Naim Atom

[Happy_Listener]

I just bought myself a birthday gift. A Naim Atom. I didn't demo it nor have I even seen one in person. Bought it online. Impulsive buy? Perhaps. It just looks very cool with some great features. I thought it's time to give streaming music a try. Vinyl is still great, however I'm starting to be lazy getting up and flipping records every 20 minutes or so. The Atom has one RCA input so I can still play my records.

I'll let you know what I think of it later next week. 🙂

Anyone here have one or have demoed one?

 

[CnoEvil]

Have you heard Naim kit before?

Happy Birthday and I really hope you enjoy your new toy - or you will have to change your name to Unhappy Listener. *wink*

 

[insider9]

My birthday is in couple of weeks. If you could hint to my wife to get me the same I'd be a happy bunny 🙂

Please share your thoughts. Ellisdj did a hands on video on the unit. Also a few Naimees around.

 

[jjbomber]

I just bought myself a birthday gift. A Naim Atom.

Happy birthday. That's £1.750 for a birthday present, while I'm lucky if I get a card! We are all jealous. I am going to the Naim roadshow next week, so I'll hear the Atom then. Please keep us all informed on your impressions.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_100004211376004]

I believe naim has just increased the price of the atom to £1999 with increases right through the new uniti range.

Haven't heard it yet but Ellis seemed very smitten by it.

 

[Happy_Listener]

Thanks everyone for the birthday wishes. Very kind of you. I've only heard a Naim Supernait and that was a long time ago. I remember it being good but not much else about it. However, I've read Naim matches up well with my speakers, Harbeth P3ESR's. It should be fun and interesting. I guess I should join some services like Tidal and Spotify.

Don't ask your wife just buy one yourself and tell her you bought her a gift.

No? Well, I'm not married yet so don't listen to me.

 

[insider9]

Haha, I believe you will get a free trial of Tidal with the unit. Definitely worth doing it may change how you listen to music.

Just got myself a pair of speakers for our wedding anniversary so amp for birthday is probably not going to happen. Also got too many at the minute. I'm a big fan of Naim though.

Hope you enjoy!

 

[jjbomber]

Don't ask your wife just buy one yourself and tell her you bought her a gift. No? Well, I'm not married yet so don't listen to me.

Ironically I bought a UnitiLite a few years ago for myself. My wife liked it so much she took it for herself. Then she took the Focal floorstanders. So for Christmas I might treat myself to some floorstanders. No doubt she will take them and give me the Focals back.

 

[Singslinger]

I've heard the Atom at my local Naim dealer's showroom. Very impressive sound (with a pair of floorstanding Focal speakers, sorry I don't know the mode) and looks to match, with its colour screen.

Looked and sounded like a worthy successor to the Qute.

 

[CnoEvil]

I've heard the Atom at my local Naim dealer's showroom. Very impressive sound (with a pair of floorstanding Focal speakers, sorry I don't know the mode) and looks to match, with its colour screen.

Looked and sounded like a worthy successor to the Qute.

Every time I've heard Naim + Focal, I thought it was a match made in hell....but you are somebody who I have always felt had a similar taste and looked for similar traits as myself, in a hifi system. It makes me wonder if I'm missing something. *scratch_one-s_head*

 

[tonky]

Don't ask your wife just buy one yourself and tell her you bought her a gift. No? Well, I'm not married yet so don't listen to me.

Ironically I bought a UnitiLite a few years ago for myself. My wife liked it so much she took it for herself. Then she took the Focal floorstanders. So for Christmas I might treat myself to some floorstanders. No doubt she will take them and give me the Focals back.

I bought a shop demo untilite - I was using some Epos es14 speakers at the time through a cambridge 840A amp. I'd always thought thought the Epos speakers were bass light.

I knew differently once I connected the Unitilite - all thoughts of purchasing a bass sub went out of the window as I heard a full and extended bass response from the Unitilite - as well as a rich and dynamic soundstage. I was astounded at the difference.

