AudioPlus News and Views» AudioPlus — The Marketing and Communications Specialist for the AV Industry

New Naim NDX high-end network player

Steve — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 09:00:54 +0000

Naim today launched the NDX: Naim’s first dedicated network player. Designed and engineered to integrate into Naim’s range at a similar quality level as Naim’s innovative multi-award-winning HDX hard disk player and CDX2 the top selling high-end CD player, the NDX is performance upgradeable in stages as the owner demands.

The NDX is performance upgradeable by the addition of a XPS or PS 555 power supply and/or Naim DAC.

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New Naim UnitiServe

Steve — Thu, 06 May 2010 08:57:01 +0000

May 6 2010 High-End Show, MOC, Munich. Two, very successful — as evidenced by the recent Queen’s Award for Enterprise — years on from Naim’s launch of the standard-setting award-winning HDX hard disk player, Naim is launching UnitiServe a compact digital audio player and server.

Deliveries will begin July 2010.

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Multi-award-winning Naim HDX gets SLC SSD

Steve — Thu, 06 May 2010 08:55:46 +0000

May 6 2010 High-End Show, MOC, Munich. Naim confirms, in an aggregate of abbreviations, that the multi-award-winning Naim HDX is to be offered with a 16GB Enterprise grade, Single Level Cell (SLC), Solid State Drive (SSD). This totally silent drive will contain the operating system and includes space for future upgrades. This and the performance upgrades are an upgrade option for existing HDX owners.

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Naim wins Queen’s Award

Steve — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 11:30:37 +0000

21 April 2010. Salisbury, England. Naim Audio is pleased to announce today that Her Majesty The Queen has approved the Prime Minister’s recommendation that a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the International Trade category should be conferred on the company.

The Queen’s Award celebrates the Queen’s birthday and six years of continuous growth in Naim’s export sales – a remarkable achievement given the world economy.

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Squeezebox Touch – a week later

Steve — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 14:27:50 +0000

What an interesting beast this is. The lispy addition to voices that I was complaining about in my original post has gone. The sound quality is really rather good using the digital out. I prefer the optical output to the coax into the Naim DAC. The optical has a more refined presentation and just sounds right, the coax is a little courser.

If sound quality was the only criteria the SB Touch would be stunning value for money but unfortunately usability and fit for purpose must be included in the equation.

The display is rather pleasant if a little slow; but only works well within a narrow vertical viewing angle. That angle is often wrong unless one is standing, and who stands to listen to music? It needs an adjustable rear stand.

So far 24/96 is far too unreliable. It might play it, might stutter. Not good enough. The Squeezebox forums are full of the problem and possible solutions but none has worked 100% for me.

Connecting up an external 500GB portable drive with a power supply has so far been an unrewarding experience. I’m struggling to get it to scan the drive fully and so far I’ve only managed to play about a tenth of one track.

So if the decision was based on the sound quality of CD rips from the digital output it would be a clear winner. Overall it needs more work or I need to understand more about how to get the best from it.

Initial thoughts on the Squeezebox Touch

Steve — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 11:51:44 +0000

After one of the worst examples of corporate communications ineptitude I’ve ever come across, my Logitech Squeezebox Touch arrived yesterday.

I ordered my Touch on the 26th October 2009 to take advantage of the 20% off for early orders offer. Delivery was expected imminently. Only one email since then – on 4th March – to warn of a delay until April-May. Another 20% offer “as a small gift” but no apology. A simple ‘sorry for the delay we are working on getting it right before launch’ would have gone a mighty long way.

I know there is a Squeezebox forum and maybe Logitech thought that was a reason not to keep me up to date – but it’s not. A few emails would have made me feel much happier with Logitech. If I hadn’t known friends with beta units, who were pleased with the performance, I would have cancelled my order months ago.

Anyway it’s arrived and very nice it is too. It’s been running overnight using the standard supplied PS and I’ve recently changed over to the Maplin linear PS as much for my piece of mind as any sonic reason. There is a small difference but not enough to rush to the shops.

What does it sound like? OK, I suppose, is all I can report so far. I’ve only tried the optical and coaxial digital outputs running into a Naim DAC with 555 PS. It has an edge to the sound that sneaks its way on to every song. It’s a slight hard lispiness to vocals that accentuates the lips and teeth sounds. Coax digital sounds substantially different from Optical – surprisingly different in fact.

It’s way too early to form any sensible conclusions. It’s certainly excellent value; just don’t know how excellent yet. More in a week or so when it has run in.

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.

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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 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