Naim Superuniti or Uniti 2?

spurrier sucks posted:

ChrisH posted:

So did you place the order then Seattle?

I started my Naim path with a Uniti before moving to Superuniti as my next step and the difference was a big step up as you say. The SU had more ' grunt' but also a much richer feel to the sound.

Enjoy it when you get it!

I was also interested to hear your comments on the Majik. I didn't get the chance to listen to Linn when I was starting out, but once I was on the Naim path I wasn't interested in changing.

I see you have a SN2/NDX combo now. How would you compare that to the SU? Is the jump from Initi to SU and SU to SN2/NDX about the same or not as bid of a jump?

 

thanks, John

Hi John,

Its difficult to remember back now as I've made smaller changes as I've gone along (power lines, rack, dedicated power supply, etc), but as I recall, I would say they were relatively equal jumps.

I really liked the SU, but I wanted a bit more before I (in theory!) Came to a halt with my box upgrades so decided to move onwards up the scale. 

Chris

A different scenario to Chris's, but when I moved from SU to 272/250 the jump was massively larger than that between the Uniti2 and the SU. The 272/250 is another world altogether, and I imagine it would be very similar moving to NDX/SN2. 

To my mind the NDX/Supernait is a significantly bigger jump up the ladder. I had a gap of a couple of years between comparing Uniti/SU and SU/NDX, but I don't think my memory is deceiving me. Although I enjoyed my SU, the NDX systems I heard really seemed to open a door to the music and make it more accessible.  

My choice seems to be moving towards the SU with my old LS 3/5a's and a couple of sub-woofers.

What are your thoughts?

What so an NDX/Supernait is an alternative to a 272/250 as an upgrade from my SU?

AAAAGH - it was all looking so simple.

Seattle posted:

My choice seems to be moving towards the SU with my old LS 3/5a's and a couple of sub-woofers.

What are your thoughts?

I'd get some modern full sized speakers rather than messing about with subs. 

PeterJ posted:

What so an NDX/Supernait is an alternative to a 272/250 as an upgrade from my SU?

AAAAGH - it was all looking so simple.

 

Of course it is. It's not what I chose though. 

Larger speakers would be great. Sadly, the room/bookcases etc are best suited for

bookshelf. Maybe this may swing this thread in a different direction, but I would like

to know if any of you have had experience with the Russell K 50, Harbeth P3 or new Graham Chartwell LS 3/5's

 

I see you have a SN2/NDX combo now. How would you compare that to the SU? Is the jump from Initi to SU and SU to SN2/NDX about the same or not as bid of a jump?

 

I actually have both the SU and NDX / SN2. It is a siginificant Improvement - as it should, given the price differential.

Having said that... if I was buying today... N272 and 250 would be my choice. Similar financial outlay, massive i provement. Mostly due to the quality of NAP250 over the sn2 amp section.

Hungryhalibut posted:

PeterJ posted:

What so an NDX/Supernait is an alternative to a 272/250 as an upgrade from my SU?

AAAAGH - it was all looking so simple.

 

Of course it is. It's not what I chose though. 

When I moved from the SU to NDX/SN2 the 272 was a twinkle in the eye of the guys and girls at Salisbury. Would have been a more complicated decision if the 272/250 would have been available at the time, that's for sure!

You shouldn't need any subs with a SU. Spend the money on some better suited speakers. It will sound better

SU does NOT need subwoofers, unless it plays through bookshelf monitors of course. But then any amp would need some bass-orientated help.

Needing a sub has nothing to domwhetherbthe amp is an SUnor anything else! SOlely to do whether the main speakers extend adequately into bass end.

I have an SU and use a sub with N-Sats - the sub was one of the biggest and most cost effective improvements I have ever made.  The response is now essentially flat to 25hz at the listening position and the bass integrates seamlessly.

Even if I moved to somewhere that could accommodate large speakers I would still probably keep the sub. Once you have heard what you were missing in the deep bass you won't want to go back. The most surprising thing is how much the sound further up the range improves and how the acoustic ambience is enhanced; it's not all about the boom!

Pev posted:

The most surprising thing is how much the sound further up the range improves and how the acoustic ambience is enhanced; it's not all about the boom!

