Will UnitiServe add any real value?

I sold my US funding NDX/XPS and would do it again...if you'll go for a NDS save your money buying an US, it doesn't add any value...of course my 2 cent..

Cheers

I have a UnitiServe, which I bought because I didn't want to use the computer to rip CDs. But given that you are already ripping to the NAS, I cannot see that the £2,000 cost would be justified. That said, it's delightful to use and some say that it sounds better than a NAS. Certainly when I put a better power supply on it the sound improved significantly, so all servers don't sound the same.

Value . . . to you . . . of course is the analysis.  I might guess that if you're already well up and running with a system to rip cd's to the Synology, tag them, etc., then the uServe (either the hdd or the ssd model) won't add a lot of value to your system. 

It's in my profile. You can mail me using my forum name at gmail if you'd like to know more.

Thanks! I just checked it out.

Dangerous waters these . . . 

Logically, there's no way the Uniti can tell whether it's attached to a US or a cheap NAS. So from a SQ point of view it must all be the same. The benefits of a US are design consistency and simplicity I guess. But personally I prefer to spend the difference on great music.

Alex

?...! I can't think of any piece of hi-fi that can tell what it's attached to, in fact with ethernet (even with some squinting at the settings menu and a web-browser page open showing router network connections) I'm not sure that many owners could tell for sure either!

My dealer reckons the Naim servers are a good 10% better in sq than say another dedicated ripper/server, the server in question is half the price of a UnitiServe, therefore represents a good investment at that price point (£1000+) I've never had the time to compare the two (there are four brands on demo to choose from if I wanted to do direct comparisons anyway) and I'd only end up buying something so best to steer clear for the moment.

I may be wrong, but streamers sometimes do have to know what they're attached to, don't they? My Qute knows whether I've put an iPhone or a USB stick into its USB port. Just like a computer has to know.

Anyway, my point is that, unless in some way the US can produce a 'superior' stream of digital data to another NAS, which seems unlikely, then it's all the same and can't affect SQ. 

I dedicate this post to everyone who contributed to the one on whether digital cables can affect SQ. It's an homage. I thank you.

Alex

I certainly don't understand it, but improving the power supply on my UnitiServe improved the sound, so it follows that different servers will not sound the same. I also found that changing Ethernet cables improved the sound.

You need to try it for yourself, rather than saying in the abstract that it can't make a difference, because in my house it does. And it's far from insignificant.

Totally agree with Hungryhalibut. The orig linear ps with the US is not very good. I changed that. Upgraded the ethernet cabling and added a similar ps for the NAS. It is tied into a nDAC again with upgraded ps and it all sounds great. I see no reason to change and the ability to multi stream with the US around the house is a plus.

I asked Naim why they don't make a better supply for the Serve, in the same way as they do for, say, a CD5xs. The response was that if you want a Naim server with a better power supply, get an HDX. So I spent $399 on a supply made by a nice man in Israel that really lifts the performance. I'm happy with it, as are others on here. But if people don't want better sound, or don't want to spend $399, they don't have to. Easy peasy. 

I ordered the same psu from the same guy on Sunday....currently in transit, was shipped on Monday.

Looking forward to hearing how the UServe sounds with it....

Chaps,

Its interesting that those that seem to be most 'concerned' about or 'pre-occupied' with, the u-Serve are those that dont't actually own one...telling that.

You will be very hard pressed to find a thread started by a u-Serve owner with a title along the lines of,  "Well **ck me! my u-Serve is the dogs bo**ocks", or "The u-Serve is brilliant because it sounds better than a Nas/Macmini".

I dont't know where anybody on the Forum has actually said it sounds better than any other Nas...bare. Even if it did, that is besides the point. It's a very versatile and simple piece of kit, which requires no additional faff to get it to provide the best sounding audio files possible direct from a cd....regardless of a "report". It's virtues are specified on Naim's website, it only takes a few minutes to read it.

If ones concern is the perceived 'value' in terms of price point, that 'value' is directly related to the individual and how that person wants to play music, ie. in what way does it help one enjoy the music listening experience?

I suspect in most cases for u-Serve owners, that is not wanting to be pc/mac reliant and hense wasting vauable time and energy configuring a music replay system and worrying if it performs as well as the proprietary Naim method and then spending time posting silly anti u-Serve posts....

Regarding the price, which seems to be of most concern to the non U-Serve owners, if Naim were as big an outfit as Apple and had the product made in Taiwan or China at the same scale as any of their products, then the retail price would theoretically be half what it is....say £1000 for arguments sake. 

What is becoming more apparent is that forum members are upgrading it by adding a psu, very much inline with the Naim philosophy....and therefore, should be embraced as if it were any other psu upgrade to any other Naim product.

If the u-Serve makes certain forum members uncomfortable in their own choices, then that's unfortunate and should be treated by a dose of ones favourite music and a glass of ones favourite tipple...a reclinning chair and just be glad Naim's portfolio is so broad that you can enjoy a little piece of that Naim magic in your own system.

Jason.

Nicely put, Jason.

Posts from folks who don't own a particular piece of hardware, but know that said hardware "can't" sound better than some other piece of hardware (which they don't own either) seem so September 2013 don't they? 

Well I did... three years ago... not quite with those words... it bombed.

Make that September 2010 (see link in above post)

In this particular case, streaming allows for many different solutions to suit all temprements and opinions. There are many of us out here who don't own uServes who are perfectly happy to accept that as with all their products Naim mile to do things their way even if it does mean labouriously reinventing the UPnP server. I personally can't tell the difference between it and a Vortexbox based server - that is until it comes to do general admin, updates and file backups. 

Linn used to build their own servers but I think they are happy for their customers to use their own solutions. 

Tog

I wouldn't say bombed exactly Jan, even W** seemed to partially embrace your enthusiasm....more a case of 'Shock of the New'. Great book by the way, highly recommended If you have not read it.

Jason.

Thanks for the link, it was most entertaining, especially the "interpolator"(!)

No.

I say Tog, is your cat doing an impression of my cat? The resemblance is striking ; he could use a suit  though.