Enjoy the Naim atom - Naim are doing so well in this area of the market (shame they are becoming a bit pricey though)

cheers tonky

 

[Paulq]

Every time I've heard Naim + Focal, I thought it was a match made in hell....but you are somebody who I have always felt had a similar taste and looked for similar traits as myself, in a hifi system. It makes me wonder if I'm missing something. *scratch_one-s_head*

If you are missing something then so am I. About 18 months ago I dabbled with Naim stuff and had about a million permutations in demos. I hated the Focals within 10 minutes of hearing them (yep that long).

I would, however, be tempted to take a look at the latest Naim range if I could find a match with speakers that gave me equal or better sound than I have at the moment. I haven't managed to find it yet but they do make a very compelling case for quality one box solutions.

 

[CnoEvil]

I would, however, be tempted to take a look at the latest Naim range if I could find a match with speakers that gave me equal or better sound than I have at the moment. I haven't managed to find it yet but they do make a very compelling case for quality one box solutions.

I recently heard the Uniti Nova.....and would much prefer a Majik DSM (or even a Sneaky DSM).

...and the DSMs have HDMI connections.

 

[jjbomber]

I recently heard the Uniti Nova.....and would much prefer a Majik DSM (or even a Sneaky DSM).

...and the DSMs have HDMI connections.

So have the Naims, if you pay £100 extra.

I can't imagine anyone liking the Linn and Naim 'house' sounds.

 

[CnoEvil]

I recently heard the Uniti Nova.....and would much prefer a Majik DSM (or even a Sneaky DSM).

...and the DSMs have HDMI connections.

So have the Naims, if you pay £100 extra.

That's good to know

 

[insider9]

Now I really want to know what Linn house sound is. Could anyone please describe it to those who not owned any Linn gear?

 

[Paulq]

Now I really want to know what Linn house sound is. Could anyone please describe it to those who not owned any Linn gear?

It's actually very hard to describe. To use CNo's metaphor it's heaven to some and hell to others.

I can only give you my own interpretation of it, and many may/will disagree, but to me, it's like having the music presented to you slightly more gently than I heard with Naim stuff. There's a musicality about Linn that I haven't heard on anything else - detailed to the point that some describe it as clinical but I don't. You hear every nuance of the music as it was intended to be.

When I auditioned the Naim stuff I also liked it and, certainly compared to Linn, it's more ballsy and edgy and a bit more forward. It just tired me out after a while but I know some people who are as happy with it as I am with Linn.

To be vanilla, many say that Nirvana is a Linn front end (streamer) with Naim amps is something worth listening to.

As usual - a listen is a must as it doesn't suit everybody.

 

[CnoEvil]

Now I really want to know what Linn house sound is. Could anyone please describe it to those who not owned any Linn gear?

To give some reference and put it in context, I'll try and compare it to Naim (as I hear it).

NAIM - majors on PRAT. It is fun and lively....toe-tapping, if you like. Personally, after a while, I feel like the music is being "thrust" at me - which, to me is tiring, especially as I find the sound gets a bit shouty and forward. I also find some classical instruments such as piano, are not quite accurate.

LINN DS - This is the one area that imo Linn excells. They are the most "analogue", musically refined digital source that I've heard. I am both engaged and relaxed by the presentation, which draws me in to the music - which "I" find authentic and believable.

Linn Amps - not so convinced, as they can sound a little sterile and detached....but they do have imo a synergy with Kef R Series. I could easily live with a Majik DSM and some R700s.

Linn Speakers - Always sound a bit "Meh" for the price (a little dull and unexciting, but pleasant enough)...but the Actives are a lot better, though at a huge premium.

 

[insider9]

I'm intrigued. I have heard a Linn Exakt system with PMC speakers and loved it in a short demo.

I like Naim and don't find it tiring. I've used slower and less musical amps in the past so change to Naim and Roksan has been great.

Thanks again

 

[Paulq]

I'm intrigued. I have heard a Linn Exakt system with PMC speakers and loved it in a short demo.

I like Naim and don't find it tiring. I've used slower and less musical amps in the past so change to Naim and Roksan has been great.

Thanks again

Interesting as I heard the same/similar Exakt system and hated it - PMC are not my favourites though so it may have been those I didn't like.

