Nova to Unitiserve connection

Posted by: Steve w on 18 September 2018

Hi there..awaiting delivery of a Nova and Proac db3 speakers , replacing a Unitiserve and Vienna Acoustics Schönberg speakers ..( cant wait ! ) 

l have a Unitiserve which to date has been connected via toslink...I am planning on continued use of this unit until it dies ( again ! ) ...just wondering what people’s views are as to the connection between the two units should ideally be ? Or do I stick with the toslink ?

Steve.

Posted on: 18 September 2018 by Gazza

I would wait for the Nova etc, use the toslink to get to know the unit and then if you can borrow cables to try from a dealer that would be best. If not try some of the sites that allow you to send back if you are unconvinced.

Posted on: 18 September 2018 by ChrisSU

Naim streamers are primarily designed to work over a network using UPnP. That means connecting both devices to your router, rather than directly to each other. Then you get to control everything with the Naim app, rather than having to change to N-Serve to select music from the US. 

That’s not to say you can’t use a direct SPDIF connection if you prefer it. If so, I would suggest that you might try electrical SPDIF rather than Toslink, as the general consensus seems to be that this sounds better with Naim streamers. 

Posted on: 18 September 2018 by Steve w

Didn’t think I have the option to use the Naim app with the Unitiserve in the same way as the core ?

Posted on: 18 September 2018 by David Hendon

You can use the Naim app to control music from the Unitiserve if it's connected by ethernet and you have selected upnp in a streamer, eg the Nova. But if you want to use the Unitiserve using toslink or sp/dif then you have to control the music with the n-serve app rather than the Naim app.

The Core doesn't use n-serve so you control the Core with the Naim app whichever connection you use to the Nova (but in different ways).

best

David

Posted on: 18 September 2018 by Claus-Thoegersen

Your setup with both the userve and Nova doubles some functions. The Userve as you know have UPNP streaming of local contents, can function as a upnp server e.g. for mu-sos around the house. If you use the Userve in this way you would connect it with spdif or optical. This means that you are not using the internet radio, the upnp functions or tidal and Spotify in the Nova.

I wonder if it is still possible to deactivate the streamer functions in the Nova like it is in the 272, wich according to  Naim should give a performance lift, over using the 272 streamer?

In the nova you also have the posibilitty to use airplay or Chromecast sending contents directly to the nova without using a upnp server.

 

Posted on: 18 September 2018 by David Hendon
Claus-Thoegersen posted:

If you use the Userve in this way you would connect it with spdif or optical. This means that you are not using the internet radio, the upnp functions or tidal and Spotify in the Nova.

 

It doesn't necessarily mean he isn't using internet radio, upnp, Spotify or Tidal functions in The Nova.

It means that he would have a choice whether to use them or not. They are not disabled by the sp/dif or optical.

best

David