Naim Unitiserv psu
Posted by: MangoMonkey on 18 August 2014
Either that, or it should also act as a network switch - 5 ports would suffice.
:-)
There are solutions which cannot be discussed here.
High quality linear supplies in generic (your volts at your amps) are available from the Israeli 'Bear'. You can specify the power plug for your device. Not sure there is one on the market that does multiple DC outs man enough for a serve and switch in one box, but hey, this is Naimland, more boxes the better!
Failing that you could always build your own linear supplies in one case, that's what I will do for router, switch and NAS, I"m still fiddling with room setup though.
Richard, I've heard that Salisbury may be producing a Unitiserve power supply upgrade 'later in the year'. There is clear customer interest in such a capability.
Can you provide any further information?
Naim is well aware of the benefits of linear power supplies on the UnitiServe. The "unspoken" PS I am using was part of the Statement system at CES this year.
I hope a factory solution from Salisbury is coming.
Mango,
I'm using an inexpensive 'hifi linear' psu from China via fleabay for the switch (12v @2a). About $60 with shipping. Google the words in quotes. For the server the psu has to be more robust.
Given that the Serve costs so much, you'd think that it would come with a linear supply in a napsc sized case, rather than the piece of crap currently provided.
Difficult to get a linear supply that delivers enough current for the US in an NAPSC sized case, hence the piece of crap switching supply provided. I suspect you'll get one (if one does come) in a Hi-Cap sized which will match the US nicely.
I bet it would cost more than $399 though. Let's say it was £900 or more - it would then be cheaper to get an NS01. Can't see it myself.
I suspect it will Nigel. People like the safe option so i expect it will be popular 
I suspect it will Nigel. People like the safe option so i expect it will be popular
Linear power supplies with split bobbin transformers are inherently safer than SMPS - see Rod Elliott's site for details.
I meant the safe option being an naim supplied item rather than one of the present 3rd party linear solutions but i know where you are coming from Huge.
To add my two pennies on this topic, my US died recently and was returned to Naim. The dealer and I assumed the problem was in the US, so did not return the power supply. The dealer kindly lent me their demo US which I plugged into the original power supply. And guess what - that then died with exactly the same symptoms.
Irrespective of whether Naim think there is a sonic / reliability issue with these power supplies or not, they are as a minimum missing an obvious commercial opportunity to sell their customers a decent PS.
Go ahead and buy one. Not only is it more reliable, it sounds a lot better too, and won't inject gunk into your mains. Remember that they don't come with a mains lead - I use the one that came with my SuperUniti. A Naim lead is not expensive in any event.
I purchased a Unitiserve SSD, over an HDD, on my distributor's advice as offering better sound quality. As well as the initial NAS.
I've since added 3rd party PSUs to both, and am now moving onto a LaCie USB drive/Chord USB Silverplus/a third bear's PSU. Now its working properly, the USB drive sounds so very very musical, there's no going back.
Naim's recording engineer Ken Christiansen uses a linear PSU for Naim label recordings, Naim 'Statement' demos in the USA use aftermarket PSUs, and demos locally will use USB drives powered by a Supercap. Enough clear justification??
Clearly Naim's current Server offering has gaps, and they know how to remediate them. I've spent around GBP 1,000 above the initial US+NAS to get a system sounding fundamentally musical, and would have happily paid Salisbury this for box that provided an engineered 'total solution'.
More so, IMO its only hurting Naim. In the 'NDS vs 555' debate, the few reporting their NDS >> 555 were running 'optimised' digital sources with third-party add-ons. A 'simple and consistently better' package would sell itself. A fortunate few are buying Sarum TA Ethernet cables to eke more out at the digital front end...
Why Naim can't see the business value in 'bottling a bit of that magic sauce' perplexes me....
Naim is well aware of the benefits of linear power supplies on the UnitiServe. The "unspoken" PS I am using was part of the Statement system at CES this year.
I hope a factory solution from Salisbury is coming.
