Qute with NAP 250-2 vs SuperUniti

Source first

This follows with what I have read. The DAC and preamp or source section of the SuperUniti will give me the best performance bump... even if the the amp portion of the Qute and NAP 250-2 combo has a bit more going on than the amp section of the SuperUniti? Thanks for your input totemphile!

I'm at the stage where I'm thinking of upgrading my UnitQute. I'm thinking of the system I want to end up with (even if it takes a decade to get there).

Because of this I'll probably upgrade to NAP200/250 first, followed by a preamp (ok I know this probably wont make much difference) and finish off with a separate streamer (probably NDX).

Once there I could get power supplies for everything etc. I'll probably then use my unitqute for headphones in the bedroom.

Hopefully in the meantime there will be some modern versions of IBLs released, I like mine but they look a bit tired.

Although a SuperUniti may sound better than Qute and NAP250, I think its a bit of a dead end for further upgrades if that is your ultimate goal.

Hi Audiofool,

the NAP 200 is good, and I was often steered away from moving to a SU which is certainly no upgrade from the 200. Why don't you keep the 200, too, and demo a NAC 172 (which might be similar to the SU regarding streaming and preamp), or wait for naims next streamer-preamp (likely one step up from the 172)?

Best,

Stefan

Good advice IMO. Bought my SU before the 172 came out. Using it into a 250.2. It is very good but somewhat a waste for the power amp section of the SU.

Yip.

Back in March I spent several hours in demo with SU, 

SU+200, SU+250.2.  The SU is fabulous, a bit better

with 200, and much better with 250.2...that's my

experience.

California Jim

Other ears, other room, other experience. For me, adding a 250 to SU made the whole difference in bass control, low mid range and voice. And even more now with the Allaes... Amen to that!

Yip

I’m glad to read some of you are suggesting I go with the SU. Based on all the excellent things I’ve read about the SU I’m hoping it’s good enough to make me stop tinkering with multiple black boxes & cables and cause me to spend more time listening to music. The first time I ever heard a Naim system was last year at the Rocky Mountain Audio Festival in Colorado. After listening to room after room of five and six figure mega buck audio shrines, or rooms stacked floor to ceiling with rack upon rack of audio gear I stumble into the Naim Uniti room. At first I thought that perhaps the room was not set up yet as the room was almost empty. Yes there was really good sound in the Naim Uniti room but all I could see was a small black box and a pair of speakers. That’s it. No fancy equipment racks, no speaker cables the size of a firehose. No fake plants lit with colored lights. Just a generic end table (likely a piece of hotel room furniture) with a single modestly sized black box and one pair of average sized tower speakers. I can’t describe the sound other than it just sounded right. No attention grabbing over emphasized gee wiz bass or wiz-bang treble. Just good balanced sound. I guess it was what you guys call PRAT? After listening for awhile I had to ask. Was all this marvelous sound coming from just this little box and the pair of tower speakers? I was told that I was listening to the Naim SU being fed by a Unitiserve (out of sight) and a pair of Naim S-400 speakers. That kind of sound and a music server for about $15,000?! No $15,000 is not an insignificant sum of money to me. But in the context of the hifi show and how good it sounded it seemed like a bargain to me. That was it. I was hooked. I have yet to hear anything that’s as involving and fun to listen to as the Naim sound. 

Thanks to all for the input and advice. Fingers crossed that the SU is good enough for my listening needs so that I don’t feel compelled to go down the rabbit hole / money pit of multiple Naim boxes. I’ll keep you you guys posted once the dem begins. 

Best,

Audiofool

Audiofool.  There are many happy SU owners out here at present. Some of us have stayed with the basic version and others have taken it further. Either way you will be joining an expanding group of people who are content with what they have and do not envy those with multi-box systems. The only real advice I can offer is that if you go for an SU you should consider changing your name to audiowise!

