Introducing Uniti, our revolutionary new streaming platform.

Hi Phil 

first of all, thank you for your patience in answering questions.

as an owner of a qute2, thread new range is causing a steer even if I don't want it to. 

1. How do you see integration with current uniti range 

2. Would the core work well with a qute 2? 

3. The star in particular could complement well my qute2 In a  Multi room settings 

your feedback welcome sir. Thank you in advance 

GraemeH posted:

The question remains one of sound quality in relation to the digital-out of the Core vs ND5XS.

G

That's one that you really need to ascertain for yourself by having a listen but running out into my Naim DAC in my system I couldn't reliably distinguish between Core and my NDX playing direct S/PDIF ...

Phil

Crabby posted:

Hi Phil 

first of all, thank you for your patience in answering questions.

as an owner of a qute2, thread new range is causing a steer even if I don't want it to. 

1. How do you see integration with current uniti range 

2. Would the core work well with a qute 2? 

3. The star in particular could complement well my qute2 In a  Multi room settings 

your feedback welcome sir. Thank you in advance 

 

No worries Crabby - I just can't answer everything that is asked as some things I'm not allowed to discuss and some others might still be in development...

The new Uniti range should integrate seamlessly with the old range - they're all UPnP clients and the multiroom functionality is handled identically so multirooming between old and new kit should pose no issues and Core works great with the current kit (I've been using it with my Qute and NDX) so there should be no problem mixing-and-matching old Uniti and new Uniti kit...

Phil

Phil Harris posted:

Crabby posted:

Hi Phil 

first of all, thank you for your patience in answering questions.

as an owner of a qute2, thread new range is causing a steer even if I don't want it to. 

1. How do you see integration with current uniti range 

2. Would the core work well with a qute 2? 

3. The star in particular could complement well my qute2 In a  Multi room settings 

your feedback welcome sir. Thank you in advance 

 

No worries Crabby - I just can't answer everything that is asked as some things I'm not allowed to discuss and some others might still be in development...

The new Uniti range should integrate seamlessly with the old range - they're all UPnP clients and the multiroom functionality is handled identically so multirooming between old and new kit should pose no issues and Core works great with the current kit (I've been using it with my Qute and NDX) so there should be no problem mixing-and-matching old Uniti and new Uniti kit...

Phil

Thank you sir 

thats all I wanted to hear :-) good news for Naim owners potentially 

Phil Harris posted:

fred40 posted:

Phil Harris posted:

fred40 posted:

I"m note sure if I understand this correctly. If I trade in my Ndxs5 streamer and by a Supernait 1.I  only need to connect the Core into the SN1 an use the naIm app as a interface on my I pad?

Core would provide you with ripping, storage and playback of your CDs that you have ripped and any downloaded music files ... it would not give you TIDAL / Spotify / Bluetooth etc.

Phil

Well Tidal does not work on my Nd5 anyway so there is"nt a loss.I know what the core can do but it does"nt answer my above question.

Hi Fred40,

I'm afraid in that case I'm not sure what your question actually was ... could you possibly give me a little more information as to what you are actually asking?

Phil

Eloise gave the answer I was looking for.

""I think the answer is yes ... the Core can be connected directly to a DAC; including the one in a SuperNait 1.  That would allow you to play back ripped and downloaded music controlled by the updated Naim App.""

manicm posted:

Hi Phil, sorry for repeating my question, but do the new Uniti players support gapless playback through USB?

No problem - I must have missed it the first time...

Gapless playback is supported via USB.

Phil

Phil, you've missed my question too. I feel snubbed. 

Hungryhalibut posted:

Phil, you've missed my question too. I feel snubbed. 

Which one was that or do I have to go hunting?

Phil

Phil Harris posted:

Hungryhalibut posted:

Phil, you've missed my question too. I feel snubbed. 

Which one was that or do I have to go hunting?

Phil

May i suggest a Browning 50. Caliber.

fred40 posted:

Phil Harris posted:

Hungryhalibut posted:

Phil, you've missed my question too. I feel snubbed. 

Which one was that or do I have to go hunting?

Phil

May i suggest a Browning 50. Caliber.

Be vewee vewee quiet ... we gonna go hunting wabbit!

Go on HH - what was the question I missed ... please save me going back through 15 pages!

