Basic Unitiqute questions

Posted by: the other nickc on 24 November 2012

Hi all,

 

I've been playing music from my Mac to my CB 42.5/110 combo for a while now, mostly bad quality mp3's! So i'd like to inject a bit of quality. I tried a Beresford DAC recently but couldn't get it to work so sent it back.

 

I'm attracted to the Unitiqute due to the fact it's a player and a DAC in one small size box. It strikes me that a good solution for me would be for me to buy a Unitiqute, start ripping CD's in a quality format on my mac and keep them all on a Hard drive that the Unitiqute can access and use the Unitiqute as a quality source.

 

So my questions are (insert drum roll)..

 

Is the Unitiqute available without an internal amp?
And if not can i connect it to my old Chrome bumper 42.5 pre and play it through my existing system?

 

Will the Unitiqute enable me to control it via my imac (dual core) or would it have to 'stand alone' and be operated through its remote or a phone app?

 

many thanks

 

Nick

Posted on: 24 November 2012 by Edouard
Originally Posted by the other nickc:
"Is the Unitiqute available without an internal amp?"
The answer is no

"And if not can i connect it to my old Chrome bumper 42.5 pre and play it through my existing system?"


No problem, you just connect the pre out of the Qute to one input of your 42.5. You'll need an RCA-DIN cord.

 

"Will the Unitiqute enable me to control it via my imac (dual core) or would it have to 'stand alone' and be operated through its remote or a phone app?"


No, you'll use your Qute as a streamer, and you'll download N-Stream app.

 

Believe me, You'll be impressed with the result
Posted on: 24 November 2012 by the other nickc

many thanks Edouard!

Posted on: 24 November 2012 by Guido Fawkes
Originally Posted by the other nickc:

Nick

 

> Is the Unitiqute available without an internal amp? No
> And if not can i connect it to my 42.5 pre and play it through my existing system? Yes


> Will the Unitiqute enable me to control it via my imac (dual core)? No

> would it have to 'stand alone' and be operated through its remote or a phone app? Yes - iPAD/Phone/Pod app. 


Options 


1. Install Playback UPnP software on your Mac, connect UQ to your network .. use nStream on iPad to control it ... 


2. Connect iMac to UQ with Supernova 6 optical cable - configure OSX Audi Midi to send output to UQ (just means changing the output from internal speakers to optical out) ... use iTunes to play music. 


if 2) then I'd use a Naim DAC rather than UQ - no idea why Beresford didn't work (is it a USB DAC? - that may not work if you do not have appropriate drivers) ... Naim DAC will work using S/PDIF out from iMac to S/PDIF in on Naim DAC. 


There are other ways top do it (hiFace comes to mind) .... but it will work as I've described and should sound very good ... replacing mp3s with ALAC or AIFF rips is essential.  

Posted on: 24 November 2012 by McGhie
Hi Nick If you're sure you won't ever need the amp section of the UnitiQute then you may wish to consider the ND5 XS (streamer & DAC source - no amp). The two benefits of the UQ over this are: - Half size, if you see this as an advantage - You can always upgrade to a different streamer later (e.g. ND5 XS) and use the UQ as an integrated second system (just add speakers) If neither of these seems a huge advantage then you may want to jump straight to the ND5 XS. Cheers Ian