chromecast is also a gen 2 Naim streamer thing, not available on the gen 1 streamers, IIRC. BubbleUPnP can also work around that. I just tried it, casting from the Qobuz app. It isn’t a workflow I use much, it appears to work fine, but you would definitely need the BubbleUPnP server installed on a machine on your local network somewhere.
Sounds to me like a gen 2 streamer would work best, I just wanted to highlight that the workarounds for the gen 1 streamers are not awful 
Sorry I meant if I plug a Chromecast audio into the nd5xs would that work ?
Yes but in that case I would get an nDac, cheaper and better.
Oh right, sorry, that’s exactly what you said X)
I suspect its digital output would work fine.
As @Ardbeg10y says though, at that point you’re just using the ND5 XS as a DAC, and better are available for the money.
Right basically anything older than an nd5xs 2 basically is no good for internet streaming , pity because the reviews are very positive indeed . Thanks everybody for your help and input
You’ve basically got options, all in one streamer/DACs, or a network audio transport and separate DAC. Pros and cons of each, and lots of price points. At the risk of looking silly linking my own thread, I tried to summarise the more popular options up to second hand NDX2 money here:
I don’t think that’s the case, you just compromise a bit on usability
@Lmac - do you want to add streaming to your system? If so, what’s your budget? And what do you have already, do you already have a Chromecast audio dongle thing?
As a data point, I started with a second hand Hugo mk1 (£500 ish), and my phone. I now run a Primare NP5 transport (c.£350 IIRC), and Hugo mk1, buying both second hand. It sounds ridiculously good into my XS3 and Neat Motive SX3s. You just give up a bit of usability compared to the ND5 XS2 for example, having to switch the Hugo on, and mess with the Primare app. Others use the Bluesound node, which also has a good DAC onboard, either on its own, or via a second outboard DAC.
The Naim NDAC is another popular choice with separate transport. The NDX not a bad choice for an all in one system, albeit needing software support for Qobuz (Tidal is natively supported)
etc. - this is the topic of many forum threads 
I think the good news is that £1k gets you damn good sound, and you have a very fine integrated amp, the bad news is that there are many options to add streaming.
You see as it stands I have a Cambridge audio CXN v1 into a chord qute ex DAC with mcru PSU , also into the DAC is a Chromecast audio puck . My idea was to sell the Cambridge and in place us the nd5 xs straight into the sn2. As a back up use the chord dac with Chromecast audio . Basically thinking the the Naim streamer would be better SQ than the chord/Chromecast combo but having the best of both worlds .
Chord 2qute, or Qutest? I suspect if the latter that would comfortably out perform the ND5 XS, and be v. close, if not better SQ, to the ND5 XS2, certainly as far as forum lore goes.
When you say “best of both worlds”, is it a one box/nice app solution you’re after? Or an absolute increase in SQ?
Qute ex after hd series . Yeah a one box does it all . I suspect the only way I will better it is by getting the nd5xs2 .
If I were to get a NAC N 272 attach Chromecast and run the bubbleupnp app from Android mobile for streaming sites such as Amazon apple and qobuz , would this be a work around ?
I think the advice from Hungry Halibut here: Sn2 with NAC N 172xs - #19 by hungryhalibut is sound.
If you add the Chromecast dongle to the N272 then no need to use BubbleUPnP, you can cast to the dongle direct. BubbleUPnP just adds a device on your network to send to from apps if you do not already have one, you already have a device to cast to though. Sorry for any confusion I caused earlier in the thread.
The best Naim all in one box to do what you want and simplify things is the ND5 XS2. Second hand they go for £1600 upwards (similar money I suspect to a N272?), from what I’ve seen on auction sites. I’d listen to one, decide if it beats your Chord combo, then look out for one second hand and if necessary put your other kit for sale to offset any shortfall.
[edited to add: I’m in a very similar situation, and plan to grab an audition for a ND5 XS2 as a first step, and decide from there.]
The problem I found with a Chromecast dongle is that it sounded absolutely dreadful attached to my then 272. As you have pointed out the 272 has similar issues to the 172: huge redundancy and limited functionality. It sounds great however, so long as it does what one needs, and is coupled with a power amp rather than an integrated.
@lmac What is your budget? I think the bulk of what needs to be said has been already by others further up the thread. If your budget allows and you’re happy with your current NAIT then either the ND5 XS2 or NDX2 from the current Naim network player range are a sensible match. Investing in discontinued products like the N172 could also prove both limiting and costly over the duration of ownership, their monochrome displays for example fade eventually and aren’t cheap to replace, eventually you won’t be able to at all inevitably.
You do see ex demo or even second user ND5 XS2 units now and I’d be inclined to focus there and spend more if you like what you find, the step up to the NDX2 opens up more options like adding an additional power supply like the XPS DR as well as more refinement in performance.
I’d also add that even if you plan to at some stage change the amplifier for something similar or move to a separate pre and power type setup, an ND5 XS2 is going to suit that system evolution well (within a Naim based system), the NDX2 is quite a step up in cost financially but if I had a choice between a better source and making changes to your Supernait 2, I’d spend the money on the better source first, it’ll start off sounding great and only get better as you make improvements elsewhere in the system.
I’ve owned a system based on a Supernait 2 used with both the original ND5 XS and later an ND5 XS2, adding an ND5 XS2 to your system is sure to give a lot of services flexibility and enjoyment.
We’ll after some extensive reading research and all the comments on here and my limited budget I decided that the Naim streamers that suited my requirements were just out of my budget. I purchased a bluesound vault 2i added it to my chord dac then onto the sn2. All I can say is wow! For the price this thing ticks all the boxes. 2 TB of storage to either rip CDs or download hi-res files from the site of your choice , airplay 2, Bluetooth aptx hd and support for nearly every streaming service out there including radio paradise and several other radio stations in glorious hi-res . This cover all bases and when Hooked upto the chord dac sound fantastic. It would have been nice to stretch the budget to the nd5xs2 but given the SQ I’m now getting which to be honest was better than the CA cxn v1 via chord dac I’m not complaining . Thanks everyone for the help which really helped make the decision to take this route.
That’s great news! Get a photo of it on system pics!?
At work ATM so will upload pics this evening .
Was only gently asking - sorry
(I should also be concentrating on a call X) )
Haha no worries , I’m at work and should be doing my job lol . Yeah I’ll sort some shots later 