considering upgrade, unico remote, m/fid to try, anyone got unico???

have 3802, am considering possible upgrade, i have located a dealer who is willing to give me home demo, i wish to try the unison research unico remote, this has valve preamp stage and amp is 80wpc, for comparison dealer will also bring music/fid 3.2 integrated for me to compare as this is about my limit budget wise, has any forum member heard a demo of the unico or own this item views or advice please, thank you

 

Mick I know a couple of dudes on the HFC forum who have bought this Amp and are more than satisfied with it, It is on my list for a new amp next year along with the likes of Sony TAF777ES & Primare A.30.1. Nothing Ive heard thus far beats these amps to be honest anyway here is a man who owns a Unico. BTW Unison Research are about to release the Unico Pre the Unico Power amp is out already and costs £1250, but beware the Unico Int. does not have preouts so a power amp cannot be added. The Pre & Power are causing quite a stir in hifi circle as is the Uncio, good amps at a more than reasonable price IMHO.

Here is the last thread on the HFC forum you may be interested in some of the links bro !!

http://forum.hifichoice.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=1449


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Hey CJ, youve helped me in the past so perhaps I can return the favour.

Bought the Unico amp (£800 inc phono stage) last week, and first impressions are good, Although I dont think it looks quality, it certainly feels it, and seems to be put together really well, you can tell its high class. The remote is also gorgeous.
Only had a week to listen to it, but compared with what I traded in for it (a MF A3 integrated and MFA3cr power amp) the unico has brought much more life to my system. I find describing sound hard, and never really knew what warm meant, but now I think I would describe the sound as warm, it seems to invite you into the music, and all my cds seem more enjoyable than before. Really very impressed with it, although I also have to say that I bought the Meridian 507 at the same time, so it may be that that is giving the characteristics that I describe, but for some reason I dont think it is. For one thing, it has certainly made me think about valves more and when (in 5-10 years time) I upgrade again, I would imagine that I would go for all valve.

CJ, vinyl sounds great, again so much better than the MF stuff, but I dont listen to that much, and its only a crappy £100 TT so not sure what it would sound like with your TT

No pre-outs, however, does come with 2 sets of speaker terminals. I have just bi-wired them now, and what a difference. It has opened up the sound, everthing is so much more detailed, yet still has that warm, enjoyable sound. When I bi-wired and then bi-amped the mf I was expecting big changes, but hardly noticed a difference, which eventually led to the change in equipment. I was very sceptical about bi-amping agin, but seeing the PMC had two terminals and the unico did, I thought they must be there for a reason and just connected it up literally 1 hour ago, and the difference is amazing.


Very happy with it (even the wife has noticed the change)!

HTHs

 

thanks cj, for reply i cannot afford the pre+power combination, iwould like to have demoed the unico remote hybrid,vs arcam a85to see which i prefered sound wise and are same price but dealer does not stock arcam ,hence m/fid being the nearest amp cost wise, i did have a85 but sold this due not noticing much differance as against 3802(turned out to be speaker problem) so i might now arrange home demo to see ,thanks for info ps cant find any tech specks for unico (thd,power consumtion,back panel view etc) i would mainly be using amp for cd playback occasional vinyl , i think dealer stocks primare might ask if i can hear 30.1 as well

 

Hey Mick, phone up UKD for THD specs, as for power consumption read about that in the HFN KK review here : http://www.ukd.co.uk/revs1.htm on the UKD website very heft by all accounts.

Back panel wise from the review pictures Ive seen it looks very nice, gold plated RCAs, high quality multi binding posts a la WBT (though not sure if there WBTs) and the nicest remote Ive ever barring a Bow Technologies wand. BTW I can heartily recommend the A30.1 what a great amp, heard it on Saturday still impressed - I hope you don’t like it though dude it costs £1500 twice the price of the Unico. Good luck dude.

