I would assume that Tidal Connect will will support MQA in part by giving you the “first unfold” that the Tidal app can do. I can’t say I liked what it did when I tried it, but I guess it’s nice to have options.
Edit…apparently not! See Stevesky’s post below.
"Why would I use Tidal Connect instead of Chromecast?
Two reasons: 1) Gapless playback; 2) MQA Masters. Neither is supported by Google’s Chromecast.
Why else does Tidal Connect matter?
It gives us something that Spotify Connect currently does not: the ability to stream CD-quality and hi-res content – in addition to its less-often discussed lossy tier – from the comfort of our couch and without relying on third-party integrations. No more manufacturer-coded streaming apps, no more Roon, no more Plex and no more Audirvana. We need only one of Tidal’s native apps."
Also, whilst I do appreciate having the Tidal function in the Naim app, the user friendliness is nowhere near that of native Tidal. Looking forward to 2021…
Sometimes I do wonder whether I should have looked elsewhere, but unfortunately I don’t think there’s anything that can match the sound of my Star. When upgrading I will definitely check if any competitor has come close, (and has better software support) , but they will have to be really close for me to consider.
Of course there are alternatives on this huge market. You just have to find it, thats the tricky part. I’m getting closer to the end of 272 but don’t now where to go since I wont get down the 300 boxes road 
Does it play Quobuz? Spotify?
Hi All,
Lots of questions / comments etc. on Tidal Connect. Maybe i can shine some light on the subject.
Tidal Connect is an alternative way to play Tidal using their native apps rather than a third party solution. The app acts as a control point which talks to the TIDAL servers in the cloud and a ‘play queue in the cloud’ then drives the streamer on what to play next. So what’s hot and what’s not with this:
Pros:
Cons
Overall if your music consumption is focused around TIDAL then this is for you.
If you use TIDAL as more as an extension of your own local collection then you’re probably better off with the current solution. At Naim we’re covering both use cases as some customers will prefer one over the other.
Also to put legacy streamer customers minds at rest, we are doing updates on the Naim native solution to ensure it has as many new TIDAL features as possible and the products are using the very latest API’s exposed by TIDAL.
To finalise I’ve attached a few screenshots of Tidal Connect working with an Atom. Enjoy!
Hope that helps
Steve Harris
Software Director
Naim Audio Ltd.
Legacy products includes 272?
I’d actually prefer to be able to use the Tidal app.
Please consider any connectivity option that would make that possible. It would be much appreciated.
It’s already a bit frustrating having bought a device like the Mu-so just before gen2 was announced. And then to add insult to injury, the only (connectivity) feature being added is for Apple users only, instead of one like this or even Chromecast which would work for everyone.
Hi @Stevesky, thanks for providing that run-down of information. Annoying to hear that MQA unfolds aren’t included, but of course this is out of Naim’s control!
Looks like you have some alpha/beta version up and running on iOS already - including with Atom firmware (and Mu-So) that supports it. So…why must we consumers wait for 2 1/2 months (at the earliest) to get the features? I don’t know of any testing processes that take this long!
A bit hard N lot, saying that Naim added insult to injury
Buying something just before being replaced with a new model is not injury by any stretch of the imagination. Misfortune maybe, but it is just the luck or otherwise of the buyer, and happens across the whole gamut of consumer product buying: the only alternative would be no model revisions.
You’re right, I didn’t really word that correctly. The issue is not with buying it, more that with a product like that, and the way it was marketed I was expecteing future updates/features. Whether a new one was released or not.
That seemed to not be happening since the release of gen2, unlucky perhaps, but then the feature that was added is one that doesn’t work for me, when similar features (connectivity options) that would won’t be, hence the wording.
Gen 1 is nearly 7 yrs old, in digital hi fi years thats about 21
Mine are just over 1 year old
Naim Mu-So was introduced in 2015. Mine is a couple of years old and works fine.
It seems a bit odd that the first unfold of Tidal isn’t offered given that it’s done in the Tidal app. Not that it bothers me personally, there’s no going back from Qobuz as far as I’m concerned but it seems that people are asking for it.
“Chromecast stack” refers to the generic Chromecast standard and not Naim’s implementation of it!
Best
David
Well, I look forward too get a tidal connect on my 272. Feels a bit odd to have a two year old product and been treated like history.
I understood that Stevesky was explaining that native Qobuz sounds much better vs Qobuz Chromcast ( inbuilt in the new Naim streamers). It’s not that?
Yes but not because there is a cheap Chromecast component in the Naim unit but because the Chromecast standard is a compromise.
