Back on the Naim train!

So after 10ish years of a complete Sonos house, I dusted off my original 16/44 UnitiQute (with non-working screen of course…) and wow!! Even with cheap Q Acoustic bookshelves I was hooked again - I completely forgot how much fun music was…You hear Keith Richards’ opening riff on Sticky Fingers and the next thing you know, you’re in this forum trying to learn and looking to buy everything in sight!!

I made the decision to rebuild around a core Naim system. But have been out of touch with the latest and greatest; lurking here for a few weeks and wow is there a lot to process…

If I bin most of my old gear (turntable, speakers, DAC, etc) and build around a 100% Tidal hi-res streaming platform does it just make sense to start out with a 200/202 and and ND5XS2? Speaker-wise, I’m going with either KEF LS50s or Focal Arias (not sure which one currently.) I’ve seen all these threads about reducing box count and SN2/3 being good options. I’m not too fussed about boxes, just want to get back in the Naim game and start enjoying the music again.

The main questions is: where do I start?? The options seem to be endless!!

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Surely Qobuz hi-res would be better.
Just demo everything you choose and check-out final system in your home.

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Option 1 - get your Unitiqute serviced and carry on enjoying it.

Option 2 - get yourself to a proper dealer and listen to some stuff.

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Unfortunately you can’t run Tidal hi-res with your proposed system as Naim doesn’t do MQA. Qobuz better. You don’t say whether you want to be able to upgrade in the future or not but an ND5XS2 (or NDX2 if you have the money)/SN3/LS50 system would be lovely

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Choose your streaming service first. For me it was Qobuz or Amazon HD for hires content. I went with Amazon. With Naim streaming kit Qobuz is probably the better choice.

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Other way around…

First … visit a good dealer…

Second… look into getting your Unitiqute serviced…

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As far as I know the 202/200 aren’t currently made due to supply chain caused shortage of components, it’s not clear whether this is a permanent situation or not. (It wasn’t a clear announcement, they just weren’t on the price list and the reason was explained here, it’s possible they are already back, but no announcement to that effect that I’ve seen.)
The Supernait 3 has been excellent when I’ve heard it. Don’t discount the new Unitis, I use the Nova in my second system and really like it, you need to audition it, some people like me love it, others find it really not to their taste.

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I agree with those suggesting a demo I recently compared 202/napsc/200 to the sn3 both with a nd5xs2 before the demo I thought it would be a difficult decision between the cheaper second hand 202 system and the simplicity of the smaller box count with possibly the 202 edging it slightly on sq. That wasn’t what happened both the dealer and I thought the sn3 was miles ahead. I personally have the focal aria 906’s and enjoy them but you never know how speakers will sound in your room.

I’m currently one month into an estimated 3-6 month wait because of nd5xs2 manufacture wait times, i’m glad I heard them myself otherwise i’d spend the time second guessing myself. I’d suggest a dealer demo for advice and narrowing things down then request an in home demo of the top choices so your sure how everything will sound.

If you still want tidal hi res rather than qobuz maybe consider something like the innuos zenmini mk 3 again a good dealer will have the best ideas for alternatives.

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I reckon the 200/202 really sings with a HiCap and NAPSC. Add a ND5XS2 and you’re in the same price region as NDX2/SN3, which has the additional advantage of being currently produced. And it may well sound better, but you need to compare, so I agree with the sentiment: haste ye to a dealer.

Roger

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To the dealer I go!

Thanks all - good stuff. I’ve already found my local dealer and arranged for the UQ service (I’m on a waiting list due to parts availability…) Will need to look into Qobuz / Roon as I’ve not spent much time with either - but looking at most new Naim streamers, they seem to work with all these platforms - just different levels of fidelity. That doesn’t seem to be an issue.

But general availability is, as dmu just said - I’m looking at well serviced used gear to try and get my hands on something without having to wait 3-6 months.

The quest is on.

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Might be worth asking about the board upgrade on your UQ1 if you are committed to Tidal. The new board supports Tidal natively. The only downside seems to be a a mismatch between source inputs on the remote and the box, not the end of the world if you mostly use the app though.

Happy serviced UQ1 owner here. Check out how bright the display is after replacement too!

[edit, actually, maybe you cannot have the screen done without the board upgrade now, ISTR that being mentioned recently see this post - Unitiqute 2 bt with fading screen - #6 by PhilW

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Welcome back!

Agree with comments to find a good dealer and have a bit of fun listening to some stuff.

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that screen is indeed bright…and thanks for the link to the faded screen post

When I spoke to my dealer 2 weeks ago, I also was of the opinion that the factory does the screen replacement and board upgrade together - he told me that wasn’t the case. In fact the screen replacement is reasonable at something like EUR 160 - but the board was and addition EUR 350…Can’t justify that kind of spend for the board. I’ll just replace the screen and use it in another room.

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My wife is a realtor and wants whole house audio as she sees it in client homes all the time. I have a uniti atom with bowers 705s2 which i love but i heard dynaudio HS and nova and am intrigued on further upgrades possibly wilson tunetots with SN3 and one of the streamers. I bought her unitiqb and i put adell on for her and she gave me a wow. She never understood my obsession til then. I have a great dealer and ive got a month to make my decisions. The new uniti stuff is fantastic, however the classic and 500 series equipment and upgrade paths are ever more interesting.

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All is forgiven welcome back : )
Take your time demo AND HAVE FUN.

There is no right or wrong answer, we are all different, our ears, minds, rooms, pockets.
Why the rush to “bin” your old gear.

I read today KEF are releasing a new all in one streaming speaker(s), cool idea but £1900 i think.

The short-ish version is that I built a new system from the ground up in 2008. Big speakers, vinyl, lots of boxes…The arrival of children (particularly a toddler that would poke at aluminium tweeters) meant that I slowly dismantled larger infrastructure for things smaller and more easy to care for…so what I’m left with is a melange of stuff large and small that does not work together. Now I’m ready to start again with a clean sheet of paper which is quite exciting.

But really, I was chatting with an acquaintance a few weeks back about stereos, music, etc., and he said “you know, when I was 25 I though later in life I’d have this great amp, speakers, the stuff that I can’t afford at this age…but I’m still listening to the same gear…” And that got me thinking.

What am I waiting for?

So here I am.

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Agreed, listen to loads and loads… that’s what music is about ?

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Hi and welcome. The point about getting a good dealer is well made.

Where do you want to end up? Do you intend to join the upgrade path in which case starting with a ND5/202/200 is a very good starting point, but beware the 202 quickly becomes a 282 and so on! Alternatively, if you intend to remain amongst the more sensible and you just require a one-off system for enjoying music I’d audition a Uniti Nova vs NDX/SN.

Good luck!

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Hi and welcome back!
I have got all used or Naim reconditioned stock for my system, builtviver many years.
My approach was to look at budget - initial and potentially what I could spend over the next 2 years. That defined my options that I then took to a friendly dealer to discuss and do some demo’s (of his 2nd hand stock).
I originally had Olive kit (82+Hicaps+250). That enabled me to do the streamer option first, then onto the Classic range. My mate went down the SN2 route but ended up with 252/300 combo like me.
The good thing about buying 2nd hand Naim kit is that a miatake never costs you a lot because (generally) resale values are so good.

One word of caution- decide on your streaming provider first and then if you want to use Roon because Roon does not easily operate with some early Naim streamers (NDX, 272, etc). There are work arounds (LMS to uPnP plugin, MicroRendu, etc) but these can be complex or add cost.
Hope this help. Have fun!

And on the subject of going down the Roon route it means you can forget the streamer, spend more on a DAC with Raspberry pi. You keep the budget down and improve the quality