- \n
- Naim Uniti Nova Power Edition Review: A Heavyweight Streaming Amp That Leaves WiiM And Eversolo In The Dust?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Naim Uniti Atom Network Amplifier Review: Is It The Powered Streamer To Rule Them All?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- <\/a>Naim Uniti Atom Headphone Edition: Review<\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
What Happened to the Uniti Star<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"naim-uniti-star-with-cd-drive\"](\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/naim-uniti-star-with-cd-drive.jpg\")
Naim Uniti Star<\/strong> (with CD Player on left side, 2017 model)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"naim-uniti-star-lite-front\"](\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/naim-uniti-star-lite-front.jpg\")
Naim Uniti Star Lite<\/strong> (without CD player, 2026 model)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n This story actually started months before today’s launch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On March 31, 2026, a post on Naim’s official community forum explained that the optical drive used in the Uniti Star had been discontinued and was no longer available. Naim therefore stopped production and reserved the mechanisms it still had for future service and repair requirements. At that point, the company was considering either finding another suitable mechanism and modifying the Star accordingly or developing what was described rather prophetically as a revised \u201cNova-lite\u201d version.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fast-forward to August 26 and we have the Uniti Star Lite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Naim describes the new model as the \u201cnatural evolution\u201d of the Uniti Star<\/strong> ($5,699 at Amazon<\/a> and Crutchfield<\/a>), which is marketing language doing some fairly strenuous stretching exercises. The more straightforward explanation appeared again on Naim’s forum today<\/a>: the company could no longer source a suitable CD drive, so removing the playback and ripping mechanism became necessary. Naim also says there is a small performance improvement with the revised model, although it has not published enough technical detail for us to start inventing reasons why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That last part is important. There is no evidence that Naim suddenly decided physical media was pointless or removed the CD drive because customers had collectively abandoned the format.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The supply disappeared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"naim-uniti-star-lite-front-top\"](\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/naim-uniti-star-lite-front-top.jpg\")
Naim Uniti Star Lite<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n So What Exactly Is the Uniti Star Lite<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Strip away the name and the Star Lite is remarkably close to the outgoing Star.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The amplifier remains a 70-watt-per-channel Class AB design into 8 ohms<\/strong>, and Naim retains the full-width 432mm chassis, its superb top-mounted rotary volume control, five-inch color LCD display and ZigBee RF bi-directional remote. The Star Lite weighs 11kg compared with 12kg for the outgoing Star, which is probably what happens when you remove an entire optical transport rather than asking it to go on Ozempic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Digital file support remains comprehensive. WAV playback extends to 32-bit\/384kHz, while FLAC, AIFF and ALAC are supported up to 24-bit\/384kHz; DSD64 and DSD128 are also supported. USB playback handles sample rates through 384kHz, while S\/PDIF inputs support up to 24-bit\/192kHz depending on the connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Streaming support includes Qobuz, Qobuz Connect, TIDAL, TIDAL Connect, Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Roon Ready, UPnP and Internet Radio, along with Bluetooth aptX Adaptive. Control is handled through the Focal & Naim app, and multiroom Party Mode can synchronize as many as six compatible Naim streamers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It also works with Google Assistant and Siri and supports Control4, Crestron, Elan, RTI and Savant home-automation platforms. HDMI ARC remains on board, which means the Star Lite can still serve as the hub of a rather serious two-channel television system without requiring an AVR and seven speakers scattered around the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"naim-uniti-star-lite-back\"](\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/naim-uniti-star-lite-back.