Uniti Nova/Star/Atom user interface enhancements

Posted by: David N on 02 April 2018

Have been using a Nova for a little while and here are some improvements I can name. Really like to hear your feedback and what you may suggest also. Please note that I am mostly using Spotify and otherwise my own CDs, internet radio, optical, Apple play, chrome cast or HDMI to the lesser degree. Haven’t moved to such as Tidal yet. 

1. Font face can be improved across the board.

2. Both time as well as volume font face can be better.

3. Black on the LCD screen isn’t black and always show a white cast. Won’t be so annoying if display can be turned off and/or dimmed.

4. Available audio inputs can be renamed to inputs. After all it doesn’t seem to be limited to what is available, does it?

5. When operating with the remote control, menu font is small. Available audio inputs selection font should be larger. After all, there’s enough width on the display. Why not use the same menu that is used when operating by the front panel input button?

6. Dimmer should dim screen as well as buttons. Font brightness appears to match medium light setting. It should match the button brightness through all three settings.

7. Multi colour display might be nice so long it’s not tacky. After all the Uniti start screen is colour.

8. When a button such as Home, input selection, etc is pushed while listening to music and no changes made, display should go back to album art / track information. Staying on home / inputs indefinitely until return or another button is pressed feels unintuitive. After all track information does flick back to full screen album art as per the next point. 

9. Where there’s no album art. Better show information rather than a huge bright logo. For example, Apple Play. Even after switching to information screen, it insists on going back to full screen logo after about 7 seconds. This doesn’t communicate any information whatsoever apart from what input is selected. 

10. Why not use the naim logo light as standby? So power light really means it’s on. This is more intuitive. One may assume the unit is on when the power light is on. Yes, I know tons of other devices do the same but few has a logo light. And those who keep the power light lit for standby usually make it go dim.

11. Even holding the power button for several seconds to put the unit into deep sleep still doesn’t defeat the power light. I reckon it should. 

12. There’s no fast forward function in the remote control. Most remote controls will fast forward if one press and hold the previous or next chapter button down for a second or so.

13. Mute could show a symbol rather than showing zero. There’s a difference between mute and zero volume.

14. Album art should dim or even switch off after the music is playing after a few seconds. Otherwise we should at least be able to do this via a button. After all, I already have the album art and details on my iPad / iPhone / computer. And besides that, both the main unit and the remote have proximity and motion sensors. This would have made the not so dark black background less annoying. And I can be immersed into the audio experience without the distraction of the screen.

15. I prefer to rename digital input 4 and 5 to optical input 1 and 2. If fonts aren’t so small, I might have been ok leaving them as digital 4 and 5.

Perhaps some of my problems have to do with my own lack of knowledge. Any solution, tips and tricks? Thanks! 

Posted on: 03 April 2018 by Proterra

I agree with some of your comments. My gripe is not being able to access the music store from the handset only the app. And as we know if your tablet goes to sleep it sometimes looses connection withthe upnp server for a while.

Posted on: 03 April 2018 by David N

I haven't experienced losing connection with the upnp server yet but did notice that the tablet doesn't go to sleep when the Naim app is running. Will confirm that asap. 

Posted on: 05 April 2018 by Woj

I agree with all the points.

The automatic return to album art is annoying particularly if you listen to internet radio, For example Radio Paradise or Naim Radio provides lots of information about current track is playing but what I can see on the display is large station logo only. To see these additional information I have to press a button on the remote. The alternative 'now playing' screen which includes small album art, song and artist info is good enough - just make it possible to keep it permanently displayed. The biggest flaw for me is the lack of ability to use UPNP via the remote control. It was possible to do this on the old Uniti range and it worked. Apps on the phone or tablet are good but require lots of activity - first you need to find the thing, wake it up (then realize that the battery is empty), possibly type the password, start the app, wait for it to connect etc. The remote is always available and always ready. If I want just to change an album or choose a different song its perfect. For browsing it is good too, The screen is large and can accommodate lots of information. I think the early screenshots of the screen provided by NAIM were showing such possibilities.

As a extreme feature I would like to have an alarm clock! Just like the old Uniti series had. Nothing better than to be woken up by the favorite radio station or song. I know, this will never happen but I can always dream about it.

I sent email to NAIM about these issues vial the NAIL app.