Uniti or Uniti?

I can't really give you advice, sorry. But I am in a very similar situation as you. I had the Qute/NAP100 combo, and a Audiolab CD player which I use as a transport. Even though most of my discs have been ripped to a NAS drive, I still find it enjoyable to take the CD out of the case, and put it into the player. Then take the case back to the sofa and enjoy the album, while looking at the artwork, bit of nostalgia I guess. This December I ordered the Atom to replace my Qute/NAP. But am now wondering if the Uniti Star might have been the better purchase, having a built-in CD player/Ripper, and I would let the Audiolab go.

You also have the MM input to worry about as well, so it's an even more complicated decision.

I have the Uniti2 and until recently had a Stageline N/Project 2xperience TT. I sold it because I really wasn't using it enough. Anyways, the new Uniti Star would require you to use a Flatcap to power the Stageline and send the signal to the Star. However the U2 has a powered line in for a TT, but you would miss some of the new advances of the new Uniti. 

Idk about the mid-range convienience statement, what convinced me to buy the U2 besides the home demo (I guess this brought me to the home demo point) was a guy using an NDX/SN/CD5XS with Chord cables everywhere, powering Harbeth 30.1s. He told me how he de-boxed to the U2 and he and his wife never regret that choice. So for someone considering adding an ND5 XS and CD5i to my XS-2, and the eventual upgrade to the SN2, this was surprising to me that an all in one box could be so good. Anyways, reluctant as a I was I requested the in-home demo of the U2, and traded-in the XS and never looked back. 

Anyways that was my journey, good luck with what you decide but I love the Uniti series. 

DomTomLondon posted:

I can't really give you advice, sorry. But I am in a very similar situation as you. I had the Qute/NAP100 combo, and a Audiolab CD player which I use as a transport. Even though most of my discs have been ripped to a NAS drive, I still find it enjoyable to take the CD out of the case, and put it into the player. Then take the case back to the sofa and enjoy the album, while looking at the artwork, bit of nostalgia I guess. This December I ordered the Atom to replace my Qute/NAP. But am now wondering if the Uniti Star might have been the better purchase, having a built-in CD player/Ripper, and I would let the Audiolab go.

You also have the MM input to worry about as well, so it's an even more complicated decision.

Thanks for the comment. It still seems a whole lot easier putting on a CD rather than digging through an alphabetical list on the iPad to find inspiration, but with the streaming I can get it to a Muso in my study without shifting my arse from the chair! I did think of a 2nd hand UnitiServe as a CD transport - I don't really need the ripper and hard drive, but it would at least match the Qute/100 (but not your Atom!)

Did you try the Atom with the NAP100? Again doesn't match, but should have improved the sound a bit but maybe not as much as it does with the Qute? I wasn't much impressed by the lack of built in DAB on the Atom, but the HDMI input would be perfect for connecting an Arcam universal disk player.

Callas01 posted:

I have the Uniti2 and until recently had a Stageline N/Project 2xperience TT. I sold it because I really wasn't using it enough. Anyways, the new Uniti Star would require you to use a Flatcap to power the Stageline and send the signal to the Star. However the U2 has a powered line in for a TT, but you would miss some of the new advances of the new Uniti. 

Idk about the mid-range convienience statement, what convinced me to buy the U2 besides the home demo (I guess this brought me to the home demo point) was a guy using an NDX/SN/CD5XS with Chord cables everywhere, powering Harbeth 30.1s. He told me how he de-boxed to the U2 and he and his wife never regret that choice. So for someone considering adding an ND5 XS and CD5i to my XS-2, and the eventual upgrade to the SN2, this was surprising to me that an all in one box could be so good. Anyways, reluctant as a I was I requested the in-home demo of the U2, and traded-in the XS and never looked back. 

Anyways that was my journey, good luck with what you decide but I love the Uniti series. 

Hi- thanks for the comments. As for the mid-range line - the Qute is a bit dire (relatively speaking) without a decent external power amp. I originally had it going through an olive NAP250 which was epic, and the new NAP100  is almost a s good - but without the same punch - but it is smaller and the boxes matche (back to my younger years with a NAC42/NAP140).  I agree the old Uniti range is excellent, but I am concerned that Naim is becoming too internet focussed with their new products - as well as there not being a powered "phono" input on the Star, but there doesn't even seem to be DAB (unless I have missed it in the online literature). 

Paul Holden posted:

DomTomLondon posted:

I can't really give you advice, sorry. But I am in a very similar situation as you. I had the Qute/NAP100 combo, and a Audiolab CD player which I use as a transport. Even though most of my discs have been ripped to a NAS drive, I still find it enjoyable to take the CD out of the case, and put it into the player. Then take the case back to the sofa and enjoy the album, while looking at the artwork, bit of nostalgia I guess. This December I ordered the Atom to replace my Qute/NAP. But am now wondering if the Uniti Star might have been the better purchase, having a built-in CD player/Ripper, and I would let the Audiolab go.

You also have the MM input to worry about as well, so it's an even more complicated decision.

Thanks for the comment. It still seems a whole lot easier putting on a CD rather than digging through an alphabetical list on the iPad to find inspiration, but with the streaming I can get it to a Muso in my study without shifting my arse from the chair! I did think of a 2nd hand UnitiServe as a CD transport - I don't really need the ripper and hard drive, but it would at least match the Qute/100 (but not your Atom!)

Did you try the Atom with the NAP100? Again doesn't match, but should have improved the sound a bit but maybe not as much as it does with the Qute? I wasn't much impressed by the lack of built in DAB on the Atom, but the HDMI input would be perfect for connecting an Arcam universal disk player.

Hey Paul.

No, the Atom is not available yet, so I don't think anyone has tried/heard it with an external power amp. I've sold my NAP100 in hopes that the Atom will have enough power on it's own. You are also correct, the two would not look quite right together. Although NAIM does state the NAP100 being an upgrade for the Atom. The NAP100 was meant to be a partner to the DAC V1, but many used it with the Qute as it matched very well.  But I doubt that NAIM will make a new version of the NAP100 in the new design.

I know what you mean, the lack of FM and DAB will be a deal breaker for some. Fortunately for me, I use iRadio for all my radio needs, so not too bothered about DAB or FM.

You might be better to look at an new/ex-demo Uniti2 which should now cost about the same or even less than the Atom.