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nInputs & Outputs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The physical connectivity is generous:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- 1 x stereo RCA analog input<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 1 x 5-pin DIN analog input<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 2 x optical Toslink inputs up to 24-bit\/96kHz<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 1 x coaxial RCA input up to 24-bit\/192kHz<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 1 x coaxial BNC input up to 24-bit\/192kHz<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- HDMI ARC<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 2 x USB Type-A ports<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- RCA analog output<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 3.5mm headphone output<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Ethernet and dual-band Wi-Fi<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Speaker-level outputs<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 70 watts per channel into 8 ohms<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 5-inch color LCD display<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- ZigBee RF remote<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Dimensions: 16.9 x 3.75 x 10.43 inches<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Weight: 24.25 pounds \/ 11kg<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Those specifications are almost a photocopy of the original Star minus the feature that put \u201cStar\u201d in a different lane to begin with: the optical drive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Where Does Star Lite Fit in the Uniti Family<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
This is where things get slightly strange.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We’ve covered the Naim Uniti Atom<\/a><\/strong> extensively and reviewed it as one of the products that helped define the modern premium streaming-amplifier category. The Atom is considerably smaller and delivers 40 watts per channel into 8 ohms<\/strong>, making it a better fit for smaller rooms and easier loudspeaker loads. It also has fewer physical inputs than the Star Lite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We also reviewed the Uniti Atom Headphone Edition<\/a><\/strong>, which takes the same basic streaming concept and removes the loudspeaker power amplifier altogether in favor of a substantially more capable headphone amplifier and preamplifier outputs. It’s really a different animal, despite sharing the Atom name and much of the same industrial design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Above Star Lite sits the regular Uniti Nova<\/strong>, which produces 80 watts per channel from Class AB amplification. Ten additional watts on a spec sheet hardly explains the entire difference; the Nova uses a more ambitious power supply, larger transformer, upgraded internal components and additional isolation, along with more analog connectivity. That’s the model for buyers who prioritize outright two-channel performance and don’t need a disc mechanism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then there is the Uniti Nova PE<\/a><\/strong>, which we reviewed in 2025. That model jumps to 150 watts per channel into 8 ohms and 250 watts into 4 ohms<\/strong>, swaps Class AB for Class D and is intended to drive considerably more demanding loudspeakers and larger rooms. It remains the muscle car of the conventional Uniti lineup, although at $9,999 it also requires substantially more financial enthusiasm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Naim has also pushed the Uniti concept into custom installation with the CI-Uniti 102<\/strong>,<\/a> a compact 150-watt Class D streamer\/amplifier with DSP, HDMI, network integration and support for much larger multiroom systems. We’ve covered it repeatedly at CES, AXPONA and in our dedicated coverage because it demonstrates how far Naim has expanded the Uniti idea beyond the beautiful aluminum box sitting on your credenza.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Star Lite therefore lands between the Atom and Nova in a fairly logical performance position, even if the name makes the family tree look like somebody married a cousin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The CD Timing Is Almost Comical<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Had Naim made this change five years ago, nobody would have found it especially surprising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But U.S. CD sales increased 16%<\/a> to 16.3 million units during the first half of 2026, according to Luminate’s 2026 Midyear Report. Even after removing K-pop releases \u2014 where collectible packaging and multiple editions have had a considerable impact \u2014 CD sales were still up 6.7%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nobody should confuse that with CDs suddenly overthrowing streaming or vinyl. Records remain the larger physical format, and streaming still owns the music business by an enormous margin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But we’ve also watched manufacturers respond with an unusual wave of new hardware. Accuphase just introduced the DP-470, while we’ve covered new CD players and transports from Michi, Quad, FiiO, Shanling, Cayin and others; our recent roundup of 10 portable CD players you can buy in 2026 would have sounded like satire only a few years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So yes, there is some comedy in Naim removing the CD drive just as manufacturers and consumers rediscover silver discs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The important part is why. Naim didn’t misread the market and declare CD dead \u2014 its supplier stopped making the mechanism. That’s a very different story and also a reminder of how dependent high-end audio manufacturers remain on increasingly scarce optical-drive components.