Uniti 2.6.1

To add, internet radio also sounds way better than it did on the old unit.

Obsydian posted:

New Nova in place, from stone cold and the first track  it sounds so right and better on all fronts than my old fully run in Nova.

To add I had psyched myself for it to be a disappointment, but also partially wet myself when told Mr Roy George was listening to it prior to shipment ????

I did baseline vs my old Nova before the nice Naim man  arrived to swap (still upset I was in an audio when he arrived and gave him no refreshments) he was also a Naim fan ????

I expect it to keep on improving over the weeks.

Very happy and once again thanks to Trevor and his team, to say they pulled out all the stops (an MD, two Directors a Manager within a few days) is an understatement, I am truly bowled over an even more in love with Naim (if that is possible).

Back to listening ..

What’s your final conclusion? Simply a couple of ‘faulty’ Novas / Atoms and no problems with firmware? After all your earlier criticism of Naim manipulating the sound, will future owners of the ND555 be able to breathe a huge sigh of relief?

Having gone through the firmware upgrades with my Atom my experience re sound quality has been nothing but positive as has, I would guess based upon the very small number of reported issues on the ‘net, 99% of owners of the new Uniti range. Maybe I’m missing something, but that says to me there is no problem with the firmware.

Timmo1341 posted:

Obsydian posted:

New Nova in place, from stone cold and the first track  it sounds so right and better on all fronts than my old fully run in Nova.

To add I had psyched myself for it to be a disappointment, but also partially wet myself when told Mr Roy George was listening to it prior to shipment ????

I did baseline vs my old Nova before the nice Naim man  arrived to swap (still upset I was in an audio when he arrived and gave him no refreshments) he was also a Naim fan ????

I expect it to keep on improving over the weeks.

Very happy and once again thanks to Trevor and his team, to say they pulled out all the stops (an MD, two Directors a Manager within a few days) is an understatement, I am truly bowled over an even more in love with Naim (if that is possible).

Back to listening ..

What’s your final conclusion? Simply a couple of ‘faulty’ Novas / Atoms and no problems with firmware? After all your earlier criticism of Naim manipulating the sound, will future owners of the ND555 be able to breathe a huge sigh of relief?

Having gone through the firmware upgrades with my Atom my experience re sound quality has been nothing but positive as has, I would guess based upon the very small number of reported issues on the ‘net, 99% of owners of the new Uniti range. Maybe I’m missing something, but that says to me there is no problem with the firmware.

Timmo1341 - i can only say hardware, or firmware errors during upgrade, but i did factory resets also, but always the same outcome, versus the original shipped firmware, anything thereafter upto 2.6.1 was worse.

I am working from home today so another lengthy listening session and this Nova just sounds so different (open, more detailed/dynamic and little to no bass bloom) to the old one, better in every way and still around 10 hrs run in.

SimonPeterArnold posted:

Yes I preferred 2.3 but now I am won over by 2.6.1. Something was missing on the other machine and even 2.3 sq changed quite a bit and had to reboot to get it back this continued with the other firmware to. So much that last weekend I just had to turn the thing off it was so bad. A full power cycle helped bring it back to tollerancem This has more mojo but still has that extra detail. Its much easier on my ears. I am not rushing to turn it down or fiddle or adjust to compensate.

So has your unit gone back to Naim for analysis?  If so will you get any feedback - with Obsydian's speaker issue I strongly suspect his unit had a fault of some kind.

I was just sat here at the computer playing some Mozart piano concertos and Tchaikovsky Violin concertos on the other side of the room thinking how lovely and warm they sound - I've just realised I'd gone back to 2.3 due to a Chromecast issue I could not fix in 2.6.1.

Alley Cat posted:

SimonPeterArnold posted:

Yes I preferred 2.3 but now I am won over by 2.6.1. Something was missing on the other machine and even 2.3 sq changed quite a bit and had to reboot to get it back this continued with the other firmware to. So much that last weekend I just had to turn the thing off it was so bad. A full power cycle helped bring it back to tollerancem This has more mojo but still has that extra detail. Its much easier on my ears. I am not rushing to turn it down or fiddle or adjust to compensate.

