Naim Uniti Atom Review (Streamer & Amp)

[Engine]

AMPLIFICATEUR Naim Nait 1

One of the worst amplifiers on the market in its time: early 1980s. Exactly, Yamaha made much better designed and manufactured amplifiers, with better quality components than these British gizmos... But some people like the sound...

What a nonsense...

 

[DSJR]

What a nonsense...

It wasn't a bad amp, but 20W of compression/soft clipping hardly set the world alight. Since most original Nait mk1 owners used vinyl, the 'sound' was dominated by a deliberately tailored RIAA curve, which reduced bass below 500Hz or so and thereby lifted the mid kHz region to match the dire MM cartridges we used then (usually the far east derived A&R and Rega R100 siblings with mid kHz hf suckouts - now Sumiko Pearl - and the absolutely dire Rega RB100 and Goldring made siblings.

The people who pay several hundred for one of the above amps in whatever knackered condition do it as collectors or people ignorant of what's out there and wanting to resurrect youthful audio ambitions - and yes, I sold them when new and used one occasionally in recent times - it's charming but gutless really (the Nait 3 is simply gutless)

 

[Galliardist]

Naim NAIT integrated amplifier 1989 Measurements

Sidebar 2: 1989 Measurements Measuring this amplifier provided some interesting data. The smooth treble performance of the NAIT 2 that I liked actually appears to be due to euphonic coloration. Looking at the NAIT 2's frequency response (fig.1), a rolled-off high end is apparent. In fact, the...

www.stereophile.com

 

[Haskil]

What a nonsense...

Have you seen the design errors of the first generation of the Nait? with in particular two of these three inputs wired upside down, thus reversing the right and left channels due to a bad routing of the PCB? As for the power, 20 watts into 8 ohms 33 into 4 ohms absolutely does not indicate an amplifier capable of powering any speaker... compared to a much better designed and manufactured Yamaha of the same period... The Nonsense, it is that such DIY could meet with success by opening the way to audiophilia which killed high fidelity.

AMPLIFICATEUR Naim Nait 1

 

[Engine]

This is similar to saying that Bobby Fischer plays chess with low-quality chess pieces, then he is a bad chess player.

 

[Haskil]

This is similar to saying that Bobby Fischer plays chess with low-quality chess pieces, then he is a bad chess player.

This is nonsense... Inefficient and poorly designed electronics are a reality. But as Victor Hugo would say (?): the form is the substance that rises to the surface.

 

[DSJR]

Naim NAIT integrated amplifier 1989 Measurements

Sidebar 2: 1989 Measurements Measuring this amplifier provided some interesting data. The smooth treble performance of the NAIT 2 that I liked actually appears to be due to euphonic coloration. Looking at the NAIT 2's frequency response (fig.1), a rolled-off high end is apparent. In fact, the...

www.stereophile.com

That's the Nait 2, which traded some charm for a bit more punch. They lost all of it in the limp wristed Nait 3 (driving loudspeakers and subjective I know) and came back with added harshness (if pushed too far) Nait 5 models, later ones with output inductor fitted too (EEK!!!). Prices kept rising though but it seems the prospective owners were getting older too and maybe had more money to spend once the kids left home, mortage is paid off and bulging pension pots beckon...

 

[AurelioMCX]

Measurements vs. listening experience. I recently purchased the Topping D70 Pro based on the ASR results The DAC produces squeaky clean sound out of my KEF LS150 and Totem Forrest, exactly as the measurements suggest. What it doesn't do is create a sonically enjoyable listening experience for hours of time. The NAIM Unity does though, despite its 'flaws' on the bench. The Naim wants me to dance and sing along. I prefer the second as I enjoy live music recordings and those are never flawless, and at best overdubbed a dozen times. Do I look at the NAIM and scold myself for paying the money? Sure not! Yet, i moved the Topping to one of my smaller bedroom systems where background listening is the maximum anyone expects to do. To each their own.

 

[voodooless]

Measurements vs. listening experience. I recently purchased the Topping D70 Pro based on the ASR results The DAC produces squeaky clean sound out of my KEF LS150 and Totem Forrest, exactly as the measurements suggest. What it doesn't do is create a sonically enjoyable listening experience for hours of time. The NAIM Unity does though, despite its 'flaws' on the bench. The Naim wants me to dance and sing along. I prefer the second as I enjoy live music recordings and those are never flawless, and at best overdubbed a dozen times. Do I look at the NAIM and scold myself for paying the money? Sure not! Yet, i moved the Topping to one of my smaller bedroom systems where background listening is the maximum anyone expects to do. To each their own.