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can’t build a $4,000-plus audiophile component around a random laptop drive from a parts bin and hope nobody notices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At least not if you want to remain Naim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"2026](\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/naim-uniti-star-lite-angle.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe Bottom Line<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Naim Uniti Star Lite<\/strong> is less a clean-sheet new product than the solution to a manufacturing problem Naim could no longer avoid. The original Star’s CD mechanism disappeared from the supply chain, production stopped, remaining drives were retained for servicing existing owners, and Naim ultimately rebuilt the concept without optical playback or ripping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What remains is still a compelling all-in-one streaming amplifier: 70 watts of Class AB power, an excellent control ecosystem, extensive digital and analog connectivity, HDMI ARC, high-resolution streaming and one of the nicest physical interfaces in the category. Naim also claims a modest sonic improvement, although we’ll reserve judgment until somebody puts one in front of us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The awkward part is positioning. Buyers who wanted the Star specifically because it could spin and rip CDs have lost the feature that made it unique, while those who never cared about discs now have something that looks suspiciously like a more affordable route toward the Uniti Nova.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And in 2026, when CD sales are actually climbing again?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes the supply chain has a sense of humor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One important caveat for North American readers: Naim has confirmed to eCoustics that the Uniti Star Lite will not be offered in North America. That makes this a far less relevant proposition for U.S. and Canadian buyers, who will need to look elsewhere in Naim\u2019s Uniti range or consider competing all in one streaming systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Price & Availability<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Naim’s U.S. product page was live on August 26, 2026<\/strong>, but did not list a U.S. MSRP at the time of publication. UK retailers are listing the Uniti Star Lite at \u00a33,199<\/strong>, with initial availability beginning in August.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For more information: naimaudio.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Related Reading:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Focal Aria K2 926 And Naim Uniti Star System Unveiled<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- <\/a>Keeping It Simple With The Naim CI-Uniti 102 Streaming Amplifier<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- What Is Presto Music? Focal And Naim Just Gave Audiophiles Another Reason To Find Out<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Why does Naim’s new Uniti Star Lite lose CD playback during a CD resurgence? A discontinued drive forced Naim to rethink its 70W streaming amplifier.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":89,"featured_media":330225,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":false,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":"\"\"","apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[83,22],"tags":[14452,35530,4391,4536,36047,36115,36119,35356,7800,36117,36116],"class_list":{"0":"post-330095","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-integrated-amp","8":"category-products","9":"tag-featured","10":"tag-hi-fi-2","11":"tag-naim","12":"tag-naim-audio","13":"tag-naim-uniti-atom-4","14":"tag-naim-uniti-star-lite","15":"tag-network-amplifiers-2","16":"tag-streaming-amplifiers-2","17":"tag-streaming-amps","18":"tag-uniti-atom","19":"tag-uniti-nova"},"apple_news_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Naim Uniti Star Lite Drops Its CD Drive and the Supply Chain Is to Blame - ecoustics.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Why does Naim's new Uniti Star Lite lose CD playback during a CD resurgence? A discontinued drive forced Naim to rethink its 70W streaming amplifier.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/products\/naim-uniti-star-lite\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Naim Uniti Star Lite Drops Its CD Drive and the Supply Chain Is to Blame\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Why does Naim's new Uniti Star Lite lose CD playback during a CD resurgence? A discontinued drive forced Naim to rethink its 70W streaming amplifier.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/products\/naim-uniti-star-lite\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"ecoustics.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ecoustics\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-08-27T06:50:16+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-27T13:25:12+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/naim-uniti-star-lite-angle.