Naim streamer and chromecast flexibility

Hi,

I’m considering buying a new Naim streamer (NDX2 or ND5XS2) and Roon. I’ve read plenty of the getting started guide and browsed this forum, and learnt a huge amount, but I’m not clear on something.

The scenario is that we have a chromecast audio device in the kitchen and a Naim streamer (or will do if we buy one) in the main room, and we want to use them flexibly:
Zone 1 - multiroom using the chromecast audio and the chromecast input on the streamer.
Zone 2 - highest quality listening in the main zoom over ethernet, ie not using the chromecast
Zone 3 - kitchen only, ie just the chromecast audio.

Is this setup possible and if so am I thinking about it in the right way ?

Cheers for any advice anyone can offer

  1. Yes, though you have to group them first using Google home.
  2. Yes
  3. If you didn’t want to use the Naim for a different source at the same time then the easiest way of doing this is to still play as in 1. but mute the Naim.

You could if you wanted to group all zones by adding the Chromecast input on the Atom as another zone.as well as the Roon Ready one. You then have options to sync play to all via ChromeCast, critical listening in your main room via RAAT and have the others still grouped via ChromeCast or have them all as individuals. I have found the ChromeCast input sounds very good using Roon.

I have two Naim streamers, a new one that supports Roon, and an old one that doesn’t. I do exactly what you are suggesting, using Roon natively into the new streamer, or for multiroom, using Chromecast.
I have a Chromecast Audio into the old streamer for this purpose. As Ged says, you need to set up Chromecast multiroom in the Google home app, but this is pretty simple.
So yes, your proposed setup should work just fine.

Hi, great. So I can have see both outputs from the Naim, and deal with them separately. Sorted. Cheers

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Yes in the Roon app goto settings audio. You will see the Naim device show up in Roon Ready, ChromeCast and Airplay sections. You can enable one, two or all.of them. Just choose the zone in the app using the speaker icon and switch zone. Then in Chromecast app you create a speaker group and add the Chromecast devices including atom together. This will show up as grouped device in the ChromeCast section in audio/settings add this for group synced playback. You cant group ChromeCasts in Roon itself.

I currently have an ND5SX with a chrome cast audio feeding into it to allow multiroom with the one in the kitchen, and that works surprisingly well. Really looking forward to giving Roon a go. Cheers