Introduction
Naim has a position in the high-end market and looking at the Naim Uniti Nova it is quite obvious it is. In my previous reviews of the Atom and the Atom HE I’ve also become acquainted with the Naim Uniti lineup. The Nova is just a bit different, how different?
You can read it here!
Interested in other Naim product reviews? I am that lucky that I was able to review a whole bunch of them. Click on the name of the product to go to the review: Naim NAP 250 DR, Naim Uniti Atom HE, NAIM Mu-So Qb 2nd Generation, NAIM Mu-So 2nd Generation , Naim Uniti Atom or the Naim Uniti Core.
Specifications
Let’s take a look at the specs of the Naim Uniti Nova.
This variant does not have a DAB/FM module; there is a possibility to have one.
DAB/FM
Optional DAB/FM module available
Memory Card
1 x SD Card
Max SD card storage: 32GB
Streaming
Chromecast Built-In, Apple AirPlay, TIDAL,
Spotify® Connect, Bluetooth (AptX HD), Internet Radio, UPnP™ (hi-res streaming), Roon Ready
USB
2 x USB Type A Socket (front and rear)
External portable SSD – max. 1TB
USB sticks – max. 128 GB.
Analogue
1 x RCA
1 x 5-pin DIN
Digital (S/PDIF)
2 x Optical TOSLink (up to 24bit/96kHz)
2 x Coaxial RCA (up to 24bit/192kHz, DoP 64Fs)
1 x BNC (up to 192kHz, DoP 64Fs)
1 x HDMI ARC
Audio Outputs
Analogue
1 x Stereo power amplifier
1 x RCA sub/pre output
1 x 3.5mm headphone jack
Certification and Licenses
Certification
Apple AirPlay, Chromecast Built-In, Bluetooth, AptX HD, zigbee RF4CE, Rovi, HDMI, NTFS, HFS and Wi-Fi.
Connectivity
Multiroom
Serve up to 4 network-connected players via UPnP™ at full CD quality.
Party Mode Streaming: Sync up to six Uniti all-in-one players or other Naim streamers and control via the Naim app.
Updates
Update your system wirelessly via the Naim app.
Network
Ethernet (10/100Mbps), WiFi (802.11 b/g/n/ac with internal antennae)
Formats
Internet Radio Formats
Windows Media-formatted content, MP3, ACC, OGG Vorbis streams and MMS
Internet Radio Provider
vTuner premium 5*
Audio Formats
WAV – up to 32bits/384kHz
FLAC and AIFF – up to 24bit/384kHz
ALAC (Apple Lossless) – up to 24bit/384kHz
MP3 – up to 48kHz, 320kbit (16 bit)
AAC – up to 48kHz, 320kbit (16 bit)
OGG and WMA – up to 48kHz (16 bit)
DSD – 64 and 128Fs
Notes: Gapless playback supported on all formats. All formats to 384kHz maximum over a wireless network.
Physical
Dimensions
95mm x 432mm x 265mm (HxWxD)
Finishes
Brushed and anodised aluminium
Weight
13kg
Power
Auto Standby time
User selectable: adjustable from off up to 2 hours
Amplifier Output
80W per channel into 8 ohms
Mains Supply
115V, 230V; 50 or 60Hz
Power Consumption
Typical use: 140W
Network standby mode: <2W
Deep sleep: <0.5W Network Standby (with SD Card and/or USB devices attached): > 15W*.
*Actual power consumption will vary depending on the size and type of attached SD card or USB devices
Ripping and Storage
Storage
Store up to 20,000 tracks to a local USB connected storage device and serve to a network-connected player.
External portable SSD – max. 1TB
USB sticks – max. 128 GB.
Supplied with
Supplied with
Remote control, Power-Line Lite mains cable (UK denominations only), cleaning cloth and quick start guide.
