I currently am using my MSI laptop i7 64gb 1tb ssd connected to my router and then to my Naim Uniti Atom HE (UAHE) all via Ethernet. I use a TP link router. My Naim UAHE has a usb A style input port on the back in which I have a hard drive with my music files on. Currently I control Roon from my iPhone and leave the computer alone. I only playback music in one room on my powered dynaudio monitors.
My question is could I use the nucleus and either my external ssd drive and use the second usb a connect via usb a-a to my naim? I understand I still have to connect to my router. I am just wondering if it would be a better sound than my computer and more similar to the external connected ssd to the naim. The Roon software is better than naim software. The naim also has coaxial and optical input however I don’t see that output on the nucleus and I really don’t want to change the naim.
Thank
If an internal drive is necessary I can make that happen. Biggest question is can the Roon connect directly to the naim?
Networking Gear & Setup Details
TP link archer ax20 Ethernet cat 7 from the Msi & 8 to the naim. If nucleus is purchased cat 8 will be connected
The Headphone edition doesn’t have a USB Type B input (PC - the square printer type one) connection, the USB port is a Type A designed for a hard drive.
It was one of the downers for me when I considered buying one.
To use with a Nucleus would mean connecting the Nucleus to the Router via Ethernet and connecting the Naim in the same way
I listen pretty much 95% headphones, just bit via a sound bar.
I was looking at it to replace my RPi and old Audiolab M-DAC as a dedicated headphone amp (and streamer) . My CXN is a V1 hence not Roon Ready so only really used with JRiver.
The USB bit I thought of was going NUC -.> DAC .
Finally if it ain’t broke prevailed , I just the core to NUC/ROCK and I am still
Ah OK. I have the original Atom connected on the network.
It’s in the front room and I’m not allowed to sit with my leaky headphones on and listen there
I have a pi>dac>headphone amp in my office. Just bought a bluesound node I saw going cheap to experiment replacing the pi and dac.
It’s a shame, that Naim hasn’t include an USB DAC and so you must use the included services (which can be broken sometimes). Also connecting an external HDD doesn’t make really sense, because it’s very limited.
On the other side (I’m using the Atom HE only for headphones) it’s running very well with Roon and also the headphone amp it’s a really good one.
This is the argument from Naim.
But (and the Uniti Atom HE costs now over 3k €), when you decide not to use Roon in the future and also Naim doesn’t supports the unit anymore, then you’ll have a problem.
With an integrated USB Dac the Atom HE will more future orientated.
I wouldn’t say it was criticism, just commentary on Naim design decisions. They only had two USB attached DAC products and they were explicitly DACs. I think their belief is that network attachment is better so they go with that.
As to support I have a 2012 unitiqute and it still gets software updates, latest sept 2021 for Tidal.
There’s a recent thread where someone says Roon isn’t as good as Foobar - comparing one path for music playback with another isn’t terribly useful - just the performance within those chosen design
parameters.