Minimalists and audiophiles have not always gotten along, but times are changing. Better digital-to-analog conversion (DAC) chips and easy storage of high resolution music files have opened the door for small all-in-one digital audio systems. British hi-fi mainstay Naim knows all about that; the company has been consistently producing all-in-one solutions since 2014, when they released the Mu-so family of audio products.
The Uniti Family
The company recently announced a number of new Uniti products with release dates peppered throughout the year. Atom, their entry-level model became available this month (August), and Nova, the top end of their lineup, is launching today, August 25. The middle of the product line is represented by Star, which does not yet have a release date, although the company is expected to unleash it sometime in Q4. Each of these music players can connect to the Core, an audiophile music server that offers massive music storage.
Just add speakers, and Uniti models are ready for listening. They feature everything needed to be the home’s central audio hub—including wireless connectivity, amplification, HDMI inputs for multimedia, and multi-room features. Atom, Star, and Nova have 40, 70, and 80 watts of amplification power, respectively.
An All-in-One Solution
For those with diverse digital collections or streaming service subscriptions, Uniti products are an all-in-one, single-box solution. These devices sync with major streaming services for easy access to internet libraries. If the listener has a large library of their own, the Core includes internal storage for high-resolution personal music collections. And if the included storage on the paired Core is not enough, they can connect directly to hard drives for additional storage up to 8TB, which should be enough to store 16,000 CD quality albums. If a buyer has a large CD collection, the Uniti Core also includes a CD ripper for easy digitization.
Naim Uniti Core music server Photo: Courtesy Naim Audio
Every box in the Uniti line is consistent with Naim’s recent design choices, which includes a dark industrial contemporary aesthetic with lighted accents and sleek screens. The most notable element of each product is the inclusion of the massive circular volume knob on the top, a popular element that has been signature component on products going back to 2014.
All Eyes on Nova
The Nova is the largest and the most advanced model in the product line. It eschews the increasingly obsolete CD drive in favor of more substantial power amplification. At 80 watts per channel, it is a serious contender in the integrated amplifier space.
Dealers will have floor models on display starting today, and the company anticipates shipments of the Nova will commence over the course of the next few weeks. It will sell for about $6,995.
Demand is high, so if a state of the art, all-in-one device is on your wish list, this is a lineup worth checking out.
