Naim releases network player update with BBC Radio HLS support

DSD playback will be available for owners of Naim streaming products with the SHARC DSP software. These include the ND5 XS; NDX; NDS SuperUniti and NAC-N 272.

Flagship NDS network players will now benefit from multi-room capabilities and all Naim players can now support the BBC’s HLS radio format, as well as Spotify Connect in multi-room mode.

The added support of HLS radio will be a welcome update to many Naim owners, after the BBC made some unexpected changes to its AAC streams, changing them to HLS. Naim was able to reactivate just the BBC Radio 3 320kbps link, the rest being in 128kbps MP3 format.

MORE: Listeners complain about changes to BBC Internet radio streaming

Naim has also announced that the ND5 XS, NDX and NAC-N 172 XS network players will now ship with aptX Bluetooth compatibility, and these come with a £100 premium to reflect the changes.

NDX £3505

NDX inc. DAB/FM £3840

ND5 XS £2245

ND5 XS inc. DAB/FM £2545

NAC-N 172 XS £1865

NAC-N 172 XS inc. DAB/FM £2155

The 4.3 firmware update is available free from Naim’s website, where a table detailing how supported Naim products will be affected can also be found.

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Max was a staff writer on What Hi-Fi? and subsequently spent a good few years writing news and features for various technology and hi-fi publications, before jumping on a plane in search of a more fruitful life in Australia. Now based in Byron Bay, he writes about tech, health, fitness and style.