Phil

 new units 95mm high, classic case 87mm, Fraim usable height 105mm. So much for the optimal spacing though, or was that bollix anyway?

yeti42 posted:

 new units 95mm high, classic case 87mm, Fraim usable height 105mm. So much for the optimal spacing though, or was that bollix anyway?

Hi,

The Uniti series is intended for use as a standalone system and with the top mounted volume control isn't intended for use in the middle of a Fraim stack.

Phil

We're making the assumption that the new case will spread to the rest of the range in time but feel free to unlighten.

I think I'll be getting a Core regardless but it will sit in a Fraim while I rip my CD collection, then move to join my Rega system in the spare room with probably a Rega DAC for local playback.

Now the new Uniti range seemingly sound very good much better than prevoius range, we could expect a revised Nait range maybe a new Nait .5 rating the Atom 40watt

But they must be working on several, why not a scaled down NaitStatement

Phil Harris posted:

GraemeH posted:

The question remains one of sound quality in relation to the digital-out of the Core vs ND5XS.

G

That's one that you really need to ascertain for yourself by having a listen but running out into my Naim DAC in my system I couldn't reliably distinguish between Core and my NDX playing direct S/PDIF ...

Phil

Thanks Phil, most interesting.

G

Phil Harris posted:

nbpf posted:

Agree. Do we know which OS the Uniti Core is based upon and which servers, players and communication protocols are supported? At this point, it would be good to have some detailed information on what the Core is designed to be.

Core is intended to be a ripper, storage and serving solution.

It supports UPnP serving using our own UPnP server.

The underlying OS is Linux (as has been discussed elsewhere) but it is not intended that it will be open for the installation of third party applications on it and it is not planned to support streaming services on it.

Phil

Thanks Phil! The Core has a BNC s/pdif connector. Thus, I would expect that it also runs a renderer or player. Could you please confirm?

The fact that the underlying OS is Linux raises a number of exciting questions, among others about the sound signature of the new device. I'm sure that there will be plenty of opportunities of discussing such questions once the first Cores hit the market.

May I ask why the Core is not intended to run third party applications and why Naim does not plan to support streaming services on it? This sound like a weird policy to me: it obviously limits the attractivity of the new device but ... for what? What is the expected utility of not supporting running minimserver on the Core, for instance?

Congratulations for the new Uniti range and for the namegiving: Core is a great name for what the device is designed to be, I believe!

Phil Harris posted:

yeti42 posted:

 new units 95mm high, classic case 87mm, Fraim usable height 105mm. So much for the optimal spacing though, or was that bollix anyway?

Hi,

The Uniti series is intended for use as a standalone system and with the top mounted volume control isn't intended for use in the middle of a Fraim stack.

Phil

Phil, what I was getting at, which was slightly lost in the summary above, is that if the new units are 8mm taller they won't fit, or won't look right in a Fraim. This becomes an issue if the same case dimensions are carried over to a redesign of the classic range. Has this been thought about?

nbpf posted:

Phil Harris posted:

nbpf posted:

Agree. Do we know which OS the Uniti Core is based upon and which servers, players and communication protocols are supported? At this point, it would be good to have some detailed information on what the Core is designed to be.

Core is intended to be a ripper, storage and serving solution.

It supports UPnP serving using our own UPnP server.

The underlying OS is Linux (as has been discussed elsewhere) but it is not intended that it will be open for the installation of third party applications on it and it is not planned to support streaming services on it.

Phil

Thanks Phil! The Core has a BNC s/pdif connector. Thus, I would expect that it also runs a renderer or player. Could you please confirm?

The fact that the underlying OS is Linux raises a number of exciting questions, among others about the sound signature of the new device. I'm sure that there will be plenty of opportunities of discussing such questions once the first Cores hit the market.

May I ask why the Core is not intended to run third party applications and why Naim does not plan to support streaming services on it? This sound like a weird policy to me: it obviously limits the attractivity of the new device but ... for what? What is the expected utility of not supporting running minimserver on the Core, for instance?

Congratulations for the new Uniti range and for the namegiving: Core is a great name for what the device is designed to be, I believe!

 

 

I don't understand the excitement around the Core, which is effectively a UnitiServe but with reduced functionality. 

HH - It's a really good question, but I'm not sure Phil can answer it without giving away future plans.

