Idle wonderings: Naim Uniti Star or standalone amp and half-size CD Player?

[Entrigo]

You have a very good amplifier, and you would need to go some way to appreciably improve on the Elex-R. Why change it? The same applies with your CD player, and the options are thin these days. Rega discontinued the Apollo some time ago, which at half-width size leaves the Exposure XM, various Pro-jects, Leak transport and (announced but not yet released) the Mission transport.

I've tried the all-in-one approach, and I never settled with it. It may have been in part due to me finding the Audiolab Omnia to be disappointing and the hi-fi equivalent of a wet lettuce, but I'm also very wary of combining everything into one box. Your Elex is a beautifully made amp that should last a very long time and will be very repairable if something does fail. A seperate streamer can be replaced if it fails or is no longer sufficiently supported, without upsetting the rest of your system. Personally, I would counsel caution, but ultimately only your pockets, preferences and ears can decide.

Yeah no real need - hence the thread title. And as I might have mentioned, it'd be a while away - just wondering if a better amp would be needed to allow the turntable to properly stretch - whichever I'd go for, they would be at least twice the price of the Elex. And I guess as part of an organic whole system upgrade. But I really like the Elex so no rush... The space is a little more of a pressing need. Again, not life or death but since I do not really listen to CDs much, even despite the recent upgrade to the excellent SA8005, a half size CD player could have been an idea. But as you said, not much choice. The Apollo is tempting, but scarce to come by. There's also a few Cyrus ones but not a fan of the looks - apart from the CD40, but not spending £2k on a CD player... And I have read Cyrus can be a little forward/bright, so not quite my preferred sound signature.

 

[matthewpianist]

Yeah no real need - hence the thread title. And as I might have mentioned, it'd be a while away - just wondering if a better amp would be needed to allow the turntable to properly stretch - whichever I'd go for, they would be at least twice the price of the Elex. And I guess as part of an organic whole system upgrade. But I really like the Elex so no rush... The space is a little more of a pressing need. Again, not life or death but since I do not really listen to CDs much, even despite the recent upgrade to the excellent SA8005, a half size CD player could have been an idea. But as you said, not much choice. The Apollo is tempting, but scarce to come by. There's also a few Cyrus ones but not a fan of the looks - apart from the CD40, but not spending £2k on a CD player... And I have read Cyrus can be a little forward/bright, so not quite my preferred sound signature.

I reckon the Elex-R would be transparent enough to show an upgrade in external phono stage if you wanted to get the best out of the turntable set-up. The Rega Fono is very good, but not as resolving as you could get.

 

[Entrigo]

I reckon the Elex-R would be transparent enough to show an upgrade in external phono stage if you wanted to get the best out of the turntable set-up. The Rega Fono is very good, but not as resolving as you could get.

Ah yeah the Fono is just a temporary measure, while the Aria was out for repairs and now returned. I have bought a Vertere Phono 1 which I will hopefully get tomorrow. Really looking forward to it. And ideally I would love to pair it with a Vertere Turntable but I cannot stand the sight of the DG1 tonearm, and the MG1 is out of budget...

 

[plastic penguin]

Ah yeah the Fono is just a temporary measure, while the Aria was out for repairs and now returned. I have bought a Vertere Phono 1 which I will hopefully get tomorrow. Really looking forward to it. And ideally I would love to pair it with a Vertere Turntable but I cannot stand the sight of the DG1 tonearm, and the MG1 is out of budget...

If it was me I'd keep the Rega Elex-R. Built-in phono stage on Regas in general are very good. If you want to improve on the Elex then the Elicit is the obvious upgrade. Or dare I say it? Leema Pulse IV, which has a decent built-in Dac and, like Rega, produce very good in-built phono stages.

 

[Entrigo]

If it was me I'd keep the Rega Elex-R. Built-in phono stage on Regas in general are very good. If you want to improve on the Elex then the Elicit is the obvious upgrade. Or dare I say it? Leema Pulse IV, which has a decent built-in Dac and, like Rega, produce very good in-built phono stages.

Well I have moved back to the built in phono after selling a Simaudio Moon 110LP - and briefly after sending off its replacement Aria to Rega -and it's OK but a bit of a step down. Music loses a bit of sparkle, soundstage is smaller... Maybe something has to do with a capacitance mismatch. The Elex built in is quoted at 220pF, I was running an AT-VM540ML which should be under 200pF. With cabling it was probably 300 or above. The Fono MC on the other hand isn't that bad... Anyway I have a Vertere Phono 1 coming tomorrow so built in phono is the last of my worries. As DAC I am probably on the medium level tho. I use the one in my Wiim Pro Plus, in the Marantz SA8005 and if needed a Topping E30. I guess all capable (I think the Topping and Wiim use the same chip) but could be improved. But somehow DAC is not something I am excited about upgrading haha

 

[Entrigo]

If it was me I'd keep the Rega Elex-R. Built-in phono stage on Regas in general are very good. If you want to improve on the Elex then the Elicit is the obvious upgrade. Or dare I say it? Leema Pulse IV, which has a decent built-in Dac and, like Rega, produce very good in-built phono stages.

Just unpacked, plugged in and played the Phono1 for 10 minutes and - unsurprisingly, it blows all the other phono stages away, including the Aria (though who knows if it did not have that hum...)

And although it was initially listed as MK1, confirmed as MKii after I queried it - as it said MKii on the back of the unit, it is actually the MKiiL, which I got at an absolute steal - £550! Super chuffed.

Now I have a £1450 phono stage, a £550 cartridge and a £900 turntable 😆. Well, a few more months and hopefully a good ex-demo or second hand 1300G will crop up.

 

[Entrigo]

If it was me I'd keep the Rega Elex-R. Built-in phono stage on Regas in general are very good. If you want to improve on the Elex then the Elicit is the obvious upgrade. Or dare I say it? Leema Pulse IV, which has a decent built-in Dac and, like Rega, produce very good in-built phono stages.

Leema Pulse IV got pretty slated by WHF in the 2019 review. Not that I take WHF as the ultimate truth, but I recall seeing very very few such low ratings...

 

[plastic penguin]

Leema Pulse IV got pretty slated by WHF in the 2019 review. Not that I take WHF as the ultimate truth, but I recall seeing very very few such low ratings...

Go and listen to one & decide for yourself.

 

[Entrigo]

Go and listen to one & decide for yourself.

Tbh I think I am fine with the Elex after all haha. It was more a thing of convenience, looking to combine amp and CD player...