Question Naim Uniti Star vs. Primare i35 Prisma

[east_eight]

Hello

I'm new here and looking for a little advice.

I have just picked up a Primare i35 Prisma running through a pair of Martin Logan Motion 20i speakers. I am also about to send a Technics SP-10 TT to Acoustand for a complete refurbishment and new plinth so this will join the system in due course.

The Primare is very powerful and clean sounding but the app and user interface is very poor compared the Naim Atom I also have. The Tidal implementation is particularly chunky and this is where I store most of my play lists.

I really disliked the Primare for this reason when I first got it (I don't like faffing and I'm not enamoured by tech) but I have grown to like it more over the last couple of weeks - albeit I would say the sound lacks a bit of warmth.

However, I do have the opportunity to send it back to be replaced by a Naim Unity Star for a small cost contribution. I could also take a Nova instead but I'm not prepared to pay the additional uplift - so it's either the Primare or the Star.

Does anyone have direct experience of both the Star and the Primare? Should I just learn to live with the Primare interface or is it worth the hassle of switching the units for both improved UX and sound.

The Star's CD player is a nice to have but not a deciding factor in any sense.

Thank you.

Huw

 

[Bazzer]

Hello Huw welcome to The Wam .
Might be pushing it a bit to find someone who had those two units but you never know .
If the CD player is not really wanted I would find something comparable in price without one , spend more on what you do want .

 

[east_eight]

Hello Huw welcome to The Wam .
Might be pushing it a bit to find someone who had those two units but you never know .
If the CD player is not really wanted I would find something comparable in price without one , spend more on what you do want .

Thank you for the response. However, it really is a choice between just these two so fingers crossed!

 

[simon g]

I've had both. The Primare is the 'better' amp, imo. The Star is OK; the CD drive is noisy as it runs at 10x for normal play and 20x (I think) when ripping, The Focal/Naim app is definitely superior to the Primare.

If you only want to play Tidal, rather than completely control the amp via an app, then you could use the MConnect app. That may suit better. You could also use Airplay 2 or Chromecast. Or Roon, if you use that?

 

[east_eight]

I've had both. The Primare is the 'better' amp, imo. The Star is OK; the CD drive is noisy as it runs at 10x for normal play and 20x (I think) when ripping, The Focal/Naim app is definitely superior to the Primare.

If you only want to play Tidal, rather than completely control the amp via an app, then you could use the MConnect app. That may suit better. You could also use Airplay 2 or Chromecast. Or Roon, if you use that?

Thanks Simon - that’s really useful. Could I be very crude and ask you to give both the Primare and Naim marks out of 10 for their sonic capabilities as amplifiers?

 

[simon g]

Thanks Simon - that’s really useful. Could I be very crude and ask you to give both the Primare and Naim marks out of 10 for their sonic capabilities as amplifiers?

Crikey; that's impossible, as it will depend on so many more factors; sources, speakers, room, personal preferences, what they're being compared to, etc. But, in the true spirit of useless hifi mags of the past, I would say, in their price range, 6/10 for the Naim and 7.5 for the Primare on SQ alone. (many will prefer the Naim, just because )

 

[east_eight]

Crikey; that's impossible, as it will depend on so many more factors; sources, speakers, room, personal preferences, what they're being compared to, etc. But, in the true spirit of useless hifi mags of the past, I would say, in their price range, 6/10 for the Naim and 7.5 for the Primare on SQ alone. (many will prefer the Naim, just because )

Sorry to be so reductive but - in the absence of being able to compare them side by side - this information is very useful.

 

[Bazzer]

Sorry to be so reductive but - in the absence of being able to compare them side by side - this information is very useful.

Let us know how you get on .