How did you compare the two? Was the D70 Pro also connected to the Naim? We already know the analog input is digitized, and the frequency response isn't flat. You're still listening to the Naim DAC this way. So all this could explain the differences you heard. But without proper testing, it's all speculation.

 

[restorer-john]

How did you compare the two? Was the D70 Pro also connected to the Naim? We already know the analog input is digitized, and the frequency response isn't flat. You're still listening to the Naim DAC this way. So all this could explain the differences you heard. But without proper testing, it's all speculation.

It's not 'speculation'. It's actually personal experience, something others simply don't have. Please don't tell someone what they are hearing or not hearing.

 

[voodooless]

It's not 'speculation'. It's actually personal experience, something others simply don't have. Please don't tell someone what they are hearing or not hearing.

I'm not disputing what people are hearing. I'm just speculating about the cause. And without further information and testing, it's exactly that: speculation.

 

[Haskil]

I'm not disputing what people are hearing. I'm just speculating about the cause. And without further information and testing, it's exactly that: speculation.

Especially since I recently listened to this Topping D 70 DAC connected to a Hypex amp and a pair of small Kef LS 50s and the sound delivered was remarkable when listening closely, because of course these speakers have a very light bass, in because of their very small concentric HP. The sound was not at all "clear and squeaky".
Then on a pair of large Cabasse Pacific : ditto.
We definitely don't all have the same ears: luckily, Audio Précision doesn't have any personal preferences or messages to convey.

 

[MacCali]

Measurements vs. listening experience. I recently purchased the Topping D70 Pro based on the ASR results The DAC produces squeaky clean sound out of my KEF LS150 and Totem Forrest, exactly as the measurements suggest. What it doesn't do is create a sonically enjoyable listening experience for hours of time. The NAIM Unity does though, despite its 'flaws' on the bench. The Naim wants me to dance and sing along. I prefer the second as I enjoy live music recordings and those are never flawless, and at best overdubbed a dozen times. Do I look at the NAIM and scold myself for paying the money? Sure not! Yet, i moved the Topping to one of my smaller bedroom systems where background listening is the maximum anyone expects to do. To each their own.

I think the topic at hand and is a realistic consideration would be the fact you can without a doubt find a similar experience, that unfortunately may not be AIO box solution, but with separates can be achieved at a far lower cost.

I would rather have you spend your money on the rest of your system than the foolish price tag for just this unit that is incompetently developed.

You may have purchased it used or cheaper and this is definitely a huge plus. But at full price it’s a shame.

I feel as of now a two box solution would be an Eversolo DMP-A6 master edition and an amp of your choice. It would be far more pleasant to spend the same cost for the atom buying my suggestion

 

[NDRQ]

Expensive, big audiophile brand, with lots of hype and......it is garbage, as expected.

 

[stumat]

Pathetic how bad it is relative to competition, something like Matrix Element range does everything better by orders of magnitude and you are still left with money to build yourself some hypex/purifi

It will be great to be able to test the product set that started the Naim phenomenon, NAP250 and the matching preamp. I can't recall the model number for the pro but but from late 70s. Eye opening to see how well they have progressed or went the other way round.

Late to this but I had the cheaper one- NAP 150 I think.

 

[AudioSceptic]

Late to this but I had the cheaper one- NAP 150 I think.

DSJR will chip in I'm sure, but I think there was a 160, with the 110 at the bottom of the range.

 

[stumat]

DSJR will chip in I'm sure, but I think there was a 160, with the 110 at the bottom of the range.

Yes, 160! The man in the shop who sold it to me went on to become chief of Kimber Cables, which might interest some on this site.

 

[Ucesasf]

This is all very well except it's quite apparent that noone here has listened to any actual music on this system. In that capacity, it wipes the floor with everything of a comparable price. And I've done the comparison for myself.

 

[Whiskey the Cat]

This is all very well except it's quite apparent that noone here has listened to any actual music on this system. In that capacity, it wipes the floor with everything of a comparable price. And I've done the comparison for myself.

Which system are you talking about?

 

[simbloke]

This is all very well except it's quite apparent that noone here has listened to any actual music on this system. In that capacity, it wipes the floor with everything of a comparable price. And I've done the comparison for myself.

You've decided that the owner doesn't listen to it, and/or doesn't come to this site? Huh. That seems unlikely.