Unitiqute 2 + Nap 100 vs DAC V1 + Nait 5si

Posted by: rainsoothe on 01 October 2015

Hi everyone. Much has happened since my last visit here. I used to have a Naim Dac V1 + Supernait 2 + Martin Logan Motion 40, but because of financial restraints and overpowering bass for my 16 square meter roomm, I canged my system.

 

TL;DR: Dac V1 + Nait 5si via AV bypass (into Focal Aira 906 via Audioquest Type 4) is almost perfect, but at moderate and high volume bass is a bit much and makes my couch vibrate - propper acoustic treatment is a no-go, as it's expensive and ugly for living room. Unitiqute 2 + Nap100 is also almost perfect, but soundstage is grander and airier and less cluttered in the upper registers on the Dac V1 + Nait 5si.

 

So before a week ago I was apparently happy with Naim Dac V1 + Arcam FMJ A19 + Focal Aria 906. But one day I was listening to some old school rock, like ACDC and Aerosmith and realised the low end was not doing it for me, as it was not tight enough. Also, I was missing some Naimness (i think it was the prat ) )

 

So I decided to go to my dealer's and audition to a UQ2, UQ2 + Nap 100 and Arcam A19 + Dac V1 (to compare). For me, the UQ2 was on par or even lesser then what I had at home, but with the Nap 100 everything had changed. It was just missing some of the Arcam magic I like. Then, some suggestions on anothert forum, compelled me to audition higher Arcams as well. I ended up taking for a home demo (thanks to my amazing dealer) a UQ 2, Nap 100 and Arcam A38 + Chord Rumour 2 (for the UQ + NAP) and NAC A5 (for the A38).

 

I'd like to stress how important home auditioning is, because even if the bass quality on the A38 wasn't as right for me as the UQ2 + Nap100, what was happening in the midrange and upper register was amazing, and I was almost sure this was what I wanted after auditioning at the dealer's. But home dem revealed that the Arcam A38 was too fatigueing in my space, as I probably have some nasty reflections in the upper range. It was airy and beautiful, but detail was a bit too much.

 

I tried all the possible combinations and arrived to the conclusion that I like the UQ2 + Nap 100 even better then Dac V1 + Nap 100, which was lacking somewhat in terms of cohesion.

 

Then, when I took the gear back, my dealer threw in another suggestion - to try the Nait 5si as a power amp. Which I did, since they had the Nap100 out of stock for the time being. And herein lies the problem. Ironically, as little as I liked the Dac V1 + Nap 100, I love how it sounds via the AV bypass of the Nait 5si. With fixed volume and through normal input, it's a no-go for me, as it sounds a bit unexciting. But the preamp in the V1 + the 5si's power section sound great together imo. The only slight niggle is that, perfect as the midrange and upper register are in this combo, the bass is again a bit overpowering at moderate and high volume, the equilibrium being perfect at lowlevel listening. UQ2 into Nait 5si is too harsh in the highs, and it gets tiring fast.

 

A word on cables: I decided to keep my Audioquest as they tame the low bass a bit, at the expense of some openness lack of harshness in the upper registers of the Rumour. Chord Rumour 2 is superiour with UQ2 + Nap100, but bass gets the overpowering symptom. The overpowering bass happens on the Dac V1 + Nait 5si even with the Audioquest. Actually, is it the Audioquest or just that the Nap 100 is a bit rolled off at the extremes?

 

So here's my questions, for anyone that has tried these combos.

 

1. How do you like the UQ2 + Nap 100 vs Dac V1 + Nait 5si? I found the voices to be more recessed in the Nait combo then the UQ2 one, but everything was better in hi-fi terms. Too bad the bass is overpowering. The UQ2 though has more body imo, more cohesion, and with the Nap100 even some soundstage. The fact that the Nap 100 is a bit rolled off at the extremes helps both my enviroment and taming the highs (maybe even the bass)

 

2. Is the Nap 100 a bit rolled off at the extremes and that's why I find the bass better for my enviroment?

 

3. Would a Nap 200DR be a good upgrade at a later stage for my UQ2 - considering I dont want harsh highs and very tight and controled bass?

 

4. Would different cabling solve my issue? I found the NACA5 to be a bit harsh with these naims (haven't tried it with the Nait 5si, only with the Nap100), and the Rumour to be a better match for these)

 

So... that's about it, I just can't decide, if the UQ2 + Nap100 had the huge soundstage that the Dac V1 + Nait 5si did, It would be a no-brainer. Or if the latter had the former's bass and general cohesion and body. Decisions decisions...

 

Thanks to everyone in advance.

 

P.S.: Oh, and btw, any other suggestions are welcome.

Posted on: 02 October 2015 by hungryhalibut

Well, you do seem to be getting into something of a muddle, and reading your post I'm getting confused too! Do I assume that your music is being played from a computer, rather than streaming over the network? If the former, you need a DAC, while if the latter you need a streamer. 

 

Adding a V1 to the Nait Si doesn't make sense to me, as you are making a lot of the combination redundant. The logical partners to the V1 are the 100 or 200. 

 

If you want o gone streaming route something like a 172/155 would make sense. 

 

I'd also avoid using speaker leads as tone controls. I suspect you need to play around with room positioning of your speakers to avoid the bass issues you seem to be getting. If the room is small and the speakers are ported, this can often be the root of the issue. Did you try them at home before deciding?

Posted on: 02 October 2015 by rainsoothe

Hi and thanks. No, I didn't try the Focals at home before deciding, but I had the option of changing them. I didn't, because they fit my space perfectly, and they were not offenders with the A19 or the A38, neither with the Nap100. And yes, the speakers are front ported.

 

I can do both streaming from computer or network, i'm just testing options right now, and only sound matters. To me, the Dac V1 sounded way better with 5si as a power amp then the Nap100, which, in combination, lacked cohesion - the instruments separated and all, but the music didn't seem as a whole to me.

 

UQ2 + Nap100 sounds great to me, but I just wish that little extra cleanness the other combo brings.

 

I think 172/155 is out of my possibilities for the moment. I was thinking my option would be to up the Nap100 with a used Nap 200 when funds allow, provided the sound characteristics stay the same and the 200 doesn't sound too laid back.

Posted on: 02 October 2015 by hafler3o

Did you try using a bung in the ports? Foam, tights, socks, etc.? Some speaker mfrs like Kef give a 'port ring' to cut the size down and hence the bass. Worth experimenting with!

Posted on: 02 October 2015 by rainsoothe
I tried putting a sock in the right speaker's port, since it's 60 cm from rear wall and 30 from side, but didn't make a noticeable difference.
Posted on: 02 October 2015 by charlesphoto

Do like me: UQ digital out to DAC V1 to NAP 100 (110 in my case). Problem solved. The bass on my supposedly untamable LS50's is perfect (I do use a half bung in the rear port as they are close to the wall). I would like a bigger amp someday but the PRAT on my little 110 is so infectious that I fear losing that (plus the hit on my wallet). 

Posted on: 02 October 2015 by rainsoothe

thanks, and would that I could, but 1 I wanna later add a turntable, and 2 I'm trading in the Dac V1 f+ Arcam or the UQ+nap - OR the Arcam for the 5si.