I recently added a pre-loved Rega RP3 turntable / TTPSU / ELYS2 / Fono MM Mk2 (my first ever TT at 44 years old) to my Uniti Star and Neat Xplorers and I’m absolutely loving the new experience. I haven’t streamed a single song since hooking up the RP3. Vinyl is the future!
The postman has also been busy delivering my new vinyl. Vinyl is now firmly at the forefront of my future system plans / thinking.
I’m initially hankering after trading up to new P8 / Ania MC and intend to demo when I get a chance. Source first but realise the P8 would be restrained by the Stars limitations.
If I then added a SN3, I presume I could still use my Star as a streamer/CD player initially? Or would I be better to get the Rega Aria phono and consider another direction for a Naim based Star replacement (does it need replacing)?
It would probably be one major component at a time as my hobbies cannot come before family life/expenses.
Be kind, I’m new to considering moving away from an all in one system and do not really understand the full purpose of the black boxes…
morning @LRJH I would look at and more over demon SN3 which has a built in phono stage vs the seperates in the Naim range
you can more than happily build a system around the SN3 with vinyl or look at seperates if that is your choice - I went down the seperates route over 20 + years - I love my system and my vinyl my bio is in my profile
Main issue with using the Uniti Star as a source is that it doesn’t lend itself so easily to this because it doesn’t have a line output, just a pre-amp out.
I think that if you are looking to make vinyl the focus of your system plans then you should be thinking of a wholesale change.
A P8 would be a great vinyl front end, and an Ania (or maybe ania Pro?) with an Aria and a Supernait 2 (you won’t need the SN3 as you will have the Aria with MC, and you should make a reasonable saving by getting the 2). If you still want to stream and want something of commensurate quality then consider an ND5XS2.
Out of personal experience I’d say look at the Ania Pro. I had serious sibilance issues with the normal Ania. The Pro solved that and just has better sound all over.
I have a Planar 8 and a Supernait 3 and it’s a wonderfully enjoyable combination. I use an Ortofon 2M Black MM cartridge with mine, straight into the SN3’s excellent phono stage. I’d seriously consider getting the P8 with an MM cartridge and using it with your Fono MM. If you then move to an SN3 you can lose the Fono and keep things simple. The Aria isn’t cheap and the funds would go a good way towards a SN3. Both the Ortofon and AT cartridges, which are also very good, are taller then Rega models so you’d want to ask your dealer to fit a 2mm spacer under the arm. It’s a very simple job and the spacer costs about £20.
The SN2 has been mentioned but the SN3 has significant improvements other than the phono stage. One that I find particularly nice is that it has a phono button on the front, so no more pressing a manky old aux 2!
Thinking about it if I used my Star to help finance the P8 and SN3 I should be able to use my Astell & Kern Kann Cube in the short term as a streamer source connected to SN3 for NAS, Spotify, Qobuz and Tidal etc.
I think, think that the star may digitise your lovely analogue input from the rega via an internal ADC. Not that that matters if you enjoy the sound.
And yes vinyl is a rabbit hole. P8 with a decent cartridge will make a great start and finish point as far as playing vinyl.
While I haven’t heard the Star, I think it and a P8 sounds like an elegant system, particularly if you play CDs regularly.
If you’re truly ready to commit to the LP “cult”, a Dynavector 20x2L cartridge and P75 phono stage (set to “Dr. T” mode) would be outstanding with the P8. Rega decks and Dyna cartridges are a synergistic combo.