Review: Naim Uniti Nova PE Streaming Amplifier

The situation around Class D and audiophile traditions is somewhat complicated. As with many things in life, and especially high fidelity, traditions are slow to change, if they ever do. The reality is that many learned people, respected voices and tenured ears have all declared that Class D amplification is ready for prime time in HiFi, but some hangups still linger among the skeptics of the design. There are skeptics everywhere, for nearly everything. But the one thing that seems to ring true across all educated audiophile debates is that implementation matters, especially in the face of broad generalizations like the ones surrounding the aforementioned Class D. There are many benefits to Class D, more than we’d like to get into here, so adding the option to the party behooves audio lovers all around. Which is why a traditionally AB company like Naim is now taking a swing with the big D.

The Naim Uniti Nova PE is a high end “lifestyle-like” product from the long-loved British brand. The PE in the name stands for “power edition” and brings to the game a full 150 watts into 8 ohms per channel. This is quite the upgrade from the other stellar products in the Uniti lineup of all-in-ones including the regular Nova at 80 watts and the Star at 70. Given that the footprint is the same from the other two options, the relative height of the unit (the PE is slightly taller by comparison) does indeed include a Class D Purifi module – a first for Naim. More power, essentially the same box.

To really get into “The Box” it must be said that in terms of a true high end “all-in-one” there are very few options that stand up to the ease of use, cohesiveness and lack of expensive cables like the Uniti series from Naim. With almost all of my experience with the series, it mostly “just works”. Not something that can be said for all of digitally sourced audio, and certainly not piecemeal systems that jump from brand to brand across any number of digital connections. Even then, codex, connectivity and WiFi can all play an issue with adjustments and fine tuning. The Uniti series and the Nova PE specifically, do all the bells and whistles of the newfound digital area. Airplay has become a must have, as is high resolution streaming. The latter of which plays with a simple search bar via Naim’s own app. With an iPad or phone in hand, one can harness the expansive power of Qobuz or Tidal with a few clicks in the Naim app. The internal music app from Apple plays just as easily through Airplay. This works out very well for both listening sessions with visitors and solo consumption with a finely tuned process. Of course the higher price tag for the lineup helps Naim include all the fun gadetry along with a strong industrial design and heavy weight internal components. One of my favorite “value adds” is the seamless access to Naim’s own branded and curated high resolution streaming stations, broken out further into Jazz and Classical options. The sound quality from these included free services is quite steller through the Naim Uniti Nova PE and provided some reference for listening sessions with various speakers.

On the outside, the casework shares much of the same look as the rest of the extensive Uniti line. And for a black block, it does pretty well for itself in an industrial design sense. The light branding and 4.5” screen layout works well. It’s perhaps not as flashy as the full frontal screen of the HiFi Rose streamers, nor as basic as some flat aluminum housings. The look strikes a nice balance between the various options and earns extensive bonus points for the huge, backlit, slightly weighted volume knob located on the top of the unit. The dial is perhaps one of the most striking features of the series, and its design elements are also echoed in the remote control. The remote is substantial, and while not made of the more heavy milled aluminum options of some HiFi brands, provides quick feedback and some cool visual party tricks as part of the package. It doesn’t require a heavy line of sight to be used, and can handle most basic functions for navigation and volume control. All this is a bit extra in a real world usage however. As most users will likely find themselves utilizing a phone or iPad as their main tool for digging around the musical library. My biggest qualm with the app is the laggy volume control. No matter how I fiddle with it, the included remote is more responsive. So generally speaking, the app will work in a pinch, but further adjustments are better taken up at the remote control. The app is also the reason why a smaller screen is so easily excused. Artwork is far better viewed on an iPad along with ease of use for navigation in general. The screen IMO is just good to have for looks and for an occasional quick track reference from across the room.

In terms of equipment on hand, I was especially excited to compare and contrast the Naim Uniti Nova PE with my reference Uniti Star. While nearly half the price ($5,600 vs $10k), the expectations would of course be set, but with so many elements of the system uniquely the same, it offered a rare window into the vision of Class D from a company that traditionally supports an AB amplification structure. Now it should be stated that the “PE” is not the first foray into the topology for Naim. The company has been utilizing the tech in their Mu-so and car products over the years, but the PE does appear to be a product that is filling in the space requested by consumers that is huddled next to big speakers like the parent Vervent Audio Group’s Focal line. Early press releases on the subject include copy stating the amplifier was tuned with the Focal Sopra series, but also included pairings with more demanding options up into the Utopia lines. Does this equate to sweet sonic bliss with your speakers? That depends on a lot of things.

I was personally excited to see what the extra power was capable of bringing to the table with the house QLN Prestige 3 two-way floorstanders ($11k/pair). My long-standing relationship with this speaker always has me wondering how much more I could eke out from them, and 150 watts into 8 sounded like a good place to start. Over the course of the review session, I was able to have over a few friends (both audiophiles and lesser trained folk) to hear their reactions as well. Now, this is not a typical move for my review process, but I was particularly interested in not only IF outsiders could hear the difference, but if a clear preference was chosen, easily attained or through some slight internal struggle. Clearly the extra time invested elongated the review timeline, so big thanks to Naim for letting me borrow the review unit for so long.

