am i mad? naim unitiqute with 2 x B&W M1s and Rel T5 sub in a 2.1 setup

[admin_exported]

Currently due to very limited floor space, i have looked at a naim unitiqute driving a 2.1 channel system made up of 2 x B&W M1s and a Rel T5 sub. i listened to the same speakers being driving by the qute first and then a cyrus 6xp amp with cd6se as wellas using the Qute to stream and play a variety of different files: 320kps spotify streams, apple lossless and normal itunes files ripped between 128 kps to 320kps (VBR).

the SQ is very good using both systems over the range of realistic volume levels after a bit of tweaking to set the sub up. There was no ovbious difference to me re SQ playing the sort of music i normally listen. i must have listened to flo and the machine 20 times (Dog days are over) as a spotify stream, applelossless and i had the cd with me and apartt from the cd (used in the Cyrus 6 setup) which did sound better they were great. my reason for the Qute in the end was around the fact that it is an amp, a DAC, a radio, a wireless streamer and has pre-amp when i move house to use with a power amp and new speakers. The CYrus was great and the control of any music i played (i was there for nearly 2 hrs) was super but i started going along the lines of thinking i wasnt comparing like for like and that the Qute is very good value for money - i would have to add a streamer (logitech squeezebox touch?), DAC (could upgrade the amp to 6XPD) and FM tuner.

I have found it hard to find any comments on the qute without them using N-sats and/or N-sub - do people think that the B&W M1s are not worth the hassle and i should wait until i move (3/6/9 months time gawd knows in the current climate)? in the longer term, i would move the 2.1 channel system to the TV room and may then build it up to 5.1...

 

[John Duncan]

I'd be looking to use fuller-range speakers with the Qute, sub or no sub, but you're right - it does sound great: not much different to its big brother with the music and at the levels I listen to IMO...

 

[Big Chris]

If floor space is tight, can you not wall mount a pair of conventional hifi speakers?

I'm not knocking the M1s (I have seven of them myself), but I think for stereo you'll want something larger and more capable.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Jim_ie:I have found it hard to find any comments on the qute without them using N-sats and/or N-sub

To be fair, in neither our review of the UnitiQute nor the one I wrote for Gramophone did we use n-Sats/n-Sub, but I agree with the posters above that some better speakers will bring out more of the UQ's capability.

 

[Anonymous]

thanks for the replies. i was just looking for real world comments around the use and setup of the qute. i appreciate that you reviewed it usiing a variety of speakers but i was looking for reviews of the qute using a sub sat system due to the space constraints. i wanted to audition it with nSats but dealer didnt stock them so was just looking at alternatives and we decided that we could try the proposed setup. i always knew that i was making a compromise to the system but one that still delivered a level of expectation around the sound. It delivers an interim solution that will have use elsewhere when the time comes to upgrade the speakers and move the sub sat into the tv room.

thanks for the comments - i have gone and ordered the proposed system and look forward to tweaking it to crossover between the sub and sat! see you back in 6 months? when i go for a pair of new speakers!

ta