Naim Audio NAC-N 272 - Manual (Page 3)

1
Introduction
1. NAC-N preamplifier Components and Audio Sources
Welcome to Naim and congratulations on your purchase. This manual covers the NAC-N preamplifiers: NAC-N 172 XS and
NAC-N 272. The NAC-N preamplifiers are highly capable products that will repay time and effort spent on installation and
configuration and we strongly recommend that you read this manual in full. The manual provides comprehensive information
on all NAC-N features and facilities and will enable you to set up your product either to integrate with your existing music
systems and media, or to form the heart of a new system.
NAC-N preamplifiers incorporate separate components and can play audio from a variety of sources. Each of the
components and sources is introduced in the following Section 1 paragraphs and subsequently described in full detail in
Sections 5 to 9. Sections 2 to 4 cover installation and set up.
NAC-N preamplifiers can be controlled from their front panels, the supplied remote control handset, and from the Naim app
freely available from the Apple iTunes App Store and the Google Play Store.
1.1 Preamplifier
1.1.1 Inputs
NAC-N preamplifiers provide external analogue and digital
audio inputs. The number of external inputs provided varies
with each product.
In addition to the conventional analogue and digital inputs,
NAC-N preamplifiers can also play audio from the the
following external sources:
• Internet radio via a wired network socket or wireless
network connection.
• DAB and FM radio via an external aerial.
• iOS (iPod, iPhone and iPad) and UMS (Universal Mass
Storage) USB memory devices via a USB interface.
• Universal plug and play (UPnP™) servers holding audio
files via a wired or wireless network connection.
• Spotify ® streams via a wired or wireless network
connection from the Spotify ® Connect feature
incorporated in some Spotify ® player apps.
• Bluetooth ® audio streams from Bluetooth equipped
hardware such as iOS, Android and Windows Phone
mobile devices running a suitable music player app.
Bluetooth is only available on the NAC-N 272.
• Music streams from other Naim streamer products
connected to the same network.
1.1.2 Signal Outputs
NAC-N preamplifiers provide a variety of signal outputs.
The number and type of signal outputs varies with each
product. They are tabulated in Section 2.2.1.
1.2 Multi-mode Radio
The NAC-N preamplifier multi-mode radio combines an
internet radio (iRadio) player and optional DAB/FM tuner.
A total of 40 radio stations across all three modes can be
stored as presets. In DAB and FM mode, stations are tuned
by scanning the respective transmission bands. In iRadio
mode, a list of available radio stations is automatically
downloaded from a dedicated internet server. iRadio
requires broadband internet access via a home network
connection.
The DAB tuner incorporates full broadcast and station
display capabilities. The FM tuner is fully RDS (Radio Data
System) capable.
Note: DAB and RDS broadcasts are not available in all
territories.
1.3 USB Audio Interface
NAC-N preamplifiers can play audio files stored on USB
memory hardware such as iOS mobile devices or memory
sticks. See Section 7 for more information.
Note: Compatible audio file formats are listed in Section
7.1.