Broken Uniti - fix Uniti, more Uniti or do I go active?

Hi-Fi Corner
1

First, hello everybody. Excuse my rambling first topic!!

I am considering my next step from my current set up which is a Uniti 1 through Totem Model 1 Signatures (the old ones, 87dB, 4 ohm).

This all started when the display gave up on the Uniti and research told me it was going to cost £400 to fix. I then started to look at Uniti Star as a replacement. Then I found out you could get the display fixed for around 130 and the cd player packed up!

This got me wondering about whether I could rip all of my cds and do without a cd player. The star can do this but then the cd player would be redundant so I fancied the Nova instead which would have plenty of oomph for my speakers. I want to keep to something simple rather than go back to many boxes!

Anyway as you do, I started looking at alternatives and found the System Audio 5.2 which with a hub can stream and then I found Buchardt A500 which are a similar system but with a bit more bass and now I’m sort of stuck.

I like Naim, but I’m not wedded to them and I do like the sound I get from the Totems except there is always the hankering after a bit more bass, so I’m in a massive quandary. These are the budgetary considerations:

Fix the Unity: £4-500 maybe - This is the common sense option

Or, fix it and sell it at a modest profit maybe and:
Find a refurb Star - £2900
Find a refurb Nova - £3300 - More oomph. Mmmmm

SA 5.2 plus Hub - £2900
Buchardt A500 plus hub - around £3300 at current exchange rate

With the active speakers, I can recoup at least some of the cost by selling my Totems and cables and both allow me to use room correction which gives me tweaking room i.e. something to play with.

Let me just say that I am not looking to upgrade per se, I just see an opportunity to buy new kit that may keep me happy for a few years to come. I also must add that fixing and keeping the Uniti is not out of hte question.

Any thoughts on relative performance, bang per buck etc. would be greatly appreciated.

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The full service cost for an original Uniti is £330.

3

Would that include a fix to the CD player and the screen?

4

I asked yesterday – £140 for just the screen, £330 for a full service, which I take to mean any and all issues. But a quick email to Naim would clarify the situation.

5

Naim servicing is usually done on a fixed price now, which can make it a bargain if quite a bit of work needs doing, or extortionate if only a trivial fix is required. Sounds like this could work in your favour, so maybe worth getting your dealer to confirm.

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Thanks both, that is definitely food for thought and would be well worth it for me. I don’t have a dealer as a I bought the Uniti 2nd Hand from a private seller. I left a couple of messages with Naim tech support last week but they have not got back to me. Will try again.

7

You will need to locate your nearest Naim dealer as all service bookings need to be booked through a dealer, you don’t deal direct with Naim.

8

I feel your pain, except my cd player was fine till I sold it, so was just a screen replacement. Naim were great though and as usual you get more than what you pay for when sending it in.

The Uniti is a great bit of kit but mine didn’t have the upgraded board, so was unable to stream Spotify for the family. As a result I went down the Star/Nova thought process and ended up with a Nova. I purchased an ex demo for 20% off. I’m over the moon with it and found it a big step up in all respects.

One thing to bear in mind is that the Uniti is worth about £700 upwards, depending on condition, so may factor into the repair. I just wanted mine tip top but I did consider not bothering and keeping it for the office.

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Without the screen fix I cannot stream anything as I need to input the wifi password via the remote. My old hub got thrown out when I moved provider and I didn’t notice until I came to use the Uniti. It had been sat there for ages happily connected to the network!

It does not have the new board in it so I had to connect via a chromecast audio. This is one of the reasons I was looking to move up the Uniti chain or go for some flashy active speakers.

I only posted this today and already I have loads to think about!

10

Just to chuck another idea in, you could repair then sell the Uniti and buy a preloved SuperUniti. I reckon you could get a good one for £1200 or so, especially if you are willing to take one without Bluetooth (which was only supplied on late models).

Best

David

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I think if I were to upgrade, I would take the opportunity to go newer than the Superuniti as the display is the same and I would be worried it would need changing soon. However, that is this evening’s research topic sorted.

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That’s fair enough. I didn’t use the WiFi and could control via the app so wasn’t a big problem but everyone’s different.

It was definitely one of those things where I thought about upgrading the boards but the lure of more modern tech and a Muso purchase did it for me.

Best of luck anyway and enjoy the process. I can’t comment on alternatives as I didn’t look at anything else, naim through and through!

13

Out of interest, how did you control via the app without being connected to wifi? Can you do this by connecting via network cable somehow?

15

Yes fine. You could look for one that had had the display changed recently of course. They do exist - I know as I have one!

Best

David

16

Ah yes. Ethernet to the router!

17

I went from a UnitiCute2 to a Nova with my Totem Hawks. As you like a single box and want more bass, I think the Nova is a great option for you.

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Thanks @Mike_S . I also think the Nova would be a great option. I think it is my current preferred option although I would still like explore the active speaker side of things.

My first step is to contact a local dealer and see if I can get the Uniti fixed, which could take some time. Who knows, the dealer may be able to source a Nova for me at a reasonable price and may even p/ex?

@davidhendon I looked at the superuniti via the web last night and think I would like to go newer as I am considering Quobuz which seems to work well with the newer Uniti range. It also future proofs me for a bit longer I think.

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19

If you want Qobuz then a Nova does make more sense than a SuperUniti. But it will cost a lot more (as with my last post - I know, because I have one of those too!).

Best

David

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20

Hi, kaypeejay, I feel your pain re your Uniti1 cd player fail, as mine failed a couple of months ago, after I had just had a service and screen replacement. The platter on which the CD sits, and is retained by the magnetic puck, has developed a fine crack, which is enough to prevent it gripping the drive shaft, so no cd playing. I am hoping that Naim will be getting some spares imminently, and I will have a fully functional Uniti 1 to help fund a potential turntable upgrade.
I used the opportunity to upgrade to a Uniti Star, as I need to stay with one box, and would you believe it, it too has developed a cd player problem, but my dealer has matters in hand for me.
I appreciate that your journey is different, but it’s reassuring to learn that my Uniti1 will still have a reasonable value, even if I can’t repair the CD player at the moment, and hopefully things will work out for both of us.

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It’s funny how something breaking always always leads to an ‘opportunity’ to spend vast amounts of cash :grinning:

I’ve just been reading the early retirement thread and now I don’t know whether I need to keep the money for my pension or spend it now while I can still afford it.

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