Naim System

[MattL2009]

I am about to upgrade my CD from an old Denon to a new system. I have a decent budget - approx 3000GBP. I like the idea of a Naim/Neat combo. I've got a few questions:

(a) Given the fact my Denon is CD/DAB I quite like the idea of the Naimuniti, but would a Naim 5i/Nait5i give a must better sound quality?

(b) I have a relatively small room: would the Neat 2s or the Neat 3s on stands be a better option?

(c) This may sound really silly, but what should I be listening out for in a demo?

Any other thoughts or comments would be gratefully appreciated. Thanks.

 

[matthewpiano]

a) Go for the Uniti. It is every bit as good as the 5i components.

b) Standmounts will give you a better balanced sound in a smallish room. The Neats will be an excellent match.

c) Simply play your selected tracks and see if you enjoy them. Do you feel involved with the music? Do you get that feeling that you just want to keep listening?

 

[Dan Turner]

MattL2009:
(c) This may sound really silly, but what should I be listening out for in a demo?

You'll know it when you hear it. If you're left still wondering that after the demo, then that kit isn't for you.

Thoroughly recommend Naim gear, my Supernait was a revelation.

 

[Anonymous]

I beleive that the CD5i and Nait5i are superior to the Uniti. Although the uniti is great, it doesnt quite match up to the seperates.

 

[DIB]

I went into the shop initially to demo a new amp/cd combo and had cyrus and naim on my list amongst others. After listening to the Naim 5i combination, and enjoying it a lot, the assistant asked whether I wanted to listen to the NaimUniti out of interest. He got one set up and 1 hour later I'd signed up and paid my deposit! I could tell no discernable differences in sound quality between the Uniti and the 5i's. What the Uniti had for me was the "Wow" factor. It sounds great, looks good, and has every function I needed. The internet radio is brilliant, especially when hard wired as opposed to the WiFi option.

I had taken my own speakers with me to demo so had no concerns about the sounds once I'd got it home. My listening room is only relatively small (15' x 13') and have always gone with standmounters. Since buying my Uniti I've upgraded my speakers to EB Acoustics EB1's and can only say that they work very well together. I'm just loving my music at the moment.

.

 

[matthewpiano]

DIB - that is what it is all about.

The Uniti is a great 'music machine'. It opens up the possibilities with incredible sound quality and doesn't dominate a room in the process.

There are a couple of systems around that price point that I would like but I think the Uniti would be very hard to walk away from.

 

[chebby]

If I woke up tomorrow and found my system had turned into a naimuniti I wouldn't send it back.

 

[Frank Harvey]

The CD5i/Nait 5i vs Uniti debate does tend to split opinion, but I think it depends on the speakers being used. More revealing speakers show more of what the 5 combo is capable of, but many tend to go for the ease of use and added DAB/internet radio option of the Uniti.

 

[plastic penguin]

MattL2009:

I am about to upgrade my CD from an old Denon to a new system. I have a decent budget - approx 3000GBP. I like the idea of a Naim/Neat combo. I've got a few questions:

(a) Given the fact my Denon is CD/DAB I quite like the idea of the Naimuniti, but would a Naim 5i/Nait5i give a must better sound quality?

(b) I have a relatively small room: would the Neat 2s or the Neat 3s on stands be a better option?

(c) This may sound really silly, but what should I be listening out for in a demo?

Any other thoughts or comments would be gratefully appreciated. Thanks.

PMC DB1s work very well with Naim but they need to be a good 12" from the back wall.

When it comes auditioning, compare whatever Naim set-up with another price-compatible system, and just use your ears and "gut feeling". Those two combined should decide for you....

 

[chebby]

plastic penguin:PMC DB1s work very well with Naim but they need to be a good 12" from the back wall.

Whenever I have heard them (one of those occasions with a naimuniti) they worked best about three or four inches from a wall (also about the same distance the dedicated PMC wall brackets keep them from the wall) and quite close together (about 6 feet) and well away from corners.

They are decidedly 'small room' speakers and decidedly not neutral. Great sound that does not scale well into larger rooms and with a bass that can go from impressive (for their size) to disastrously boomy to "so what?" by moving them two inches the wrong way.

I would only use them if you have a bit of patience and the right sized room. Too fussy for me. I prefer speakers to work where I need them to work. Frankly I would rather save almost £600 and use the admirable £399 Rega RS1s if bookshelf speakers were essential.

(In fact the £698 Rega RS3 compact floor standers could have been tailor made for the naimuniti and work wherever you want within reason.)

 

[plastic penguin]

How would you describe the Regas presentation?

 

[MattL2009]

Listened to the Naimuniti today and then Naim 5i and Nait 5i then Naim 5i with Nait XS. Liked the Uniti was a definite improvement on my minisystem; the 5i combi represented a small improvement, but I was most impressed with the Naim5i and XS, which works out a bit more expensive than the Uniti. I'm inclined to go for broke with the 5i and XS with the Neat 2s. Any thoughts?

 

[Anonymous]

Go for broke because you'll only regret not doing so later on.

 

[Anonymous]

I would hold off until you have heard lots of other hi fi amps, dacs and speakers.

I am not saying there is a reason why you shouldn't get them but a) you seem undecided b) your choice can only be a measured one if you have something to compare against. Using a mini system as the comparison isn't the strongest because you would expect seperates to eclipse the mini system.

 

[chebby]

Save up a little longer and get the naimuniti with a NAP155 XS power amp (£1055) then you have best of all worlds.

CDP + DAC + FM/DAB/internet tuner + wireless and a power amp that is at least as good (if not a little better) than that in the Nait XS integrated. All in two boxes.

 

[CraigDS]

Hello have you considered the Linn DS-i? it is basicly a £5k Linn Majik system for £2.5K and it can play higher quality downloads than the Uniti. I am sure you can get at least a couple of hundred pounds off the rrp price. The Uniti does have a CD player but once you downlod your CD's I doubt you will use the CD player again. Also in the future you can make the DS-i active and the difference between a passive system and acive system is HUGE!

 

[mitch65]

CraigDS:
Hello have you considered the Linn DS-i? it is basicly a £5k Linn Majik system for £2.5K and it can play higher quality downloads than the Uniti. I am sure you can get at least a couple of hundred pounds off the rrp price. The Uniti does have a CD player but once you downlod your CD's I doubt you will use the CD player again. Also in the future you can make the DS-i active and the difference between a passive system and acive system is HUGE!

I think to be fair, the naimuniti can play 24/96 downloads against Linns 24/192 but naims dac's are capable of higher bit rates so it's only a matter of time before another firmware upgrade becomes available. Main problem at the moment is a lack of titles but this will be a niche audiophile market I imagine. Also the uniti is a true all-in-one machine which the Linn isn't. i agree to a certain extent with the CD player part but this has to come down to pure laziness.................we were sold on CD back in the 80's with its ease of use and now we've got something even easier

we forgot what actually sounded better!