Upgrades
Mains Cable
Power-Line mains cable
Amplification
External power amplifier or sub-woofer
User Control
App Control
Naim App for iOS and Android
Front Panel
5″” colour LCD display and rotary volume control with proximity sensor and four buttons
Handheld
zigbee RF4CE
Dimensions and Weight
95 mm x 432 mm x 265 mm (H x W x D)
13 kg
Connectivity
Audio Inputs
2 x Optical TOSLink (up to 24bit/96kHz )
2 x Coaxial RCA (up to 24bit/192kHz, DoP 64Fs)
1 x BNC (up to 192kHz, DoP 64Fs)
1 x HDMI ARC
2 x RCA
2 x 5-pin DIN
2 x USB Type A socket (front and rear)
1 x SD card
Audio Outputs
1 x Stereo power amplifier
1 x RCA sub/pre output
1 x 3.5mm headphone jack
Unboxing
Time to unbox the Nova.
Naim has not only supplied me with the Nova but also a multitude of Naim cables. I’ve put these next to the AudioQuest Type 9.
We’re accustomed to Naim’s ability of wrapping the amps tight and neatly. Besides the amp, manuals/booklets, remote control including 4 batteries, a dust cloth has also been provided.
In a previous review of the Atom I got familiar with this remote. And to this day, I find this one of the coolest remotes to use for an audio system. The remote fits like a glove in your hand, but it also has lighting on it. It also shows audio levels on the remote itself by lighting up the round ring in the middle (Now for 3 quarters of the way) to show the loudness. Lifting the remote shows a mirroring effect of the current volume on the Uniti.
The Nova just like how the Atom has done it is supplied with a EU and UK plug.
And there is the amp, not only a big boy weighing 13 kilograms, it also looks stunning.
On the bottom left you can see Naim’s logo, which illuminates during use. USB port and headphone jacks. On the right side we can see 4 buttons that are able to start the Atom, play/pause music etc. The bottom two are designed for inputs and favorites. For example, you can look for certain radio stations on the Naim app and put these in your favorites. By pressing the button a few times, you can easily go back to listening to your favorite tunes or radio dj’s.
Higher up we can see one huge dial for the volume levels. Whilst turning the dial, it lights up, and even when you’re close with your hand it will illuminate.
And the cherry on top is the color display showing off everything. I’ll get back to you on that later on!
Even the sides of the Atom are equipped with grills. These grills will ensure that the heat flows away from this class AB amplifier. And that seems to be working just fine. The amp does become warm during use, but not hot. If it was a class A amplifier, we would be seeing higher temperatures.
On the left side there is a connector for power and a connector for speakers. In order to actually connect them you’ll need banana plugs.
The right side has the following connectors:
Audio Inputs
2 x Optical TOSLink (up to 24bit/96kHz )
2 x Coaxial RCA (up to 24bit/192kHz, DoP 64Fs)
1 x BNC (up to 192kHz, DoP 64Fs)
1 x HDMI ARC
2 x RCA
2 x 5-pin DIN
2 x USB Type A socket (front and rear)
1 x SD card
Audio Outputs
1 x Stereo power amplifier
1 x RCA sub/pre output
And don’t forget the internal Bluetooth and WiFi capabilities.
This Nova does not have the ability to utilize DAB/FM, but you can buy it separately.
The brushed steel has a very classic look.
Time to get the Naim cables.
Just like the Atom & Atom HE, the Nova has a 5” color display that has a sensor detecting if you are nearby. Being close impacts how the screen reacts to you. Normally an image of the album shows with the artist/track information shown below.
Getting closer to the Atom, more information is shown in the image below. Going further away it reverts again.
Time to boot up the Nova. The first thing that you’re required to do is to put the remote near the Nova and press the home button.
Now it’s time to open the app. In the chapter software I’ll walk through all the different kinds of screens that I had to click through.
Naim Uniti Atom vs Uniti Nova
In this review of the Nova, I have also been able to use the Atom to draw a nice comparison of both. And it is not only vital to listen to the differences, but also look at the different amount of connections/connectors available that both of them have.
When it comes to depth and height, both don’t really differ from each other.
Focal & Naim
Just like my previous review of the Naim Uniti Atom I summoned back the Focal Chora 826.
