NaimUnity or Linn DS-I

Posted by: MCG555 on 27 December 2009

Hi all,
I am in the process of buying a All-in-1 System.
I heard both systems on my ProAc. Both sound fine - had no direct comparison, unfortunately. Both are around the same price.

I am not sure what to buy...!?

Naim has built in CD Player and tuner. The user interface is easy and thought through. However it will not play gapless. Also - compared to the Linn it seams less flexible for the future.

Linn does stream gapless. My CD and Tuner I can connect if I need to. However, the user interface is awkward, at least before you use e.g. a iPod touch with "songbook" application to control the CD-I. I am not sure how well this works. If it works it is really nice to choose albums just by covers (grpahic) etc.

Can the NaimUnity also be graphically controled by iPod touch (via wLAN)?

Thoughts and experience on the topic?

Thanks a lot... Smile
Posted on: 27 December 2009 by Wazza69
Hi,

I would definitely try and hear them back to back from the same dealer, even if it requires some travel. The Linn has a more laid back sound to the Naim and are quite different when you hear them together

I had a Linn Majik DS and found it too laid back for me and hated the interface so go rid of it.

Waz
Posted on: 27 December 2009 by 0rangutan
The Uniti can be controlled from an iPhone or iPod Touch using the PlugPlayer app from the Apple App Store. This isn't perfect but has improved over time. There is also rumour that Naim may be making available their own iPhone app for the HDX and hopefully the Uniti.

John
Posted on: 27 December 2009 by MCG555
quote:
Originally posted by Wazza69:
Hi,

I would definitely try and hear them back to back from the same dealer, even if it requires some travel. The Linn has a more laid back sound to the Naim and are quite different when you hear them together

I had a Linn Majik DS and found it too laid back for me and hated the interface so go rid of it.

Waz


Thanks for the advice, however, there is no dealer that I am aware of in switzerland that has Linn and Naim.
Posted on: 27 December 2009 by MCG555
How about gapless playing?

Any possibility that this issue will be solved in the Naimunity the next couple of months??
Posted on: 27 December 2009 by Steeve
quote:
Originally posted by MCG555:
How about gapless playing?

Any possibility that this issue will be solved in the Naimunity the next couple of months??


Hi

The last word I saw on this on the Forum was on 15th October when Naim said "Gapless playback is on the wish list". I'm not aware of any timescales being made public. Also 24/96 streaming is not yet available but will be made available via a software update although again I'm afraid I don't know any timescales.

Tricky to really give a recommendation either way - it really does come down to taste I think. I own a Naim Uniti in a second system and am very happy with it but I've yet to hear a DS-I.

Steeve
Posted on: 27 December 2009 by js
quote:
Originally posted by MCG555:
Hi all,
I am in the process of buying a All-in-1 System.

Naim has built in CD Player and tuner.

(Linn) My CD and Tuner I can connect if I need to.
Looks like you answered your own quwstion.
Posted on: 27 December 2009 by Steve O
quote:
Originally posted by MCG555:
Hi all,
I am in the process of buying a All-in-1 System.

Naim has built in CD Player and tuner.

(Linn) My CD and Tuner I can connect if I need to.


If you plug in your own CD and Tuner then it isn't a one box system.
Regards,
Steve
Posted on: 27 December 2009 by gmischol
the magazine Stereo has tested them both
Uniti: http://stereo.de/index.php?id=585&L=0&0=
Linn: http://stereo.de/index.php?id=611
Soundwise the Uniti was rated better than the Linn. But of course you would have to check this yourself.
The Uniti has the advantage of upgrade via a poweramp (didn't find this on the Linn) and it costs considerably less than the Linn.
Control via iPod/iPhone will come in January as I was told by the distributor in Switzerland, and gapless will come too, I think.
Posted on: 28 December 2009 by MCG555
quote:
Originally posted by gmischol:
the magazine Stereo has tested them both
Uniti: http://stereo.de/index.php?id=585&L=0&0=
Linn: http://stereo.de/index.php?id=611
Soundwise the Uniti was rated better than the Linn. But of course you would have to check this yourself.
The Uniti has the advantage of upgrade via a poweramp (didn't find this on the Linn) and it costs considerably less than the Linn.
Control via iPod/iPhone will come in January as I was told by the distributor in Switzerland, and gapless will come too, I think.



Thanks a lot!
However, not quite correct: DS-I has been tested much better. (the procentage has nothing to do with the absolute ranking - more amplifier and much more expensive ones have been tested - Linn DS-I (amplifier)ranks around Naim XS and the streaming unit ranks always among the best) Anyway, my personal taste does not find the difference so huge. It's different. It seams to me that the Unity put's more empahsis on details and brilliance, wheras Linn has a broader and deeper stage. Both I find attractive.

Upgradeability with a poweramp is not something I am looking for.
Cost: The DS-I is 200 CHF more expensive, which is very little.

I think I simply wait a little bit with my decision... gapless is something I am considering as important, and 24/96 as well...

