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Naim UnitiServe - is it as good as a good CDP??

Hi all
I am interested in the Naim UnitiServe HDD version. It has 2 TB storage and is networkable, and has a built in CD drive for Ripping CDs to WAV files.

BUT, as always, and I have read quite a few reviews, it is not all plain sailing.
Aside from the dream convienience of all my library in one place at a click of a button, does the black box do what it is suppoed to do, i.e. is it audiophile, and does it realistically equal a good CDP.

I would use the Coax out to my Audio Note DAC, so not the analogue outputs from the Naim, only the 'pure' digital signal.

I am not a Naim fan either, more Audio Note. I use a CEC TL51 transport and an Audio Note 3.1 DAC.

I wonder if this all in one solution is better than the almost as cute MacMini using a USB to SPDiff convertor?
sunandmusic

Showing 3 responses by sunandmusic

sunandmusic OP
27 posts
 
High Steve and others
So, are you saying the UnitiServe was poor soundwise, but the Mac Mini was better? And would a Mac Mini with say a Musical Fidelity V-Link and Pure MUsic equal my CEC transport for digi out?

I am confused if so, as a good company like Naim would release a music dedicated product (I know it read DVD though) and have it not sound excellent.

My worry with the Mac Mini, and I love and have an iPad2, iMac and Powerbook, is it was never designed for musical output. If only apply could see the market and make one, a dedicated music server solution which is AS GOOD as CDPs?
sunandmusic OP
27 posts
 
Jafrant
Is this based on your experience. I read a different story, including from hifi magazine reviewers. Why is it that PC audio is overtaking CDP at the hifi shows?

Get some facts before you speak....
sunandmusic OP
27 posts
 
Not sure about some of the above. I heavily modded my Mac Mini with 12V board, linear power supply and SSD, and using Audrvana+ and a full M2 Tech EVO stack inc clock and it's own linear supply it sounds fantastic. No treble edge, lots of full midrange and solid bass, wide soundstage. It is way better than my original CEC CDP I had.

Key is kill all the operations not needed on the Mac Mini, use ethernet for the screen sharing, use a firewire drive and have the USB 2 audio in the right port (not shared). I use the TotalDAC USB cable/filter and no USB power. The clock in the M2Tech sets the data speed and feeds my DAC via SPDIF, not USB or Toslink. Seems to work the best to me. I have tried many other options and they were not is good.

Also ripp your RedBook files with XLD. Don't upsample on the Mac, better to not upsample at all if possible and use an NOS DAC.

It is work to set these things up, up worth it IMO.
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