Focal & Naim have been working together for quite a while, and that makes for a good dynamic duo. The amplifiers and speakers work in unison together, enabling you to get the maximum out of the both of them. The Nova has been used for a while with the Focal Sopra 2’s. And just like it was Christmas, I was able to play around with the Atom as well combined with the same said Sopra’s.
The difference between the Naim Uniti Atom & Nova can be heard clearly – on these kinds of speakers. The Atom is compact and has a lot of power, perfect for smaller end speakers like the Focal Kanta 1 or Bowers & Wilkins 704 S2 or 705 S2. The Sopra’s are a bit too much for the Atom, and you can hear that. Playing music, it sounds a bit more flat on parts of a track where you normally expect more power/tone differentials. The Nova truly draws out the best in the Sopra’s. The sound is fuller, and I can hear you think, what do you mean by fuller? Well, in short, the tone differentials aren’t as flat, the frequencies of any track you play get reached like they should. And even with speakers like this, you can always choose to have an end amplifier.
I will get back to this in a later chapter called music.
Software
If you don’t want to use the app at all, you can. Just the remote will suffice, however Naim has quite a good app that can also be used with other Naim products. In this chapter I will go through the software, since there are a lot of options grab something to drink..;)
The app requests you to use the remote and link it. After that you can select the machine through the app, which needs a bit of configuration.
A personal favorite of mine is me being able to use my iPhone 12 easily, within seconds i was able to configure the AirPlay-speaker settings, connecting it to my WiFi network as well.
Swiftly I configured the amp, following it up with selecting what room I’m in and I’m good to go!
Opening the app the rooms are shown. You can set it up with multiroom for example, it syncs multiple speakers and amps together. This enables you to play music throughout the entire house at the same time. During the installation the app also checks the current firmware. You can also install this through the app which will take a while.
You can also individually name your presets if you so wish to do so, or leave them to the standard presets.
The Nova has a plethora of options, besides AirPlay(2) you can also make the amp a Chromecast player. This enables you to stream the audio to the Nova, which will in turn play it out of the speakers. Which is also integrated with Google apps, for example: ‘Hey Google, play my favorite radio station’. And that will be played through TuneIn.
The Nova can also function as a UPnP server. It’s possible to play music from a hard disk that is attached to the Nova, and play this through the network.
After installing everything you’ll end up in the ‘homescreen’. After selecting the amp, of course.
The standard presets are as follows:
– Favorites
– Servers (Provided you have multiple UPnP-servers in your network.
– Internetradio
– USB
– Tidal
– Qobuz
– Spotify
– Analog 1
– Analog 2
– Analog 3
– Analog 4
– Digital 1
– Digital 2
– Digital 3
– Digital 4
– Digital 5
– HDMI
In the middle you can switch between;
– Presets
– Radio
All the way at the bottom under presets/favorites you can find your saved radio stations. These can be edited, added and configured in the way you want it to be.
In the menu in the top left, the library, you can select the attached hard disk.
Within this menu, you can play and show the artists/albums.
The available formats are as follows:
WAV – up to 32bits/384kHz
FLAC and AIFF – up to 24bit/384kHz
ALAC (Apple Lossless) – up to 24bit/384kHz
MP3 – up to 48kHz, 320kbit (16 bit)
AAC – up to 48kHz, 320kbit (16 bit)
OGG and WMA – up to 48kHz (16 bit)
DSD – 64 and 128Fs
Notes: Gapless playback supported on all formats. All formats to 384kHz maximum over wireless network.
And obviously you can configure the amp to your heart’s content. The following settings are able to be edited by the app:
– Stand-by
– Order of inputs (Good to have if you frequently use a certain input, like digital 1 or analog 1, put them first in the order for ease of access.)
