Naim NDX2 screen burn and software freezing

[Deanmlee]

Hi all,
My Naim NDX2 streamer is getting screen burn. Decided to use it without the display on since start of this year. Discussed software freezing and continuous software updates with Naim tech recently and mentioned screen burn. They informed me that it is not an issue so decided to return it for repair “5 Live” is clearly visible all the time.
Hope they can sort out the software issues at the same time. Long story short this will be the second time it’s been back for repair. So thinking is there a better alternative? It doesn’t seem to be the most reliable bit of kit for the money. Any recommendations please (I listen to all kinds of music mainly on Tidal it’s not only used for 5 Live which would be a waste.
Thanks
Dean

 

[Gray]

Out of interest, when did you buy it Dean?
Was the first repair covered under guarantee?
What was the nature of that repair?
Do you know how much this next repair will cost?

If you buy new, must it have a display and would you prefer that to be a touchscreen version?

 

[MUSICRAFT]

It doesn’t seem to be the most reliable bit of kit for the money.

Sorry to hear of this. Fwiw, in the four years since they were released we've not had any issues with any ND5 XS2's, NDX 2's and ND555's.

 

[Deanmlee]

Out of interest, when did you buy it Dean?
Was the first repair covered under guarantee?
What was the nature of that repair?
Do you know how much this next repair will cost?

If you buy new, must it have a display and would you prefer that to be a touchscreen version?

I can’t remember now to be honest. The first repair was it was the wifi card which to be fair is what I thought it was since the option was greyed out but took 6 months of back and forth with tech team first.
No idea I suppose it depends what they find. The software randomly tries to do updates and hangs but is quite sporadic. The display def has screen burn I took a picture of it. Don’t know if anyone else has had this but I’ve been living with it not using the display and had enough now.

 

[Deanmlee]

Out of interest, when did you buy it Dean?
Was the first repair covered under guarantee?
What was the nature of that repair?
Do you know how much this next repair will cost?

If you buy new, must it have a display and would you prefer that to be a touchscreen version?

I can’t remember now to be honest. The first repair was it was the wifi card which to be fair is what I thought it was since the option was greyed out but took 6 months of back and forth with tech team first.
No idea I suppose it depends what they find. The software randomly tries to do updates and hangs but is quite sporadic. The display def has screen burn I took a picture of it. Don’t know if anyone else has had this but I’ve been living with it not using the display and had enough now

 

[Deanmlee]

Should have said don’t mind nearly new or new. Love the sound so needs to be on a par at least with the Naim NDX2 it’s only the unreliability of it that is frustrating.

 

[Gray]

...it’s only the unreliability of it that is frustrating.

I bet it is.
If the five and a half grand price I saw, is what you paid....I'd be more than frustrated.
No faults for (at least) a decade should be a minimum requirement for a product at half the cost of that one.

 

[nopiano]

Linn DS streamers have a five year warranty that’s transferable, so if you buy used like me, you get the remaining period. And unlike Naim, they don’t need regular services.

Other brands I’m less familiar with which seem popular, include Bluesound, Cambridge, Lumin and Auralic. Don’t really need a screen if controlling with an iPad or similar.

Reviews and links here:-

Best music streamers 2022: upgrade to a wireless system

Get your music where it needs to be heard - without the wires

www.whathifi.com

I have my screen set to display for ten seconds on each track change, then turn off. Do you have that option? There are similar reports to yours here. Just one example…

Naim Atom display ‘after image’

Hi, I picked up a new Atom yesterday after trialling one at home. I hadn’t noticed this on the trial unit, but there seems to be an after image on the screen, ie like a watermark of the previous thing that was playing. In the attached example you can see a washed out BBC Radio 6 logo behind the...

community.naimaudio.com

 

[davidf]

I’ll no longer be taking in any Naim streamers for part exchange. The last one I took in ended up with the screen completely failing, which is apparently a well known issue, something which Naim charge upwards of £350 to replace - a bit pointless when the streamer itself is only worth about £600 at today’s prices. Probably why following models had no screens…

 

[nopiano]

I’ll no longer be taking in any Naim streamers for part exchange. The last one I took in ended up with the screen completely failing, which is apparently a well known issue, something which Naim charge upwards of £350 to replace - a bit pointless when the streamer itself is only worth about £600 at today’s prices. Probably why following models had no screens…

…but how ridiculous that they can’t fit a screen that lasts a decent time!

