Hi. I’m new to Naim and have recently set up a re-furb’d Uniti Star paired up with Neat Iota Alphas. The sound on acoustic stuff is superb, but I’m finding rock stuff to be bass heavy with a lack of snap on snares and splashy cymbals, the whole top end seems pretty lifeless and flat. I’ve tried CD’s, streaming Tidal and Spotify and TT via analogue in with pretty much the same sound on all sources. My speakers are a good 12” from rear wall, so not sure where all the bass is coming from. Upgraded from Onkyo P306rs/506rs combo and I’ve tried the Uniti with my power amp and as an integrated on it’s own with similar results, my old set up with Chromecast audio into a cheap dac had for more sparkle at the top end. Is there a setting somewhere to brighten the top end and cut the bass a bit?
Cheers all
How new are the speakers? My guess is room interaction might be exaggerating the bass, perhaps you need to experiment further with speaker placement. Try pulling out further into the room if possible.
What speaker cables are you using?
I’ve been messing with speaker placement a bit, spiked to carpet and on slabs. The bass boom improves a little, but the top end still sounds dull
Some old Arrow stuff I have and have used for a few years with none of these issues with my old kit. I tried some solid core 2.5mm cable today too, same issue
Over many years, admittedly some years ago I tried lots of different cables with naim amps. I discovered the hard way that naim cables work best soI would try some naim cables. After all it is what the Star is designed to use.
Or if not Naim cables some Witch Hat N2 which is risk-free with a 30 day money back guarantee and works very well with Naim
I find this interesting because, as I have mentioned quite a few times on this forum, I had the same experience regarding top end (not bass), with the Sonus Faber Sonetto V. This is a speaker getting great reviews and I also trust my dealer not to stock bad models.
I did love it with B&W which some find to bright.
Could it indeed be an issue with the Star? Food for thought
That’s what I’m thinking really, it is a refurb unit, so may have gone back with some kind of issue which hadn’t been sorted properly
You could try using the top pair of connections on the speakers, which should ease the bass and emphasize the treble a bit.
… except you can’t biwire iota alphas.
Try swapping the speakers left and right. You haven’t mentioned whether you have the tweeters on the inside or the outside, but swapping over will make a difference.
Kudos KS-1 works very well and is a tad brighter than Naim Naca5 speaker cable.
Just going by what I have read but the speakers are a nominal 4 ohm impedance.
Maybe asking a lot from the Star to control them on certain types/tracks of music and therefore may not be the best pairing.
As I say, no first hand experience with them, just going via specs. 
I didn’t mean bi-wiring. Don’t they have two pairs of connections? I’m suggesting using the top pairs.
Nope just one set. Neat don’t believe in biwiring/biamping though double terminals are available on some models.
I suspect the issue is more to do with speaker placement/ room interaction than the ability of the amp.
(And “refurb” in Naim speak does not mean inferior)
@deadflagbrews, I picked up a brand new pair of Alphas yesterday and am willing to help if I can.
I appreciate that I have a different system (272, 200 & NACA5) and of course a different room, but if you give me some idea as to the type of rock stuff, I am willing to give it a listen and feedback.,
I suspect that I will have to use Spotify but I may have a ripped version on the Core.
ATB,
Mike
Superb Mike, thanks. The stuff I’m finding splashy is Foals - most of all their stuff. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - try Peasantry off Asunder album, the opening track should have crisp snappy snares and tight toms. Mogwai - You’re Lionel Richie off Hardcore album gets pretty noisy when things kick in and top end sounds a bit messy to me with my set up.
Previous to this I was streaming Spotify using a cheap MF dac and remember it being a touch sibilant, but never lacking dynamics on top end
I have the tweeters on the outside, I’ll have a play and swap them around 
Okay, I will have a listen to the tracks you have mentioned. I must admit that none of them are familiar to me, but I have heard of Mogwai and Foals so that’s a positive.
I have the tweeters on the inside which is how I demoed them at the dealers before lockdown, but there is no right or wrong just personal preference.
I’ll certainly give the speakers a try the other way around. I’ve tried headphones with the Uniti too and not blown away with them (admittedly only have a pair of Sennheiser pods to try) the pods in my phone with tidal sound pretty much the same as with the Uniti