Naim Uniti Core Storage: Drive Selection and Setup
Drive Selection for the Uniti Core
The Uniti Core accepts both 2.5" and 3.5" SATA drives — spinning HDDs or SSDs. All three types are supported:
| Drive Type | Notes |
|---|---|
| 3.5" HDD | Large capacity, good value per GB |
| 2.5" HDD | Quieter, more compact footprint |
| 2.5" SSD | Silent, faster catalogue access |
Important: The drive must arrive unformatted, or formatted as NTFS or exFAT. The Core reformats on first use — do not pre-format to any other file system.
Drive Capacity
Maximum supported drive size is 8 TB. Naim's recommended sizing:
- Minimum: 1 TB for moderate collections
- Typical: 2 TB–4 TB
- Large libraries: 6 TB+
Rough guide: 100 CDs takes roughly 60 GB; 400 CDs takes roughly 500 GB.
Installing an Internal Drive
- Power down the Uniti Core and unplug from mains.
- Remove the rear caddy — two cross-head screws secure it.
- Place the drive in the caddy with the SATA connector facing the internal bay.
- Secure with the provided HDD screws.
- Slide the caddy back in and replace the screws.
- Power on. The Core detects the drive and prompts formatting via the Focal & Naim app.
External and NAS Storage
The Core also supports:
- USB drives connected to the rear USB port
- NAS accessed via UPnP
External storage can serve as the ripping destination when no internal drive is fitted, and as a playback source. Only one internal drive is supported at a time.
Configuring the Ripping Location
- Open the Focal & Naim app.
- Go to Settings > Music Stores.
- Select the target drive (internal, USB, or NAS).
- The Core formats the drive if needed and sets it as the default rip location.
Additional options: backup locations, folder sharing preferences, metadata handling.
This article was adapted from Naim's original guidance: "Installing storage on the Uniti Core" — https://www.naimaudio.com/help/installing-storage-on-the-uniti-core Habitech-edited for UK trade installer context. Original © Naim Audio Limited.