Review here:gel said:
https://www.whathifi.com/naim/uniti-nova/review
Is the Naim Atom a better option?
gel said:
I briefly heard one and wrote about it here:
https://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/hi-fi-its-strange-old-game
Cheers Cno, what’s this Linn one you talk about? Is that speakers I guess? Cheers. Just looked it up, a lot more wallet friendly.CnoEvil said:
It's about presentation - I just don't get on with Naim's sound signature. The 2 brands should be tested side by side, at the equivelent price point, before any decision should be made.
davidf
Well-known member
Good unit, but the Convert Technologies (another British brand) Plato includes 2TB of storage for similar money. Power might be slightly less at 50wpc, but it’ll have better grip than the Naim (Naim’s Nait is a bit soft in this department, which is why a lot of people like it) and has been demonstrated at shows in the past with B&W’s 805 speakers. It’ll also stream TIDAL, Qobuz, and Spotify, as well as internet radio. It has USB ins and outs for back ups and data transfer, as well as digital and analogue inputs. A HDMI output will mirror the front panel display on your TV or send HD video from 5e likes of TIDAL. It also has a turntable input, switchable in the menu between MM and MC, with variable parameters for each input to suit different cartridges. The only thing it doesn’t have is a CD drive, but a USB DVD drive is supplied to transfer your CD collection to it’s hard drive, allowing you to store in MP3, FLAC, or WAV formats. You can also rip your vinyl to it’s hard drive just as easily as your CDs, as it uses the same websites to gain metadata and album artwork. Very simple metadata editing too, via the front panel display or the remote (supplied Kindle Fire). No Bluetooth, but you can pick up cheap dongles to plug into the front USB.gel said:
Plus you get to choose between a conventional Class B amp like the Naim or Class A amp (which doesn’t run hot, hardly even warm due to clever design). The amplification can be turned completely off if your system changes and you add something like active speakers.
And there’s reduced pricing at the moment too, with £800 off each of the two models, so the Class A model is £3495.
insider9
Well-known member
Well I'm most intrigued by Linn presentation. Read on a number of threads now I believe I would like it. Having used and ultimately moved on Naim I can sort of relate. Enjoyed overall musicality and many things but there were times I wished it had less bite. There were days I could listen for hours but then there were days I knew of would make me uneasy. Amp speaker synergy with Naim gear is absolutely vital.CnoEvil said:
I wonder how my Densen would compare to Linn gear in terms of presentation.
steve_1979
Well-known member
gel said:
Good. Really good! I think that Naims new range of Uniti 'all-in-ones' look very stylish. To my eyes they are the best looking hifi boxes ever made.
I've never actually heard them but it'd be interesting to know what the Nova sounds like with Spendors A4 speakers.
steve_1979 said:
Definitely sounds like a favourable pairing with spendor being quite detailed (although haven’t heard a4) but I definetly would not put this with such speakers as pmc twenty range etc, unless you really are a ‘smooth junkie’
I agree with cnoevil to an extent. I don’t like the naim sound up to a point. On sub £5k naim stuff (and maybe higher) it tends to sound too rich, too tonally bass smooth, and dynamically not up to much cop comparative to other brands. However some really top naim stuff in the £15k bracket which I’ve heard with pmc 25-24s was awesome with loads of detail and dynamics and better than my cyrus gear. So as often the case you can’t carte Blanche apply a sound signature to a whole range.
But when I borrowed my current speakers from audio t i first listened to them in the shop on £5k of naim pre and power stuff and the sound was lacking clarity, dynamics and just a rather ‘blah’ flattish sound with hardly any treble. Not bright treble but just some to give cymbals etc a bit of a kick. I got the speakers back home and the opposite story on my gear. Very nice.
So this is my problem with these all in one units with the above in mind. If it’s all out sq you are mainly after they are always too much of a compromise. I’d much rather max out on an intergrated or pre and power amps for around £4K for the price of this nova, and then add some economical sources, for an all out better sq and similar functionality. Also there is something i think in buying ‘cooking’ amps from the likes of naim where they are clearly putting all tech into their top stuff, and anything else just feeds down, so it’s often not as good. Possibly far better to look for amp brands whose best amp is in ranges at £4K or this price nearer to top prices. also I’m sure a lot of that price for the nova is just paying for the naim name. Look at what they charge for their nac a5 speaker cable for what it is, and all other accessories!
But when I borrowed my current speakers from audio t i first listened to them in the shop on £5k of naim pre and power stuff and the sound was lacking clarity, dynamics and just a rather ‘blah’ flattish sound with hardly any treble. Not bright treble but just some to give cymbals etc a bit of a kick. I got the speakers back home and the opposite story on my gear. Very nice.
So this is my problem with these all in one units with the above in mind. If it’s all out sq you are mainly after they are always too much of a compromise. I’d much rather max out on an intergrated or pre and power amps for around £4K for the price of this nova, and then add some economical sources, for an all out better sq and similar functionality. Also there is something i think in buying ‘cooking’ amps from the likes of naim where they are clearly putting all tech into their top stuff, and anything else just feeds down, so it’s often not as good. Possibly far better to look for amp brands whose best amp is in ranges at £4K or this price nearer to top prices. also I’m sure a lot of that price for the nova is just paying for the naim name. Look at what they charge for their nac a5 speaker cable for what it is, and all other accessories!
Gazzip
Well-known member
CnoEvil said:
Save for those that try their hardest to stamp no character on the sound at all. Such as Benchmark, the Evian of the hifi world.
insider9 said:
The funny thing is, I had a Naim 42/110/Snaps, back in the 80s and loved what it did combined with a Linn Sondek. They seemed to make up for each other's weaknesses.
