MILAN TOP AUDIO 2011: Naim's ND5 XS joins fast-growing streaming player range
Launched this morning at the Top Audio show here in Milan is the latest model in Naim's rapidly growing streamer range.
The ND5 XS fits into the line-up below the NDX, selling for around £1925 when it hits the shops next month, and is designed to complement the other models in Naim's slimline XS series.
It's also the first Naim network player able to handle 192kHz/24-bit content natively, and the company is rolling out an upgrade program for existing Uniti products and the NDX, enabling 192/24 on those products, and bringing the promise of AirPlay capability early in 2012.
As well as having both wired and wireless networking for the streaming of content from the internet, including internet radio, or from local network sources such as NAS drives or computers, the ND5 XS also has three digital inputs for external sources, and a front panel USB socket for memory devices or direct digital connection of iPods or iPhones.
As well as its 24-bit/192kHz capability, the ND5 XS can handle music in a wide range of formats, including WAV, FLAC, AIFF, AAC, WMA, Ogg Vorbis and MP3 formats.
The ND5 XS uses digital buffering with fixed sampling rates for zero jitter, while the proprietary 16 times oversampling and digital filter uses SHARC 40-bit floating point digital signal processing. This feeds Burr Brown PCM1791A digital to analogue conversion, running at 768kHz.
There are seperate power supplies for the digital, analogue, DSP and clock sections of the player, with the large toroidal transformer having separate outputs for each section
Optical connection is used between the various sections of the player, seen left in a typical XS system here at the show, to ensure complete galvanic isolation.
Like the NDX, the new model can also be upgraded with the addition of the XPS or 555PS power supplies, or the Naim DAC, while a dedicated slimline power supply in a matching case, the XP5 XS is on the way next year.
Selling for around £1500, this is will be an entry-level version of the XPS.
And also in common with the NDX, the new model can be fitted with an optional radio tuner module, giving FM/DAB reception.
The ND5 XS can be controlled using the front-panel controls or the remote handset supplied, or using the free n-Stream app on iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad.
Speaking at the launch, Naim's Paul Stephenson (right) confirmed that a new version of the n-Stream control app is on the way with enhanced information on the music being played, and also a new version of the n-Serve app giving access to playlists.
The company will also be launching a new upgrade app by the end of this year, allowing users to upgrade their products via the USB port, instead of using the rather complex computer-based procedure currently required by most of the Uniti/NDX/HDX products.
Rather more involved is the upgrade to 24-bit/192kHz operation on existing NaimUniti/UnitiQute/NDX products, as it requires the fitting of a new streaming board along with firmware upgrades.
From October, when the ND5 XS is also on sale, anyone who has bought an NDX in the past three months will be entitled to a free 'return to dealer' upgrade to the new board, while owners of earlier NDXs will pay an upgrade fee. This is yet to be finalised, but is likely to be £100 or slightly more.
It's expected that the upgrade price for NaimUniti and UnitiQute will be in the region of £250, and Naim plans to offer both of these systems in either a standard version, or at a premium price with the new board and 24-bit/192kHz capability.
The premium versions will sell for approximately £175 more than the standard ones, making a 24/192 UnitiQute, for example, around £1600.
The new board also adds 802.11n Wi-Fi capability to the systems, in addition to the current b/g (although Naim still says wired networking is preferable in terms of stablity and reliability of signal). The new board also makes them, Stephenson says, 'AirPlay ready - at least in terms of processing power'.
Pressed for clarification, he said he expects products fitted with the new board - and of course the new ND5 XS and SuperUniti - to gain full AirPlay capability during the first quarter of next year, this being implemented via a simple firmware upgrade at that time.
Comments
Streamed 24/192 on my Qute. Sweet! Can't wait for the upgrade.
No-one asked you to apologise. chebby.
Hi-res downloads are now available from a number of sources, and I'm sure the variety of sites offering them will increase.
It doesn't matter now as much as I thought anyway. The Airport Express route will work. I'd forgotten - at the time of writing my original comment - that this is how JD uses AirPlay on his iPad and NaimUniti (despite him mentioning it before). Sorry for that.
I'm still not going to apologise for thinking AirPlay more important (to me) than 24/192 capability and for wishing Naim had managed to integrate it seperately to the £250 board upgrade.
Just out of interest, where are the 24/192 downloads to come from?
Wrong end of the stick I fear, chebby - the point of the new board isn't AirPlay, but the 24/192 capability, and that's what one is paying for when one chooses to go for the upgrade or the premium version of the NU or UQ.
I think it'd be fair to say that Naim sees AirPlay more as a fringe benefit of the board upgrade, rather than its main reason - it explains there are other ways of achieving what Airplay can do with the systems, such as Microsoft's 'Play To' function.
I get the impression it doesn't feel AirPlay is as important as you clearly do.
chebby - you are not exactly right - the upgrade boards are primarily for 24/192 playback of existing models, and not just Airplay (its inclusion in the upgrade boards are still unclear). And anyway, for a device in this price region I don't think buyers are looking primarily for Airplay.
JJ, I am only referring to the AirPlay firmware upgrade aspect and not the performance/quality/price/build of the overall package. I have owned Naim seperates so I don't need the Tata/Mercedes analogies thanks.
In my opinion Naim should have planned for integral AirPlay provision right from the beginning of UnitiQute development (given AirPlay's popularity and the proliferation of iPads/iPhones/iPod Touches that were already well-known at the time).
Needing a £250 board upgrade - or a 'premium' version - to facilitate AirPlay (amongst other things) a year into the product's life suggests they are still on a learning curve (regarding all things Apple) and haven't gone up it much since ditching the NaimUniti's optional £95 n-Link in favour of a standard USB connection for iPods.
Yawn, yawn, yawn Chebby. Tata can make a car for £1,500 so why can't Mercedes sell their cars for £2,500? Both get you from A to B.
Although I suppose there is still the 'DIY' (£79) Airport Express option.
AirPlay upgrade - for the NaimUniti and UnitiQute models - should not (ideally) be dependent upon a £250 board upgrade.
I would expect both of the planned 'standard' and 'premium' versions to have AirPlay capability.
It can't be that difficult (or that expensive) if Marantz, B&W, Denon and others manage to incorporate it (or offer it as an option for £39) on machines that cost £400 - £500 rather than Naim prices.
Disappointing.