Can anybody explain in layman’s terms, what is Naim’s Streaming Platform?
All I could find was this but it really does not seem to clearly explain the differences between the old platform and the new one.
Can anybody explain this to me or point me in the right direction?
thank you!
Naim’s “new” streaming platform is in all the current product range.
The “old” platform was in ND5XS, NDX, NDS, 172, 272, Uniti, Uniti 2, UnitiQute, UnitiQute 2, SuperUniti and Unitilite (plus any others that I’ve forgotten off the top of my nerdy head).
The differences between the 2 are that the old platform was more for streaming local files whereas the new platform can cope with external sources (Qobuz, Tidal, et al) much better.
It’s better. It allows native integration with Qobuz, it has a bigger available memory that allows the streamer to capture a whole track in one go and play it from the buffer (except for tracks by Yes maybe), instead of an ongoing stream that was liable to interruption and caching issues. There was also a lot of effort expended in reducing the digital noise levels to improve overall SQ.
There are probably more but those were the takeaway issues that I recall.
Current products supporting the latest streaming platform are:
Mu-so Qb 2nd Generation
Mu-so 2nd Generation (Including Mu-so Wood Edition and Mu-so for Bentley Special Edition)
Uniti Atom
Uniti Atom Headphone Edition
Uniti Star
Uniti Nova
Uniti Core (NB: ripper/server only)
ND5 XS2
NDX 2
ND 555
Each can natively stream TIDAL and Qobuz, with Spotify Connect support (TIDAL Connect support due very soon); Roon Ready status; Chromecast built-in; AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth streaming. And UPnP support, too - enabling streaming at up to 32bit/384kHz. Older products are more limited in terms of streaming options - typically offering TIDAL, Spotify and UPnP at 24bit.
The current streaming platform is designed to be scaleable - it’s already had several updates (most significantly the addition of Qobuz native streaming support) with plenty more to come.
It offers flexible multiroom music support - link both current and legacy Naim products together via the Naim App, or group with other products (including non-Naim ones) via AirPlay 2, Chromecast and Roon.
Another major benefit of the current platform is the way it buffers music, which allows for even better streaming performance.
Do the 1st gen streamers support over the air firmware updates? If not that’s a huge plus for the 2nd gen streamers
Some older-generation products do; some don’t. All current products do.
The original mu-sos update over the air but the black boxes all need plugging in to a computer and a somewhat tortuous update process.
thank you Clare for such a thorough yet clear response!
Thank you!
Thank you MaxiMe!
Not sure that UnitiCore should be in this list because it doesn’t do many of the things you mention Clare!
Best
David
Understood, but wanted to highlight that it’s a current-generation product. I have edited for greater clarity.
And presumably less risk of built in obsolescence ?
So if a higher resolution for Apple become available , Naim can take advantage of it.
Everything build around a computer will get outdated sometime in the future. The dac in the nd555 is so outdated that you cannot even buy it but it does not concern most of us.
Claus
On https://www.naimaudio.com/downloads/white-papers there is also the white paper for the ND555, which provides some details on the streaming platform that is common for all current network players:
https://www.naimaudio.com/sites/default/files/products/downloads/files/ND%20555%20White%20Paper%20Final_0.pdf
… and that is why one box solutions, such as the unit range, are such an expensive (and short sighted) proposition. Great for short term cash flow for the company but terrible long term solutions (unless you don’t care about money either because you’re rich, daft, or both). These products, given the pace of change in tech, have what is, for all intents and purposes, an expiry date.
As much as I love the design and performance of the all in one unitis, spending, three, four, five thousand pounds/euros/dollars in a piece of kit that will become obsolete in a couple of years makes no financial nor environmental sense to me. What adds insult to injury is the fact that one relegates a perfectly functioning amplifier and hardware to the role of ‘expensive door stop’.
Thank for you for this!
True, but I think the streaming platforms are quite mature technologies now. I have recently taken the plunge on an NDX2/Core. It might be obsolete in, say, three years. However, it will still talk to my Core and Qobuz without any problems. I don’t need anything else especially as it’s not my primary source. Presumably updates will extend its shelf life while the app continues to improve. Companies like Apple willfully make products obsolete. I don’t think Naim think that way myself…
I agree that streaming platforms are quite mature and i really don’t think your NDX2 will be outdated in 3 years. Naim just released a new product with the same streaming platform, they would not do it if they think that this is the life span of the Uniti Line.
I agree that it is a computer and eventually will get outdated but this platform is quite powerful and what else should it be able to decode (from a computational point of view) other than what is available today?
It is off topic but i would be cautious with Apple. I use their devices much longer than any other comparable device i had in the past.