There were/are thoughts to replace cables (like HDMI, but no general networking), but today’s LAN/WiFi is easily capable of handling hires streams (and more), and LAN/WiFi are some of the longest living technologies in current IT and will surely not be replaced within the next decade. Nobody will replace all the existing equipment depending on it. And all Evolution in both areas are mightily compatible over the generations.
I agree with most of the foregoing, except that Bluetooth isn’t a good example of UWB because it’s specific frequencies although it is low energy. Anyway UWB is irrelevant to whether or not you buy an NDX2 and speaking as someone still currently professionally involved in radio spectrum policy and engineering practice, I think your neighbour is completely wrong.
I would seriously say - order your NDX2 quick, before the Naim price increase.
Seems very rude of the neighbour. Wait till they buy a Porsche and are beaming with pride and tell them it’s a load of outdated rubbish and that they’ve been had.
UWB exists now in various forms…but for short range low throughput applications… and may in the future be seen as a PAN technology like the ‘Bluetooth’ equivalent of 5G or wifi. Our music applications use TCP/IP based protocols… along with the internet and home data networks.
For reliable communications in a domestic and commercial environment where higher throughputs are required, then narrow band (Wifi) or 5G technologies will be where the main future lies at least in the near future.
Anything that uses bandwidth on a non primary user basis, such as many UWB applications will be a compromise and be impeded by overall service level reliability (so no difference from wifi, Bluetooth in that regard), but where low rf power and low throughput is required in low noise or controlled environments it could be a big plus… like hospitals, or sensitive rf installations
Of course Naim already use PAN (albeit narrow band) technology in their new streamers… and that is ZigBee (and BlueTooth)…
So yes we might see UWB in the future in our Hi-Fi space … but expect it to replace Bluetooth, and say provide hidef lossless links to cordless headphones from amps… could be exciting… you will certainly value the benefit of a quality streamer like the NDX2 if that appears within the next 5 to 10 years.
I purchased the NDX2 last month. I’m in the US, and I’m still waiting for it to ship. Also waiting for my speaker upgrades, all of which is stuck in some port in containers most likely.
