Tips and reality check

New member here. Currently using Cyrus equipment but plan a wholesale change. The app is loathsome!

Firstly a reality check… re streaming with a Naim Core at the heart.

My home consists of two buildings: main home and, at the other end of about 50-60m of cable, a barn which is being totally rebuilt. First fix electrics in next month or so.

My home office and gym will be on the first floor of barn. Would music streaming via say cat6a SWA cable from a single uniti core serve both buildings?

Thinking of a Uniti Nova in main home living area with the core and a supernait 3 + ND5 XS 2 in the barn.

Realistic? If so… what sort of topography for the network? Would something else be better? Not too tech guys… don’t really know of what I speak!

Finally, tips, what would you incorporate in a new build with the opportunity to start from scratch?

Thanks all.

topography: essentially it’s a tree structure from your router out.
what to incorporate: as much decent cable (cat6 or 5) as you can - wifi is lovely, but cable is reliable
consider having at least two sitting rooms so that v can be in one and music in another - can then not compromise on either, and can banish kids to one whilst you have the other
dedicated power feed from the distribution box to the main listening kit

enjoy it all!

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Ethernet is good for up to 100m so you should be fine with a Cat5e or Cat6 cable from router to barn so that you can access music on the Core on both streamers. (If the actual cable length is over 100m it’s surprisingly cheap and easy to use fibre instead, but it sounds like you won’t need this.)
You will need a wireless access point in the barn so that you can control the streamer with an iPhone or iPad.

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I’ll leave it to the network experts to talk about that, but do you really need a Core? If you’re prepared to do your won ripping, a NAS would do. Or even get a Star rather than a Nova, use that as a server and, with the money saved, a NDX2 in place of the ND5. Just a thought! :grinning:

Roger

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I’d go CAT6a in your scenario between buildings as that will allow 10GBps over 100m. Not something you need now, but just to future proof. Assuming there’s further cabling running of a switch inside the barn, CAT6 will suffice as that will do that up to 55m.

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You have probably thought of this already, but consider providing a dedicated mains supply spur / separate consumer unit for the barn hifi.
I would also consider a NAS or music server rather than a Core, as well as getting a decent network switch to manage traffic between barn and house.

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Thanks for that, though would go for the best I reasonably can SWA Cat6a between buildings and Cat6a as needed either side. Am pleased to know that, in theory should all work…

Yes will do that using 6mm SWA cabling so is also shielded. Interesting that your’s is the second mention to sugg no need of a Core tho for different reasons. Kinda thought the Core would be relatively bullet proof compared to a NAS device… I say that as I’ve had real trouble getting a WD 2T drive to work properly… just can’t get my PC to see it (or access it) after several months normal functioning. Figured the core would be better. :slightly_smiling_face:

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For a new build ideal world, i would put a hard wired network port next to every power point. Wifi is flexible but nothing beets the reliability of a fixed point… and run two cables to each point for resilience. It could be viewed as a waste of cable but the cost is negligible compare to the disruption of having to re-pull in the event of issues.

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Hadn’t thought of running double cables. The second being redundant /in reserve. Will DW electrician. Thanks.

Hi Alan-W,
I’m another Cyrus user, and have been for many years. I have a ND5xs2 as a front end streamer using a Naim Core for my CD collection.I stream Qobuz as well. The Naim kit works very well with my Cyrus amplification and to my mind they actually have a good sound synergy.

My suggestion is that you may want to look at the core and streamer first and try them with your Cyrus kit before then trying out Naim amps if you wish. You may find you like the Naim front end with your Cyrus amplification.
You can have your cake and eat it!

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Depending on which WD NAS you are using, you are setting the bar pretty low in terms of choosing a quality NAS and server. A relatively basic Synology or QNAP running Minimserver or Asset would be the tried and tested choice if you want a regular NAS rather than an ‘audiophile’ one.
The Core is a great piece of hardware with a server and ripping software that is so basic that it’s hard to believe it wasn’t developed in the 1990s. Even its predecessor, the Unitiserve, has a wider range of functions. That isn’t to say that the Core is a bad choice for everybody, but I would certainly suggest that you get a proper demo of it’s abilities before committing to a £2k purchase when a £250 NAS had much more to offer in some areas.

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Thanks Chris,
Can see a bit of homework here. :grinning:

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