Naim Uniti Atom Review (Streamer & Amp)

[al2002]

Depends what you select to quote : "However, due to the diversity of equipment functions, measurement is very difficult."

The two statements are not mutually exclusive. That the equipment may be difficult to measure does not negate the measurements.

 

[DWI]

Aurelic owned the market for streaming products at audio shows. I don't think most people even knew they were from China until they went to their own booth. I am pretty sure they have a much larger share of high-end streaming products than Naim.

I went from the Naim UnitiQute 2 to the Auralic Aries Mini + power amp (Quad 909). That was in 2015 or 2016. The Aries Mini is the best value piece of audio I've ever owned and my son now uses it. I put it in my main system and purchased a Bluesound Powernode, a great streamer but a poor amplifier.

The game-changer was when Auralic Lightning was upgraded with Auralic Server, turning the Mini into a network storage unit - and the Mini cost only $499.

NAD/Bluesound briefly had a lead on Auralic because BluOs had Amazon HD onboard, whereas Auralic Lighting did not. That has now been fixed.

I was well aware that Auralic was Chinese and that it is led by a real star, Xuanqian Wang. In those days he was very close to his customers through his community forum.

Meet Your Maker: Xuanqian Wang of AURALiC

AURALiC hit the ground running a few years ago with its affordable range of digital audio products designed for audiophile and headphonista alike. That

hifiplus.com

My favourite bit is this - and it was 4 years ago.
Is the ‘computer and DAC’ dead in high-end, high-resolution audio?
Yes, ...

I like Chinese products from the likes of Auralic and IAG (all IAG are designed in the UK or Japan), made in state of the art factories, sold through domestic retailers with full warranty and support, locally, and extremely well made.

What I don't like are Chinese products made in sweatshops and sold online delivered from overseas without domestic support, consumer rights (2 year warranty) and a history of units failing.

 

[AndreaT]

It would be interesting to test an Aurelic streamer. While each brand has a bit of steep UI learning curve, it would be nice also to evaluate simple questions like: does it recognize a HD filled with FLAC music files? Can I access the Music archive by album, musician, label and year? How long does it take to boot (and to shut down)? Do new Music file get transferred quickly?

After an unhappy experience with the Allo streamer, set-up and daily UI qualities are almost as important to me as SINAD and digital filters.

 

[telemike]

I'll keep my Wiim streamer over this

 

[MacCali]

damn man.. that's disgusting. It's sad what these companies will release, and for the price this is by far disrespectful.

All those rave reviews, Andrew Robinson saying he would never get rid of this unit.

But I will once again refer to my statements, even something with less than 40 db sinad doesn't sound god awful. So it's not a surprise they all love this

 

[pablolie]

The sad thing is that WhatHiFi is so blatantly biased to these quirky offerings - I never measured the gear but Naim was never to my liking. I like the digital mag because of pretty pics but I absolutely mistrust their blatant pro-Brit bias ... This review shows why. This piece of gear is one of their absolute top choices.

Also - what's with the sticker on the back to actually define the actual voltage when the chassis' print mentions the whole darn range?

 

[sspfr]

The two statements are not mutually exclusive. That the equipment may be difficult to measure does not negate the measurements.

"Measurement is very difficult" in Chinese does not mean it is difficult to measure.

 

[sspfr]

I went from the Naim UnitiQute 2 to the Auralic Aries Mini + power amp (Quad 909). That was in 2015 or 2016. The Aries Mini is the best value piece of audio I've ever owned and my son now uses it. I put it in my main system and purchased a Bluesound Powernode, a great streamer but a poor amplifier.

The game-changer was when Auralic Lightning was upgraded with Auralic Server, turning the Mini into a network storage unit - and the Mini cost only $499.

NAD/Bluesound briefly had a lead on Auralic because BluOs had Amazon HD onboard, whereas Auralic Lighting did not. That has now been fixed.

I was well aware that Auralic was Chinese and that it is led by a real star, Xuanqian Wang. In those days he was very close to his customers through his community forum.

Meet Your Maker: Xuanqian Wang of AURALiC

AURALiC hit the ground running a few years ago with its affordable range of digital audio products designed for audiophile and headphonista alike. That

hifiplus.com

My favourite bit is this - and it was 4 years ago.
Is the ‘computer and DAC’ dead in high-end, high-resolution audio?
Yes, ...

I like Chinese products from the likes of Auralic and IAG (all IAG are designed in the UK or Japan), made in state of the art factories, sold through domestic retailers with full warranty and support, locally, and extremely well made.

What I don't like are Chinese products made in sweatshops and sold online delivered from overseas without domestic support, consumer rights (2 year warranty) and a history of units failing.

