Naim Uniti 2

Hi folks Being new here please bare with me . Okay here we go…my system at the moment is : Quad Artera pre and power amps , Tannoy Revolution XT6F speakers and a Pioneer NS50A network player . I play mostly Flac files and the odd cd . Last year I bought a second hand Naim Uniti 2 which I intended to use in the spare room. Anyway On a whim I brought it down from the loft and hooked it up…Wow , I’m smitten ! . I now intend to go down the Naim road and gradually replace my set up . My question is ; what would be best , adding a used Nac 200 / 250 and use the Uniti 2 as a pre amp ( will this set up improve on the already great sound from the Uniti on its own ? ) Or what other options could anyone suggest . I would be buying used or ex-dem .
Many Thanks
Dave

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Welcome, Dave, from another Dave. Welcome to the forum. I have a Uniti 1 and upgraded originally to the NAP200. There is no doubt to my ears that the NAP200 transformed the sound, for whilst the Uniti sounds good on its own terms, I felt that there was a certain something missing. The NAP200 has much more authority over the speakers - bass was noticeably better, with a fuller, bolder sound.

Last year, I had my Uniti 1 upgraded with the 24-bit dac and it sounds better still. On this basis, I upgraded the NAP200 to a NAP250DR and I haven’t looked back. Normally a 250DR isn’t recommended on the older Unitis, but the DAC upgrade definitely made it worthwhile, using the Uniti as the pre-amp.

So I would strongly recommend a NAP200 or 250.

Dave

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I love it when I read posts like this, it brings back the memory and joy of hearing Naim for the first time.

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I have a second hand Uniti2 in my games room. It’s a great all in one. Not sure that answers your question though.

Cheers for that Dave , where would be the best place to look for the amps , and when I’ve got that sorted I’ll be looking for speakers . My room is roughly 7m by 3.5m and the speakers have to go on the long wall . Any recommendations ? and if you don’t mind me asking what speakers are you using ? . Sorry for all the questions , I’m just pretty excited about the whole Naim thing. I’ve been using Quad amps for 30 years and couldn’t see past them , think I’ve been kind of blinkered !
Thanks

Well any Naim dealer will look after you. You have a choice between new or used. Most of my gear is new but I got the opportunity to get the NAP250DR used and it was only a few months old, for substantially less than the price of a new unit.

Interestingly enough, my room is a similar size, with the speakers along the long wall and my listening chair by the opposite wall. That opposite wall is full of shelving that acts as a diffuser to prevent standing waves. I’m pleased with the racket it makes!

I use floor-standing speakers, transmission line type. It is difficult to advise on which speakers you should use as tastes in sound and music are so personal.

Please take a look at this for details of my speakers and my review of them:

Of course they may not be right for you but I’m very pleased with them. I recommend a trip to a good Naim dealer and try to get them to demo a few speakers for you.

If I were in your position (and I was pretty much) I would trade the U2 in for an ex dem Nova. It will be a huge step forward in every way. The new streaming platform is much more capable and the sound quality is very much better. Do the dem and hear for yourself - you would also avoid the multi box treadmill that is a wallet emptying journey which can leave you never quite satisfied - again from personal experience!

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Life has just become much more interesting . Thanks folks

Well, that’s one approach, although the Star is better as it’s got a CD drive. I can only speak for myself but I do like my CD collection :slight_smile:

I have the Uniti Atom and the same Tannoy XT6F speakers. Very happy.

There are two roads you may consider:

  1. Leave your Uniti as a stand-alone player and be content. I would not add a power amp (especially NAP 250) - it would ruthlesly expose Uniti’s pre-amp section.

  2. If however, at some stage, you may consider owning more than 1 Naim box, adding a NAP 250 is not a bad start. At a later stage you could swap your Uniti to N272 and have a great 2-box set.

Happy listening!

Adam

Hi Adam Thanks for the advice . I’m veering towards adding a Nap 200 and at a later stage , trade the Uniti for a streamer pre-amp , but then again I might be happy with the Uniti 2 + Nap 200 and stick with them . I’ll have to Take the Uniti to a Naim dealer as it is starting to skip tracks on CD playback and taking ages to load ,quite often not loading at all ). I’ll see what they suggest .
Dave

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If possible - see if you can find NAP250DR - it is so much better an amp. And it will fit into many system combinations exceedingly well.

The Nova is a step ahead of the Star in terms of Sound Quality though…

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I can’t honestly say that I found the NAP250 showed any flaws in my Uniti. Actually, it works very well with it. Only my experience. It’s a step up from the 200 that I had before.

I would strongly agree with @pev999, you have a great opportunity to get this right from day one. Especially if you live in UK.

Once you get on the Naim journey its hard to control your self. Considering you mostly play FLAC and only on occasion use CD’s;

  1. Get a power amp for U2 like a 200 or 250 and then use it like that for a while, than replace the U2 with NAC-N 272

  2. Nova is a great all-in-one solution before feeling like another massive plunge.

  3. Run out or used SN 2 / ND5 XS 2. There should be few SN 2 on market very soon with SN 3 hitting stores now.

  4. New NAIT XS 3 in place of SN 2. Some early review comments re new XS 3 being much closer in sound to SN 2.

It can be scary making a decision like this, but its also so much fun. I would take my time demonstrating as many units or combinations as possible, no matter if they are in or out of budget, consider everything and than make the best decision within your budget. In any way…have fun with this @jazzanddave1.

You are in best position, get on the journey, have a listen to Naim gear, open your ears to what Naim can do in its range…decide and enjoy hearing the music you have been listening for 30 yrs in a entirely new way.

All the best!

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Cheers for the advice I sat up last night till the wee small hours just enjoying the music through the Uniti. Listening to Nic Jones " Penguin Eggs " album , his guitar and voice sounded so real I just sat there grinning .

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Hi Again Dave What do you think would be my better option : Nap 250-2 or Nap 200 DR . They are both similarly priced pre owned . This would be my final power amp !
PS I’m going to order a pair of M1tlm speakers and find out if there is anyone up in Scotland who would build the speakers for me . I appreciate all your help.
Regards
Dave

I would go for the 250, but…
There is an element of personal taste in that choice. The 250 is more muscular, whereas the 200 has a lightness of touch that can sound quite alluring.
If you later replace the Uniti with a separates system, the 200 can power a Naim preamp. With the 250, a separate PSU such as a Hicap would be required, whereas it would only be an optional upgrade with the 200. (If you keep the Uniti, or only upgrade to a 172 or 272, that isn’t a problem).
Check the age, and if possible, the service history, of any amp you buy. If the 250 appears to be a bargain now, it may not be once you factor in any servicing costs.

I would agree with @ChrisSU, especially if that was my end game.

However, demo is going to be the best option to make this decision.