– Styles (colors of the app)
– Select Input
—- Favorites
——— Inputs activated
—- AirPlay
——— Inputs activated
—- Analog 1
——— Inputs activated
——— Input Name
——— Edit Input (0 = standard)
——— Lip Sync (0 = standard)
——— Input Sensitivity Hifi (2,5V)
——— AV standard volume (out)
—- Analog 2
——— Inputs activated
——— Input Name
——— Edit Input (0 = standard)
——— Lip Sync (0 = standard)
——— Input Sensitivity Hifi (2,5V)
——— AV standard volume
—- Analog 3
——— Inputs activated
——— Input Name
——— Edit Input (0 = standard)
——— Lip Sync (0 = standard)
——— Input Sensitivity Hifi (2,5V)
——— AV standard volume
—- Analog 4
——— Inputs activated
——— Input Name
——— Edit Input (0 = standard)
——— Lip Sync (0 = standard)
——— Input Sensitivity Hifi (2,5V)
——— AV standard volume (out)
—- Bluetooth
——— Input activated
——— Open link
——— Input Name
—- Digital 1
——— Input activated
——— Input name
——— Edit Input (0 = standard)
——— Lip Sync (0 = standard)
—- Digital 2
——— Input activated
——— Input Name
——— Edit Input (0 = standard)
——— Lip Sync (0 = standard)
—- Digital 3
——— Input activated
——— Input name
——— Edit Input (0 = standard)
——— Lip Sync (0 = standard)
—- Digital 4
——— Input activated
——— Input name
——— Edit Input (0 = standard)
——— Lip Sync (0 = standard)
—- Digital 5
——— Input activated
——— Input name
——— Edit Input (0 = standard)
——— Lip Sync (0 = standard)
—- Chromecast Built-in
——— Input activated
——— Apps that work with Chromecast
——— Data about the personal use of Chromecast and crash reports being sent to Google
—- HDMI
——— Input activated
——— Input name
——— Edit Input (0 = standard)
——— Lip Sync (0 = standard)
——— Automatic HDMI-choice
—- Qobuz
——— Input activated
——— Place Qobuz-favorites on the homescreen (Yes/no)
——— Quality (Hi-Res – 24- Bit / 192 kHz)
——— Login to Qobuz
——— Open Qobuz-app
—- Internetradio
——— Input name
——— vTuner MAC-adress
—- Spotify
——— Input activated
——— Spotify-bitrate (extreme)
——— Log in/out
—- TIDAL
——— Input activated
——— Place Tidal-favorites on the homescreen
——— Quality (HiFi)
——— Log in/out
——— open TIDAL-app
—- Servers
——— Input activated
——— Input name
—- USB
——— Input name
– Edit Audio
—- Maximum Volume (85 standard setting)
—- Speaker balance (0 standard = center)
—- Max. Volume headphones (100)
– Register your product
– Look for updates
– Other settings
—- Room name (Nova)
—- Timezone (Europe/Amsterdam)
—- Network settings (Wireless/LAN)
——— DHCP (On/off)
——— Other IP info
—- Time until automatic stand-by (20 minutes)
—- Server Mode (On/off) (Is used for the UPnP server)
—- Display
——— Turn off during playing
—- Remote control
——— Motion detection
—- Amazon Store (UK)
—- Stay connected
—- Volume editing
——— Slider
——— Buttons on the screen
—- Tap for options
—- Share user info
—- Delete cache cover art
—- Rebuild music database
—- Reset app
– Concerning
—- IP-adress & other info
– Help
When it comes to streaming there’s a lot that the Naim Uniti series (Like the Atom) supports;
Chromecast Built-In, Qobuz, Apple Airplay, TIDAL, Spotify® Connect, Bluetooth (AptX HD), Internet Radio™, UPnP™ (hi-res streaming). And besides, the device is Roon Ready.
With Spotify, Tidal or anything else, you can look for a song, then select the Naim Uniti Atom – as speaker/output device – through the app.
The Naim app for mobile phones is stable and works without any problem. I haven’t had a single crash nor a single problem playing it through ‘external speakers’ on Spotify.
The cool thing about it is that the Naim Uniti Nova, just like the Atom, displays an album cover on the screen immediately. Whether it’s a podcast or a Spotify song.
Like I’ve mentioned, the Nova is a Roon Ready Player. You can select the Nova from the Roon app, and play music from the amp, in high quality! If you so wish, you could combine it with Tidal to never hear the same songs again. A really cool feature.
