Can I use my Naim Uniti Core as though it were a NAS or Sonic Transporter and connect it to my router via Ethernet?

Posted by: Echolane on 24 September 2018

I am a little unhappy with my Uniti Core. It’s done a beautiful job of ripping, but now that I’ve graduated from absolute novice I see it’s limitations. It doesn’t do subscription services like Tidal or Primephonic, etc. It doesn’t do Roon. And I’m having problems with it. I can’t see it’s internal SSD on my Windows 7 System, so I can’t download hi-res music to it. It keeps quitting on me. Just stopping in the middle of playing some music. It’s done this many times off and on, and yesterday it quit on me twice. It’s color display has disappeared on my iOS app. The albums are just a white outline in a black background. I wrote support about these issues and no answer a week later.

I’m thinking of selling it. I had a Sonic Transporter in my shopping cart at Small Green Computer just yesterday when it occurred to me that maybe I could use the Uniti Core in just the same way as a Sonic Transporter by attaching it to my router with an Ethernet cable and treating it like a NAS or Sonic Transporter.

I would need to put a Roon ready music server in its place to feed my DAC.

If Roon Core was installed on my computer it should see my WAV files, right?

But now I’m not sure I see a way to continue to use it as a ripper. I do like it as a ripper, but if I can’t continue to use it as a ripper, maybe it’s not worth keeping around after all.

Posted on: 26 September 2018 by ChrisSU

Echolane posted:
To summarize, it does sound like I can use the Uniti Core per my original query. And move to Roon. All I need to do is this:
Ethernet > Naim Uniti Core* > Audio Alchemy DDP-1 DAC > Int. Amp *Replace with Roon ready Audio Alchemy DMP-1 and connect Naim to Router in computer room.
If I like Roon, and I prefer it to the Naim app, I could buy a Sonic Transporter, arrange to move my SSD to the ST. And then figure out whether to keep the Naim as a ripper only or just sell it.

If you change your DDP1 for a DMP1 then I believe it is a Roon Endpoint, but does not run the Roon Core, so you run that on a separate device. In this case, your Naim Core will not work with Roon over a direct SPDIF connection, you would just need to give it a network connection.

Of course, the Core needs an Ethernet connection anyway, so this means you can locate it anywhere on your network.

Posted on: 26 September 2018 by Mike Sullivan

If you want to avoid technical issues, you can just use the Core as a dedicated Hi Fi system through your Ethernet and rip and store CDs on the Core and play them through the App. No interface through a Windows or Mac device. That was a main reason for me getting one, along with simplicity of use, sound quality, and staying within the Naim ecosystem.

Posted on: 26 September 2018 by Pcd

Mike Sullivan posted:
If you want to avoid technical issues, you can just use the Core as a dedicated Hi Fi system through your Ethernet and rip and store CDs on the Core and play them through the App. No interface through a Windows or Mac device. That was a main reason for me getting one, along with simplicity of use, sound quality, and staying within the Naim ecosystem.

Same here, plus any problems my dealer can sort.

Posted on: 26 September 2018 by Echolane

ChrisSU posted:
Echolane posted:
To summarize, it does sound like I can use the Uniti Core per my original query. And move to Roon. All I need to do is this:
Ethernet > Naim Uniti Core* > Audio Alchemy DDP-1 DAC > Int. Amp *Replace with Roon ready Audio Alchemy DMP-1 and connect Naim to Router in computer room.
If I like Roon, and I prefer it to the Naim app, I could buy a Sonic Transporter, arrange to move my SSD to the ST. And then figure out whether to keep the Naim as a ripper only or just sell it.
If you change your DDP1 for a DMP1 then I believe it is a Roon Endpoint, but does not run the Roon Core, so you run that on a separate device. In this case, your Naim Core will not work with Roon over a direct SPDIF connection, you would just need to give it a network connection.
Of course, the Core needs an Ethernet connection anyway, so this means you can locate it anywhere on your network.

I’m sorry, I can see I wasn’t clear enough. I want to add the DMP-1, a Roon endpoint, in place of the Naim. I’d download the Roon Core to my Windows 7 Pro PC. The Naim would move to the computer room and attach to the Router via Ethernet.

I am trying to avoid going all out on Roon until I’ve trialed it and decide I prefer it to Naim.