I might start with installing a NAS first... Razz

Can I assume that if I choose a upnp compatible media server (asset or twonky) that both systems must be able to handle it and stream the music? I am considering a QNAP 119 and backup it with an external USB drive...
Posted on: 28 December 2009 by gmischol
I used my Uniti first with a Netgear Ready NAS, but it was to noisy but worked without problem. Now I have a RipNAS, much more queit and also works without problems.
Posted on: 28 December 2009 by Steeve
I am using a QNAP 219 NAS with pre-installed Twonky (actually a recommendation from the Linn website) and it works just fine with my Uniti.

Steeve
Posted on: 28 December 2009 by Hallgeir
I recently went from Supernait, PSU, stageline and squeezebox to a DS-I, and are very pleased with the result. Streamerwise the DS-I is a great deal better than squeezebox into SN's DAC (which I also enjoyed), and the boxcount is 4-1. The sound is different from Naim, less groove and more emotion perhaps. I concidered the Uniti as well, but since I have no use for a CD player anymore, I preferred the Linn with it's built in RIAA (rather good one too).
Posted on: 28 December 2009 by MCG555
quote:
Originally posted by Steeve:
I am using a QNAP 219 NAS with pre-installed Twonky (actually a recommendation from the Linn website) and it works just fine with my Uniti.

Steeve


Steve, do you stream via ethernet cable or wLAN?
Posted on: 28 December 2009 by rich46
quote:
Originally posted by MCG555:
quote:
Originally posted by gmischol:
the magazine Stereo has tested them both
Uniti: http://stereo.de/index.php?id=585&L=0&0=
Linn: http://stereo.de/index.php?id=611
Soundwise the Uniti was rated better than the Linn. But of course you would have to check this yourself.
The Uniti has the advantage of upgrade via a poweramp (didn't find this on the Linn) and it costs considerably less than the Linn.
Control via iPod/iPhone will come in January as I was told by the distributor in Switzerland, and gapless will come too, I think.



Thanks a lot!
However, not quite correct: DS-I has been tested much better. (the procentage has nothing to do with the absolute ranking - more amplifier and much more expensive ones have been tested - Linn DS-I (amplifier)ranks around Naim XS and the streaming unit ranks always among the best) Anyway, my personal taste does not find the difference so huge. It's different. It seams to me that the Unity put's more empahsis on details and brilliance, wheras Linn has a broader and deeper stage. Both I find attractive.

Upgradeability with a poweramp is not something I am looking for.
Cost: The DS-I is 200 CHF more expensive, which is very little.

I think I simply wait a little bit with my decision... gapless is something I am considering as important, and 24/96 as well...

I might start with installing a NAS first... Razz

Can I assume that if I choose a upnp compatible media server (asset or twonky) that both systems must be able to handle it and stream the music? I am considering a QNAP 119 and backup it with an external USB drive...


ripnas is secure quiet looks ok. linn approve it alittle expensive ,it as a good teac cd drive . just make sure your cds are clean, to cut out errors .i use it with sonos use optical into naimdac. very good result. back up ripnas with sansung 1.5 tera nas . this is extremely qqiut and as usful on/off switch on front to powerdown after back up allan
Posted on: 28 December 2009 by Steeve
quote:
Originally posted by MCG555:
quote:
Originally posted by Steeve:
I am using a QNAP 219 NAS with pre-installed Twonky (actually a recommendation from the Linn website) and it works just fine with my Uniti.

Steeve


Steve, do you stream via ethernet cable or wLAN?


The NAS is hard-wired to the router but the Uniti streams wirelessly from the router.

Wireless is fine as long as it is only for "one leg". I did try streaming wirelessly from a laptop to the router and then from the router to the Uniti but suffered too many dropouts.

Steeve
Posted on: 28 December 2009 by T38.45
Go for linn and a pair of 109 speakers... sounds great, in terms of streaming and powesupplies linn 1-2years ahead of any others. no humming, no psu money...my colleague sold his 6000€ gear for exactly this combo... for many naim folks a little bid "relaxed" but this is a matter of pers. prefs!
Posted on: 28 December 2009 by MCG555
quote:
Originally posted by T38.45:
Go for linn and a pair of 109 speakers... sounds great, in terms of streaming and powesupplies linn 1-2years ahead of any others. no humming, no psu money...my colleague sold his 6000€ gear for exactly this combo... for many naim folks a little bid "relaxed" but this is a matter of pers. prefs!


Well I actually agree, however, the user interface is definitly NOT 1-2 years ahead... Winker That's why I am here... Big Grin
Posted on: 29 December 2009 by T38.45
i'm very happy with songbook and the gui for majik ds...:-)
Posted on: 29 December 2009 by Hallgeir
I'm using my old squeezebox duet with a plug in for DS. Works great! A little slow perhaps, but I guess I can blame my old QNAP for that.
Posted on: 30 December 2009 by Occean
OK not one box...but my money is on sonos plus supernait Smile
Posted on: 30 December 2009 by MCG555
quote:
Originally posted by Occean:
OK not one box...but my money is on sonos plus supernait Smile


Does Sonos play gapless?
Posted on: 30 December 2009 by Occean
It does indeed, no high Rez though, but not a huge investment until the streaming arena sorts itself out 100%