There was an article in HiFi News a few months ago about this and the author explained it as absence of phase distortion. He gave as an example of handling this the "KEF Cube" that KEF sold to correct low frequency response in some of their speakers in the late 80s (or about then). 

I remember this because I bought a KEF Cube which was intended for the KEF Reference 104AB. I wanted to use it with some B&W speakers that I then had and which I thought lacked base compared with some much larger ones I had had before. I had to modify the KEF Cube to remove a mid-range correction it also made, but what I was left with was a box that went between the preamp and power amp and which boosted below about 35Hz by 10dB, this being turned on or off with an "Extend"button. I used it between a Quad 44 preamp and a Quad 405 power amp. (Actually I had to plumb it into the preamp to get the residual noise it introduced under control of the volume control, but that's another story.)

Anyway the effect of pressing the extend button was startling, even when there was no obvious bass in the music. Yes there was more low bass, but the main impact was a substantial widening and deepening of the soundstage and it felt much more like being there in the concert hall.

best

David

Adam Zielinski posted:

 

I see you have a SN2/NDX combo now. How would you compare that to the SU? Is the jump from Initi to SU and SU to SN2/NDX about the same or not as bid of a jump?

 

I actually have both the SU and NDX / SN2. It is a siginificant Improvement - as it should, given the price differential.

Having said that... if I was buying today... N272 and 250 would be my choice. Similar financial outlay, massive i provement. Mostly due to the quality of NAP250 over the sn2 amp section.

You may have answered this in that response but how woukd you compare the SN2 to the SU?

spurrier sucks posted:

Adam Zielinski posted:

 

I see you have a SN2/NDX combo now. How would you compare that to the SU? Is the jump from Initi to SU and SU to SN2/NDX about the same or not as bid of a jump?

 

I actually have both the SU and NDX / SN2. It is a siginificant Improvement - as it should, given the price differential.

Having said that... if I was buying today... N272 and 250 would be my choice. Similar financial outlay, massive i provement. Mostly due to the quality of NAP250 over the sn2 amp section.

You may have answered this in that response but how woukd you compare the SN2 to the SU?

SuperNait 2 + NDX sounds much better to my ears than SuperUniti.

Slightly diverting (sorry). I have a Supernait 1. Is it worth to enrich this with a NDX too? Or is the NDX too hifi for a SN1?

Happy on my current streaming devices, but it is no more than Chromecast, Apple TV and Airport Express.

NDX is a perfect partner for a SuperNait - irrespective of whether it is mk1 or mk2.

+1 for the SN1 and NDX combo, it will sound much better than what you have . . . . but of course, if you're happy with what you have then you have no reason to change.

Let's put it this way... SU streaming section had to be compromised to fit into the same chassy with the power amp, pre-amp, etc, etc. 

SU is a find sounding one-box solution thiugh, which I thoroughly enjoy (it's in fact on at the moment) keeping us company in our kitchen / dining area.

But for critical / relaxing / evening listening sessions - I always take either my NDX + nDAC or NDS based systems.

I agree with those who believe that the addition of a sub-woofer; especially

for small speakers is a significant step-up. During my audition, I had the opportunity

to listen to one and then two subs and the sound quality changed dramatically.

The room was fuller with sound and the tap your feet reaction was much higher.

I think I will use my budget to purchase the SU and a pair of subs to go along with

my bookshelf speakers. Although the more expensive amp/streamer is no doubt

superior, this approach fits the budget and has a big reward from where I am now.

Seattle posted:

 

I think I will use my budget to purchase the SU and a pair of subs to go along with my bookshelf speakers.

 

As bass is generally non-directional, It is usually thought that you get as good a result with one sub as with two, especially if you can put your one sub more or less central. You can also hide it away, for example behind a sofa. Anyway it might be worth a try. It would save money and be easier to set up.

best

David

Everyone is different, and I haven't heard every option, obviously, so please take this as it's intended - a purely personal experience: I haven't heard a sub I thought improved the sound. Of course, you get more bass, but at the expense of something; it always seems to me that the rhythm just gets softened that tiniest fraction.

David, Good point. In my situation the sub will need to be off to one side.

Will this work for one sub?