Coming back to Naim after a hiatus

blythe posted:

I found my Superuniti a doddle to set up and I only have an OK understanding of computers but certainly no whizz kid!
Remember that if the SuperUniti has previously been used, it might pay to do a factory reset, so that there are no settings remembered from its previous life.

A doddle? That's a good point about the factory reset. That could make sense. 

novelty posted:

A doddle?

If that's a lack of familiarity with the term (you're in the Americas, right?), it's UK slang for an easy job; a cinch.

If it's not, apologies for the lesson in how to suck eggs!

I thought I still had some NACA from a second system around here somewhere and it turns out I don't. Though I still have a bunch of good 4 pin and 5pin dins and source cables so I'm ready for seperates lol.

I recall Naim has a minimum length requirement for NAC A5 I'm in heaven if I can do 2M runs but I think it has to be more. 

novelty posted:

I recall Naim has a minimum length requirement for NAC A5 I'm in heaven if I can do 2M runs but I think it has to be more. 

Naim say 3.5m minimum, and 5m or more optimum. Sorry!

Question, the SU arrived before my NACA5 has. Can I hook this up with the Cardas speaker wire I'm using with my Quad amp? I just want to test functionality but I don't want to damage the amp. I'm not sure if the Naim recommendation for NACA5 is for safety or ideal sonics??

Yes the new classic look amps are a lot more tolerant regarding speaker cables and your SU will be fine.

Bob the Builder posted:

Yes the new classic look amps are a lot more tolerant regarding speaker cables and your SU will be fine.

Thank you, I've never used anything but NACA5 so this all feels foreign to me. lol 

Well I wasn't expecting the SU to arrive so quickly and wanted to get clarification on a couple things this weekend.

Regarding my QNAP TS251 - I downloaded Q Finder Pro, is this the software I will use to manage the NAS drives? 

I have also downloaded Asset but not sure what role this software plays as I'm under the impression the Naim Streamer App is what I will use to play/stream music. 

I have the QNAP connected via network cable to my Router (Apple Airport) and will connect the SU to the router via network cable so that's it for my network I think. 

I've done a lot of searching and reading but haven't found a good source that covers all the basics for network streaming, upnp, and higher end streaming. If anyone has a resource they can share I'd love to read it. 

Asset is the required UPnP software to load on the QNAP to enable the SU & NAS to communicate & transfer data streams.   Naim app is the control point software to load on iPad or Android.   

Mike-B posted:

Asset is the required UPnP software to load on the QNAP to enable the SU & NAS to communicate & transfer data streams.   Naim app is the control point software to load on iPad or Android.   

Ok, I load Asset on the QNAP? 

I have to do this through the App Center on the QNAP, right?

https://www.dbpoweramp.com/ass...pnp-qnap-install.htm

Just follow the instructions in that link. You have already downloaded Asset to your computer. Now you need to manually install it on the Qnap. 

Great, thanks for the clarification. 

Well that wasn't so bad. Out of the box it recognized my NAS and I see some of my favorite internet stations BBC and Radio Paradise. Out of the box with my cardas speaker wire it doesn't sound bad at all. Bach's Toccata & Fugue in D Minor is sounding pretty good. 

The Naim Streaming app is working, can see my NAS and internet radio presets. I was expecting some complication but it seems to be up and running. 

Congratulations!  

Enjoy and I hope everything else your waiting on gets delivered soon and you have the same success!

I love streaming, my two main sources are the NAS & TIDAL with a little internet radio on the rare occasion.

Well I'm getting used to the menu and enjoying the various streaming options. 

I did get the infamous "Can't play track" on a few albums. I powered down the server from the menu (not the power button) and powered back up and it persists. I hope the files are good. Not sure how to resolve this one. 

I'm shocked at how good the SU sounds with the Cardas speaker wire, I expected it to not be very palatable. 

My impressions so far are good.  I got the NACA5 hooked up and the sonics are much improved. I didn't realize how much bottom end was lacking with the Cardas wire. 

As it turns out the NACA5 I bought was misrepresented to me and ended up only being 2.75M. I think Naim recommends 3.5M. Is this a difference I need to worry about? Is this a subjective thing or should I hunt down a longer run of cables?

I'm really loving the Radio Paradise 320K stream, it sounds really good through the SU. 

Yes, the Naim recommended minimum is 3.5m per channel - this is a requirement for the bigger separate amps, but with your Superuniti you will probably be fine with 3m or just under.  

Certainly on the separate amps I subjectively prefer longer lengths - ideally 5-10m.  However, I have not tried different lengths on a Superuniti, and it may not make nearly so much difference. If you can try longer then definitely do so, but I wouldn't sweat it too much if what you have sounds good at the moment.

Thanks, Richard, that's good to know.

With regard to upgrade path, can the SU be upgraded with a power supply (ie Supercap)?? I see the pre amp out connection on the rear panel so I assume I can upgrade to a 250DR at some point but wonder if a power supply can work??

You can't add a PSU to the Superuniti, however you can add a power amp.

You can’t add a power supply, only a power amp. 

Good to know, that simplifies the decision model.

I've had the NACA5 hooked up long enough now to make some observations. For a single box the SU is really quite good. The music is warm and involving and has a satisfying dynamic presentation.

I contrast this experience with my upgrade to the first generation supernait some years ago. The supernait was my first foray into the new black box line up coming from a CDS2/XPS/72/HC/250. For me the CDS2/XPS/Supernait/HC was not very exciting. Little by way of depth and somewhat colorless. In fact, it was so bad I moved on up to the 252/SC/250.2 within a couple months.

I wonder if the SU sounds better b/c I'm coming from a midfi non naim integrated and the supernait had some big shoes to fill replacing the 72/HC/250. I say this mostly b/c I have some curiosity about the second generation supernait paired with a NDX streamer. 

novelty posted:

I wonder if the SU sounds better b/c I'm coming from a midfi non naim integrated and the supernait had some big shoes to fill replacing the 72/HC/250. I say this mostly b/c I have some curiosity about the second generation supernait paired with a NDX streamer. 

I was quite happy with my Superuniti, but if you’re wondering where you might go next, NDX/Supernait will be a very big step up. 

I too went away from Naim (252/SuperCap/250 ) for tubes and have come back. Both are good. I first bought a 272/250 and while I liked the streamer as a streamer , the preamp didnt sound all that great as a  with a phono preamp. So i sold it and got the Naim  SN2 and for phono it sounds much better, I am using the Superline/hicapDR for the RIAA/Stepup. I am soon going to buy a Naim NDX for my streaming.

Anyway thats my two cents worth.

Ken

I suggest you read some of the NDX / SN2 threads. There are a number of members on the forum who have gone this route and are quite happy. I know I read every thread I could find regarding the 272/250DR and NDX/SN2 and decided to go the NDX / SN2 route. It has only been a week now and I am quite pleased but I will wait awhile until everything settles in before getting to excited. One thing for sure my Ovator S-400 speakers are sounding like they have had an upgrade, certainly enjoying the combo. 

Different strokes for different folks, I am enjoying my decision at this point in time........