Uniti Nova preout

I don't know the new Unitis but is there a facility to switch the pre-out on and off in the setup menu?

I’ve been through the setup and if it’s there I’m not seeing it. Not a big deal because headphones don’t sound bad through front jack. I’m just curious as I thought this should be a simple no-brainer. Unit plays great through B&W 805D3s . I’m using Roon with the core on a remote PC and Nova wired to my router. So far I’m very pleased��

Are you muting the Uniti Nova?  If so, that mutes the pre-amp output too.

No I'm not muting. With Bryston BHA1 connected via RCA outputs speakers play nice and loud but nothing through the phones. The BHA1 is very HQ headphone amp and plays fine connected to RCAs on my PC Asus soundcard. I'm sure i willl get this sorted eventually. First Naim product for me. I've gone totally British

I don't know the Nova but I'd think you would need a line out facility to use a headphone amp, not a pre out. Does it have this?

Only outputs are RCA and one single DIN. I’ve only tried the RCA. This is not a big issue but I’m curious to eventually sort this out. If I can’t use the headphone amp I’ll use the jack provided on the front panel.

I can't see a manual online but the rear panel rcas are marked preamp out (I.e. variable with nova volume). Unless these can be configured to be fixed at line level so you can use the headphone amp volume control you are probably out of luck.

Probably worth a mail or call to Naim support on this one. 

A lot of headphone users take fixed level RCA out to a separate headphone amp. It seems like a bit of a slip up by Naim if they haven't catered for that somehow.

Croctor posted:

No I'm not muting. With Bryston BHA1 connected via RCA outputs speakers play nice and loud but nothing through the phones. The BHA1 is very HQ headphone amp and plays fine connected to RCAs on my PC Asus soundcard. I'm sure i willl get this sorted eventually. First Naim product for me. I've gone totally British

When you actually have the headphones on, you presumably don’t want the speakers playing too. If you’re not muting the Nova, maybe you are turning the volume control right down? The pre out is post volume control, so you would be turning down the headphone volume too. 

I notice that the Nova also has a DIN output, but no mention of this in the manual or web page, which only mentions the RCAs. This seems odd given Naim’s preference for DIN - it even describes connecting the RCA out to a Naim power amp. I suspect they have hurriedly copied the instructions over from the Atom instead of writing a proper Nova manual!?

But then again the Nova is an all in one and not a full function preamp. The idea was never that people would hang other things off it, other than power amp as part of an upgrade to the Classic line. 

jobseeker posted:

A lot of headphone users take fixed level RCA out to a separate headphone amp. It seems like a bit of a slip up by Naim if they haven't catered for that somehow.

It's an all-in-one and already has a headphone amp on board.  Headphone users are catered for, so I think "slip up" is perhaps a bit harsh.

I can see that point in one way and clearly the target is the 'convenience' market, but I still think it's an omission to potentially lose a sale to someone who's priority is high end headphone listening rather than loudspeaker reproduction. I would have thought a fixed volume facility would have zero cost implication to Naim. It's quite a market these days and this is just the type of device I would target if I wanted a compact system with decent loudspeaker reproduction when required, but a quality 'all sources' hub out to a top quality headphone amp. I'm looking for just such a thing to take out to my new house in Madeira (if it ever gets built)

I suspect the RCA pre-out is primarily for a Sub but was just curious as to why I was getting no sound at all. I have good Grado headphones and an excellent headphone amp which I use when others in the house are sleeping. I thought it would be nice to have it all set up in my preferred listening room. If this is a no go I will continue using the headphones in the computer room.

I think the main reason Naim provide a pre-out is for a power amp, but it will certainly work for a sub, too. Shame that you can't use it for your headphones, but it seems that's just the way it is.

I’m wondering if there is a setting to turn on the analogue output. Whether it’s a power amp, a subwoofer or a headphone amp should make no difference - an output is an output after all. The only issue would be that you’d probably need to unplug the speakers, as if you muted the Nova the analogue output wouldn’t work. So perhaps it’s a non starter anyway. 

I asked Phil at Naim and he said that the pre-outs are wired in parallel and always on - mainly to assist is a user wants to run a subwoofer that only takes a pre-out signal.

 I reconnected the components and Eureka it works tonight. No way to mute the speakers short of disconnecting however. I wont be using the headphone amp this way so for me this is case closed. Thanks for your replies.