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"720\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Ian White\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@ecoustics\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@ecoustics\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Ian White\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/products\/naim-uniti-star-lite\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/products\/naim-uniti-star-lite\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Ian White\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/#\/schema\/person\/ba34636b299563b6c43751067d6f0fdb\"},\"headline\":\"Naim Uniti Star Lite Drops Its CD Drive and the Supply Chain Is to Blame\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-27T06:50:16+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-27T13:25:12+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/products\/naim-uniti-star-lite\/\"},\"wordCount\":1688,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/products\/naim-uniti-star-lite\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/naim-uniti-star-lite-angle.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Featured\",\"Hi-Fi\",\"Naim\",\"Naim Audio\",\"Naim Uniti Atom\",\"Naim Uniti Star Lite\",\"Network Amplifiers\",\"Streaming Amplifiers\",\"streaming amps\",\"Uniti Atom\",\"Uniti Nova\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Integrated Amps & Stereo Receivers\",\"New Products\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/products\/naim-uniti-star-lite\/#respond\"]}],\"copyrightYear\":\"2026\",\"copyrightHolder\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/#organization\"}},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/products\/naim-uniti-star-lite\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/products\/naim-uniti-star-lite\/\",\"name\":\"Naim Uniti Star Lite Drops Its CD Drive and the Supply Chain Is to Blame - ecoustics.com\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/products\/naim-uniti-star-lite\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/products\/naim-uniti-star-lite\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/naim-uniti-star-lite-angle.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-27T06:50:16+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-27T13:25:12+00:00\",\"description\":\"Why does Naim's new Uniti Star Lite lose CD playback during a CD resurgence? A discontinued drive forced Naim to rethink its 70W streaming amplifier.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/products\/naim-uniti-star-lite\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/products\/naim-uniti-star-lite\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/products\/naim-uniti-star-lite\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/naim-uniti-star-lite-angle.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/naim-uniti-star-lite-angle.jpg\",\"width\":1280,\"height\":720,\"caption\":\"2026 Naim Audio Uniti Star Lite Streaming Amplifier Angle\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/products\/naim-uniti-star-lite\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"New Products\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/products\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Naim Uniti Star Lite Drops Its CD Drive and the Supply Chain Is to Blame\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/\",\"name\":\"ecoustics.com\",\"description\":\"everything hi-fi\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"ecoustics\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cdn.ecoustics.com\/db0\/wblob\/17BA35E873D594\/2396\/40C67\/c52QV3Tz9501gPrUP2N1_Gb1vlL2f_WjbrcJvLwDUMw\/ecoustics-logo-sm-200x50-1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.ecoustics.com\/db0\/wblob\/17BA35E873D594\/2396\/40C67\/c52QV3Tz9501gPrUP2N1_Gb1vlL2f_WjbrcJvLwDUMw\/ecoustics-logo-sm-200x50-1.png\",\"width\":200,\"height\":50,\"caption\":\"ecoustics\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ecoustics\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/ecoustics\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/ecoustics\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/ecoustics-com\",\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/ecoustics\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/ecoustics\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/#\/schema\/person\/ba34636b299563b6c43751067d6f0fdb\",\"name\":\"Ian White\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/534f2170f4f7792533a390ae930afece?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/534f2170f4f7792533a390ae930afece?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Ian White\"},\"description\":\"Editor in-Chief Ian D. White has been covering consumer audio, home theater, and A\/V since 1998, which means he has spent nearly three decades watching perfectly sensible products slowly evolve into more expensive versions of themselves with extra steps. His work has appeared in eCoustics, The New York Times, Gear Patrol, Digital Trends, JAZZIZ, Big Picture Big Sound, SoundStage, Enjoy the Music, and The Jerusalem Post, covering everything from high-end audio, home theater, movies, music, food, and the connected city. He\u2019s a certified ISF calibrator, a former Lead Copywriter, and a veteran of the quieter corners of threat engineering and cybersecurity, where nothing works without approval and someone is always asking about the TPS report. Academically, he holds a degree in Near Eastern Affairs with minors in Judaic Studies and Forensic Science. His worldview is shaped by history rather than theory: grandson of Holocaust survivors, descendant of Irgun founders, and named