Hi all.
I am looking at getting a Unity Nova and just wondered if there is a PS upgrade that can be added to isolate the preamp as in the Supernait line. It seems as if it would have basically the same or similar amps as the SN2/SN3 so I wanted to make sure.
From what I have researched here today, it doesn’t seem like there is one.
Thanks for any assistance.
Yer pal, Dave
I’m afraid not Dave, the only upgrades to the Uniti are power cords or adding a power amp.
Given the price of Naim power supplies, you might as well go for NDX2/Supernait if you want to upgrade to 2 boxes.
Thanks for the quick reply, Eoink. No big deal, I was just very happy with what the PS did for my SN2 and hoped there was.
I actually want go with a single box, Chris, but you’re right, it’s probably just as well that there isn’t.
Like Eoink suggested, I’ll max out any tweaks that make sense.
Thanks.
I suppose there’s always the Nova PE if you really want an upgrade without adding more boxes!
I think the PE is only an upgrade if the regular Nova is not a great match for the speakers’ power requirements. Otherwise if that’s not an issue, it could be a slight downgrade for more money.
You might get surprising mileage from a PowerLine on a Nova. I ordered one too many a while back and stuck it on an old Uniti Qute2 and my expectation was it would do nothing at all at that level. But the UQ2 responded very well. Better than the jump I got adding the same to a Supercap or XPS etc. Possibly because with one lead on a Uniti, a source, preamp, and poweramp section all get the benefit together… I dunno.
Yes, I’ve done this and it’s a surprisingly good uplift.
+1
Thanks for your suggestions guys. I haven’t posted as I have been busy trying to sort out connecting my ol’ Kef R107s. It’s a bit of an issue because the 107s have the Kef ‘Kube’ which is an equalizer of sorts that controls the dampening of the 4 x 10" bass drivers and also has an effect on the mids and tweeters.
The speakers do sound substantially better with the Kube in the signal path.
The Kube goes between the preamp and power amp, or in a tape loop, neither of which the Nova has. I think it’s kind of sh*tty that the Nova has a pre out, but no amp in. Every piece of equipment I’ve had that cost more than $1k has these connections, so I would think that a $10k CAD unit should have.
Anyway, I’m currently using the power amp section of my SN2 for now and the Kube is between the pre
out on the Nova and the power amp in on the SN2. It works, but I was planning to move on the SN2 for now, so I think I’ll retire the Kef R107s for now and sub-in my custom Polk speakers and eventually just add a NAP 250 or maybe the new 250 version in the future.
I believe @Eoink suggested an amp upgrade and on other threads it’s recommended as well. The Nova sounds great and I can imagine how it would sound with a 250 amp upgrade. I can live with two boxes, and for now, the Polk’s have custom crossovers in them and excellent tweeters, so they’ll be fine.
If you already considering two boxes, then the Nova is the wrong product for you. It’s designed as an all in one, and not to have things added. The person who bought my 250DR added it to their Nova and found no difference. They then sold the Nova and bought an NDX2 and 282.
If you are set on the Nova, consider getting speakers that actually work with it. With copacetic speakers it makes a fantastic system. On the other hand, if you want a 250, prepare for a NSC222 to replace the Nova.
If the Polks have dual connectors, bi-amping the Nova with a 250 might be worth considering, otherwise I’d agree with HH’s advice.
I thought I’d read on here that the nap 250 was an excellent upgrade for the Nova. If it isn’t, then that’s the last thing I’d want. I’ll do some more research on that.
In the meantime, it doesn’t seem like the kef r107s are a good fit in my current situation. They sound excellent when using the Kef Kube and are fully refurbished, crossovers and all. Does seem odd though that there’s a preamp out but no main app in as in all their other equipment. All I need it for is the Kube as then I could stick with the one box system.
We’ll be moving house soon and at that point I’ll look for some Totem Forest Signatures as recommended by @Mike_S .
We don’t get to borrow and try things here in Canada, so we have to buy and move them on if we don’t like them.
Thank you all, again, for the helpful suggestions.
It’s not really odd; the Nova is an all in one, not an integrated amplifier. I hope you find something that works for you.
well a 222 is functionally similar to a Nova sans power amp and would be an excellent partner with a 250. And at a similar cost to a Nova+250.
So the question is really if you want one box or two. Performance-wise the 222\250 should be absolutely streets ahead. But whether that translates to more enjoyment is a different question. A single box has a certain charm - and discourages costly tinkering and upgrades. They are not impossible but you have to go out of your way a bit.
A dedicated mains spur would be a good power supply upgrade.
I really do want to stay with a single box, and also, I just really like the sound of the Nova. It’s a full sound, with a high and wide sound stage. I can’t really judge the depth of the soundstage in the current room the speakers are in, but overall, my wife and I really like the sound of it. The same way @HungryHalibut likes the sound of his Atom. I know it can sound better with more equipment, but it doesn’t need to.
When we move house, dedicated mains may be an option and I believe it’s time for a new set of speakers and just sell on the Kef R107s. They’ve had their day and the T33 tweeter isn’t the best, even though the bass and the mids are excellent. And the Kef Kube is just a PITA to have to keep putting somewhere in the signal chain. It’s designed to go in the tape loop of a preamp, so that really dates it.
So Unity Nova and a good pair of speakers … that’ll do it.
Thanks, and cheers.
I have Spendor A7s and a Nova. To me and in my smallish room (3m x 4m) they sound great. Some on here say the A7s are too bright. Not in my case, I have had them from new and they are three years old now. I have recently demoed Spendor Classic 3/1s. They are surprisingly good given the size of them. In the end I’ve kept the A7s as it was a sideways move really. The Classics with stands actually used up slightly more floor space. They are really nice and I would buy them if my A7s bit the dust.
I have a local dealer that lets me try things on demo if he has them in stock.
A friend of mine has B&W 805 D4 and a Nova. Formerly a B&W fanboy, over the last 20 years I’ve never been impressed when I’ve heard a B&W, whether at trade shows or in people’s homes. I strongly discouraged my friend from buying the B&Ws. He bought them anyway, and I have to say, it’s a match made in heaven. He is not a hifi aficionado like me so I was helping him to let them sing by playing with the positioning of the speakers and optimizing the ethernet from the router to the Nova.
HH has already given you a fair view, while I didn’t buy his NAP250DR, I acquired one for another system and tried with Nova.
Imho there is a very clear less than positive result, since the Nova is a good around “all-in-one” the NAP shows a modicum of weakness in the Nova streamer/pre, which isn’t there without!
If you wish for more, NDX + SN or NSC222+NC250 is the way to go as other peps have suggested. 2 boxes maybe, but a glorious step up from Nova. I bought the latter unheard, knowing the Nova would need more grunt with S400s.
Nova still here and until very recently, good with Spendor, now in another system.
If S400s could be found in good condition, the combo with NC, would be the only system changes you would ever need.