So has your unit gone back to Naim for analysis?  If so will you get any feedback - with Obsydian's speaker issue I strongly suspect his unit had a fault of some kind.

I was just sat here at the computer playing some Mozart piano concertos and Tchaikovsky Violin concertos on the other side of the room thinking how lovely and warm they sound - I've just realised I'd gone back to 2.3 due to a Chromecast issue I could not fix in 2.6.1.

Yes it gone back to Naim to be analysed. No idea if we/I will here anything in regards to feedback. Al I know is to me my replacement sounds altogether better and so far more consistent. Wether mine was faulty or it was firmware badlly installing or whatever I can't answer. 

Curious as I was after so much pro & contra reactions on the New firmware 2.6.1, I took the plonge and updated from 2.3 to 2.6.1.

And I have to admit this is not bad at all ! , better Cleaner mids & highs,  more controlled Bass.

I thought maybe my Nova was faulty,  this is not the case so far.

Anyway 2.3.1 & 2.6 was terrible and hereby forgotten.

Mr.Orange posted:

Curious as I was after so much pro & contra reactions on the New firmware 2.6.1, I took the plonge and updated from 2.3 to 2.6.1.

And I have to admit this is not bad at all ! , better Cleaner mids & highs,  more controlled Bass.

I thought maybe my Nova was faulty,  this is not the case so far.

Anyway 2.3.1 & 2.6 was terrible and hereby forgotten.

I entirely agree - 2.6.1 seems very good - why does it sound good now after my initial upgrade sounded like 2.6 ?  Was it the Factory Restore (which I'd done on 2.3.1 and 2.6 to no avail) ?

2.3.8576 remains a lovely sound, vey warm, but 2.6.1 adds detail, vocals are clearer, just seems louder at same volume and has phenomenal controlled bass.

Without wanting to sound critical, I'd have to wonder if 2.3.1 and 2.6 were released with the wrong DSP module or other bugs.

Perhaps we've made ourselves unpopular commenting on the sound quality but 2.6.1 is so much better than interim post 2.3.8576 releases I have to ask why?

I'm not sure there's a proper answer here unless Naim can provide one, but my confidence is renewed.

Picked up my new Nova yesterday, it was dispatched from the factory 10 days ago so came preloaded with 2.6.1.9794, seems fine although still burning in I suspect, does anyone know how long it should take to optimise?  First impressions are good but not quite the OMG I was expecting after the Atom! 

Alley Cat posted:

Mr.Orange posted:

Curious as I was after so much pro & contra reactions on the New firmware 2.6.1, I took the plonge and updated from 2.3 to 2.6.1.

And I have to admit this is not bad at all ! , better Cleaner mids & highs,  more controlled Bass.

I thought maybe my Nova was faulty,  this is not the case so far.

Anyway 2.3.1 & 2.6 was terrible and hereby forgotten.

I entirely agree - 2.6.1 seems very good - why does it sound good now after my initial upgrade sounded like 2.6 ?  Was it the Factory Restore (which I'd done on 2.3.1 and 2.6 to no avail) ?

2.3.8576 remains a lovely sound, vey warm, but 2.6.1 adds detail, vocals are clearer, just seems louder at same volume and has phenomenal controlled bass.

Without wanting to sound critical, I'd have to wonder if 2.3.1 and 2.6 were released with the wrong DSP module or other bugs.

Perhaps we've made ourselves unpopular commenting on the sound quality but 2.6.1 is so much better than interim post 2.3.8576 releases I have to ask why?

I'm not sure there's a proper answer here unless Naim can provide one, but my confidence is renewed.

Last week mine came with 2.3 preloaded so got opportunity to test it against 2.6.1 and i feel the same 2.3 probably the best but 2.6.1 is quite close and has more details on vocals and bass.

Mercky posted:

Picked up my new Nova yesterday, it was dispatched from the factory 10 days ago so came preloaded with 2.6.1.9794, seems fine although still burning in I suspect, does anyone know how long it should take to optimise?  First impressions are good but not quite the OMG I was expecting after the Atom! 