after an IDF tank commander killed during the Yom Kippur War. Born in Toronto, his upbringing ricocheted between Washington D.C., Chicago, Rockville, Northern Israel, Arkham Asylum, and a few other formative environments best discussed off the record, before settling in New Jersey, and South Florida\u2014because chaos, like mold, thrives in humidity and traffic. He was conceived at a drive-in movie (yes, really) and has since watched more than 5,733 films across eight countries, though he will still go to his grave insisting he waited only seven days, not eight, to see The Phantom Menace. When he\u2019s not writing, Ian collects vintage film posters, books, and an unreasonable amount of Star Wars, Detroit Red Wings and Washington Capitals memorabilia. He\u2019s a professional-grade foodie and former pizza maker whose loyalties lie with dim sum, biltong, curry, pizza, deli sandwiches, pho, and Korean BBQ. Weekends involve parenting, Shul, record digging, scribbling notes in his Hemingway-inspired shawl cardigan, rewatching movies he\u2019s already memorized, firing slapshots at the garage door like it\u2019s Game 7, and casting into the Atlantic Gulf Stream in search of dinner, clarity, and whatever\u2019s left of his moral compass.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/soundscreenandcuredjudgment\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/ian-d-white-969a48160\/\"],\"knowsAbout\":[\"Fishing\",\"cooking\",\"writing\",\"cleaning pots\"],\"knowsLanguage\":[\"English\",\"French\",\"Hebrew\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/author\/ian-white\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Naim Uniti Star Lite Drops Its CD Drive and the Supply Chain Is to Blame - ecoustics.com","description":"Why does Naim's new Uniti Star Lite lose CD playback during a CD resurgence? A discontinued drive forced Naim to rethink its 70W streaming amplifier.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/products\/naim-uniti-star-lite\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Naim Uniti Star Lite Drops Its CD Drive and the Supply Chain Is to Blame","og_description":"Why does Naim's new Uniti Star Lite lose CD playback during a CD resurgence? A discontinued drive forced Naim to rethink its 70W streaming amplifier.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/products\/naim-uniti-star-lite\/","og_site_name":"ecoustics.com","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ecoustics","article_published_time":"2026-08-27T06:50:16+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-08-27T13:25:12+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1280,"height":720,"url":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/naim-uniti-star-lite-angle.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Ian White","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@ecoustics","twitter_site":"@ecoustics","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Ian White","Est. reading time":"9 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/products\/naim-uniti-star-lite\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/products\/naim-uniti-star-lite\/"},"author":{"name":"Ian White","@id":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/#\/schema\/person\/ba34636b299563b6c43751067d6f0fdb"},"headline":"Naim Uniti Star Lite Drops Its CD Drive and the Supply Chain Is to Blame","datePublished":"2026-08-27T06:50:16+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-27T13:25:12+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/products\/naim-uniti-star-lite\/"},"wordCount":1688,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/products\/naim-uniti-star-lite\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/naim-uniti-star-lite-angle.jpg","keywords":["Featured","Hi-Fi","Naim","Naim Audio","Naim Uniti Atom","Naim Uniti Star Lite","Network Amplifiers","Streaming Amplifiers","streaming amps","Uniti Atom","Uniti Nova"],"articleSection":["Integrated Amps & Stereo Receivers","New Products"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/products\/naim-uniti-star-lite\/#respond"]}],"copyrightYear":"2026","copyrightHolder":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/#organization"}},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/products\/naim-uniti-star-lite\/","url":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/products\/naim-uniti-star-lite\/","name":"Naim Uniti Star Lite Drops Its CD Drive and the Supply Chain Is to Blame - ecoustics.com","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/products\/naim-uniti-star-lite\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/products\/naim-uniti-star-lite\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/naim-uniti-star-lite-angle.jpg","datePublished":"2026-08-27T06:50:16+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-27T13:25:12+00:00","description":"Why does Naim's new Uniti Star Lite lose CD playback during a CD resurgence? A discontinued drive forced Naim to rethink its 70W streaming amplifier.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/products\/naim-uniti-star-lite\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/products\/naim-uniti-star-lite\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/products\/naim-uniti-star-lite\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/naim-uniti-star-lite-angle.