Downgrading To SuperUniti From High End Naim System?

There are a few SuperUniti owners here who in the past owned Naim systems with multiple boxes.

Hungryhalibut will swim along soon and comment I am sure.

I too own a Supernait2 and and NDS.  If space were an issue, and I really needed to reduce to one box, I would certainly audition the SU.  I'd also audition a Devialet as perhaps a viable one-box solution.

What's the motivation?

I went from 8 boxes to 2+Hugo because I had a sense technology had moved on and that I could have a 3 way win:

Fewer boxes

Better sound

Money in the bank

I'm very happy to report all three objectives were met.

G

You've already got a really low box count and I suspect your NDS / SN2 combo would outperform an SU by a good margin.

I think you might find it a pretty big sacrifice for the sake of saving reducing your box count by 1.

Hicap makes 3.  On two low Fraim stacks, maybe?  What is the suggested Fraim configuration, I wonder -- NDS alone on the left, or together with the SN2 on the left?  Empty bottom shelf on the left?  It adds up!

Its a good question, I have NDS/SN2 and went for this set-up after extensively testing the Devialet 170 (which was the one available then). At the time the deal I managed to get for brand new NDS/SN2/555PSDR/Fraim (I already owned S400s) came in at better value to me than the new Devialet (no deals on these at the time). 

Still downgrading to release any equity still left in the NDS/SN2/555DR  a used Devialet 170/200 would be attractive, if any have hit the market yet and have a tidy one box set-up (SAM is not yet set for Ovators) although the value in an NDS/SN2 as I looked at it would be to have a system that would give me years of use and so give me a better overall return than to constantly upgrade/cross-grade as to the latest 'new' toy, but then the Hugo seems to be rattling a few cages.

So I planted the flag in the NDS camp, and keep my faith that new advances in NAIM R&D will keep the NDS at the front for many years to come, keeping the investment sound, otherwise by next year maybe that downshift will be worth it as quality/technology brings the price/performance leveller we appear to be witnessing :-)

Reason being for me is every time I look at it I think, wow that's alot of money invested in that system. I feel maybe I get by with a SuperUniti for a fraction of the price. 

It's trying to achieve high end reply for little money as possible. SuperUniti fits the bill for me. Devialet is more money when you factor in you need a streamer, in my case from what I've heard, only the NDS brings out the best of the D250.

@gtiboy, I've not downgraded to a SU but I do run a SU into PMC twenty.22, there's a pic in my profile. Your profile says you have these. I can vouch that there are no gremlins lurking as far as system matching. I've not heard an NDS though.

I've had a SuperUniti for over a year now. It replaced a CDS2 and 82/250. I deliberately  went for the SU for its lack of upgradeability. It's not as good as the CDS2, but you very quickly forget what you had before sounded like. Looking back a year down the road, it was absolutely the right thing to do. It sits there on its little Hutter stand and does its thing without loads of wires, no placement issues and no faff. It gets used as much as the previouss setup, probably more so in fact. I use PMC twenty.23s, which are a really good match, so there's no reason the 22 wuld not be as good, as Halfer has attested.

If you live nearish to Chichester you'd be very welcome to have a listen. In any even, given your feelings towards you current setup, I'd say go for it. You'll never enjoy what you have if you think the investment in it is excessive. Do get a Powerline for the SU though; it makes a really nice improvement.

I've heard HH's system and very nice it is too!  I could happily live with it, it doesn't want for much.

However, as you have a SuperNait2 already, you could consider downsizing to a 2 box system, fronted by an NDX instead of the NDS.  This would release the NDS/PSU, the HiCap2 and a PowerLine.

It would create a nice neat system which one could reasonably expect to be better than a SuperUniti. The wait for an exdem/used NDX is likely to be shorter if you don't wish to buy new.

Richard

Hi Graeme , what happened to the Hicap DR?

Peter.

I prefer the SN2 without it Peter. Something about the natural drive seemed to lessen with it in place.

G

Thanks , thats good to know because I have considered that addition but i'm very happy with 2 and a half boxes. 

I agree with every word of HH's post - my previous system was CDS2/XPS/52/SC/135s/NAT03 and I listen to more music and enjoy my system more now when I just have the SU. I'm not saying it sounds better, I never did an A/B comparison, but to be honest any difference there may be really doesn't matter to me. I'm in North Somerset and use MA GR60s if you want a listen.

My recommendation - don't do it unless you have had a chance to really audition the SU at home. 

NDX/SN2 might be the way to go, specially since you seem to like the SN2 presentation. 

If money is tight, maybe go down the route of MacMini/Hugo with the SN2. (Admittedly, I've never heard the Hugo - but it's another option and folks seem to like it around here).

If money is really tight, and speakers easy to drive, consider going down the UnitiQute/Nap100 or MacMini/Dac-V1/Nap100 route.

There was someone else around here who sold off his SU and is happier with a UnitiQute, so I'm not a lonesome contrarian.

Or - keep the SN2, just get a Dac-V1 to go with it.

That was me Mango, I also prefer Qute without 100, more open and musical in my experiences!

The NDX and Supernait is undoubtedly better than the SuperUniti. Whether it's a good choice really depends on the OP's perception of the system. Is the halfway house a sufficient change to deal with the issues? I thought of an ND5xs and Nait XS before plumping for the SU. But I knew that I'd be adding an xp5xs and Flatcap 2xs, or swapping the streamer for an NDX, and the whole dissatisfaction thing starts again. Going totally cold turkey with the one box felt the right thing to do, and it turns out with hindsight that is was. There is always better out there. I can't afford an NDS, just like I can't afford the Bentley convertible that a friend drives, nor can I afford the £1.5m house down by the harbour that's up for sale. But at the end of the day, so long as what you have meets your needs and wallet, it's all good. So I say, get that SU. Treat it to a Powerline and overpriced Ethernet cables and it will repay you with great music. It even has an FM radio, unlike the NDS......

Sure, get the SU if you like what you hear in your audition. If you buy blind, well, best of luck. :-)

You certainly aren't getting the best out of the NDS from your SN2.

Leatherneck on this forum went from  a NDX/SN2 to a NDS/SN2 and back to the NDX. He seems happy enough with his compromise. The SU didn't do it for me, and just like Justin, I prefer the UnitiQute to it.

...and you'd be right. I have 2x qute2s and this evening listened to Oxbow's "An Evil Heat" on the one in the living-room rather that SU in listening room. Only listening to that album on the SU can make me come out in a cold sweat! The Qutes make visceral Rock somehow polite. That is not a criticism, just a way of ranking their abilities. Neil Young's rather odd debut album sounded very spacious and clean but mournful. I think it is possible to feel and enjoy the music with these all-in-ones as (as HH alludes) the mechanics and merry-go-round stuff is avoided.

Now why didn't I think of that?! Not buying a Bentley would enable me to get a better amp too. There has to be a flaw in the logic, but for the life of me I can't see it.......

The OP said he wouldn't consider the Devialet because he would have to consider the cost of a streamer. Same thing with the V1 I suppose.

Depends how the OP stores his music.

Does it? If the OP specifically says he is looking for a solution with a streamer, then using a PC/Mac into a DAC really isn't an option. I feel much the same way - but then I do have the SuperUniti, with all it's glorious features. The V1 is still "only" a dac with a preamp/headphone amp. Perhaps the NAC-N 172 XS would be a better alternative if one is bent on adding a power amp? After all, it does bring streaming ability and internet/dab/fm radio to the party?