Power amp for uniti mk1

Ive been enjoying my uniti for a couple weeks after an initial issue with the sub that was sorted with the help of people here. So where better to ask for advice.

Im slightly concerned that im underpowering my speakers. I have ATC SCM 11 and they advise 75w - 300w per channel for power, with the uniti do i need a power amp with the uniti only having 50w?

Current listening volumes is between 40 & 50 depending on source and mood. I was thinking a used NAP 200 or 250 but not sure.

I dont really want to change from the unity, its all in one suits me and the sound is great so a multi amp, cd, streamer pre solution will not work, i can get one more box in the space and allow adequate cooling hence the power amp but at my volume, do i need one?

You might be surprised if you tried a pair of speakers that were better matched to the Uniti. Adding a power amp kind of defeats the object if an all-in-one is really what you want. I’m sure there will be some along with speaker advice soon.

However, if you like the current sound, don’t worry about it.

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Those are quite expensive speakers… About £1,500, new…?

If you have only had you Uniti ‘weeks’, I would wait until you have had it ‘months’ before even thinking about changes. But YMMV… :slightly_frowning_face:

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Do you think you need one? Does the sound lack drive and scale? The Uniti is not a powerhouse and those ATCs need power to come alive so you are probably right. I wonder why you bought that combination in the first place. But, as they say, we are where we are. I’d either add a 200 non DR or swap the Uniti for a SuperUniti or Nova.

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Thanks for the input.

I have had the speakers about 3 months and really, really happy with them, i think they are nicely run in by now. They were being driven by a Lyngdorf 1120 but a room change meant i didnt really need the room correction anymore so i decided to try naim as id never heard it, didnt want to spend a lot just to experiment but im very impressed.

I dont think im missing anything as it sounds as good if not better than the Lyngdorf which was class D 60w per channel and again it was never taxing on the volume control a ,ot of headroom, but yes perhaps a bit of drive and quickness / speed in the presentation. Im more concerned about feeding them properly and not doing any damage to either amp or speakers in the long term.

Id love a supernait but then id need to add CD player and im back to two boxes and thats a lot of expense when i enjoy the sound im getting now. If it matter, im also driving dual subs.

well, i picked up a 2014 Nap 200 power amp and im quite impressed, at same volume level its sounds better, well to me it does and thats all that matters at the end of the day. I dont have buyers remorse and i rekin im happy. Until that itch starts and a supernait comes calling.

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Are you able to.stretch to a Uniti Star, michaelgordon? I upgraded from a Uniti 1 and the extra 30W power makes quite a difference. It doesn’t have FM radio, though, and operates slightly differently, but can rip CDs to a hard drive. I have seen them below £3000, too.
Should liven up your speakers, I reckon.
Update: I.see that you’ve made a decision.

I love Supernaits, but if you already have a nap 200 it would make more sense to move the uniti to a second system and feed the 200 with a second hand 272. That would be a major step up and creates a well balanced system: 272/200/Atc Scm 11

Thanks for the replies. I did look at the star but its way out of budget.

Looking at the 272 can i ask what the main difference would be? Id loose the CD layer and by looks of it would have to choose between the power amp and the subs?

It looks like my uniti has had the upgrade to play 24/192 hi res as i set this in the wiim pro streamer so im getting a good bit perfect streamer through the uniti dac.

Id then have to buy a CD player which would mean stacking as ive no room on my shelf for separates.

What would the benefit be? Sell it to me.

Actually im quite happy but poss for future use.

Totally agree, I went for the Uniti 1 as a one box solution, and why I also moved to the Star, mainly due to repair issues with the 1, but I’d be quite happy with it if it hadn’t had problems.
No point going back to a multi - box system. Enjoy your music.

The 272 has RCA and DIN pre outs, so you can connect a sub as well as a power amp. You might also consider using a high level connection for your sub if it has that option.
As for the potential benefits of the 272, it’s quite a big step up in sound quality from your Uniti. It was designed as a half way measure between the Unitis and full separates for those who just want a relatively simple 2 or 3 box system. If I was in your position I would happily live without CD replay for the sound quality improvements it would bring.

Thanks for the reply, ill maybe add the 272 as the next upgrade but i think im happy for now.

After testing with the nap, the difference is there but a bit more subtle. There does seem more bass which is confusing me as the SCM 11 are sealed boxes ive turned the subs down and its matching a bit better still some tweaking to doi forgot how much a pain integrating subs id as they are Lyngdorf the were all handled by the 1120 and it was effortless.

Took a close look at the star and whilst it looks like a really good system, only 1 RCA analogue in is very limiting. Part of the reason i moved away from the Lyngdorf.

We started where you are, but with a SuperUniti.

We added a 250DR which was a massive increase in drive, speaker control and bass definition.

Then changed SU for a 272 which was another leap up in sound quality.

The rest, as they say, is history.

We still have the SU in office it’s a great all in one second system (we ripped all CDs to NAS).

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It sounds as if you need a Star, one box and extra power.

If you need extra inputs , a passive pe-amp , something like a Tisbury (it’s usually very small ) will add extra inputs. Thing is , that it doesn’t need plugging in to the mains

Can be bought easily enough from ebay , Bob The Builder liked this enormously . It has three inputs

Screenshot 2023-05-13 at 12.24.22

Buyer beware on the Star?

If you read the forum there is a software glitch whereby ripped CD randomly have audio dropouts.

naim have been promising a fix for a long time but the problem is outstanding.

Look at Sevenoaks, they have Star :star: with a slightly different case colour at 2;3 rds of the price of a normal Star

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