I have a good DAC on my main setup so always thought anything from AURALiC was over the top for my needs just for streaming. Don't mind where stuff is from.

 

[DSJR]

I must say I see the measurements with quite a bit of Schadenfreude. Several years ago I bought some older used Naim amp to drive my Quad ESL 63s as it was recommended by someone. A few days later it went almost up in flames. I was reading on all these Naim products, external power supplies, and the whole gamut of CD players which still all have a supposedly different sound, with a lot of skepticism, but also a bit fascination. This has gone now and there does not seem to remain much except nicely designed devices with ridiculous prices and a lot of marketing lingo.

Naim to drive 63's? WHAT??????

Bloody six-months-experience amateurs on forums offering 'advice' to others..... We tried Naim and 63's at the time (after Quad had relaxed the crowbar protection) and the amp promptly shut down, something I'd never had a Naim do with other speakers like 3 ohm Linns.. Th elate issue Quad 44 (dark grey+RCA cosmetic) and 405-2 was far better anyway and it didn't break down into the 63's...

P.S. Not sure if anyone's said this, but all the external power supplies and so on wasn't just for hum isolation, but a great means of adding a several hundred quid 'upgrade' which the faithful back then were delighted to do as a better sound was promised. The fact that various electronics design chaps subsequently told me the best place for a regulator in the supply was next to the circuit it's regulating, doesn't seem to matter with this brand overmuch (maybe their digital stuff it slightly differently). Doesn't stop their often now elderly fans buying expensively into this philosophy and many still do I gather.

 

[DSJR]

I had always wanted a Naim amplifier, so when the Supernait 2 was discontinued I bought a new one at 40% discount. It replaced a Yamaha R-N602 that had a front panel that gave you an electric shock if you touched it whilst it was switched on. The Yamaha was never going to be worth repairing, given its cost, and like most consumer electrics at that price, was essentially disposable.

I was looking for an amp that just amplified, nothing more, no dac, no display, no streaming, no firmware updates, just an amplifier with a remote. I also vowed that this time I would get something that hopefully lasted but could be repaired cost effectively in the event that it failed. The Naim simply works. It barely gets warm. It copes better with low gain tv digital optical out through my Topping D50s dac than the Yamaha did (which needed almost maximum volume), but that must be the Naim’s volume pot gain, because the Yamaha had the same “watts”.

Since reading ASR, I have always thought that one of the “cheap amps that measure well” would have been a much better value proposition, especially when I realised that you can’t even turn on the Naim with the remote, but have to switch it on at the back of the case….. However, I rationalise that there is a quality of ownership to a Naim (even if it measures no better than a Behringer A800, as a Breitling measures no better than a Casio), and the cost of ownership may well be relatively low given the strong second hand values of Naim kit. Being manufactured down the road in Salisbury also appealed, even if the French now own the brand!

I’m still surprised at how badly the Atom measures, though! Does it sound as bad as it measures, I wonder?

Wasn't the SuperNait 2 the one where Naim took the DAC board out that was in the mk1 and not replacing it with anything, jiggled the internal layout a bit (according to the blurb back then) and still upped the price 10%?

 

[DSJR]

No one has mentioned the resale value of Naim gear it holds its price better than most hifi your chinese dacs praised here will lose 50% of its value as soon as you unbox it The construction quality of Naim gear is first class no mention of the ZigBee protocol in the review its quite unique. Anyone who has owned a Naim amp knows it drives speakers better than the specs suggest. Disappointed to hear this review was removed from the Naim forum the administrator needs to man up .

Not sure the streaming stuff holds value like the legacy stuff used to... This from one of their larger dealers.

 

[Garrincha]

Naim to drive 63's? WHAT??????

Bloody six-months-experience amateurs on forums offering 'advice' to others..... We tried Naim and 63's at the time (after Quad had relaxed the crowbar protection) and the amp promptly shut down, something I'd never had a Naim do with other speakers like 3 ohm Linns.. Th elate issue Quad 44 (dark grey+RCA cosmetic) and 405-2 was far better anyway and it didn't break down into the 63's...

I had a Quad 405 as well, as well as the 306. Both worked fine. I just wanted to try something else. You don't need many Watts to drive the ESL 63, the amp just needs to stable over a wide range of impedances, which the Naim apparently wasn't. So damn it.

 

[DWI]

I have a good DAC on my main setup so always thought anything from AURALiC was over the top for my needs just for streaming. Don't mind where stuff is from.

In the 13 years I've mostly listened to music using streaming, I've only used a standalone DAC for about 3 years. I've never used a regular laptop/computer as a source/controller.

I've used streamer/DACs like the Auralic Aries Mini or all-in-one products. This is how Auralic sees hifi, and it is extremely popular.

