD NASs don’t always seem to work reliably. QNAP or Synology are the two NAS makes used most often by forum members and WD Red hard disc drives are the drive of choice usually.
Thank-you Chris and David this is helpful! My WD is a NAS which is why I’m thinking it’s creating some of my problems. I can get an amp to run zone two and just use the RCA out from the NDX but was hoping to avoid upgrading the NAS. The cost of a Synology or QNAP plus a cheaper amp for zone two is about the same as a used Unitiqute 2 so was hoping I could simplify things with that purchase but alas no luck. I’m not particularly tech savvy so was hoping to avoid the NAS route all together. Thanks for answering really appreciate your insights.
If I was setting this up now, I would probably look at a basic single bay NAS from either Synology or QNAP and run Asset on it. Your WD would be ideal as a backup for it, which you should really have. It’s really worth getting this right if you have a local music collection.
You may be able to run a second amp from your Nait with a long lead, not sure if the XS can do this, but I believe @Mike-B does it from his Supernait, so maybe he can advise. You may find it easier to run a network cable to both systems, in which case the Unitiqute would be a good solution, with both systems fully controlled from the Naim app.
Yes I do have this, but you can’t do it with any amp, the Supernait has a separate & buffered tape in/out & being buffered it allows the two amps to be driven from the same source without screwing the source & amp in/out connection load.
I switch the 2nd amp source on the record (tape) row buttons, I can have both amps on the same source or on or off different sources.
But whatever, reading the rest of the thread, the NAS needs sorting first
Hi Mike, I think the NaitXS has the same pin connections on its AV socket, but I don’t know if they are buffered and able to drive a long lead into a different room.
Hey Chris, howzit cuttin
The Naim XS does not have the buffered tape in out loop, the AV connection (as I understand it) is a regular output & not buffered, so I don’t think this’ll work.
Hi Mike thanks for your input. Am I correct to assume I can take rca out on the av from the nait xs to a second amp (in my case a passive pre to a small power amp) to pass the signal to zone 2?
No, you misunderstand.
The XS, any amp, that does not have a buffered output cannot do that.
A buffered output is an impedance transformation circuit that prevents the signal source from being affected by whatever impedance, capacitance, current or voltages the additional load (amp) may have that detrimentally affects the normal input circuit load.
Great thanks for clarifying that. I didn’t think I could but misinterpreted what was being discussed in the previous post. I’ll go rca out of the ndx to the second amp driving zone two and accomplish what I need. Cheers