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/naim-uniti-star-lite-angle.jpg","width":1280,"height":720,"caption":"2026 Naim Audio Uniti Star Lite Streaming Amplifier Angle"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/products\/naim-uniti-star-lite\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"New Products","item":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/products\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Naim Uniti Star Lite Drops Its CD Drive and the Supply Chain Is to Blame"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/","name":"ecoustics.com","description":"everything hi-fi","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/#organization","name":"ecoustics","url":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/cdn.ecoustics.com\/db0\/wblob\/17BA35E873D594\/2396\/40C67\/c52QV3Tz9501gPrUP2N1_Gb1vlL2f_WjbrcJvLwDUMw\/ecoustics-logo-sm-200x50-1.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.ecoustics.com\/db0\/wblob\/17BA35E873D594\/2396\/40C67\/c52QV3Tz9501gPrUP2N1_Gb1vlL2f_WjbrcJvLwDUMw\/ecoustics-logo-sm-200x50-1.png","width":200,"height":50,"caption":"ecoustics"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ecoustics","https:\/\/x.com\/ecoustics","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/ecoustics\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/ecoustics-com","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/ecoustics\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/ecoustics"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/#\/schema\/person\/ba34636b299563b6c43751067d6f0fdb","name":"Ian White","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/534f2170f4f7792533a390ae930afece?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/534f2170f4f7792533a390ae930afece?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Ian White"},"description":"Editor in-Chief Ian D. White has been covering consumer audio, home theater, and A\/V since 1998, which means he has spent nearly three decades watching perfectly sensible products slowly evolve into more expensive versions of themselves with extra steps. His work has appeared in eCoustics, The New York Times, Gear Patrol, Digital Trends, JAZZIZ, Big Picture Big Sound, SoundStage, Enjoy the Music, and The Jerusalem Post, covering everything from high-end audio, home theater, movies, music, food, and the connected city. He\u2019s a certified ISF calibrator, a former Lead Copywriter, and a veteran of the quieter corners of threat engineering and cybersecurity, where nothing works without approval and someone is always asking about the TPS report. Academically, he holds a degree in Near Eastern Affairs with minors in Judaic Studies and Forensic Science. His worldview is shaped by history rather than theory: grandson of Holocaust survivors, descendant of Irgun founders, and named after an IDF tank commander killed during the Yom Kippur War. Born in Toronto, his upbringing ricocheted between Washington D.C., Chicago, Rockville, Northern Israel, Arkham Asylum, and a few other formative environments best discussed off the record, before settling in New Jersey, and South Florida\u2014because chaos, like mold, thrives in humidity and traffic. He was conceived at a drive-in movie (yes, really) and has since watched more than 5,733 films across eight countries, though he will still go to his grave insisting he waited only seven days, not eight, to see The Phantom Menace. When he\u2019s not writing, Ian collects vintage film posters, books, and an unreasonable amount of Star Wars, Detroit Red Wings and Washington Capitals memorabilia. He\u2019s a professional-grade foodie and former pizza maker whose loyalties lie with dim sum, biltong, curry, pizza, deli sandwiches, pho, and Korean BBQ. Weekends involve parenting, Shul, record digging, scribbling notes in his Hemingway-inspired shawl cardigan, rewatching movies he\u2019s already memorized, firing slapshots at the garage door like it\u2019s Game 7, and casting into the Atlantic Gulf Stream in search of dinner, clarity, and whatever\u2019s left of his moral compass.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/soundscreenandcuredjudgment\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/ian-d-white-969a48160\/"],"knowsAbout":["Fishing","cooking","writing","cleaning pots"],"knowsLanguage":["English","French","Hebrew"],"url":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/author\/ian-white\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/330095","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/89"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=330095"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/330095\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":330277,"href":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/330095\/revisions\/330277"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/330225"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=330095"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=330095"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ecoustics.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=330095"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}} - <\/a>Keeping It Simple With The Naim CI-Uniti 102 Streaming Amplifier<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Focal Aria K2 926 And Naim Uniti Star System Unveiled<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Naim Uniti Atom Network Amplifier Review: Is It The Powered Streamer To Rule Them All?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n