Please add it to the SuperUniti. Thanks.
Maybe that post will enlighten you.
HI @LJS,
When using Chromecast the stream is bit perfect and native upto 192kHz/24bit. The downside of Chromecast + Qobuz is that itās not really designed to run at such high sample rates. The buffer sizes are far too small (hence prone to drop outs) and the Chromecast stack is very inefficient so uses nearly all the CPU time in the streamer. Not only is this bad for unit response times, but not also great for sound quality as the electric noise floor of the product increases as everything works harder.
For this reason + others, earlier this year we integrated Qobuz natively into the platform.
Benefits:
- Proper buffering - We buffer up to 50MB of data at a time so very robust from internet data fluctuations. The average 16/44.1kHz track is fully loaded within 15secs, hence its playback from RAM buffer.
- Efficient - near enough the same as playing a native 192kHz FLAC file from a NAS.
- Faster to connect / play / do stuff.
- Runs from the internal streamers Play Queue. Once the app has loaded in the play queue the streamer just gets on with it independent from the app / things in the cloud etc.
Overall, I would recommend use Qobuz via the Naim app if possible.
Best regards
Steve Harris
Software Director
Naim Audio Ltd.
2 Replies
I had seen that post. But as I mentioned, maybe theoretical, but I donāt hear the difference with Tidal myself. Thatās what matters to me, like to you it doesnāt matter that you canāt measure a difference between Ethernet cables. Itās about what you can hear or think you can hear, not about what someone else says.
You also use tubes (like me soon), no engineer will tell you tubes have less distortion / measure better than solid state, yet many people prefer the sound.
Also, he mentions the high sample rates, I use Tidal with 16b/44.1kHz. So maybe itās more audible with 24b/192kHz from Qobuz?
Never experienced drop outs, but then I do have a good, stable & fast network.
The most important is that you enjoy
Makes me wonder why other brands (Lyngdorf) offer this TODAY and Naim says happy 2021ā¦ It to many times feels like Naim is taken by surprise.
To clarify, we were not ātaken by surpriseā - weāve been working with TIDAL on the project for some time.
We just have other software priorities before we release this particular update.
Your customers are not important?
Our customers are always the most important. All of them. Not just those whom use TIDAL! We understand what an exciting development this is, and are sorry itāll mean being patient a little longer - in the meantime, there are still plenty of ways (including direct casting) to enjoy TIDAL on our systems.
Are you able to share with us an idea when in 2021 we could expect such an update, @Naim.Marketing ?
Are we talking more of the beginning of 2021, the mid, or the end of next year?
I really would appreciate an estimation of that timeframe.
Thank you!
Leave it with me - iāll see it if we can share a more detailed update.
He said no such thing. There is no Chromecast hardware in Naim hardware itās all software. He said itās code uses more memory and resources and may sound different nothing more.
[quote=āfrenchrooster, post:62, topic:11949ā]
Ā« the Chromecast stack is very inefficient so uses nearly all the CPU time in the streamer. Not only is this bad for unit response times, but not also great for sound quality as the electric noise floor of the product increases as everything works harder.
[/quote] Ā»
Itās exactly what Stevesky wrote
That is good news @Naim.Marketing. I might even sign-up for the beta program when itās ready. Looking forward to it!
Because if sound quality is a priority, then my expectation is that with tidal-connect it will support the first unfold of MQA (Tidal masters) e.g. better than 44/16 where available. Otherwise, Naim already support 44/16 with their applicationā¦
I would assume that Tidal Connect will will support MQA in part by giving you the āfirst unfoldā that the Tidal app can do. I canāt say I liked what it did when I tried it, but I guess itās nice to have options.
Editā¦apparently not! See Steveskyās post below.
"Why would I use Tidal Connect instead of Chromecast?
Two reasons: 1) Gapless playback; 2) MQA Masters. Neither is supported by Googleās 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 ā in addition to its less-often discussed lossy tier ā 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 Tidalās 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 2021ā¦
Sometimes I do wonder whether I should have looked elsewhere, but unfortunately I donāt think thereās 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. Iām getting closer to the end of 272 but donāt now where to go since I wont get down the 300 boxes road
Does it play Quobuz? Spotify?