Naim Uniti Nova
Discussion
Well it got ordered on Saturday and should be with me on/after 7th August at which point the audio shop will install it after which I'll let you know.
The Uniti 2 has been just fine, although the CD player has developed a small fault, which isn't really much of a problem considering we hardly ever play CDs on it (1 or 2 a year). And it's really our lack of use of the CD function that made me decide on the Nova rather than the Star, although the audio shop reckons the Nova is a step up in sound reproduction terms.
The Uniti 2 has been just fine, although the CD player has developed a small fault, which isn't really much of a problem considering we hardly ever play CDs on it (1 or 2 a year). And it's really our lack of use of the CD function that made me decide on the Nova rather than the Star, although the audio shop reckons the Nova is a step up in sound reproduction terms.
bogtrotter said:
You won’t be disappointed..ours sounded fine out of the box..it did however improve with use ( a common Naim thing )
If you get the opportunity do try the Naim Powerline mains cord..it’s expensive , but worth it !
Steve.
That 'use improvement' is actually real. My Ovators improved quite dramatically after a bit of use. If you get the opportunity do try the Naim Powerline mains cord..it’s expensive , but worth it !
Steve.
Not too convinced about the £500 mains cord 'tho. Will look into it. But thanks for the tip
Don’t forget to buy a special low noise fuse too.
https://www.russandrews.com/13a-superfuse-mains-pl...
https://www.russandrews.com/13a-superfuse-mains-pl...
thebraketester said:
Don’t forget to buy a special low noise fuse too.
https://www.russandrews.com/13a-superfuse-mains-pl...
https://www.russandrews.com/13a-superfuse-mains-pl...
Well as it's only TWENTY FIVE QUID 
I suppose I might as well if I'm going to go for the FIVE HUNDRED AND FIFTY QUID mains cable!!!Seriously? Not a chance. That's for those with the incurable and terminal dose of audiophilia. I've only got the mildest symptoms on the spectrum.
We-ellll.......sad news!!!
After a brief (but pretty wunnerful) honeymoon period, things started to go wrong with the Naim setup.
Lots of things.
Randomly.
Main issue was the inability to play a full album. 1 track, then stopped. Or 2 tracks. Commonly 4. Hardly and very rarely ever did an album play right through.
Cue loads of remedial input from both dealer and Naim themselves.
Dealer eventually applied remedy which sorted everything......for about 6 hours. Then back to what are being termed "network issues".
So off goes the Nova next week to be replaced by a Linn Selekt DSM + Katalyst.
I've run basic Naim equipment for a decade, and really really wanted the Nova to work well. But I'll tell you what. Based on this experience it's the audio equivalent of TVR.
hyphen said:
Sorry to hear. A very frustrating experience Im sure.
Was it with one particular source or all of them?
How does the sound compare between the Linn Selekt DSM + Katalyst and the Naim?
Frustrating indeed! The Nova (and Naim in general) may be at the lower end of hi-end hifi but the sound quality is absolutely fine for us, and the Nova is just great.....when it works. Was it with one particular source or all of them?
How does the sound compare between the Linn Selekt DSM + Katalyst and the Naim?
But living with the play queue issue wasn't going to be acceptable longterm, and Naim (who have known about this problem for quite a while) didn't have any immediate solution, other than to 'refer it to the R&D dept'.
Actually the problem didn't arise with Spotify (because I believe it is delivered a different way), but did with both Tidal and Quobuz - the latter being my source of choice. Nas drive issues were remedied by fixes from the dealer, including comprehensive reset (the 'light' reset having failed)
As to the comparison, well, I haven't got the Linn yet (hopefully this coming week), but I'll let you know. Prior to being sold on Naim I used Linn equipment (in the noughties) and don't recall it being anything other than perfectly satisfactory soundwise.
The downside of the swap over is that the Selekt setup I've chosen is 60% more expensive than the Nova, and whilst I doubt if that'll be justified by an increase in sound performance, it will be fully justified if it actually works as it's supposed to!!
Edited by Groat on Saturday 17th October 20:51
reggie82 said:
Naim’s flagship pre/power combo is £120,000 and you class them as being at the lower end of hifi ??
^oo^ or, maybe ^00^What I actually said was..... " the Nova (and Naim in general) may be at the lower end of hi-end hifi". Which is exactly what I class Naim as.
Naim, Linn, Moon et al.
Lower end of hi-end in the same way as Audi, BMW and Mercedes are at the lower end of hi-end motors, even if all/any of them have an expensive flagship model (which they do).
The Selekt arrived and was duly set up.
It's everything (and more) I'd hoped the Nova would be, with the major benefit over the Nova being that it actually works and stays working!
I've used Naim equipment since 2012 so have become very accustomed to its sound. Prior to that I used Linn, and it hasn't taken more than a few hours to reacquaint with Linn sound again. The two aren't the same, but IMO they're equally easy to enjoy.
But the Nova experience was very disappointing as was the reaction from Naim to a customer who'd just spent >£4k on their equipment and couldn't get it to function satisfactorily.
Fortunately the dealership (Loud and Clear in Glasgow) showed its quality, and without much backup from Naim made every effort to remedy matters, and when it became clear that wasn't going to work suggested and implemented the very satisfactory swap over to the Linn.
Naim's the audio equivalent of TVR. Much loved by its owners and users, and brilliant WHEN IT WORKS. Unfortunately that last bit's the problem. A bit of digging and diligence quickly evidences how widespread and common problems are with Naim streamers in general and the Nova in particular. And whilst it's first class when it's working it's just too annoying having to persevere with its perpetual bugs and glitches.
I'd never have another one or advise anyone else to get one either.
It's everything (and more) I'd hoped the Nova would be, with the major benefit over the Nova being that it actually works and stays working!
I've used Naim equipment since 2012 so have become very accustomed to its sound. Prior to that I used Linn, and it hasn't taken more than a few hours to reacquaint with Linn sound again. The two aren't the same, but IMO they're equally easy to enjoy.
But the Nova experience was very disappointing as was the reaction from Naim to a customer who'd just spent >£4k on their equipment and couldn't get it to function satisfactorily.
Fortunately the dealership (Loud and Clear in Glasgow) showed its quality, and without much backup from Naim made every effort to remedy matters, and when it became clear that wasn't going to work suggested and implemented the very satisfactory swap over to the Linn.
Naim's the audio equivalent of TVR. Much loved by its owners and users, and brilliant WHEN IT WORKS. Unfortunately that last bit's the problem. A bit of digging and diligence quickly evidences how widespread and common problems are with Naim streamers in general and the Nova in particular. And whilst it's first class when it's working it's just too annoying having to persevere with its perpetual bugs and glitches.
I'd never have another one or advise anyone else to get one either.
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