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The hiFace M2Tech

Steve — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:53:52 +0000

Getting Pure Music was the motivation I needed to try the hiFace M2Tech again. Last time the results were a little dissapointing: it wasn’t the giant killer that various forumites had been writing about. It was OK value for it’s price of around £105 including the BNC output, but in my opinion no more.
To recap the M2Tech is a USB2 to S/PDIF device that comes in a small portable package.
More info here.
One caveat, and hence one more experiment required, is that I have been using the M2 with a 5metre coaxial digital cable terminated in BNC plugs. Maybe it would work better with a 5m long USB cable and a short digital? That’s for another day.

Remember that I’m comparing a budget USB to S/PDIF device with a more expensive Firewire based device powered by a good stiff linear PS (a modified Naim PSC). No great surprise that there was a difference especially as the Konnect 8 is my favourite way of getting digital music from a computer so far.

The results using the same system as used for the Pure Music listening, but substituting the M2 and cables for the Konnect 8 and cables, wern’t in the same league. The M2 is rougher, more two dimensional and just lacks the sheer class of the Konnect 8 based interface.

Pure Music works well with it, and Memory Play sounded cleaner and tidier than standard play.

With this and the Pure Music listening it’s just the start of the process. More when I’ve experienced them in more than one system.

Postscript: I experimented today with a 5m long hi-speed USB cable and a one metre BNC to BNC S/PDIF cable. There was a small improvement over the 5m S/PDIF cable but the results were still a little dissapointing. To be fair, the M2Tech is a budget product and as such sounds great. It just doesn’t really cut it in a high-end system.

Pure Music – an interesting start

Steve — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 22:47:40 +0000

I downloaded the demo package of Pure Music (the playback only version of Pure Vinyl) today. A quick listen using my TC Konnect 8 as a firewire to S/PDIF interface to my Naim DAC with 555 PS Power Supply was enough to make me take up the $79 limited time offer.
I need to have time to seriously listen to this combination and to also try the hiFace M2Tech I have had since before Christmas.
To summarise the listening results, the performance with Pure Music was significantly better than with iTunes alone. Cleaner and more interesting. Memory playback was even better. The sound didn’t have the shiny, chromium plated character so common in computer audio. It had solidity and grip.
My only concern in the short-term at least is in the rhythm. It might not have the true ‘drag me in’ character I find essential for long-term enjoyment.
Much more as soon as I have time.

In the meantime…

Naim updates award-winning NaimUniti to Hi-res

Steve — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 23:10:13 +0000

Naim Audio today confirmed that they have released a significant update for the award-winning NaimUniti. The key upgrade is the support for 24Bit/96kHz (and 24/88.2) playback of .wav and .flac files including fixed point 24 and 32bit files as well as 32bit floating point variants.

The update will be distributed to Naim retailers by a download this week. All the NaimUniti units shipped in February have included the latest code. This shows as Version 2.00.00 when checking the NaimUniti status screen.

More information and images

New iPhone app for Naim HDX

Steve — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 19:23:48 +0000

Naim today confirmed that the HDX app to control the Naim HDX Hard Disk Player is available from the Apple iTunes app store.

The HDX app, was designed and coded in-house by Naim’s software team.

The HDX app, which also controls the primary output of NaimNet Music Servers, was developed following customer feedback provided via Naim’s long-running and influential forum.

Naim’s HDX App allows you to control your HDX hard disk player remotely. With your music library at your fingertips, you can now sit back and take control. Browse and play any of the music stored on your HDX with the easy-to-use app.

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New Chord CrimsonPlus

Steve — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 16:42:04 +0000

It has often been said that designing a budget hi-fi product is far harder than a cost no object state-of-the-art gargantuan product.

To design a budget cable that is genuinely a significant improvement over its predecessor is a tough task. To make it better in communication of music as well as traditional hi-fi requirements is doubly tough. Chord CrimsonPlus rises to the challenge, bows and takes the applause.

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Naim HDX gets major software update

Steve — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 08:45:18 +0000

Naim Audio today confirmed that the new update — Version 1.5 — for the Naim HDX Hard Disk Player is available for retailers to download. In addition, thousands of CDs are in the post to Naim retailers to enable them to update their customers’ HDXs.

Version 1.5 brings a major improvement in convenience with rip to NAS and far more flexible networking. Shares are scanned or ignored by selection thus reducing scanning time and improving speed of music availability. This part of the update alone will bring massive benefits to many Naim customers who have large collections of music waiting further ripping.

More info and image

New Naim UnitiQute

Steve — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:00:52 +0000

CES Show Las Vegas 7th January 2010. Naim Audio, the UK’s largest and most successful specialist audio manufacturer, launches UnitiQute a smaller more compact all-in-one system than NaimUniti Naim Audio’s multi award-winning system.

The UnitiQute is the first high-end remote controlled all-in-one audio player to offer so many sources: FM & Internet Radio (plus DAB in supporting markets), MP3 / iPod (Authenticated digital iPod connection), Streamed audio and USB.

Key to UnitiQute is its digital audio streaming capabilities. UnitiQute can wirelessly stream music stored on UPnP™ networked devices, providing access to even more music including – the increasingly popular – hi resolution 24bit / 96kHz WAV or FLAC files.

More information and images here

Keith Monks Returns To CES

Steve — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 10:35:05 +0000

CES – High Performance Audio at The Venetian, Room 30-233

The Keith Monks brand returns to CES – after its previous showing back in 1983, some 27 years ago. Jonathan Monks, son of the famous Keith, returns Keith Monks Audio to CES: leading from the front in the newly reinvigorated company. Jonathan has spent the last few years refining the design and manufacture of the most famous record cleaning machines in the world.

The timing is ideal: it is the 40th anniversary of Keith Monks Audio and the new and much-planned celebratory model, the Ruby, is finally coming off the production line.

M ore information and images

New Neat PETITE SX Loudspeaker

Steve — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:48:57 +0000

Neat Acoustics, Barnard Castle November 25, 2009. Neat Acoustics is pleased to announce the launch of the PETITE SX. The PETITE SX is the fourth generation of the PETITE — a loudspeaker that has been delivering a thoroughly insightful musical performance for 20 years. The PETITE will be available from December 2009.

In common with its larger ‘brother’ the ELITE SX — and unlike traditional bass reflex designs — the PETITE SX incorporates an innovative staggered port-tuning design. A 32mm diameter port on the rear of the cabinet has a narrow operating band centred on 40Hz. An additional 50mm diameter port, also mounted on the rear of the cabinet, is tuned higher over a wider operating band.

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Naim updates award-winning CDX2 CD Player

Steve — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:48:32 +0000

Naim has updated its CDX2 CD player to coincide with the forthcoming launch of the Naim DAC.

More information and images

This is the first major revision for this product in over 7 years. This takes the CDX2 into new markets delivering greater performance and far increased flexibility. The price remains the same.

The new version CDX2 adds a switchable S/PDIF output on a 75 Ohm BNC connector for the correct impedance match.