I went Atom to Nova, at first the improvement was not much aside from better control mainly low end, but in general it just sounded better.

That said the Nova goes through a bit of roller coaster break in, with usually a dip, but by 3-4 weeks it is stable.

When stable and during the run in, it does blow away the Atom.

Obsydian posted:

Mercky posted:

Picked up my new Nova yesterday, it was dispatched from the factory 10 days ago so came preloaded with 2.6.1.9794, seems fine although still burning in I suspect, does anyone know how long it should take to optimise?  First impressions are good but not quite the OMG I was expecting after the Atom! 

I went Atom to Nova, at first the improvement was not much aside from better control mainly low end, but in general it just sounded better.

That said the Nova goes through a bit of roller coaster break in, with usually a dip, but by 3-4 weeks it is stable.

When stable and during the run in, it does blow away the Atom.

Thanks, looking forward to that, I'm leaving it running on iradio during the day while at work so should have about 100 hours up by the weekend, so far definitely more pronounced but controlled bottom end and improved separation of vocals and musical threads, particularly noticeable on female vocals as others have pointed out too. It's interesting that my usual (loudish)  listening level of 40 on the Atom is matched on the Nova, I was sort of expecting to get the same output level at say 30 on the Nova considering the additional 40W. Crank it up to 50 though and you can certainly hear where the power is going alright. It's a bit like driving a V8 versus a 2 litre, you may be happily cruising at 60mph in both but the delivery and feeling of power reserve is quite different! Certainly no issues with firmware.

The extra power of Nova over Atom  won't make it any louder at a particular volume setting, just means that it can go louder if you want it to. The analogy of a car engine power is exactly right.

Indeed at high volume levels the Nova may even sound subjectively quieter than the Atom because of the lower level of distortion and better control.

best

David

My NOVA took about 6 weeks to run stable. I think Naim themselve advices 8 weeks permanent running time.

Just to add yesterday on still week one my Nova went downhill, basically flat, today really back on song.

I did leave it running two days on its own when out, about 12 hours each.

So what’s the best way to run these units in?

Is it enough to just leave them on internet radio at a fairly low volume?

Anavrin posted:

So what’s the best way to run these units in?

Is it enough to just leave them on internet radio at a fairly low volume?

I put a CD rip on loop and streamed it at a mid-volume (low enough not to disturb me working from home or sleeping when the room door was shut) for about 4 weeks, with the occasional listen.

Anavrin posted:

So what’s the best way to run these units in?

 

???? This is a simple,but important question.!!

Do we have no "glued" thread with base-installation tips, burn-in advice, how to connect the power cord (electrical phase) and other basic tips from Naim on this their own forum.?

Do not think so,....BUT,we should have. Many threads are all over and over again on such questions.

I know that here in Sweden, "forgetting" the Dealer often to, among other things, inform the customer about the importance of having the right electric phase... (Does not apply to you in England).
May here in Sweden,regularly inform about the correct electrical phase for new members of our forum.

I sometimes get the feeling when I read post here,that this may be the case here also,..... that everyone does not have an eye on it. Though,I can of course have wrong ????.

◾ A horror example: One in our group was in and visit a large Naim dealer in Stockholm... it played awfully from the Naim system that the dealer was demonstrating.
He in our group, took two hours and went through the system and showed the dealer a bit different base installation tips.

The dealer was amazed at the big difference it got into the SoundQuality. I do not think that this dealer is unique,.... unfortunately.!!

/Peder ????

Peder, it's all on here, but sometimes you need to either read through the FAQ or conduct a search. I agree though regarding the mains phase thing - not an issue here in the Uk, but certainly one on continental Europe.  I remember tidying up a couple of dealer's showrooms (funnily enough in Sweden) and putting together what Naim kit they had for some evening demos.  Once I had managed to sort and find the correct mains leads (there was a real mix with extension blocks etc..), I then showed them about ensuring that all were correctly phased the same way.  When we played the system from cold, without any fine tuning they were all amazed at how much better it all sounded.  Of course, it may also have been down to the room being a lot tidier and everything now sat on the Fraim I had also built up that afternoon...