For me, the magic (sorry, bad pun) of Linn is in the DS. I can take or leave their amps and speakers. They only start getting good when you go active..but at the money that costs, you can get better vfm (imo). As an all in one, I like the Majik DSM matched with Kef R Series.
I have heard Denson before (a while ago now) and have recommended it on here in the past. I'm not sure an amp to change to a Linn, would bring you much further forward...but you would need to try this for yourself.
DocG
Well-known member
gel said:
Never heard nor seen one in the flesh, but it all looks very neat. I for one would add a Dirac engine, and drop the amplification. That’s not all-in-one anymore, I know... but it would still save me a lot of boxes in the hifi cabinet.
insider9
Well-known member
No it's purely out of interest. I'm sorted for amplification and speakers 
However I'm looking for the best way to improve my digital source and Linn may be something I'd consider. I wish they finally got Roon Ready certification as this would possibly seal the deal.
However I'm looking for the best way to improve my digital source and Linn may be something I'd consider. I wish they finally got Roon Ready certification as this would possibly seal the deal.
nopiano
Well-known member
I think the place for a better take on this is the Naim Forum. There seem to be a few problems, such as the album artwork freezing.
That’s the general problem with anything that streams imo, too much like a wretched PC!
That’s the general problem with anything that streams imo, too much like a wretched PC!
hybridauth_Facebook_100004211376004
Well-known member
I doubt you'll get a neutral view of the nova on the naim forum....it's very biased towards naim funnily enough....but I want one....I do think it a bit overpriced though.It probably should have come in at the same price as the superuniti it replaces,but if it's even better than the superuniti.Then for the average hi-fi enthusiast...there really isn't a need for multiple boxes any more with the growing number of quality one box units from the like of sim audio,linn,naim and avm .....I very much doubt I'll ever own multiple boxes again when I can have one very good sounding unit sitting below my TV along with my ps4 and tivo box....very neat and tidy.lol.....I did have around 7 boxes at one point including a turntable and I don't miss them one bit.
Oh and I've now ditched the cd player as it hasn't spun a disk from June....everything via the nas drive or spotify connect.
Oh and I've now ditched the cd player as it hasn't spun a disk from June....everything via the nas drive or spotify connect.
jjbomber
Well-known member
Mark Rose-Smith said:
Exactly. If only Naim would bring back the n-Vi in 4K form with built in streamer. Oh, and with a screen that lasts!
nopiano
Well-known member
I wasn’t suggesting it was neutral, Mark, and I don’t think the OP was looking for that either. After all, only a fan would have listened in depth or bought one.Mark Rose-Smith said:
I heard a pre-production one on unfamiliar Dynaudio speakers, and it was perfectly decent, and had some of the trademark bounciness! At £1,000 less it would do very well. It may do well in any case, but I think it’s costly alongside other devices that offer more, such as the Musical Fidelity Encore.
Attractive as onebox systems are, I think the shelf life of a decent amp is at least double that of the streaming/Wireless bits, so I’d rather keep them separate. But each to their own. My old favourite was the Unitilite, RIP.
hybridauth_Facebook_100004211376004
Well-known member
Hi no piano...I wasn't being critical of the naim forum btw...I do frequent it my self....but it borders on obsessive for me....Which I can do without.But yes the nova is priced a bit steeply as I said.I can understand that one box solutions aren't for everyone but I do get bad upgraditis sometimes....I call it the wants.lol.and the superuniti is my cure..if you can understand that.....All I can really do to it is add a power amp which is beyond me budget.lol.
I agree with nopiano on shelflife point and I don’t think you need 7 boxes, but 3-4 would perform better and it’s just a case of tucking them away in cabinets. I do think that when you start getting into the musical Fidelity premium all in one boxes, like such avm boxes too, the disadvantages of all in one box systems at the lower end, are mainly compensated for, although I’d still much rather spend £10k on seperates than the avm 8.2 amp/streamer for example. I think that’s why these all in one premium boxes get demoed by the likes of pmc, kef etc, as they are up their on performance, but I don’t think the same thing can be said at the relative lower end.
At the indulgence show a naim/focal guy was trying to say the nova was all you needed with £10k ish focal speakers, and it just sounded terrible. Relatively flat and poor dynamically. I’m sure it would have sounded a hell of a lot better used with speakers in the £1500-3k class though.
At the indulgence show a naim/focal guy was trying to say the nova was all you needed with £10k ish focal speakers, and it just sounded terrible. Relatively flat and poor dynamically. I’m sure it would have sounded a hell of a lot better used with speakers in the £1500-3k class though.
hybridauth_Facebook_100004211376004
Well-known member
Yeah..real people wouldn't really partner 10k speakers with a 3-5k all in one unit....my max would probably be around 3.5 k...if I was allowed to spend that much.lol.
Definitely do it the other way around though. Like putting skirts, wings, and different suspension on your Ford Fiesta, not that I’m a boy racer. Lol. Maybe not a good analogy.......but I think you can see where I’m going.......
davidf
Well-known member
And this is what happens when manufacturers try and appeal to everyone. The majority may well want one box streaming systems, but don't try and validate budget boxes with crazy expensive speakers they have no hope of controlling and making a good sound with, despite this approach being a common one on forums. It's one thing for this industry to destroy itself from the inside by the dealers it chooses, but to then give it a helping shove by showing people that a system worth five figures isn't worth anywhere near that, and give the impression to potential new customers that "high end" sounds naff, is quite another.QuestForThe13thNote said:
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