Naim Uniti Star/Nova and Turntable

@tomic601 - thanks.

Tomic all Uniti products are class A/B when they talk about the Uniti series being based on the Naim Nait it is very clear they are based on traditional Naim circuitry only non class A/B design is the Naim Muso products which are Class D as they have to shoehorn mutlitple amplifiers into a box with a loudspeaker.

The volume control is pure analog with an optical encoder as the only digital part of the preamp, many people use optical encoders with all analog circuitry.

If you are looking for a product with a built in phono stage to save money and complexity, and that is also very good sounding and adds in roon correction you may also want to add the Micromega M100 and M150 on your list.

The Micromega is better than the Nova in certain areas and has more overall power, the room correction is awesome and the sound is very warm and punchy, both the Micromega and the Naim products are two of our favorite lines.

Also Micromega is shown to work well with Focal and both are imported by Audio Plus Services so they are shown together.

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ

@mbroadus

You will be much more satisfied with the Nova than the Star or the Atom. The Nova is overall better sounding unit than the other two but costs more than the other two. The Nova currently retails for $7500, it was $7k but it’s gone up to $7500 now brand new unless you could find a used one somewhere.

I have the Nova paired with the Sonus Faber Olympica 1 bookshelf speakers (standmount speakers) in my bedroom setup. I was using the B&W 805 D3 standmount (bookshelf) speakers before and now changed to the SB Olympica 1 standmount speakers. I do not have anything else in this bedroom setup, trying to keep it simple and low key since it’s only for my bedroom.

For or my master bedroom setup (large and much bigger bedroom) I do have the Linn Klimax DS with the latest Katalyst DAC architecture, which is the latest gen, paired with the Dan D’Agostino Momentum stereo analog integrated amp driving the Wilson Audio Duette series 2 standmount speakers. In this same setup I also have a Linn LP12 Klimax version turntable package which includes the Linn Kandid mc cartridge, Linn Ekos SE titanium tonearm, Linn Urika phonostage, Linn Radikal PSU for the Urika phonostage and the turntable.
Well.....this master bedroom setup is on another league of sonic quality and performance in comparison to my simple smaller regular bedroom setup with the Naim Uniti Nova & the SB Olympica 1 but they cost way way more than the Nova/SB Olympica 1 setup. The Linn Klimax DS (Katalyst DAC architecture) alone is around $30k and this is only a digital streamer/DAC source component, and the D’Agostino Momentum analog integrated amp is $45k and the Wilson Duette series 2 standmount speakers are $22k/pair.
So not a fair comparison at all. But the Naim Uniti Nova is excellent for what it is and for the money. It is a perfect all-in-one box solution, very musical sounding unit for what it is.

PS : @mbroadus, in my earlier post from few days ago I said that I have the Sonus Faber Olympica 3 standmount (bookshelf) speakers, but what I was trying to say was the Olympica 1 standmount (bookshelf) speakers, not the Olympica 3, which is floorstanders. Sorry about the mistake. I would never use floorstanders in a bedroom setup.

 @audiotroy yes I stated the Atom is A/B

NAIM is cagey about the overall architecture...

there is clearly an A2D in the box and a DAC, where they are cagey is IF analog input REMAINS analog all the way to speaker. Many have asked and NAIM remain cagey....perhaps you could elicit a written response. NAIM forum and NAIM FB group both asking...

Since you brought it up, the Optical encoder or some other volume control component has a physical mechanical rub - the note back from NAIM techinal support says “ the rub is intentional “ That strangely crude rub, the cheesy speaker wire terminations, and the sometimes balking application are my only beefs.

I assume when you later refer to “you” you must mean the larger Audiogon communty of “you”. I have no need for something else, in fact I may drop down in powerfor grins...say a Music Reference RM-10

Thanks @audiotroy , @caphill , & @tomic601 for the great responses.

I see that none of the Uniti products support SACD, would it be possible to play SACDs through the Nova using my oppo 205?