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Naim's NaimNet to bring audiophile-quality sound to your whole home
There aren't too many audiophile firms that really take a whole-systems approach, but Naim has been at it for years. The firm is adding new models to its whole-home audio systems, but sadly for us, the pricing is pretty much the same -- too expensive. New to the NaimNet music server lineup are the NS01 ($6,800), NS02 ($7,900) and the NS03 ($9,575). For your dollars, you get one-touch CD ripping, an easy-to-use UI, database information from AMG, support for six simultaneous streams and storage of your precious bits on mirrored 400GB drives. Oh yeah, and the system will offer up non-DRM'ed music files on your plebian networked or USB-attached devices, too. Having spent some time with Naim equipment, we're not complaining about the functionality or build quality, but these prices make us consider Sonos, Slim Devices, Apple, or even sprinkling dedicated PCs throughout the house.
Naim offers up HDD-based HDX network audio player
Naim Audio, a name synonymous with high-end, has recently launched its very own hard drive-based music server, and on paper, it's a fairly mesmerizing piece of kit. The HDX packs a pair of 400GB hard drives (one primary and a back-up) and claims to be a "fully integrated CD ripping and data storage system." Aside from giving users a way to catalog their gargantuan CD collection in digital form, it'll also play tracks back in the finest of detail. Packed within is a Burr-Brown PCM1791A DAC, 24 bit/192kHz internal architecture, ultra-low jitter re-clocking circuits and a built-in touch panel, too. Best of all, any tunes stored on network / USB drives can also be played through the device, and it can send up to six different streams of music simultaneously over a home network. The rub? At £4,500 ($8,772), you're probably better off hiring Daft Punk to just play at your house.[Via CNET, thanks Andrew]
NaimNet brings multi-room audio to the audiophiles
If you're not completely up on Naim Audio's full product line, we can hardly blame you. After all, it's hard to be a frequent shopper of a company that sells a $23,000 pre-amp. But if you've got to have the bestest of the best, with a little UK flavor, exorbitant pricing, and now multi-room capabilities, Naim has a solution. Their new NaimNet product line, powered by StreamNet tech, uses IP networking tech for a scalable multi-room CD-quality audio network, and is based on plain-old CAT5E wired networking. They don't call their system "plug and play," Sonos sure seems to have them beat for ease-of-use, but at these prices you'll probably be opting for the custom installation anyways. NaimNet can be operated via PDAs, PCs and a stand alone control interface. Their first NaimNet products will be a four-output DAB/FM tuner, a multi-room pre-amp, and power amps for rooms, including concealed versions. Naim plans on having both top-end and "low cost" AV systems available for their system, and will support interoperability with home automations and other AV setups. NaimNet is scalable up to 1.8 million rooms, and will probably cost that many dollars by the time you get your house outfitted with the tech.[Thanks, Tom]
