Uniti Nova

Hi All
First post in many a long year! (Just been enjoying the music).
Am in the process of changing my HDX, which is beginning to show its age, for a uniti nova.
I have a question regarding the Nova app. At present on the HDX N Serve app I can set up various genres into which I can put ripped albums. I currently have 20 genres ranging from Chamber Music, concerto (piano, strings etc) through to folk, guitar jazz, R&B etc etc. I can also search via composer, conductor, performer tags.
My simple question is can I do the same genre setup with the new Nova app?

Regards
Peter

The HDX is a server and if you replace it you need another server. What are you planning to get? The server software determines what you can do to categorise your music. The Nova is just a recipient of the data sent by the server.

Or do you mean Uniti Core?

Yes I’m getting the unity Core with the Nova. This will become my replacement system.
Peter

Does that mean losing your Supernait? Swapping the HDX for an NDX2 would give a much better system than a Nova.

There is a way of moving the files from HDX to Core. @davidhendon can confirm this and also confirm that the genre metadata is ok.

I had a problem when copying files over from a UnitiServe and HDX to a UnitiCore. Some rips did not copy correctly. All files were copied but the metadata was not right and the Naim app could only see one file and would not play. I consulted my dealer about this but Naim seemed uninterested in the problem.

I’m resigned to the fact that I will need to download all my cds to the Core.
My question relates to how the copied albums can be categorised within the Core. In the HDX, via the nServe app, I have over 20 Genres ranging from Chamber music to Vocals.
Can I do the same categorising in the Core.
Peter

The transfer from Unitiserve and HDX to Core normally works fine if you use the import function in the Naim app. If you copy WAV files manually then you will run into the metadata issues that Gwarminger mentions.

The genres thing should work ok. You can search on conductors and composers but currently Naim doesn’t provide a way to edit those fields so for new rips you are totally in the hands of the metadata publisher and what they choose to put there. This is a major shortcoming of the Core but unfortunately Naim developers don’t seem to understand that, so despite promises a couple of years ago, nothing has been done about it.

Best

David

Thanks David for the info. It’s rather discouraging though. I think I will get in touch with my dealer.
Peter

Nope. Didn’t copy manually. Followed the full instructions in the Naim app to the letter.

Odd! I did the import twice from a Unitiserve and it worked fine for me each time.

Best

David

No big deal I just re ripped the offending articles. Thought Naim might have been more interested than they were though.

Peter, where do you have your current backup to your HDX albums? Is it on a nas? One option for you is to get the HDX to convert all files to flac, back up to a nas, load upnp software on the nas and stream for that. It’s far cheaper and more flexible than a Core. Of course you’d need to rip CDs using a computer, rather than posting them into the Core, but if you get your music as downloads then it’s not an issue.

My approach would be to forget the Core due to this limitation with metadata, specifically the inability to edit those fields you really need for classical music. Do your ripping on a computer with DBpoweramp.
You don’t necessarily need a separate server at all. If you manage your CD rips and downloads on a computer, you can just store them on a USB drive. The new streamers have a built in UPnP server which will handle everything from there. That leaves you with a spare £2k to spend on a better streamer, more music, or something else.

Here’s another suggestion. Naim can still service your HDX, and their fixed price servicing is not that expensive. I suspect you will find a fully serviced HDX/NDAC/Supernait will sound a fair bit better than a Nova.

Thanks for replies.
Have been in touch with my dealer this morning who says I can edit the metadata, he has done it this morning while I was on the phone to him.
My reason for moving away from a 4 box system is that I’m of an age where I want simplicity and not lots of boxes and cabling hence my interest in the Nova/core which my wife and I auditioned, with identical speakers to my own.
The ‘hairs on back of neck’ test was easily passed.

Peter

1 Like

Hi Peter, you can certainly edit metadata on the Core, and is fine fir rock music etc. But as mentioned for Classical its not great…i would visit your dealer and try the edit feature to see if it meets your needs. The Core is very simple to use and sounds great, but worth an extra visit to make sure imo.

Of course you can edit metadata on the Core. I didn’t suggest otherwise!

But you can’t edit the composers or conductors fields. So searching on those fields, which you can do, is rather hit and miss.

Best

David

I would suggest that you take a few CDs to your dealer, rip them, and try editing them for yourself. It’s simple to do, and you just need to ensure that you are happy with it’s limited range of editing functions. Also, remember that if you buy downloads rather than CDs, the Core cannot edit them at all. You need to do it on a computer with a different metadata editor and save them to the Core downloads folder.

Thanks for all your suggestions etc.
David I only wish to the edit the genre of ripped cds to suit my library setup on n-Serve.
Peter

You can edit the genre using the Naim app.