Some advice needed on my Naim options...

I would consider a used Superuniti if you can stretch to this. They come in at just over £2k.

One box, and at a similar level to the 172/155 you have listened to and liked.

With this you will be happy bunny for much longer and have a nice simple, elegant system.

Unitiqute 2 is a good starting point and is a great sounding piece of kit that would likely provide years of satisfaction. The suggested SU above may be too much of a stretch financially... if you did want to stretch then maybe a Uniti or Unitilite would be a more comfy stretch.

Thank you. 

I am sure the SU is extremely good, but just far too far out of range for my budget unfortunately, as I say even the UQ2 is a stretch at the moment. 

From what I gather the Unitilite is a step up for not huge sums, however, I have absolutely no CDs so it seems a waste.

With the UQ2, I will go and listen and try and get a home demo, but would like to know if anyone has heard both it and a NAD D3020?

Or tried a Nait with alternative DAC options?

Thanks

If you don't have CD's, then for sure the Uniti / Unitilite makes no sense.

Stick with the Qute.. and as you already stated... ready made for an upgrade later down the road with the NAP 100 if you so desire.

JME, 

Maybe spend some time thinking about what you want now, in the future, and the path you want to take.  

Do you want the best sound now for your money, the most flexible solution that will allow you upgrade in the future, the simplest most convenient fewest number of boxes? 

Naim has many overlapping solutions that tick different combinations of solutions.

Paul

I would say - sell all your gear and get a SuperUniti. 

It has a very good streamer, Spotify, Tidal and a very good, powerful amp plus a plethora of analogue and digital inputs. It will drive ANY speakers.

UnititiQute is good as well, but there is a substantial difference between the two.

18 months ago I moved from a NAD C340 (plus Arcam CD73 and a Dacmagic) to a Unitiqute I couldn't really afford. So kind of a similar situation. It beat the lot of them as far as I was concerned. Several upgrades (that I couldn't really afford either) later, I still look back at getting that Qute as something of an epiphany.

I have no doubt you'll love it.

I started my 'revisit' to Naim with a Uniti and hardly ever used the CD drive. It sounds much better streaming. Later I added a NAP200 mainly to power better speakers I had acquired. Even later I swapped out the Uniti for a 202 preamp and added a stand alone streamer (NDX) when funds allowed and then further on down upgraded these components.

So if funds are limited I would say secondhand UQ2, Unitilite or Uniti is a great starting point and an easy way to get into streaming. You will need a NAS and/or computer (hopefully capable of ripping CDs). I have heard a Unitilite driving a pair of Guru Juniors sound amazing. You don't have to spend big bucks to get a great sound.

Always, always listen to this stuff before you buy - preferably with your speakers.

Good luck with your search.

Based on the sensitivity of those speakers the UQ2b is worth a shot. My speakers are 85 dB and my room is big. The UQ is a bit underpowered for me, but your speakers are much more efficient. 

The Unitiqute is great, but as you already have a Mac Mini set up for streaming, I would also consider a DAC V1. I think I'm right in saying that this would work into your 3020, which you could upgrade to a NAP 100 or 200 further down the line. A Naim dealer will be able to let you listen to both options and decide which way to go.

If you are after the Naim sound, the best way to accomplish this with a single unit is via amplification. The Qute2 is a great piece of kit as both a source and amplifier, plus can be upgraded easily by adding power amps like the NAP100 later. I use one in a second system and on its own without anything else it really shines. As a compact head unit to building a seriously performing but small system it is hard to beat.

However, if you want to take a more long term considered approach, then going for the more expensive amp only Nait XS2 using you current source might be a better way to go and then adding a Naim source at a later time. It will outperform the Qute2 as an amp quite comfortably.

This is really going to depend on how you feel about what you hear; where you want to go in the future; what your box count and size requirements are.

I'm not really sure how to advise here: my first instinct was that the V1 is ideal, but it has no analogue inputs for the phono stage. Then I thought Nait XS, but that has no DAC for the Mac Mini. Which led me back to the Qute, which was the OP's first idea. Hmm. 

Given that the Qute has onboard Spotify and Tidal, the Bluetooth facility of the later version does not seem that important, so a used pre Bluetooth Qute 2 might fit the bill at a lower price. Later on, a 155 could be added and then the Qute swapped out for a 172 if required, though of course the Qute could be good enough for years. 

Thank you all for taking the time to respond. A lot of my personal listening is vinyl so unfortunately the DAC-V1 is out, as mentioned, with no analogue inputs.

I will try and listen to a Qute 2 and Nait XS at the dealer as they also stock my speakers, will possibly try a 5si also.

HH, I hadn't thought of previous UQ versions. Having had a quick look, instead of using my current setup with Spotify via Bluetooth, I would just stream Spotify via the nStream app?  Getting a used Qute might mean I could also pick up a second hand NAP100 at the same time.

jme posted:

I will try and listen to a Qute 2 and Nait XS at the dealer as they also stock my speakers, will possibly try a 5si also.

