Unitiqute into a nap200/250

Forgive me if I have misunderstood your question somehow but it puzzles me! The UQ is a one-box combined streamer/amp and is designed to stream music from either internet radio or hard disc via a local network. Your MAC/DAC arrangement is a different cup of tea completely, in that I presume your music is stored on the MAC and played via something like iTunes into the Rega DAC then to the Nait. IMO this is a far better and simpler arrangement as it negates the need for network streaming and the attendant problems. Not sure why you would want to use the Nait with the UQ, which already has on-board amplification.

Your best option would be to investigate the DACV1 to see if it improves on the Rega DAC, and possibly also the NAP 100 in place of the Nait.

Peter

I think I know what you're trying to do. I would probably stick to a 200 instead of going to the 250 as per Naim's recommended upgrade path...

The golden rule is source first, preamplifier second, amplifier last (unless you have some seriously demanding speakers).

While UnitiQute is...cute , it is not the sort of source to make the most of a  NAP250 or even a 200.You want to go down this road, you will need all the bells and whistles - streamer, preamp, amp (or at least the streaming preamp for a start) and as many power supplies as you can afford.

Otherwise a UnitiQute feeding a NAP250 will sound fundamentally the same, think a UnitiQute on steroids. 

Dan

Doing just this and agree with the comments made. The Qute is clearly the limiting factor as far as SQ is concerned...

/dl

Remeber that you'd still need something to fed the Qute i.e. your mac.

Demo'd this a few times last weekend at the Acoustica event up in Hoole with a Qute, a NAP100 and a set of S400's and the difference is not at all subtle - it really is a good pairing!

Phil

Yes but there is a very simple explanation for it: the speakers need more power than the Qute can deliver. A pair of Neat Iota's would be a different story. 

I recently added a NAP 100 to my Qute and run this with Neat Iotas. Like DomTom I have found that the sound from the system is much fuller.

I hooked up my UnitiLite to an olive 250 to compare with the 82/HiCap, and got more articulate bass. The rest wasn't too shabby either. 

Jan

This combining of one-box systems with other boxes, such as external power amps, is something that never ceases to puzzle me. Yes of course the chances are highly likely that using an external stand-alone Naim power amp will enhance performance. The point of these systems though is that they are one-box systems.

As soon as you add something like an external power supply or power amp then to my mind you have completely negated the whole design concept in one fell swoop. If you want a multi-box system for performance reasons then a one-box system is not the most sensible starting point.

Peter

Thanks for all of your input. It has confirmed my initial thoughts.

I think the next logical step for me is to just upgrade the Nait5i to an XS and get a FCXS to partner it.

Either that or just go all the way and get a SN? Is the DAC is a SN better than my Rega one?

If you don't mind piling up boxes an XS and DAC would be even better. The SN DAC is good  but the standalone DAC is much better and the price makes it a bit of a bargain (some people here prefer it to the NDS!).

And what price should I be looking to pay s/h for one?

Do you think that will make more of a difference in my system than upgrading the amp?

No amp can improve your source, indeed, a better amp can often make things worse by revealing more limitations in a weaker source. 

Second-hand Naim DACs start around £1,500.

Richard, i know this is a Naim site, and best efforts to keep the value of Naim up, but i disagree on the cost of used DAC

recent sales have shown the following

2008 - £1100

2009 - £1200

2011 - £1300

based on actual sales IME

hope this does not breach forum rules

No, that's fine.  I won't argue semantics - just an indicative figure going by the last few I saw.  I'm sure there may be cheaper ones and likewise more expensive ones depending on age, condition, private sale, auction, dealer sale, guarantee etc..

I take your point Peter. I also think that adding extra boxes to an all in one kind of defeats the purpose and look of the device. However some of us can't afford thousand pound multi box solutions from Naim. I managed to save (for quite a  while) to get an ex-demo unitiQute and a pair of KEF R100s. I'm happy with them, but eventually I'd like to add the Nap100 because I've heard what it can do. I think the Qute+nap100 will still be quite a nice clean little backage.

If I had the funds and space for a big setup I'd probably go for a Uniti2.

Dom,

Yes I think the UQ will look fine with the NAP100 and still be very neat and compact.

Speaking purely for myself, I dislike the idea of making something redundant (ie. the UQ's power amp) by adding a box that is not required at all. I know that if I owned one then it would stay as it was designed to be used - a neat little one-box set that whilst it may not match some of the abilities of some of the pre/powers nevertheless has its own special charms. If it struggled with the speakers then TBH I would rather get different speakers.........

Only my own very personal view and by no means one that should apply to everyone. Best of luck with getting the NAP100.

Peter

Luckily I build my own speakers. I use very high quality components and  can assure you that the Qute is worthy of very high quality transducers. When fed  a quality digital signal, it is capable of resolving the subtlest 'shades of sound', which many speaker designs do not.

It is worth it to lug it around and to try it with different high res speakers, as high as you can afford IMO. 30 watts into 8 ohms tells me that it has a robust output stage and  plenty of 'Naim  juice' so to speak. It will surprise.

Maybe you should try a SuperUniti then for the next level of "subtlest" or better still, separates . The main appeal of a Qute is size. Size and price. It's a versatile, accomplished product that can provide decent sound in a small place like a bedroom, maybe as part of a multi-room Naim system, built around, say, a UnitiServe. 

I would certainly not build my main system around a Qute but I am actually thinking about getting one for my bedroom, with some Iota's and my soon to be delivered (4 weeks ) UnitiServe. 

I'm not so sure about the price. A new Quite is 1400, I sold my one year old SNait, under warranty, in brand new condition, for 1800. For 400£, if your only priority is sound quality, I know what I would choose. 

And I know people who prefer the DAC to NDS or the NAP300 to NAP500. This doesn't prove anything.