As with many on here I sometimes wrestle with upgrading/not upgrading and at the moment am currently tempted to revert back to passive but with 'better' speakers; possibly as an interim step towards going Exakt next year.

I just can't quite get past the fear that passive with 'better' speakers (even short term) may not be as good as Aktiv with 'lesser' speakers.

*acute*

 

[CnoEvil]

I'm intrigued. I have heard a Linn Exakt system with PMC speakers and loved it in a short demo.

I like Naim and don't find it tiring. I've used slower and less musical amps in the past so change to Naim and Roksan has been great.

Thanks again

It starts with being intrigued.

IMO. Stage 1 is seeing how a Linn DS sounds in various systems of your choice.

Stage 2, Is seeing what you think of DS + Linn Amps

Stage 3 Is Listening to a complete Linn system

Stage 4. Is trying the Linn Active route.

It is possible that if Linn Streamers didn't exist, I'd have ended up with a Naim Streamer....and put a lot of effort into system synergy....though to be fair, I haven't heard a Naim Digital source through another system, as it has always been in the context of a Naim system. Maybe it's Naim amps that I have the biggest problem with....and I also really don't like their speakers.

 

[insider9]

That's exactly what I did. My DIY active conversion is on hold, not sure for how long, as I treated myself to a new pair of speakers. Just need to make a 400 mile round trip to Southampton this Saturday to pick them up.

I say go for it Paul. Ultimately the difference is in the speakers. Better passive will sound better than lesser actives. But not as good as the same pair turned active. End of the day you're listening to one pair at a time and you can always upgrade them to active later on.

 

[insider9]

I'm intrigued. I have heard a Linn Exakt system with PMC speakers and loved it in a short demo.

I like Naim and don't find it tiring. I've used slower and less musical amps in the past so change to Naim and Roksan has been great.

Thanks again

It starts with being intrigued.

IMO. Stage 1 is seeing how a Linn DS sounds in various systems of your choice.

Stage 2, Is seeing what you think of DS + Linn Amps

Stage 3 Is Listening to a complete Linn system

Stage 4. Is trying the Linn Active route.

It is possible that if Linn Streamers didn't exist, I'd have ended up with a Naim Streamer....and put a lot of effort into system synergy....though to be fair, I haven't heard a Naim Digital source through another system, as it has always been in the context of a Naim system. Maybe it's Naim amps that I have the biggest problem with....and I also really don't like their speakers.

Well, I'm most comfortable changing gear on a regular basis and trying different things. At the minute Yamaha streamer and PC as source with Roksan, Naim amplification, Chord dac and Jamo and coming up Red Rose speakers (these are here to stay).

I'll put Linn on my to listen list. Interestingly enough I found out recently that my wife's cousin is also into hifi and he's using Klimax renew DS1 in his system. Might start with a nice demo of that.

 

[Paulq]

I say go for it Paul. Ultimately the difference is in the speakers. Better passive will sound better than lesser actives. But not as good as the same pair turned active. End of the day you're listening to one pair at a time and you can always upgrade them to active later on.

I'm tempted to go for it and equally tempted to leave well alone, to be honest. I'd actually promised myself, over the course of a couple of years, that I'd stay Aktiv with the Katans for now whilst saving up for a pair of Exakt compatible Kudos Super 20a's.

To do that I'd have to buy the speakers outright (£4500) plus add in a 6 channel Akurate Exaktbox (£3800) and all of a sudden I have spent the best part of £10k without really knowing whether that's money well spent. My gut instinct tells me it is madness and I'd be better served reverting to a passive setup with 'better' speakers or stick with what I have. That's why I have stayed put.

I also wasn't blown away with Exakt setups that I have heard previously.

The real issue is that the Linn Katans, in Aktiv configuration, punch so far above their weight it's untrue. I actually know a guy who has Klimax gear and runs a set of Katans off it - and he won't change them.

So all is not as it first appears and I kinda stand by my earlier comment in another thread that, much as I love the Linn sound, their upgrade paths are both confusion and disproportionately expensive.

Anyhow, apologies for derailing the original thread somewhat.