Naim Uniti Atom vs NAD M10

[Kachda]

Why not get the Mini DSP SHD and combine it with a small purifi amp? Way more power, cleaner, compact and the same price.

One feature I really like on the M10 is the ability to send the sounds to a bluetooth headphone. After 8pm or so, I can switch to headphones for watching movies etc.

 

[CDMC]

Not sure it it would work, but a splitter on the analog out, one to your amp, one to a bluetooth convertor.

 

[Kachda]

Not sure it it would work, but a splitter on the analog out, one to your amp, one to a bluetooth convertor.

Even if it worked, how would the speakers turn off when playing the headphones? This box just makes everything very convenient

 

[CDMC]

Even if it worked, how would the speakers turn off when playing the headphones? This box just makes everything very convenient

Power switch on the amp.

 

[Kachda]

Power switch on the amp.

But that would also turn off the analog out no?

 

[CDMC]

But that would also turn off the analog out no?

It would be on the output of the preamp.

 

[bigLP]

As a former Naim devotee who has done level matched, but not blind comparisons. Naim units have a lot of gain early in the pot which makes it seem more powerful. At the same db level, up to a point, my unitiqute2 always sounded "fuller" than other class a/b or Class D amps I have. I believe naim mostly runs in class B still. I do not think they are going for flat frequency response either.
I also want to mention that as I was bickering with Naim about the third failed reed relay in my Nait xs 2i, the distributor did mention the Atoms were the most reliable product they seemed to have. In hindsight i wished i had kept my unitiqute 2. Glad I sold the Nait off though. Try finding one of those(uq2) used for 800-1000 and I think you will be as happy as with an Atom.

 

[Kachda]

I detailed those in my AudioXpress review, reprinted here.

Hi @SIY , thanks for the detailed review.

You mentioned in your review that the NAD M10 does allow storage of multiple filters for usage in different situations. I am assuming that different profiles can be used so that I can set one to the Harman target curve, another to cut out sub bass (for use at night) etc ? Thanks.

 

[SIY]

Hi @SIY , thanks for the detailed review.

You mentioned in your review that the NAD M10 does allow storage of multiple filters for usage in different situations. I am assuming that different profiles can be used so that I can set one to the Harman target curve, another to cut out sub bass (for use at night) etc ? Thanks.

Dirac has five slots for filters. Yes, you can use them that way- I use mine to accommodate a couple different speakers and placements in my lab.

 

[Audio Flynn]

Ask the dealer if they had done a Dirac setup with the NAD and if so, go back and disable it.

I agree room correction enabled is not the best baseline to start from.

 

[Itsfred]

You may want to try another competitor in this category - the Simaudio Moon Neo Ace all-in-one. $3400 list. Giant power supply, A/B amp, nice dac, WiFi, Roon, no MQA. Great warranty.

 

[Willem]

Affordable and excellent: RME ADI-2 DAc and a Hypex based power amplifier.

 

[3125b]

I do't know about Naim, they seem really overpriced. I recently got my hands on a Uniti Atom when testing headphones (the Sundara in paricular). Subjectively, it was fine for that, but so is my 1989 Pioneer A-445, wich also has way more power on the headphone out.
3300$ for a 40W amp that doesn't even have a flat frequency response is just too much.
What it does have though is an extremely nice volume control knob. So if that is your focus, I guess go for it

 

[Kachda]

I decided to go with the Minidsp SHD + a Hypex amp from @March Audio . I figure the Hypex amp will be all I'll need and I can always change to another pre-amp. Mostly because I wanted to play around with PEQs even post the DIRAC correction. The tinkerer in me won out.

At some point NAD may release a pre-amp with Dirac and streaming capability, till then minidsp will do (the NAD app and screen are very nice from what I saw of it). And if minidsp really sucks at streaming with volumio, I could buy a used bluesound.

 

[Willem]

That sounds like a really excellent combination. For streaming the Chromecast Audio remains my personal favourite.

 

[Kachda]

That sounds like a really excellent combination. For streaming the Chromecast Audio remains my personal favourite.

Unfortunately spotify does not support gapless playback on CA.

 

[CDMC]

I decided to go with the Minidsp SHD + a Hypex amp from @March Audio . I figure the Hypex amp will be all I'll need and I can always change to another pre-amp. Mostly because I wanted to play around with PEQs even post the DIRAC correction. The tinkerer in me won out.

At some point NAD may release a pre-amp with Dirac and streaming capability, till then minidsp will do (the NAD app and screen are very nice from what I saw of it). And if minidsp really sucks at streaming with volumio, I could buy a used bluesound.

Excellent choices. You should be really happy with that setup.

 

[Two-eyed cyclops]

Last year when I was chosing my all-in-one amp for my KEF R3's I audited NAD M10, Naim uniti atom, Linn Majik DSM and Hegel 190.
I noticed also that the sound in Naim was just slightly more pleasant and mayby more dynamic compared to NAD. But the software was easily the worst of all four and I had to take out powers from the Atom multiple times during week period I had it because it crashed haphazardly.

Whole comparison in short:
NAD had solid package, didn't have the best sound but shined on the software side, usability and design, sound difference between NAD and Naim was really miniscule IMO.
Naim second best sound, terrible usability and software.
Linn had the worst sound by clear margin, software was decent, nothing to write home about.
Hegel had the greatest sound, accuracy and dynamics were clearly better than the rest of the gang. My GF was able to spot the difference and usually that implicates that the difference is significant rather than you need to really really imagine the differences. But the Hegel was ugly, big, and needed dedicated streamer so that was a deal breaker in the end.

 

[SIY]

Last year when I was chosing my all-in-one amp for my KEF R3's I audited NAD M10, Naim uniti atom, Linn Majik DSM and Hegel 190.
I noticed also that the sound in Naim was just slightly more pleasant and mayby more dynamic compared to NAD. But the software was easily the worst of all four and I had to take out powers from the Atom multiple times during week period I had it because it crashed haphazardly.

Whole comparison in short:
NAD had solid package, didn't have the best sound but shined on the software side, usability and design, sound difference between NAD and Naim was really miniscule IMO.
Naim second best sound, terrible usability and software.
Linn had the worst sound by clear margin, software was decent, nothing to write home about.
Hegel had the greatest sound, accuracy and dynamics were clearly better than the rest of the gang. My GF was able to spot the difference and usually that implicates that the difference is significant rather than you need to really really imagine the differences. But the Hegel was ugly, big, and needed dedicated streamer so that was a deal breaker in the end.

What level matching and double blinding procedure was used?

 

[Two-eyed cyclops]

What level matching and double blinding procedure was used?

Nothing! it was purely subjective testing, no controls no nothing, just listening and trying to figure out wich one would suit for my R3's
Well I did measure SPL with phone mic so it was my only effort to standardize the testing.