 

thanks cj never demoed primare, but there was a 2nd hand one for £1000 some time ago ,but it was already sold, seller had six inquireis about it , that must say something about amp, spoke to nick green ukd very helpfull person, thanks again

 

Mick, was gonna put in what I thought of the Unico, but CJ beat me to it (its my comments that CJ's quoting ) - CJ, I had copyright on them you know
For what its worth, I found the MF stuff a bit too cliinical (what is one persons detailed is my cold). The Unico is quite engaging, it draws you more into the music, and as I said in the bit to CJ, makes it more enjoyable than the MF stuff did. Let me know if you want anymore details.

CJ - you owe me royalties

 

phoned today to arrange home demo,(the person i spoke to before who handles the audio side not avaliable today, will contact me tommorow) all being well will demo unison remote(the mf3.2is the only amp near to unico regards price) and if possible the primare 30.1 this will then give me a good idea how these amps compare , &750, £990 or £1500 will let you know outcome thanks all, ps iancity what speakers are you using with unico?????

 

Mick using PMC TB2, £525 second hand from Loud N Clear in Glasgow. I think they are about £750 new.
Let us know how you get on.

Best of luck, and have fun auditioning.

Ian

 

to cj and ian, have been trying to get home demo if unico+m/fid to compare at home, the reson being there is only one dealer in london that i can get to (i have no transport) to demo unico etc but dealer does not stock my speakers (b&w cdm1nts) so i would be demoing amps but with differant brand of speakers, there is another dealer who stocks unico, who promises me home demo, but when trying to arrange, they will call me back to finalise details, but dont bother to "phone me back ,i just seem to get (fobbed of) getting a bit anoying, if i demo say unico with a differant (brand of speakers to what i acctually use) i feel that this will not give me a (true picture) of how amp will be with my system at home ,advice please, thank you.

 

Mick, sorry to hear about the problems you are having. The only solution that springs to mind which is hardly ideal as you have no transport, is to take your speakers to the dealer. Will not give you exactly what the sound will be like at home, but will at least give a flavour of the amps.
FWIW I was unimpressed when I auditioned the MF amp with the cdm1nt speakers, but as I do not like the mf sound thats hardly surprising is it
You may get some more advice over on the hifi choice forum, that CJ gave you the links to.

Sorry I cant be of any more help, you do appear to be stuck.

Let me know what happens

Ian

 

ian and cj , all being well dealer should be coming wednesday night to demo unico+mf3.2, you say you demoed mf+cdms ,did you have chance to demo unico+cdms? would be interested in your views if you did??? i tend to play dire-straights,mark knoppfler type of music not the modern stuff ,have you tried simular with unico as i do not know what music you preffer thanks all

 

Mick, yeah, demo'd the cdm1nts with the mf stuff, cos at that time I was looking for speakers only. I found the speakers did nothing to liven up the amp, and thought they sounded just run of the mill - however, you have to bear in mind that at that time I didnt know that I found the mf stuff boring - so the speakers may have been ok!!! Does this make any sense
I listen to a broad range of music, from Metallica to classical. The amp (the Unico), IMHO sounds at its best with acoustic music and vocalists. It still rocks when it has to and the amp is still growing on me every day.
Let us know how you get on


Ian

 

thanks ian , i find with cdms+3802, sometimes the sound is (uninspiring) in 2 chan, to be honest not sure weather its speakers or amp, (i suspect amp being an av unit) anyway if dealer turns up wednesday will let you know outcome,thanks

 

Mick, did the dealer turn up - what do you think?

Let me know what you decide to get


Thanks, Ian

 

hi ian,dealer was ment to come round wed about 7 ,got call about 8 ,giving demo at shop to someone said dealer,(fair enough/) so we arranged for thursday evening, dealer did not appear,buts what is annoying no phone call ,coming,cant make it,phoned dealer today ,he is busy ,will get to phone back,still no call, i wonder if i will ever get said (home demo) i bet if i wanted to hear £3000+ krell he would be round in a flash, so still cant comment on unico, thanks anyway

 

Mick, absolute bummer. Thats no way to treat customers no matter what they are spending

To be honest m8, no idea what you can do. Pity you cant buy both, then send one back

Hope it works out in the end.