Uniti Nova Standby

First post here, so hello everyone.

I recently bought a Uniti Nova as upgrade from a Lite. The unit has had to go back due to excessive hum so I currently have a loan unit from the dealer. But that’s not why I’m posting…

I’ve noticed with both units that standby mode often isn’t really standby. The humming on the first unit very much alerted me to this. While the units will initially go into standby okay, at a later point they will wake up almost to the point of being on. There are clicks from the unit and speakers as this happens and the transformer starts to hum. The only difference between this mode and fully on is the panel lights as far as I can tell.

Network activity can trigger this - switching on my Windows laptop, for instance - but it also invariably happens a night when everything is shut down. To get back to proper standby I have have to switch the unit on and then back to standby.

I should mention that I have server mode off.

Has anyone else experienced this, with a Nova or maybe a Star or Atom? It’s a bit of a disappointment - I feel that the unit should be properly in standby if I ask it to be and should have no reason to wake of its own accord.

I have an Atom, and actually have it most of the time in “deep sleep” - due to an USB device I connected, it does not turn off the main transformer, when in “network sleep”. (Hence it “stays warm to the touch”.)

The “network sleep” is build, so that the unit can be woken from remote; e.g. from the control App or via AirPlay / UPnP. Hence, network activity via these protocols should wake it. But then it should “fully wake”, not “partially wake”.
In last releases the units can switch off display, and still be “fully awake” - maybe this is, what you are seeing? (Still trying to understand, in which state you describe.)

Have you connected it via WiFi or cable? Do you have a USB device connected?

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Thanks for your reply. I have it connected via WiFi. I don’t have a USB device connected. I have a NAS running minimServer as a UPnP server.

As you say, waking it from the remote or app brings it fully awake. The situation I am referring to is where I have put it to standby (using remote or app) and it then becomes ‘nearly awake’ some time later.

I think the display off mode you refer to is where the display is off while playing? I’m not using that. Or do you mean server mode? Again, I have that switched off.

The deep sleep mode is an option for me but not as convenient as it can only be entered and exited from the front panel, I think?

The clicks sound like they are the noise you hear at startup, which I believe is a relay that switches on the main power supply. A few people have experienced it behaving erratically, so perhaps you have the same problem.
The other possibility is that you have a rogue device on your network that is waking up the Nova when it shouldn’t. Remote devices such as TVs, Roon servers, the Naim app etc. can wake it from standby over the network. You could try powering off different devices to eliminate any possible culprits.
Then again, if this is a demo unit, maybe you just need to get the replacement and hope doesn’t have the same problem.

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Ah, yes, re-reading the text:
I agree, it seems like the unit goes to the stand-by power (at this point you hear a click, and the main transformer is off; after that, there should be no noise from the unit/speakers, and the system should “cool down”, i.e. feel like cool metal when touched).
Seems the system then switches on the transformer (click of relay); which also I assume powers the power-amp section of the unit; hence the “bump” on the speakers. In this mode, it should also get “warm” to the touch.
But if triggered via a network based “wake” signal, it should fully power on (and activate display, if you did not turn-on the “display off” option).

Next to Chris’ advise, this might be a malfunction - either in triggering the power-supply switch (or the control logic thinks it need “more power” to react on something on the network) or in not fully waking up (if triggered on the network).

I’d either contact Naim or the dealer; or wait for the final replacement unit. (Still mention it to the dealer, latest when giving back the device.)

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Correct; this effectively powers down the main power supply and any network functions. Including remote. So you need to go to the unit and press the button.

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Yes, the clicks when it goes into the ‘nearly on’ state are the same as when I switch it on from proper standby. When I switch it on from ‘nearly on’ there are no clicks (indicating it’s pretty much on already).

The thing is, this has happened with both units I’ve had, the one that has gone back and the demo unit I have now. So it’s either my network or setup or it’s something these units just do. I have spoken to the dealer about it but they didn’t have any strong suggestions about what it might be.

I’ll try eliminating potential culprits on my network. I would be interested to know if anyone else has had similar experiences and also whether there are units out there that definitely don’t do this.

If it’s happened to more than one unit, I’m thinking that a device on your network is triggering this.

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So last night I made sure everything was off. NAS shut down, TV unplugged etc. Switched WiFi off on my phone. The only things on were the Nova in standby and the router. This morning the Nova had switched into ‘nearly on’ mode.

I suppose it could be the router doing something but it’s on default settings as I don’t have the expertise to change them!

Besides, it still seems wrong that the Nova is so sensitive. Should it really come on because I switch my laptop on, for instance?

I wouldn’t have thought so. I’ve never had any such problem with mine.

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I admit I’m guessing here, and I would suspect the Nova if it wasn’t for the fact that it’s happened to you on two different units, and I haven’t heard of it happening elsewhere. Is it using a wired connection directly to your router?
Another feint possibility: have you ever used Spotify on it, or has anyone else? Spotify Connect can cause unintended starts even from users who are no longer on your network.

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Thanks Chris. It’s connected via WiFi. I’ve not used Spotify on it but it’s a demo unit so may have had it used at the dealers. My original unit definitely hadn’t had Spotify used on it so that probably rules that out.

I’ll admit with it happening to both units I half expected people here to say that’s what these units do, live with it! Clearly that’s not the case. I think when my original unit comes back if it still has the problem I’ll see what Naim have to say about it.

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