HH, I hadn't thought of previous UQ versions. Having had a quick look, instead of using my current setup with Spotify via Bluetooth, I would just stream Spotify via the nStream app?  Getting a used Qute might mean I could also pick up a second hand NAP100 at the same time.

 

Actually to make the best of Spotify, the streaming is via the build in function of the NAIM streamers. The good news is that all the streamers (including UnitiQute) are software-upgradable. So if you pick up a second-hand one, you should be able to upload the latest software to it and benefit from Spotify.

As to adding NAP100 at a later stage - I don't think that would be necessary.

I think that there is a version of the Q2 without Bluetooth - the Q2 is better than the Q1 so it's worth seeking out. 

One thing to consider - if you are already looking at adding a 100, the Qute may not really be the best, especially as many seem to think that the 100 takes away some of the Qute's magic. You can pick up used 172s for about £1,200, to which you could add a 150x for about £300. That would be better than a Qute/100, for which you are looking at £1,300 or so, and nothing's wasted. That's what I'd do, anyway. 

Adding a NAP 100 is not ideal to qute due to the type of interconnect between both.

Not a DIN, or SNAIC, but the RCA-RCA type.

If adding a NAP 100 the Qute I would have to spend quite a bit on a good interconnect.

the qute is very capable alone, I don't hear any need to add a Nap to a qute. 

If you already own a Qute 2 then adding a nap 100, in my experience, is a valid way to upgrade.  However, having owned both and moved on I would not be planning on purchasing a Qute 2 and then a Nap 100 as there are better options available for the same money.

Adam Zielinski posted:

jme posted:

I will try and listen to a Qute 2 and Nait XS at the dealer as they also stock my speakers, will possibly try a 5si also.

HH, I hadn't thought of previous UQ versions. Having had a quick look, instead of using my current setup with Spotify via Bluetooth, I would just stream Spotify via the nStream app?  Getting a used Qute might mean I could also pick up a second hand NAP100 at the same time.

Actually to make the best of Spotify, the streaming is via the build in function of the NAIM streamers. The good news is that all the streamers (including UnitiQute) are software-upgradable. So if you pick up a second-hand one, you should be able to upload the latest software to it and benefit from Spotify.

I started my Naim "journey" with a second hand UnitiQute earlier this year - this was used to power a pair of B&W CDM7NT which is did well.

One thing to note about a second hand UnitiQute is that to use the latest firmware (including Spotify and Tidal) is that they need the 192/24 board in.  This makes them into (essentially) a UnitiQute 2.  If you need bluetooth you can easily add a small bluetooth audio adaptor to one of the digital inputs.

Spotify works well with the UnitiQute being compatible with Spotify Connect so you just select the UnitiQute as the "Device to play on" on any Spotify application (desktop or on phone/tablet device).

As for if the UnitiQute is "worth" it... yes to my mind!  

Thanks again for your input.

It gives me a good chance to go for an audition with some ideas for now and future possibilities.

I think, for the sake of my marriage that hasn't even happened yet, the size of the UQ/2 + NAP100 is about acceptable. If I can get away with a UQ2 on its own and be happy that would probably be the best option.

The reason for thinking of adding the NAP100 was from this review http://www.the-ear.net/review-...ookshelf-loudspeaker of the slightly smaller version of my speakers, which suggests adding the NAP100 would give better control, I certainly don't think I will need extra volume.

At 31, I think with budget and space in mind, I might be better to go listen to a Qute and if I like it, go for it. I have a few years in which to take time to upgrade! 

Thanks all!

That's the spirit! The Qute is lovely. 

Your speakers on paper appear quite efficient so the UQ2 is probably all you will need to energise them. Not sure I would go for the UQ2 planing to add a NAP100 later as there are better upgrade options.

BTW there is no downside to buying a secondhand UQ2, only money to save! Just make sure it is the UQ2 as it is superioir to the predecessor and has the 192/24 board....err....onboard so the firmware can (be updated to) access Spotify and Tidal which I would thoroughly recommend. Sounds ridiculous but it is worth demoing the UQ2 ideally at home or at least at a dealer who either stocks your speaker or even take your speakers along. That way you can be sure of the need (hopefully no need) or otherwise to add a NAP100.

Good luck and let us know how you get on

Thanks, will do. 

I can demo it with my speakers, although if doing this at the dealer it seems a bit off to then go second hand, although I would certainly appreciate the lower figures involved with doing this! 

It might be worth trying to find a dealer with a secondhand or ex demo UQ2 they want to shift then you won't feel any awkwardness demoing it at the dealer or preferably at home. 

Why not a s/h Qute or 5i amp

both are very competent and below your budget

I would not use any power-amp in addition to a Qute, the magic is lost which is more important than power in my opinion

Need two optical inputs so no 5 series unless adding an external dac would be worthwhile.

I have booked a demo so will try with and without

Cheers!