Richard Dane posted:

Peder, it's all on here, but sometimes you need to either read through the FAQ or conduct a search. I agree though regarding the mains phase thing - not an issue here in the Uk, but certainly one on continental Europe.  I remember tidying up a couple of dealer's showrooms (funnily enough in Sweden) and putting together what Naim kit they had for some evening demos.  Once I had managed to sort and find the correct mains leads (there was a real mix with extension blocks etc..), I then showed them about ensuring that all were correctly phased the same way.  When we played the system from cold, without any fine tuning they were all amazed at how much better it all sounded.  Of course, it may also have been down to the room being a lot tidier and everything now sat on the Fraim I had also built up that afternoon...

Hi, Richard. You mean if I rotate mains Schuko plug by 180 degrees (thus reversing phase) it will do impact on sound quality? Or you had in mind something else, by mentioning "phase"?

Yes, Tony, it's important to ensure that the Schuckos are all correctly fitted the right way around.  An induction pen is very useful to achieve this - you test at the IEC end to make sure that the positive is always the same side. 

tony123 posted:

Richard Dane posted:

Peder, it's all on here, but sometimes you need to either read through the FAQ or conduct a search. I agree though regarding the mains phase thing - not an issue here in the Uk, but certainly one on continental Europe.  I remember tidying up a couple of dealer's showrooms (funnily enough in Sweden) and putting together what Naim kit they had for some evening demos.  Once I had managed to sort and find the correct mains leads (there was a real mix with extension blocks etc..), I then showed them about ensuring that all were correctly phased the same way.  When we played the system from cold, without any fine tuning they were all amazed at how much better it all sounded.  Of course, it may also have been down to the room being a lot tidier and everything now sat on the Fraim I had also built up that afternoon...

Hi, Richard. You mean if I rotate mains Schuko plug by 180 degrees (thus reversing phase) it will do impact on sound quality? Or you had in mind something else, by mentioning "phase"?

Are you referring to "polarity" rather than "phase"? They are entirely different things electrically speaking. Most people in the UK in an average dwelling would only be on one phase of the UK three phase supply so have no choice as to which "phase" they are on. Not that it would make any difference in most situations. However, there are people who claim to be able to hear the difference between equipment connected using the correct polarity and reverse polarity. It certainly makes sense to be sure that all your hi fi equipment is connected at the same correct polarity.

I wonder if some Naim units have only a figure of 8 connector at the rear so that polarity can be reversed? I am a first time buyer with a Uniti Star and that has a 3 pole connector and cannot be reversed.

I hope I haven't got the wrong end of the stick here

Yes, I mean polarity. Getting it all correct is important.  In the UK, provided your plugs are correctly wired, it's difficult to get wrong.  However on the continent where the commonly used Schucko plug connector can easily be connected either way, it's important to take care that all component mains connections are the same polarity.

I think the Mu-Sos are the only figure 8 connector units from Naim.  They don't require a mains earth so this is appropriate, but as experience with other figure 8 connected kit from other brands has shown, getting polarity right here can also sometimes give a better performance one way to the other.  It's worth trying.  If you don't hear any difference, that's great, but if you do, then it's a zero cost tweak.

Marantz CD players used to use figure 8 connectors and here getting the orientation right was essential - one way they sounded great, the other way, plodding and dull.

Richard Dane posted:

Yes, I mean polarity. Getting it all correct is important.  In the UK, provided your plugs are correctly wired, it's difficult to get wrong.  However on the continent where the commonly used Schucko plug connector can easily be connected either way, it's important to take care that all component mains connections are the same polarity.

I think the Mu-Sos are the only figure 8 connector units from Naim.  They don't require a mains earth so this is appropriate, but as experience with other figure 8 connected kit from other brands has shown, getting polarity right here can also sometimes give a better performance one way to the other.  It's worth trying.  If you don't hear any difference, that's great, but if you do, then it's a zero cost tweak.

Marantz CD players used to use figure 8 connectors and here getting the orientation right was essential - one way they sounded great, the other way, plodding and dull.

I agree about Marantz CD players. I have just sold my CD6004 after buying the Naim and the figure 8 cable had to be a particular way round for it to sound good.