But my understanding is (with the usual caveats) that you only need this to stream from the Naim app via Chromecast directly to the Qb v1 (while the v2 would have it built in).
Without it, you can still use the Naim app and the multiroom feature to instruct the Atom to send the music to the Qb. (But again, I have never used this, so others will know better. But that’s what ChrisSU said in his post yesterday)
I love that…a force of nature…and it’s true. The Atom? Wow…I debated the Nova or Atom, and the Atom’s ability to (what’s the term? Bridge?) add another amp made the decision easy. I hope I was right. They other than amps are identical correct? As far as…sheesh, what…processing?
I can stream to the Qb with Airplay. Not now with Chromecast. And I cannot use Chromecast for the Atom and Airplay for the Qb at the same time. I just asked Clare if, when I’m streaming “CD quality” from the Chromecast, and my source is the Apple Music library (now entirely transferred from Apple Music to Qobuzz) is converted to CD quality or Hi-res if that’s what I choose? Can the lesser source (Apple Music) be converted to a higher resolution?
Not sure if this will answer your question, but lets try:
Airplay is generally limited by Apple to CD quality, it does no hi-res unfortunately.
The Chromecast can do hi-res.
But in either case, this is just what the transport technology can do. When using Qobuz, it will be able to put this to use - either CD quality in any case, or with Chromecast also in hi-res when playing an album that is available in hi-res.
If the music source files are of lower, compressed quality (such as they are in Apple Music), then the information is gone for good from these files. The transport layer (like Airplay ow whatever) might up-sample it to CD quality for transport, but this would be just a technical decision to make life easier for Airplay. It would not be able to re-invent the information that was previously compressed out of the files.
The Uniti Nova - as its size and price would suggest - is a major step up from the excellent Uniti Atom.
Uniti Nova features outstanding technology that sets it apart from the rest of the range. In service of exceptional sound, it uses the highest-quality discrete components, a large toroidal transformer, superior isolation, additional inputs and more powerful amplification (80 Watts).
As well as superior components and more power, the larger transformer/superior isolation is key to the Uniti Nova’s performance uplift – makes it more like a two-box Naim system, keeping the power supply away from sensitive electronics.
Those additional connectivity options include the ability to plug an external USB drive – or SD Card – into the Uniti Nova, with up to 20,000 tracks of your own music, which you can browse and play through the Naim App. This music store is also visible to other Naim connected systems on your network, and can serve up to four of them at once.
More detail on connectivity here:
Uniti Atom
Audio Inputs
2 x Optical TOSLink (up to 24bit/96kHz)
1 x Coaxial RCA (up to 24bit/192kHz, DoP 64Fs)
1 x HDMI ARC
1 x RCA
2 x USB Type A socket (front and rear)
Audio Outputs
1 x Stereo power amplifier
1 x RCA sub/pre output
1 x 3.5mm headphone jack
Uniti Nova
Audio Inputs
2 x Optical TOSLink (up to 24bit/96kHz )
2 x Coaxial RCA (up to 24bit/192kHz, DoP 64Fs)
1 x BNC (up to 192kHz, DoP 64Fs)
1 x HDMI ARC
2 x RCA
2 x 5-pin DIN
2 x USB Type A socket (front and rear)
1 x SD card
Audio Outputs
1 x Stereo power amplifier
1 x RCA sub/pre output
1 x 3.5mm headphone jack
I didn’t mean to. What does “the Apple source” mean, Apple Music? If so, it’s irrelevant. Soundiiz told Qobuz your Favorites, as you had them selected in Apple Music. But that’s just the name or other identification, not the actual music files. Those are coming from Qobuz now, and in Qobuz they have at least CD quality. (The compressed files from Apple Music don’t come into play)
I have the same with my Qb, but was wondering about Qb vs Mu-So rectangle. You said the first amazes you more than the second. I’m guessing for the size / price, but wanted to check that you hadn’t found something in which the Qb excels more.
Sorry, I didn’t mean to. I find the Qb is great for the size and also a surprise, but my jawdropping moments are with the bigger Mu-so. It seems that every time I say “this is coming from the Mu-so?”
Tell me Zen Master…with the HDMI…I don’t have a smart TV. Do I connect the Atom to the TV with the HDMI? I don’t think, the HDMIs on the Sanyo are inputs. When would that HDMI be used? With a newer smart TV, which I’m guessing would have HDMI outputs?
How does the Star fit into this? I found it closer (very close) to the Nova than the Atom, the above suggests that from a technical design pov it might be the reverse?
The Star is certainly a major stepping stone towards Nova: offers a little more isolation than the Atom (even with the CD mech!), and a big step up in power. But its key selling point is the CD ripping/playback. Like the Nova, it can also be used as a mini server in your system, with a connected SD Card, USB drive.
Interesting. As noted I didn’t find it a massive step up, certainly not compared to the step between the Atom and Star. Wasn’t worth the difference in price to me so I did end up getting the Star. CD playing is a nice bonus, although I don’t think I’ve used it more than a few times for that purpose.
I know many people here do find there’s a large difference between the two. Could have had to do with the speakers I was auditioning at the same time I guess.
Speakers; room size; listening volume - all can make a difference.
But the Uniti Star is a superb product in its own right - as its many awards and happy owners attest to! (Ditto the Atom). We’re not in a one-size-fits-all world, thankfully.
It can be for certain, but for non hi-res Apple’s lossy AAC codec is often pretty close to a non-lossy ALAC encoding.
Just a real shame Apple doesn’t offer ALAC in their store, hard to figure out if it’s Apple’s disinterest or the music companies though the latter are happy to sell lossless unprotected downloads on numerous sites…
clare, I need therapy. I’m sitting here listening to Yo-Yo Ma in the Triple Concerto playing Beethoven’s No. 7 in…gasp. Well…hell…it was displaying…I think FLAC (whatever the heck that is) 46 something 24 something…? Oy. A. that! Makes me crazy. It was there. I go away and it’s gone now. Anyway…I need therapy…I’m blown away by the Atom with the 816s, but now am thinking…hmmm…”maybe I could take it and swap it towards a Nova still?” Why Marc? Why? This is amazing…lol…
That will have been FLAC 48 kHz 24 bit. That’s hi-res alright, but not the maximum that is possible.
24 bit is the maximum available and denotes, losely speaking, the resolution used to measure the analog sound for digitization. CD is 16 bit. The maximum currently available for real is 24 bit. This tends to be the more important indicator.
48 kHz is the frequency with which the measurement was taken. I.e., 48,000 times per second. CD has 44.1 kHz. This goes up to 192 kHz for some Qobuz material.
The best available is 24 bit & 192 kHz.
(FLAC is essentially just the storage container for the data. It indicates that there was no data compression with information loss)