Thanks naimUnT for taking the time to share your thoughts. Thanks to all for the excellent insight and food for thought.

"Well, to my ears and my listening environment I was quite surprised that the SU was playing on par if not better than my Pre/power combo".

You're not alone naimUniTi - I agree with every word as it entirely reflects my experience. I'm not claiming my SU is equal to or better in hifi terms than my previous top level olive system but I am enjoying the music more. After a 20+ year journey up the ladder it's such a relief to go back to one box (apart from vinyl). It may be age related hearing issues (though I can hear the difference between flac and wav) but I think that it's more that delight in the flood of new music (mostly via Radio Paradise leading to buying and the ripping cds) has eclipsed the advantages that the high end brings. 

Even when I had my top level system I was often surprised how much I enjoyed listening to music at friends' houses who had relatively basic systems; also I guess a lot of people are like me in that they learnt to love music via very cheap and primitive systems in their youth. I'm not saying sound quality doesn't matter but for me streaming and internet radio has more than trumped any trade offs - not that I feel I am suffering as the Superuniti is just so damned good! Like Audiofool I heard a Uniti at a hifi show and walking from that room to the rooms with the bigger Naim systems I just couldn't deny to myself  how close the Uniti was in sheer enjoyability and that made me question my whole hifi journey.

I've never been happier with my music and the positive trade in value of my separates went a long way towards a BMW motorcycle

I'm certainly a happy SU bunny  I've had the NAP 250.2 I was using with it up for sale because I really need the rack space and the SU is so good on it's own anyway. Yes, the 250.2 certainly enhances things, but I soon stopped worrying about that once I'd taken it out of the system. Mind you, until it's gone I'll still be fighting the tempation to reinstall it until I have something to fill that shelf.

I'll add a little more of my experience of the SUniti SQ.

As I said above, I had a demo in March and bought the

SU on the day...no hesitation.  And then I waited patiently

for it to open up and shine.  As naimUnT said, it took

4 to 5 months to really reveal its sparkle and finesse.

July was good, August better, and in this month I believe

it has finally shown its true colours...and I can say the

sound is truly fabulous.  Soundstage is virtually 3-D,

harmonics of guitar is sensational...and female voice which

has always been problematic to my ear, sounds glorious!

I couldn't recommend the SUniti more highly.  Radio Paradise

sounds great, CDs are heard as if for the first time, and

HiDef downloads are quite spectacular.

California Jim

Audiofool: I have a Superuniti on order and in fact, it was the only all-in-one I auditioned, partially because my dealer (200 miles distant) did not have a Uniti 2, and at that time, I considered the Unitiquted, unheard, beneath my exalted audiophile standards.    Like you, I inquired from folks who had experience with a broad range of Naim equipment and many of the same people on this thread helped me to my choice.  I cannot bring to the bar nearly as much listening as they do--and no doubt you listened to the SU more than I ever did.  But I am hapy with my choice and fully intend to battle the upgrade urge--escept perhaps a PL.

naimUnT: I thought you COULD use a Stageline with a power supply?  If not, isn't there a way to play a phono without an onboard preamp?  Thanks.

Russ 

Interesting you say this as I concluded the Qute had a warmer slightly more appealing sound than the Uniti1 that I listened to a few months ago. 

What I lack in personal listening experience, I more than make up for by having read virtually every opinion on all the Naim Unitis by everyone who has posted on the subject.  I have read opinions by several Qute owners who say there is something very warm and special about the little unit that bigger amps do not match.

Russ

Hi Russ

Just to clarify what I meant to say is that the SU (unlike the Uniti) does not supply power for a Stageline. Consequently, the Stageline would need a separate PSU. I had wished for the SU to be able to power a Stageline. In that way, I would only need 2 boxes instead of 3. I'm allergic to Naim boxes!

This old post is an interesting read. I've had my SU for just over six weeks, having replaced my olive boxes, and think it is excellent. It has a lot more fans than I initially realised.