New Naim Atom - Been and had a listen / play

[rainsoothe]

As I have mentioned, I use Spotify for all my music listening.

I am well aware that this is a less than optimum source, so I would not consider spending big money for such a system.

However, I do occasionally wonder what improvements would be apparent were I to replace my 'ultra budget' streamer/pre-amp with some thing supposedly much better, I was thinking Unitiqute or Majik DS. The linn streamer does not do Spotify Connect so mostly I have focussed on the Naim unit.

The new Atom ticks all the usual boxes but offers nothing unusual in terms of functionality and it's control app gets mixed reviews (at best).

For me, the question is a simple one, will the Naims legendary 'musicality' bring sufficient improvement to the Spotify experience to be worth the price. At some point I will have to try one and find out.

From what I read on the Naim forums, I understand that there's some quirks to the Atom's design (display/app related). It's just from memory, so I might be wrong on all acccounts, but here goes: for instance, it doesn't show album art on the screen like in the pictures, stuff like that. Also, people couldn't find a way to make the screen go to display the time, after they've finished browsing. And there's no alarm functionality. All this can be done on the previous Unity range (and also the 172 and 272 streaming pre-amps). Most argue that it's the sound that matters, and these are small issues, and I agree mostly, but small quality-of-life things like alarm should be present on these items, because they're meant as one-box lifestyle sollutions, and these omissions are prety weird if you ask me. Of course, it sounds like the kind of stuff that can be solved with firmware updates, but the Atom's launch was over-delayed as it was, so yeah...

I don't know what your budget sollution is, but you can get away with cheaper options, since, with the Atom, you would be paying for an unused amplifier. Cambridge Audio CXN is very, very nice for the money imo, or you could look for used UQ2 or Linns. But auditioning will obviously solve all your queries, so if you visit a Naim dealer, maybe they still have a (now discontinued, I think) Nac N 172XS or even a 272.

For the record, UQ2's pre-amp section was pretty bad with the Nap200, but was a very good match with Nap100 (imo). So it's all a question of system matching and tastes, as all hi-fi is...

 

[manicm]

Wait until Naim have changed / superceded the range and Spotify, Chromecast etc. have moved on with their software. Will Naim still support it?

The first Uniti generations at least had CD and FM if the internet went down!

To be fair Naim do tend to keep the firmware up to date. Did they not enable DSD playback through firmware? And most recently, in their newer products beside the new Uniti series, they managed to upgrade to Airplay 2.

 

[manicm]

As I have mentioned, I use Spotify for all my music listening.

I am well aware that this is a less than optimum source, so I would not consider spending big money for such a system.

However, I do occasionally wonder what improvements would be apparent were I to replace my 'ultra budget' streamer/pre-amp with some thing supposedly much better, I was thinking Unitiqute or Majik DS. The linn streamer does not do Spotify Connect so mostly I have focussed on the Naim unit.

The new Atom ticks all the usual boxes but offers nothing unusual in terms of functionality and it's control app gets mixed reviews (at best).

For me, the question is a simple one, will the Naims legendary 'musicality' bring sufficient improvement to the Spotify experience to be worth the price. At some point I will have to try one and find out.

From what I read on the Naim forums, I understand that there's some quirks to the Atom's design (display/app related). It's just from memory, so I might be wrong on all acccounts, but here goes: for instance, it doesn't show album art on the screen like in the pictures, stuff like that. Also, people couldn't find a way to make the screen go to display the time, after they've finished browsing. And there's no alarm functionality. All this can be done on the previous Unity range (and also the 172 and 272 streaming pre-amps). Most argue that it's the sound that matters, and these are small issues, and I agree mostly, but small quality-of-life things like alarm should be present on these items, because they're meant as one-box lifestyle sollutions, and these omissions are prety weird if you ask me. Of course, it sounds like the kind of stuff that can be solved with firmware updates, but the Atom's launch was over-delayed as it was, so yeah...

I don't know what your budget sollution is, but you can get away with cheaper options, since, with the Atom, you would be paying for an unused amplifier. Cambridge Audio CXN is very, very nice for the money imo, or you could look for used UQ2 or Linns. But auditioning will obviously solve all your queries, so if you visit a Naim dealer, maybe they still have a (now discontinued, I think) Nac N 172XS or even a 272.

For the record, UQ2's pre-amp section was pretty bad with the Nap200, but was a very good match with Nap100 (imo). So it's all a question of system matching and tastes, as all hi-fi is...

As for the display I believe it was deliberate, and apparently quite smart, on Naim's part. The new Uniti range has a display proximity sensor - so when you approach it closely it will display more information, and when you move away less detail but perhaps bigger album art.

 

[manicm]

The Atom may seem expensive - but judging by two reviews so far - underestimate the 40w amplification at your peril. It seems it would easily match and exceed, say a Marantz PM6006 - as what is quite evident is that this little box can DRIVE speakers at 2000 pounds and then some.

Also, it has AptX Bluetooth, Airplay, Chromecast built in, as well as being a full blown network streamer. And remember Naim built this platform from scratch to be modular and upgradable - Chebby raised a valid concern here - but I think the way Naim engineered the range it will not go obsolete anytime soon or at least in the medium term. And it offers gapless playback on all mediums.

I've beem following the Naim forum where they have an official New Uniti update thread to for customers. The range wasn't just delayed because of firmware or other issues/bugs, but also of CERTIFICATION by Google, Apple etc. It's clear the range was designed to be as future proof as possible from the ground up.

There is some disappointment - such as the Atom actually not being able to rip CDs from an attached drive to a USB drive - apparently Naim ditched/disabled the feature for now.

But I certainly wouldn't condemn anyone purchasing one. You could do a lot worse in terms of features and sound.

 

[rainsoothe]

The Atom may seem expensive - but judging by two reviews so far - underestimate the 40w amplification at your peril. It seems it would easily match and exceed, say a Marantz PM6006 - as what is quite evident is that this little box can DRIVE speakers at 2000 pounds and then some.

Also, it has AptX Bluetooth, Airplay, Chromecast built in, as well as being a full blown network streamer. And remember Naim built this platform from scratch to be modular and upgradable - Chebby raised a valid concern here - but I think the way Naim engineered the range it will not go obsolete anytime soon or at least in the medium term. And it offers gapless playback on all mediums.

I've beem following the Naim forum where they have an official New Uniti update thread to for customers. The range wasn't just delayed because of firmware or other issues/bugs, but also of CERTIFICATION by Google, Apple etc. It's clear the range was designed to be as future proof as possible from the ground up.

There is some disappointment - such as the Atom actually not being able to rip CDs from an attached drive to a USB drive - apparently Naim ditched/disabled the feature for now.

But I certainly wouldn't condemn anyone purchasing one. You could do a lot worse in terms of features and sound.

Indeed. And yes, they added DSD functionality to their capable chipsets, so they DO keep stuff up to date. As I said, the Atom things are quirks, they will not be deal-breakers for many. For me, the UQ2 cost was easily justifiable, at least compared to an entry level amp. It's more then the sum of it's parts, and it could almost even drive ATC SCM11 (of course, more juice was needed to make them really sing, but it was acceptable).

 

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Or you could get a used superuniti for not much more cash....it'll drive a wide variety of speakers with ease.