Daniel J SaitNaim Audio has added extra functionality to its Control4 Media driver, giving CI professionals even more ways to integrate Naim’s range of music-streaming speakers and systems.
The new features sit alongside Zone driver functionality, which allows installers to seamlessly control connected Naim products from Control4’s wide range of touchscreens, remote controls and apps, so high-performance music streaming can be more easily integrated into discrete custom installations.
The driver also supports volume control and source switching through the Control4 interface, allowing installers to customise the user experience any way they like.
The extended features list includes enhanced browsing experience, allowing access to both a user’s personal music collection and recommended content on Tidal and Qobuz, a new
Favourites menu, allowing for quick selection of a wide variety of a user’s used content – including internet radio stations and TIDAL/Qobuz playlists, a search feature to quickly find music on streaming service, plus users can browse and playback their high-quality personal music collection from a Naim Uniti Core hard-disk music server or UPnP server. Full switching control of digital and analogue inputs, including HDMI-ARC is also included and the driver has streaming service credentials built in.
The Control4 driver works with all Naim products based on the manufacturer’s music streaming platform: the Mu-so and Mu-so Qb 2nd Generation wireless speakers; Uniti Atom, Uniti Star and Uniti Nova streaming systems and ND5 XS 2, NDX 2 and ND555 dedicated music streaming players.
Further Naim products – including the Uniti Core music server – can also be integrated, offering the ability to rip and store music collections for playback through home installations.
The Naim Control4 driver offers two control methods for a Naim streaming product. One is as a Media Driver, allowing browsing and playback of music services. The other is a traditional Zone Driver – enabling source switching, volume control and other functions. An installer is able to use either or both in a project, allowing them to integrate the Naim product in the most suitable way for each installation.
The driver connects the Naim product to a Control4 processor over a network connection, so does not require any special cabling. Both wired or wireless connection can be used, but Naim would advise a wired connection for optimum performance.
AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in and Spotify Connect features continue to operate as normal, and the Naim App and individual product remote controls can also be used.
The updated Naim Control4 driver is available now from the manufacturer’s development partner, Intrinsic.
Updated Naim Control4 Driver Functionality overview:
Zone Driver:
⦁ Zone Power Control
⦁ Zone Volume Control (inc Mute)
⦁ Source Selection
Media Driver:
⦁ Internet Radio Browser
⦁ Qobuz and TIDAL streaming content browsing
Qobuz and TIDAL user favourites browsing
⦁ Rich ‘now playing’ screen for all streaming sources
UPnP server content browser:
⦁ Streaming media browser uses language setting of Naim streamer
⦁ Faster media-browsing experience