Naim has today released details of its NDS 'high-end network player', which we first covered on the site three weeks ago.
The new player, which will sell for £6250 when it arrives in the shops – Naim estimates that will be in May – , will get its first public demonstrations at the Bristol Sound & Vision show this weekend.
The idea behind the NDS was to 'design a network player that is demonstrably superior to the NDX', and the result of the development work, the company says, 'is a network player capable of the finest musical performance yet. A player that delivers more music with CD rips that most players do with hi-res sources.'
Like the company's high-end CD players, the NDS has no power supply built-in, but needs to be used with one of Naim's external power supply units.
It has two power inputs, one of which is usually linked with a plug, and can be used with the slimline XP5 XS power supply, the XPS2, or all the way up to two 555PS power supplies.
Naim's Paul Stephenson says that, like other Naim network music players, the NDS offers a clear upgrade path for consumers, and also allows owners of high-end Naim systems to switch from playing CDs to streaming music if they wish, while still retaining their current power supplies.
In addition to streaming music from a network, the NDS offers connectivity for USB media and iPods, and also has built-in internet radio and three digital inputs for external sources.
Output is on a choice of Naim's usual DIN socket or a pair of RCA phonos for analogue, or a BNC digital connection.
It can be controlled using the handset supplied, or using the n-Stream app running on an iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad.
Naim says the new model 'takes its place above the award winning ND5 XS and NDX as the reference Naim network player, and it changes the high-end audio game – fundamentally.'
For more on the NDS, see our report from Monday's launch event at Naim's Salisbury HQ.
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