Uniti Star All in One Network Streamer/DAC/Amplifier

This all in one amp Streamer is a bit expensive but it is definitely worth the price. The sound is great, it can drive my Goldenear Triton 1 speakers with no problem and Now I can listen to Tidal HiFi music thanks to its built in Tidal capability. Stream music is super easy through the Naim app. Also another advantage is it enhances TV sound thanks to its ARC HDMI. Shipment was fast and the Amp was very well packaged so the Unit would arrive with no damage.

The Uniti Star is a lot more substantial than I expected. It’s a real brick - as if it’s made of a billet of steel. The front panel before the CD transport does buzz a bit when ripping some CDs (those that are not well balanced), but the unit is otherwise very solid. Function-wise, there are niggles. The buttons on the unit itself are limited in their scope, but the app and remote are more versatile. For all features, the app is mandatory, however. And it’s a very good app. One frustration is how the CD input is not selectable in either the front panel or remote. What is Naim thinking? The CD drive is a hugely important feature on the Star and is it’s raison d'etre after all. To be forced to use the app to select it is just ridiculous. The same goes for Tidal and Qobuz. Neither is available anywhere but the app, though Spotify is. It would be nice if all inputs were customizable in their placement both on the display and in the app, but they are not. The remote, while sharp edged and awkward in the hand, is impressive. It lights when moved and has a volume indicator that mirrors the wheel in the unit. I bought the Star specifically because it could rip my CD library directly to USB/SD storage, assuming that it would get the metadata right every time. This is where my particular unit fell down. The ripper didn’t always pick up the CD’s metadata, though Windows Media Player does, though neither is perfect. Also, Album Art Downloader finds artwork pretty easily. As stated above, the left side of the unit rattles and buzzes when an off-balance CD is ripped. There needs to be better bracing of the front panel. Down to brass tacks now - the ripper function has failed after two days of light use. CDs play fine, but cannot be ripped. The unit states that “the CD contains no tracks” each and every time. In addition, the left channel went on the fritz for a day or so. This could only be resolved by unplugging the unit overnight. Resetting the unit didn’t correct either problem. While the left channel is back now, the ripping issue remains. Servicing the unit is going to be a headache. It has to be shipped back to Naim as there are no authorized repair shops anywhere stateside. Still, I’m impressed enough with the sound to get it repaired rather than return it. We’ll see. If Naim gives me any grief, it’s going back to Amazon. Life’s too short… Despite all of this, I would recommend the Star. The ripping problem is exceedingly rare, so you’re not likely to run into it on your unit. The left channel thing was apparently software-based and will likely be dealt with in the next firmware update. Naim is quite good with regular updates, so I remain hopeful I will be keeping my Yamaha R-N803 for backup until this is sorted. It doesn’t sound as good as the Naim, but it works. And since I was having ripping problems, I went to the PC and finished my library there, so the Star is not strictly required anymore. I could instead get the Atom or Nova, though neither amp is better or worse than the Star. It’s probably not worth the hassle to return it. If I can get the ripper repaired, I’ll probably keep it.

I recommend caution when considering purchase of a Uniti Star. It is not the best example of naim's engineering. I have had two of the units: the first was judged defective by naim UK and (after some truly horrible customer service from naim North America) replaced. Since some of the issues affected that second unit I have to conclude they are endemic. The CD player is terrible, but the ripper is fine when it functions normally, which isn't all the time. The naim app is extremely buggy -- if Apple engineering were this faulty the company would have gone belly up. OTOH when the unit is working properly (which is at least 97% of the time) it performs well. Expect to spend time researching issues around functionality at regular intervals, though, if you buy a Uniti Star.

Naim is extremely popular in UK. A very solid system. Purchased this model for the CD player. I own many CDs and enjoy playing them on this outstanding system when not streaming from Tidal. Between the two I have all the music I could ever listen too. The sound is the best I ever have heard. I have own Bang & Olufsen systems plus others for decades and this system beats them all. The app is excellent. There are other Naim units which can be connected to this system for multi room use without wiring. Will support any speaker (using Prestige speakers). I do not use it for television. It is purely my source for music and I could listen all day to all genres of music with utter enjoyment. It is worth every penny although initially purchased here I returned it due to a substantial discount from a local audio store which was an authorized dealer for close to a grand less. I have owned the system nearly two years now. For headphone listening prefer Astell & Kern players with balanced headphones. For the room this system will knock you over in sound quality. DAC built in does a great job in separating the sound for an audiophile experience. Highly recommend as a must buy.