Hi,
Although I wasn't at the CES Statement event myself the information that I have from our Sales Director is that we weren't using any 3rd party or none Naim power supplies on the equipment there...
Cheers
Phil
Hang on to that piece of crap. I'm finding it quite useful since my PS from the promised land quit on me... apparently a first. Shipping charges to Israel are nearly a third of the price of the PSU. Ouch.
Hang on to that piece of crap. I'm finding it quite useful since my PS from the promised land quit on me... apparently a first. Shipping charges to Israel are nearly a third of the price of the PSU. Ouch.
I'm sending back a Headline PSU. I'm surprised the costs are so high. I'm going to ship it registered airmail.
Bud
I can confirm the userve power thingy is useless, I have several I can give to anyone that wants one. Naim supplied me with several and each one was a failure. I no longer have userve so I have no further use of the power thingy. I would say it is naims Achilles heal.
I'm on my 3rd US PSU, but it is my understanding that Naim have changed the design from the early days so I'm hoping for better reliability and reduced crappyness.
Keith
Keep in mind that there are actually TWO power supply segments, one inside the unit (which generates the internal +3.3 / +5 / +12VDC rails) as well as one outside the unit (12VDC x 4.167A = 50W). The internal PS is hard-wired (with plug leads) to various components, so its replacement is definitely an exercise for an authorized service facility.
It will be interesting to see how the Naim server products evolve, given that the current VIA C7-based mini-ITX mainboard used inside the original UnitiServe is now EOLed from the manufacturer (this may well be true for the other server products as well, dunno). I'm sure that Naim has already stockpiled these for future builds.
My SSD unit has proven itself quite useful with a variety of manufacturers' equipment, for certain, and I do believe that it remains an under-served (no pun intended) segment of the market.
Keep in mind that there are actually TWO power supply segments, one inside the unit (which generates the internal +3.3 / +5 / +12VDC rails) as well as one outside the unit (12VDC x 4.167A = 50W).
Since the internal power supply segment is fed by the external one, then upgrading the latter should surely also benefit the internal PS. Are you saying that further benefits can be obtained from upgrading the internal PS segment?
The internal PS is hard-wired (with plug leads) to various components, so its replacement is definitely an exercise for an authorized service facility.
Why would it need replacing? Failure or upgrade? If you are referring to an upgrade, is this something that an authorized service facility could or will do?
It will be interesting to see how the Naim server products evolve, given that the current VIA C7-based mini-ITX mainboard used inside the original UnitiServe is now EOLed from the manufacturer (this may well be true for the other server products as well, dunno). I'm sure that Naim has already stockpiled these for future builds.
An impressive board indeed. I note that its pedigree includes "boasting a comprehensive set of military-grade cryptography tools." So that's where Naim hides the secret sauce (code).
My SSD unit has proven itself quite useful with a variety of manufacturers' equipment, for certain, and I do believe that it remains an under-served (no pun intended) segment of the market.
+1
Jan
I am new to the Naim world, and the UnitiServe has been the entry point.
As an "outsider", I had long held the view that Naim designs a product, then immediately hobbles it with a sub-standard power section to encourage purchase of the correct power section at a price which often seems to double the component's cost.
The UnitiServe confirms the view. The supplied SMPS is appalling and has no place in a product of this cost, and with its potential performance. Which can only be realised with a better power supply.
I cannot believe Naim do not realise this themselves. I would hazard a guess that it is either because the maximum performance potential of the US may be a little too close to the next product up the price ladder, or they are so busy developing new products they have not had a chance to release a decent PSU for the US. I hope for the latter.
I will say I find the US a delight to use. I have 5 systems, and use Mac Minis in two of them. In one system, the US is a substantial improvement, in the other it is perhaps a slight improvement. Such is the nature of digital streaming and DACs. There seems greater sensitivity to the electrical environment, cabling, and synergy between components than there is in the analogue world.
But I find the Naim interface a joy to use. One of remaining systems includes Linn Klimax DSM to Klimax Solo amps. I find it horrible to use in comparison to Naim's approach, and will likely replace it.