 

[sspfr]

In the 13 years I've mostly listened to music using streaming, I've only used a standalone DAC for about 3 years. I've never used a regular laptop/computer as a source/controller.

I've used streamer/DACs like the Auralic Aries Mini or all-in-one products. This is how Auralic sees hifi, and it is extremely popular.

I am also now primarily streaming - using the RPi4 as a Roon endpoint for USB out. Finding very differing views on whether upgrading that would improve anything on the sound. Don't have a relationship with a retailer where I live to drag various boxes home to try out and see if it would improve anything. Am also told not to believe what I hear . Anyway, one day I will try and report back.

 

[DWI]

I am also now primarily streaming - using the RPi4 as a Roon endpoint for USB out. Finding very differing views on whether upgrading that would improve anything on the sound. Don't have a relationship with a retailer where I live to drag various boxes home to try out and see if it would improve anything. Am also told not to believe what I hear . Anyway, one day I will try and report back.

A decade or more ago some of the hardware was a bit poor. For me the main improvement is improvement in the power supply and maintaining a low noise environment. I had to rewire my house, so the audio now has a dedicated supply (25 feet of shielded 10AWG cable). I also put in fibre optic cabling. I've used a mains conditioner for years. I have had an all-in-one system for 6 years and can't imagine changing it, as it is upgraded periodically by software. Amir thinks all mains products are a waste of time, he's never recommended one, but that's his view.

Frankly, things like the Uniti Atom are priced to reflect dealer margins, marketing and what the market will bear. I use a product that was launched about a year ago that probably has more functionality than the Uniti Atom, including a very good speaker and lighting, is a fraction of the size and costs about $500.

 

[al2002]

Frankly, things like the Uniti Atom are priced to reflect dealer margins, marketing and what the market will bear. I use a product that was launched about a year ago that probably has more functionality than the Uniti Atom, including a very good speaker and lighting, is a fraction of the size and costs about $500.

Would you mind sharing the make and model number of your AIO?

 

[DWI]

Would you mind sharing the make and model number of your AIO?

Zuma. I think currently only available in the UK and Denmark (soft launched), completely wireless, powered from a 24v transformer, software includes Roon Ready, uPnp, Tidal, Apple Music, Amazon HD, Spotify Connect, Radio, Airplay2, Bluetooth, Alexa, their own app for grouping and zoning and lots of other things, with 100uS synchronisation between units. Hardware is 1.4Ghz processor, 24/192 DAC, 75w amplifier and superb speaker 40Hz -6dB to 25khz, lighting is 530 lumens dimmable at 0.1% increments and colour variable from 2,700 to 5,000 kelvin. Given the technology included and the build quality, it makes products like those from Topping look stupidly expensive. Designed in the UK, manufactured in China. It's really a home automation product (CEDIA - Global Best New Hardware product award in 2021) so you won't see it mentioned much in audio forums, but the audio quality is superb. The two lead engineers on the audio side come from Naim and B&W.

 

[al2002]

The Zuma is a light fixture with a built in streaming wi-Fi speaker. It is an interesting product in its own right but completely different to the Uniti in functionality.

 

[JSnider]

The Atom sounds fantastic and can power any speaker I've used with it. The Naim App is better than most. But regardless of measurements, the thing sounds fantastic for the money and the functionality.

 

[DWI]

The Zuma is a light fixture with a built in streaming wi-Fi speaker. It is an interesting product in its own right but completely different to the Uniti in functionality.

Actually it shows how the functionality of Uniti Atom can be put in a very small unit with a 75w amplifier. It also has lighting and a very good 3.5" speaker, and it costs under $500, whereas the Atom is $3,000. The class leading syncronisation speed means it works wirelessly in large groups with HD streams with no timing issues. I use 7 units for home cinema and up to 16 units at a time for audio.

Zuma is one of the CEDIA Propel group of products that integrate with the Amazon Home Automation business, which includes Ring and Echo/Alexa. Zuma is in the process of building Alexa into the unit with microphones in the bezel, so you don't need an Echo unit. One key feature is that they are user-installable, which saves a lot of cost. In our house the audio and lighting (Zuma), security (Ring), video (LG), kitchen and cleaning appliances (Miele) and blinds (Luxaflex) can be Alexa voice controlled. The software takes a long time to develop, Zuma took 5 years. I also use several wireless Shelly relays, which are very useful and cost about $15.

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cedia.net

Home automation used to be very expensive. Sometimes it still is. For products like these, they have to be high quality, 100% reliable, wireless and easy to use. Once everything is voice controlled, all the hardware can be hidden away and no wires. The most important thing is that they have to be cheap and blow out the competition on price, which things like Ring and Zuma do.

One weakness of Naim Uniti Atom is that it does not have Alexa. Google Assistant is probably better, but more people use Alexa.