As i said previously, you don’t necessarily HAVE to use the app. With a beauty of a remote like that you should be able to breeze through the menus with ease. And of course you can! You can select as follows:
– Playing now
– Spotify
– Radio
– USB
– Input (You can choose analog/digital or HDMI)
– Favorites (Radio stations that are under favorites/presets that can be accessed quickly)
– Bluetooth
– Settings
Settings I will elaborate on in the chapter software, they are quickly as follows:
– Language
– Network settings
– Bluetooth
– Factory settings
– Info
Say what you will, but it becomes abundantly clear that the volume changes through the massive volume dial. If you’d prefer seeing a clock there, there is an option for that.
With the remote control you are able to look at radio stations worldwide using internet radio. The app also shows the bitrate of each and every radio station.
Music & Movies
Audio will remain to be one of my great passions and favorite things to review. Music moves you, and engages you emotionally. As you might be well aware of. The listening experience can be enhanced by the way you listen to a piece of music. And at the end of the day it’s still a personal preference. Whether you love to listen through cabled iPhone earbuds, or through an expensive surround system.
Being involved with music from a young age (Primarily listening to it) I attempt to extend this passion to my next generation, my little girl of 1 year and 5 months now.
Listening to Classic, Blues, Jazz, Rock & Pop or EDM, not to mention a whole bunch of other genres. And sharing music and preferences is something incredibly fun.
Having a system that does that perfectly, and can be used by my friends is something else.
The Naim Uniti Nova hits the spot exactly. Having music played through the network it gives people the opportunity to play and share music through Spotify, Tidal and others. And having HDMI through HDMI-ARC to play it on your TV etc. is another huge plus.
Naim has experience as a contender on the market. I’ve had the opportunity to review the Mu-so 2nd Gen, Mu-so Qb 2nd Gen and the Uniti Atom. The Nova is the biggest boy of the Uniti series. In between the Atom and the Nova is the Uniti Star. In this case, the Nova is a Class AB amplifier. And that is why the finish on the side is like it is. The steel fins make sure the heat flows away nicely, due to them getting warm during use. Not hot. If it were to be an A class amplifier that uses loads of power, then it would get hot. And still you can hear it through this AB amplifier that the sound is very ‘warm’.
In a previous review I’ve mentioned the Denon X6400h flagship surround amplifier going to a Rotel amplifier. The difference was very noticeable, even on the same speaker set. My advice would be that if you are a listener, not in need of surround, to look for a stereo amplifier. The Denon was also a surround receiver jack of all trades, but my wife and I had to continually wind a movie or episode from a series back just to hear what was being said. And that got pretty annoying. Especially considering having a decent audio system with all the other speakers/surround options disabled. When I was able to rent a stereo amplifier on the exact same speakers I was shown a whole new world. It was a Class A amplifier that skyrocketed my energy bill and flickered the nights like an episode of Supernatural but still…The difference was very noticeable.
Funnily enough, the difference isn’t just heard between a stereo and surround amplifier. Even the stereo amplifier has a lot of difference when it comes to power output. And looping back to it, you can hear the difference between the Atom and the Nova on larger speakers such as the Focal Sopra 2’s that I’ve used.
In my previous review of the Naim Uniti Atom I used them with the Focal Chora 826 speakers and the Atom knew how to handle them well. If you go ‘bigger’ you will certainly need to invest in a good amplifier. More power = more sound. Which inevitably leads to…More money…
But how big is the difference? I’m going to show you through YouTube clips.
I’ve used clips from Tidal on higher bitrates, and in some instances I’ve formatted it in .flac.
Talking about bitrates, the analog inputs can be used to hook up an old vinyl player. And wow…I’ve enjoyed so many golden oldies that I’ve got laying around. Of course I had to play Above & Beyond (acoustic) and old Frank Sinatra records dating from 76’. Even Pink Floyd – The Wall dating from 79’ sounds amazing.
With the Audio Technica AT-LPW40WN record player on Analog 1 we can listen to some tunes. Like Sirens of the Sea from Above & Beyond.