The low end side of the spectrum is an easy bit to explain. Most powered subwoofers utilize class D amplifiers internally, and the application here seems to exemplify why. The bass response through all speakers demoed was tight and detailed. If you are looking for bass control, are a self-proclaimed bass head or find yourself with a proclivity towards dance or electronic music, you might find yourself in favor of the Naim Uniti Nova PE vs. the Star. There was slightly more bass energy overall, and things were much more controlled across the scene. Subtle nuances in low end instruments could be picked out easier, and there was just more low end information to ingest. Of all the bits and bobs about the listen, this was perhaps the clear winner for the PE version. If you are struggling to get the most out of your low end, check out the PE in the all-in-one category. The 150 watts is really able to provide the necessary shove for big drivers in that regard.

In terms of the big picture, the PE really seems to provide a lot of that same dynamic shove across the frequency spectrum. There is a palatable energy to the sound that could be viewed as more than the sum of the parts here. Compared to both the Naim Uniti Star and the 300b Woo Audio WA5, there was just a bit more thrust and metaphoric “crackle” to the picture. In one of my partnered listening sessions a friend played a very solid, relatively simple track featuring female vocals, some light backing instruments and no percussion. Upon switching back and forth between the Nova PE and Star the impact was noticeable and echoed confidently by the company. An experimental success of sorts from an enthusiastic, but relatively un-HFi-educated outside observer. This distinction took place despite the usual “Rage Against The Machine” track or high-drama electronia typically used to showcase this genre of sonic clout.

Where things started to drift into Flavortown, or the domain where preference starts to heavily appear at scale, were comparisons in the vocals and even highs to some extent. The 300b tube has a unique fanbase all its own, and some of this is at least partially contributed by the perceived “liquid mids” from many in that camp. So, the comparison is somewhat of a stretch for the Woo WA5. The closer cousin in the Uniti family also came across slightly different in these regions, but in its own way, compared to that of the PE. Punch, spark, zest – all easily associated with the PE. There is also the matter of clarity. There seems to be a bit more top end energy there, and some might argue a little more clarity along with it. But as any lifelong enthusiast will tell you, class A and AB has a sound to it that many find appealing, and the execution here seems to dwell a little extra on the delta between the two. That is to say, if you are used to a little warmed up class A amp, the AB in the Star might be your choice overall. As for the perceived linearity of it all, I think there is a strong case that the Class D PE gets it just a tick more correct, but both options make great suitors in different situations. This is perhaps no better exemplified than the varying output I hear at the big audio shows and conventions across the US. The high end does not all sound the same. And if we all preferred the exact same thing, a coalescing of tonality would occur at some point. But this is not the case. Different strokes for different folks, they say.

There is very little question that the PE provided a more controlled low end to the 8-ohm (87,5 dB SPL 1 Watt 1m, 100-10kHz) QLN Prestige Three. The reaction to the rest of the spectrum might push the listen to further define there own personal taste. Many of the people that came by to hear it preferred the PE’s extra strength, control and lifelike energy. There is a snap to the presentation that many will find appealing. If you are a die-hard Naim traditionalist, you may notice the slight (I said slight) departure from the AB heritage of many of the current stock of amplifier options. If that is “right” or “correct” for you depends on a great many things including speaker choice, playback volume and more.

In lieu of the typical summary paragraph, I wanted to add a list of pros and cons to clear things up a bit. There is a lot of impressions and data to comb through here and a quick list should help organize things just a bit more. So here we go.

Pros:
Plenty of power
Strong Industrial Design
Compact Footprint
Reliable digital playback
High energy sound
Tight, controlled bass
All-In-One unit saves $$$ on cables

Cons:
Expensive
Laggy Volume Control From App

Overall, it is very easy to like the entire Naim Uniti line. The compact form factor allows for everything you need to be placed on a single console shelf. The digital playback is simple and reliable from an absolutely huge selection of sources, including Qobuz and Tidal. Bluetooth and Airplay work well in a pinch, and nothing more is really needed to get going on your way to sonic bliss. Now with the 150-watt-per-channel Naim Uniti Nova PE, pretty much any size speaker with any power requirement can be properly paired to the banana plug inputs (a pair of 4mm solderable plugs also comes with each unit). Another great showing from the classic HiFi brand Naim.

More info: Naim Uniti Nova PE

If you want to hear more from some of the Naim designers check out this podcast with Steve Sells, Technical Director, Electronics at Naim Audio, which details a ton of great info about the longevity and appeal of this classic HiFi company.  Available on iTunes, Android, Google, Deezer, Spotify, iHeartRadio and wherever your favorite podcasts are hosted.