What’s coming at Munich?

Works for me, both in sound quality and box count reduction, but it would be a major change in design for Naim.

Actually the “transport” part is the top right PCB (when looking from the top) which includes the digital in/out. On the left side of the streamers you have the “analogue” side which includes the DAC part. On the ND555 it’s ever clearer, with the “transport” being enclosed in the black Faraday cage. And most rails of the right PS supply (Input 1) end up in there.


Essentially the Naim NP800 module corresponds to the “raspberry PI” and is used in all current streaming devices, from Atom to ND555. This is connected to a PCB with all the digital connections which more or less functions as the “hat” of the rPi. The description being very simplistic of course.

So a half-width transport should be perfectly possible and a perfect match to my nDAC, as well as to all the 1st gen streamers with a digital input :wink: . If it could use the unused second power supply of a PS555 as an upgrade it would be even better to avoid extra boxes :crazy_face:

Yes it will be interesting to see whether a new digital board (carrying the NP800) makes an appearance in a 272 replacement.

Not long now :crossed_fingers:

Where’s @NoNaim ? Can’t we have a countdown timer :wink:

1 Like

If so I doubt regulations come into play. Simply because big offboard power supplies are offered by more other high end brands than every before. Loads of brands are getting in on the big linear PSU for their preamp or source game and for brand new products too.

More likely that something will evolved with a SMPS+LPS marriage in one box so the power supplies get smarter. But even so, the other high end makers with similar configurations are doubling down on basic 24/7 LPS. The toroids that Naim choose have pretty high efficiency.

The power amp power supplies pull a bit but that is the first class A part of the amp design and cannot be helped regardless of PSU. That would need a radical departure from class AB design rather than a PSU redesign.

I recall that Naim have no access to further supplies of the Burr Brown dac chips they’ve been using for years. It would therefore make sense for the new streaming preamp to be the first design to include something new in the dac department, which would then roll out across the next generation of streamers. Even better would be the ability to upgrade the dac in the three current ND streamers, just like Linn do with the move to the new Organik architecture. It makes so much sense to be able to do this: it saves selling what you already have and gives potential buyers more certainty that the thing they are buying has a future.

4 Likes

Nigel, AFAIK it’s only the PCM1704K DAC chips that have been long unavailable and Naim stockpiled them for the ND555 production. The other TI/BB chipsets such as the PCM1792A used in the NDX2, are, AFAIK, still current and available.

I suspect Naim’s obsession with attention to detail when it comes to internal cable routing and other such matters means that a modular design that can just slot into an older box is not really their style.

1 Like

But maybe it should be their style. It has to be better than a produce becoming worth very little as soon as a new model comes out. When I sold my 272 in autumn 2020 I only got about £1,300 for it.

Thanks Richard. It seems I generalised from the 1704K to the others. We all know that a 272 replacement is being unveiled; what’s really interesting is what form it takes and what the mystery second product is. Whatever, you’ll be sure to read the howls of disappointment that Naim are abandoning some mythical loyal customer base by having the temerity to move forward.

1 Like

We do??

5 Likes

when it’s not the 272 replacement…

5 Likes

Understandable @ChrisSU … but have a look at the earlier announcement from Linn with upgrades to the Organik DAC to even 10+ year old DS/DSM models.

Compare this to the 272 …

1 Like

Imagine the uproar when they discontinue it in 10 years :wink:

Yes, but that’s Linn. My point is that Naim have a particular approach that wouldn’t easily lend itself to this way of building HiFi, especially with higher end products.
Of course we don’t know what their plans are. Perhaps thay will make things more modular, or make digital preamps like Chord do, or use switching power supplies, and who knows what else. We’ll just have to be patient. It took them nearly half a century to get round to making their first turntable.

1 Like

There is one on the shows website…

Now saying about 23 hours to go. So 9-00am UK time, I think…?

Munich Count Down

What about the flag waving?

To celebrate their 50 year anniversary, Scanspeak has had Troels Gravesen design some new speakers using some of their new drivers. I would be interested in building this design, so if you wouldn’t mind taking a peak?

The speaker is called the Ellipticor-A50.

2 Likes

Isn’t it about time @NoNaim was freed! The man does not deserve solitary confinement!

Free him I say….free him!

(‘Free NoNaim’ tee shirts are now available online BTW)

9 Likes

Perhaps he has spontaneously combusted out of sheer excitement?

3 Likes