Besides the vinyl, I’ve used Roon and a USB-player on the Nova. And they all hit the spot. The Atom is perfect for less demanding speakers. The difference in audio with Boo Boo Davis – Undercover Blues or with Tony Bennett & Aretha Franklin – How Do You Keep The Music Playing is noticeable.
The Nova has more tunes, the sound is more complete and fuller. There’s more music to be heard in the moment it plays. And it adds a whole lot more color to the room you’re in.
Not just the Nova is able to do that, the Atom does as well. Like mentioned before, the Denon flagship containing all the surround options that I barely even use, making the change to a Rotel amp it was like walking into a room with all the lights on. Warm. And I’m embraced by that feeling again.
Being an avid fan of movies and tv shows, my wife binge more than we should. Like I said earlier in the first chapter, it would be required to at least hear what the actors are saying.
Luckily we don’t have that problem anymore due to it being crystal clear with this audio system. Which means we don’t have to blaze the audio up to levels the neighbors can enjoy too.
In my personal opinion, a TV’s sound is something important. In my current LG OLED the soundcard emits a decent amount for a TV, but it’s still not great. And that is something I really care about watching movies.
Seeing movies like Joker, John Wick 2 or 3 (For the umpteenth time) or any other movie that portrays loads of action, speech or drama, it is essential that the audio is able to enhance that feeling. It might sound weird, but I used to be an avid visitor of the cinema. And nowadays although costly, you’re able to bring the cinema to you. (Provided you know how to make popcorn!) And yes, it’s costly, but so are tickets and popcorn nowadays, so skip a movie a few times in the cinema, and you’ve got yourself an amp! (Maybe a bit more than a few, but you know where i’m going.. 🙂 )
Conclusion
Naim has provided us with the Uniti Nova ,a powerful all-in-one. Not only is it a treat to listen to, but it looks great as well. The Nova has a beautiful finish. A mantle piece, and it should be this good looking for its price as well. A feast for your eyes.
The Nova providing such a high amount of connections is a huge plus too. You can even draw out more power by hooking up an end amplifier through the pre-amp.
Like I’ve mentioned in this review, there’s also a FM/DAB+ variant available making it even easier for you to listen to radio. This variant of the Nova will set you back an extra 300 Euros. And looking at the internetradio accessibility on the Uniti series, that could be an option as well. And internetradio usually has a higher bitrate anyway, something you can definitely hear.
I couldn’t resist getting the Audio Technica vinyl player out of the closet and letting it rip. And that is something to truly enjoy as well. Pink Floyd – The Wall Dating 79’ or Frank Sinatra dating 76’ sound beautiful and warm. Putting the needle on newer records such as Above & Beyond – Sirens of the Sea or others, it becomes an experience. The speakers combined with the Nova orchestrate it excellently.
The app by Naim is easy to control and has everything except 1 option.
It can do internetradio, all the inputs, is incredibly stable and user-friendly, but I can’t fathom how it isn’t possible to set up an AirPlay password in the app. You’ll have to surf to the IP-address of the amp to set up a password, and that seems contradictory. I know I can do it, but having to explain it to my father is another thing. The second i tell him to surf to anything he’ll be at the beach, none the wiser and without any audio. [/sarcasm]
There has got to be an easier way
The other cool thing is the fantastic remote that is being provided by Naim. Yes, you could do everything through the app, but the remote is insanely good. Illumination when you touch the remote, the integration of light on the Nova itself, not just a gimmick, it makes it user-friendly.
Music makes you move…Not a quote from myself, but i’ll keep rehashing it…And having said music played through a system like the Nova, it only enhances everything i want from audio.
And that’s the huge plus about an all-in-one. There’s a plethora of options that you can grow together with your device.
In my previous review of the Atom and Atom HE, you can see that there is a space for an end amplifier. With the Nova you are future proofed as well. And if the need arises that you need to upgrade your speakers, the Nova will provide. Until you’ve upgraded your speakers to a point that the Nova can’t do justice, but before that happens…We are talking about a very distant future…Financially as well!
The Naim Uniti Nova rightfully earns its 5 out of 5 stars. I admit, it’s not a cheap amplifier, but in my personal opinion having listened to it, seeing all the options and the device itself, it is worth it.