 

[davidf]

…but how ridiculous that they can’t fit a screen that lasts a decent time!

Apparently even the ones they replace are prone to the same issue! Just not good enough for such expensive products. Brings OLED screens into question, I’m always wary of them now.

 

[Deanmlee]

Linn DS streamers have a five year warranty that’s transferable, so if you buy used like me, you get the remaining period. And unlike Naim, they don’t need regular services.

Other brands I’m less familiar with which seem popular, include Bluesound, Cambridge, Lumin and Auralic. Don’t really need a screen if controlling with an iPad or similar.

Reviews and links here:-

Best music streamers 2022: upgrade to a wireless system

Get your music where it needs to be heard - without the wires

www.whathifi.com

I have my screen set to display for ten seconds on each track change, then turn off. Do you have that option? There are similar reports to yours here. Just one example…

Naim Atom display ‘after image’

Hi, I picked up a new Atom yesterday after trialling one at home. I hadn’t noticed this on the trial unit, but there seems to be an after image on the screen, ie like a watermark of the previous thing that was playing. In the attached example you can see a washed out BBC Radio 6 logo behind the...

community.naimaudio.com

Linn DS streamers have a five year warranty that’s transferable, so if you buy used like me, you get the remaining period. And unlike Naim, they don’t need regular services.

Other brands I’m less familiar with which seem popular, include Bluesound, Cambridge, Lumin and Auralic. Don’t really need a screen if controlling with an iPad or similar.

Reviews and links here:-

Best music streamers 2022: upgrade to a wireless system

Get your music where it needs to be heard - without the wires

www.whathifi.com

I have my screen set to display for ten seconds on each track change, then turn off. Do you have that option? There are similar reports to yours here. Just one example…

Naim Atom display ‘after image’

Hi, I picked up a new Atom yesterday after trialling one at home. I hadn’t noticed this on the trial unit, but there seems to be an after image on the screen, ie like a watermark of the previous thing that was playing. In the attached example you can see a washed out BBC Radio 6 logo behind the...

community.naimaudio.com

Hi,
Thanks I will look into the Linn streamer.
I did have my display set to turn off after 10 seconds I think because the screen was getting really bad. Been using like this all year. Reported it to Naim and told they don’t have an issue so switched it back on and within a couple of days it was back. So arranged for it to go in for repair now. I have to say it isn’t like screen burn of old where it remains there even off, but it does leave the image behind while on so you get 2 images. I personally think having a display switched off is a bit of an odd choice when you have payed to have a display. I would only turn it off if listening late at night and don’t want a bright display.

 

[Deanmlee]

Apparently even the ones they replace are prone to the same issue! Just not good enough for such expensive products. Brings OLED screens into question, I’m always wary of them now.

That’s exactly the same as what’s happening with mine. It’s not screen burn as used to happen because it goes black when off. Naim told me it’s screen memory. Either way not acceptable to have a ghost image behind and it stays on so a power off and on won’t fix it mines been in display off after 10 seconds for 4 months and it came back after second use. Packed up and going back to Naim for repair and hopefully they can fix the software update it keeps trying to do as well.
Looking at the forums this is a known issue and Naim need to sort out their reliability otherwise people will soon switch to other brands.
Anyway thanks for your comments and feedback

 

[davidf]

That’s exactly the same as what’s happening with mine. It’s not screen burn as used to happen because it goes black when off. Naim told me it’s screen memory. Either way not acceptable to have a ghost image behind and it stays on so a power off and on won’t fix it mines been in display off after 10 seconds for 4 months and it came back after second use. Packed up and going back to Naim for repair and hopefully they can fix the software update it keeps trying to do as well.
Looking at the forums this is a known issue and Naim need to sort out their reliability otherwise people will soon switch to other brands.
Anyway thanks for your comments and feedback

It’s screen burn. If you have screen burn on a plasma TV, you won’t see it when you turn the TV off. Screen not engaged, you won’t see it - screen engaged, you will see it. It IS screen burn, Naim are just trying to avoid using that negative phrase.