Is the Uniti 2 substantially better than the Nova? From what I can see they are basically the same thing but one has an analogue heart whereas the other has a digital one. And the Uniti 2 has the extra CD player functionality. Have I got it right?
Yes, exactly: the analog inputs are digitized by the Nova (ADC), processed and routed internally in digital mode, then converted back to analog (DAC) before the power amplification stage that gets sent out to your loudspeakers.
That is a question with a much larger context, of course! As every amp is different, you are really just asking a question equivalent to “would I prefer something else, rather than my Nova?”. As for me, I am really enjoying my Nova, with both streaming and the TT as sources. Sounds like you do too… so it’s more than just okay to stay where you are and enjoy this nice all-in-one! Some folks ask if they’re missing something by not having a Class A amplifier, or a tube amplifier, or an R2R-style DAC… the answer is always yes: yes you are missing whatever those things bring to the party, but you are benefiting from the particular way the box you purchased handles things - so you aren’t really “missing out” on anything, you are living with the (great) choice you made (and missing all the things you could have chosen instead, but didn’t). Pay no attention to the ADC/DAC inner workings of the Nova: if you like how it sounds, then it’s good! I like to think this way because it is more about being positive with what I do have, rather than negative about what I don’t. It’s an effective Jedi mind trick…
Using your existing CD as a transport only is a great plan, and you will definitely get the benefit of the nice DAC in the Nova. Use whichever output - TOSLink optical or Coax electric - that’s available on your Marantz, doesn’t matter.
Yes: all the digital inputs (as well as the digitized analog inputs) go through the same DAC in the Nova. TOSLink, Coax, USB, UPnP streams, internet radio, Airplay, Chromecast, Roon… there’s only one DAC in there and they all go through it.
Best wishes, keep having fun!
Regards alan
The Nova is the replacement model for the Superuniti, which was a step up from the Uniti 2, so on paper it should be quite a big improvement.
On paper perhaps but I listened to a Superuniti the day I bought a Uniti 1 and preferred the later. The Nova is three perhaps four years ahead of the Uniti 2 but I’d have to listen too both to decide which I preferred.
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Perfect, that puts my mind firmly at rest. For a moment I was heading towards the dark side but thankfully I’m back on track now. I am very happy with the Nova (although now and again it does drive me mad with the software glitches 
). Nevertheless, it does have a lot of positives (excellent value for money, one box does it all flexibility, gorgeous design, powerful and well built and able to drive quite a lot of challenging speakers). So I do intend to stick with it and enjoy it for many more years to come.
In regards to the CD player I will use what I have for now and you never know, I might get a Core and then get rid of the cd player alltogether.
I think I paid less than £800 for that Uniti 1 it had the upgraded board so it could stream Tidal, FM, DAB and iRadio it could play 24/192 files and of course had an excellent CDP.
I wouldn’t hesitate to buy one again a Naim classic along with the UQ2.
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Indeed, just because a product sits higher up in the Naim range doesn’t mean that it’s going to sound better to all people or in all systems. Reading this forum doesn’t make it any easier to keep an open mind and make good subjective judgements.
I agree with that one. You come in wanting to buy a CD player and leave wanting to get rid of it alltogether. 
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If your CD player works and has a digital output, then just connect it to a digital input on your Nova and you are good to go and you be fit from the great DAC in the Nova. This is how I have my bluray player set up.
How about this one, 2nd-hand?
Interest post, hadn’t come across the RME and that made me go looking and some interesting reviews on it. How long have you had it and what stands out for you?
I found with the RME I had the clarity I was seeking where as the Qutest was slightly ‘Wooley’, the RME also gave me the punch and slam which I felt was more defined than the Chord DAC.
Not necessarily so. I get my best SQ with a high end streamer. It beats a high end CD player.
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my answer is more in the sense of versatility of the separated ones,
allowing a better pairing with a potential good cd transport. (if OP should opt for that route.)
Nova is an excellent machine (actually my favorite product),
but it’s all in one, with the handicap that comes from it.
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Hi, Nigel. Reaching back some distance to respond here. I hope we are both judged “friends of The Forum”.
I embraced serving music from a Synology NAS to my NDX-FM and Uniti Qute2 long ago (2013). I am completely satisfied with that – however, I find that phonograph, and even CD provide different and interesting results in my distributed system. In my office, my CD5XS BNC to RCA into the Uniti Qute2 is the surprise-favorite source (in the office), second place is anything via Analogue-In from the 552 in the Lounge, which betters local streaming and local FM on the Qute2. Convenient “party mode” comes at the end, for me.
So, my advice to friends who do not mind the clutter and do not need to release every penny of excess in the system is to keep the CD players and plug them in various places to see if they add a unique and desirable flavor.
Tidiness IS a good thing, but not always a top consideration, for me, at least.
Of course, Naim does not mind my excess CD-player etc. clutter, either! 
Best, Nick
Where did this notion come from?
I would cheerfully consider a Nova and CD transport together for the HiFi,
It’s the simplicity of having amplification, dac and tuner all in one box 
.
That would leave me two inputs for music a ( phono box and the CD 
transport ) and feed the av in via a different lead .
To me the important thing would be the synergy between speakers and amp.
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It’s a fact. The quality of streaming from online services is not on par with cd (unless you pay for hi-rez streaming.
Oh, you didn’t qualify it as online streaming. I was thinking of local network streaming. I also think it’s the same thing the post you replied to was referring to.
I just bought a Cambridge CXC as a pure CD transport for my Nova. I must say that i am very pleased with the result
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