IMHO it is totally fair enough for the Uniti to be the dimensions they are. By definition, they are intended as standalone items, and the vast majority of users won't place one on a rack. The design with the 'signature' volume control on top is intended to reflect the Mu-so and therefore encourage those users to move up through the levels. It is smart thinking, and I applaud it.

The Classic range, also by definition, is not standalone. It is therefore used in racks such as Fraim and many others. It is fair to assume it will continue to have a front-facing volume control, and also that it will neatly fit on a rack . . . of course, that may entail Naim producing Fraim racks with deeper apertures, or designing Classic products that are lower than a Uniti, or, of course, making no change to the current casing.

Whichever option, I'm certain they will have thought about it.

Looks like we are progressing quickly through the 5 stages of new Naim product introduction to the forum.

Anticipation, Disappointment, Anger, Acceptance, Purchase 

HH - I don't have a US and won't be buying a Core, as I'm quite happy with the NAS I have. If a new version of the 272 ever comes along with the improved functionality, I would get one and consider moving to an external hard disk or SD Card, depending on SQ factors. So I agree, I don't understand the excitement around the Core either - it seems to be a solution to yesterday's problem, not tomorrow's.

But I'm just curious: what is the reduced functionality of the Core versus the US?

The Core doesn't have internet radio, though it does have a removable hard drive and the ability to back up to USB. It still seems pointless though, to me anyway. But as I don't want one, my views are irrelevant. That said, everyone who is getting moist about it may be in for a surprise when they try to stick it in their Fraim standard shelf.

Hungryhalibut posted:

The Core doesn't have internet radio, though it does have a removable hard drive and the ability to back up to USB. It still seems pointless though, to me anyway. But as I don't want one, my views are irrelevant. That said, everyone who is getting moist about it may be in for a surprise when they try to stick it in their Fraim standard shelf.

Pricewise the Core is an interesting option as opposed to the US.

Hungryhalibut posted:

nbpf posted:

Phil Harris posted:

nbpf posted:

Agree. Do we know which OS the Uniti Core is based upon and which servers, players and communication protocols are supported? At this point, it would be good to have some detailed information on what the Core is designed to be.

Core is intended to be a ripper, storage and serving solution.

It supports UPnP serving using our own UPnP server.

The underlying OS is Linux (as has been discussed elsewhere) but it is not intended that it will be open for the installation of third party applications on it and it is not planned to support streaming services on it.

Phil

Thanks Phil! The Core has a BNC s/pdif connector. Thus, I would expect that it also runs a renderer or player. Could you please confirm?

The fact that the underlying OS is Linux raises a number of exciting questions, among others about the sound signature of the new device. I'm sure that there will be plenty of opportunities of discussing such questions once the first Cores hit the market.

May I ask why the Core is not intended to run third party applications and why Naim does not plan to support streaming services on it? This sound like a weird policy to me: it obviously limits the attractivity of the new device but ... for what? What is the expected utility of not supporting running minimserver on the Core, for instance?

Congratulations for the new Uniti range and for the namegiving: Core is a great name for what the device is designed to be, I believe!

 

 

I don't understand the excitement around the Core, which is effectively a UnitiServe but with reduced functionality. 

If the Core turns out to be just a more reliable US with user replaceable drive and liner PSU, it would certainly be a welcome improvement but nothing revolutionary and, for me, nothing to be excited about.

I am excited about the Core because, at this point, it is not clear what it is or will be. For instance, I would be interested in replacing my current Debian/GNU Linux based microserver + USB2S/PDIF bridge + 2 PSUs (4 boxes!) with just one Core (one box!) if this would not imply compromising functionalities and sound quality.

Whether replacing my current source with a Core is a meaningful option or not, is not clear at the moment. But the fact that the Core is based on a Linux distribution makes it in principle a possible option and this, in turn, makes the Core a potentially interesting device for me.

Also, since Naim has invested a lot of resources in optimizing certain aspects of the Linux system (for instance the sound subsystem or the kernel), I might be interested in implementing such optimizations in my server which, again, makes the Core (or, better, its software) potentially interesting to me.

In a nutshell: for me the Core could be a very interesting opportunity for upgrading and streamlining my system or a very disappointing device depending on what Naim will make of it. Thus I am eager to understand how the Core can actually be used. At the very least, I hope it is running an ssh client.