Best speakers for Naim Uniti?

[HDNumpty]

I may have the opportunity of a Uniti at a very reasonable price and would replace my CA components below with it. Will my B&W CM1s do the Uniti justice or will I also need to upgrade the speakers? I have read on this forum that Uniti owners like PMC, Neat, ProAc standmounts. Thanks

 

[Frank Harvey]

I would see how you get on with them first, as you might be quite happy with the results. Only change if you feel the system is lacking in any way 🙂

 

[John Duncan]

On a similar note, do you think the Uniti will be better than what you've got, or just smaller and cooler?

 

[HDNumpty]

Well it would certainly save on all the unit and cable faffage - potentially I could replace 3 units with one. I am working on the basis that my CD player is more mid-range than the Uniti, My amp is closer but isn't the best in its class.

And I've always wanted Naim stuff after hearing them at shows (usually with Neat speakers) 😉

In answer to my question JD - you tell me?

 

[plastic penguin]

Well it would certainly save on all the unit and cable faffage - potentially I could replace 3 units with one. I am working on the basis that my CD player is more mid-range than the Uniti, My amp is closer but isn't the best in its class. And I've always wanted Naim stuff after hearing them at shows (usually with Neat speakers) 😉 In answer to my question JD - you tell me?

Having heard extensively the Nait 5i amp (The Uniti has the 5i amp) and the Cambridge 840, I would suggest the two will give you a tantalising contrast. Both are around the similar price point. I agree with John - the Uniti looks a little niftier, and more compact than the Cambridge, but I suppose it'll boil down, in the end, to convenience or separates.

 

[HDNumpty]

a tantalising contrast

Interesting - expand?

 

[plastic penguin]

a tantalising contrast

Interesting - expand?

Exactly that - both are attacking, but...and a big BUT... they are tonally different. The Cambridge, to my ears, is very good in terms of power and overall quite pleasing. My one gripe about all Cambridges is they can err on the brittle side of comfortable, although the 840 counteracts that with a big, bold sound.

The Naim, on the other hand, isn't brittle but lacks a little outright detail compared with Cambridge...

I could go on with 'chapter and verse' about these two, but you'll probably end up being foxed. If you can, *** in to a Naim dealer, with your speakers, and give it a whirl.

 

[John Duncan]

Well it would certainly save on all the unit and cable faffage - potentially I could replace 3 units with one. I am working on the basis that my CD player is more mid-range than the Uniti, My amp is closer but isn't the best in its class. And I've always wanted Naim stuff after hearing them at shows (usually with Neat speakers) 😉 In answer to my question JD - you tell me?

My point being this: the 840a v2 is 500 quid in Richers Sounds, so at a guess you'd get £300 tops for it on eBay (though somebody got £450 for a v1 recently, no idea how). The 740c is going for under £250. At a guess, a 'good deal' on a Uniti is going to be £1.5k or so? Which means a cost to exchange of a grand or thereabouts.

Now the Uniti is a wonderful thing, much better built than the Cambridges and has a fantastic sound, but I wouldn't say that its constituent parts are 'better' than those in your system. Different, absolutely, and it's all in one box and has that marvellous swing out drawer and a nice display and has functionality that you don't have and a great iPad app to go with it. However, if you added a Stream Magic 6 when it comes out, or an NP30 now, or even a modest Squeezebox Touch, you'd have all the functionality of the Uniti for somewhat less than that Cost To Exchange. It's just that your system would be huge and fugly and wiry where the Uniti is not*.

(*IMO, YMMV, etc)

 

[HDNumpty]

Thanks guys that's interesting, because detail I DO like! I'm surprised that it's not much better sounding though, very surprised. I changed an Arcam CD92 for the 740c and found it lost a little in musicality and richness but gained in detail and massive functionality...all swings and roundabouts I guess

 

[HDNumpty]

Incidentally I paid £500 for my 840a v1 & £300 for my 740c, both new...this suggests they are holding their value well

 

[John Duncan]

I'm surprised that it's not much better sounding though, very surprised.

I can't say that as I haven't heard both side by side. I'm just saying that you should be careful about making assumptions about their relative merits without doing so. Easiest thing to do of course is to take them both to a Naim dealer (or borrow the 'good deal' example); if you prefer the Uniti (to the tune of a grand, mind) then there's your answer.