Naim Uniti Atom - Unique Sound with Style!

If you ask a car enthusiast what the ultimate vehicle is for them, you'll probably get a variety of answers—from Ferrari and Lamborghini to Rolls Royce and Jaguar. The truth is, there’s no right answer, as there are so many classic brands to choose from, and it all comes down to personal taste. However, if we pose the question, "What is the ultimate sound system that a hi-fi enthusiast would dream of owning?" we bet the answer would definitely include the brand Naim!

Since the early 1970s, this pillar of the audio world has been producing equipment that makes music lovers literally melt. Some devoted fans even spend enormous amounts on their sound systems, with bills that could make your head spin. In other words, it's a name that inspires, with products that all of us who love high-quality sound would one day dream of owning. For almost 50 years, Naim has specialized in producing exceptional audio equipment, built on its reputation for impressive sound amplification. Anyone who has the chance—or the luck—to visit Naim’s factory, located in the heart of the English countryside, would feel nothing short of awe! Awe because it’s thrilling to see top-quality products being handcrafted in England, rather than in a factory in China—not that there’s anything wrong with Chinese products, but the love, craftsmanship, and attention to detail that Naim pours into creating handmade sound systems is simply a delight.



In recent years Naim has been producing all-in-one, entry-level systems for people who want to buy into the Naim brand on a budget. The Naim Mu-so and the Naim Mu-so Qb are excellent multi-room systems that include speakers and amps. They’ve been wildly popular but if you want to step up to ‘proper hi-fi’ and connect your own choice of speakers, then buying into the Naim brand wasn’t quite as affordable. But now Naim has launched its Uniti range, a choice of three more-affordable systems that bring Naim audio within the reach of the enthusiast on a budget.

Description and Features

Inside the Atom, there’s a hefty transformer that takes up significant space within its sleek, black casing, crafted from elegantly polished metal. The design showcases a modern industrial aesthetic, with cooling fins running along the sides of the unit. The device is smaller than a vinyl record cover, and its design includes the same large, illuminated rotary volume knob found on the Mu-so and Mu-so Qb models. This feature has now become a signature trademark of Naim, setting it apart from its competitors. It’s a tactile dial with an exceptionally smooth operation, offering a uniquely satisfying user experience.

To the front of the Naim Uniti Atom there’s a 5-inch colour LCD screen that displays information or album artwork for whatever is currently playing. The screen also displays the Atom’s input choices but it’s not a touch screen because you control the Atom either via its handsome remote control or by using the Naim app, which is available for iOS and Android platforms. The screen is protected by scratchproof glass and it stays illuminated at all times. Next to the screen there’s the Naim logo that’s discreetly lit by a tiny white LED downlighter. You can set the level of the illumination of the Atom’s controls to one of three brightness levels, but like the screen you can’t turn it off completely for listening in the dark. There’s also a 3.5mm headphone jack at the front should you wish to listen to music late at night without disturbing others.

When it comes to networking, the Atom has all of your options covered. There’s an Ethernet port for a wired network connection as well as wireless networking for 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands; all your wireless bases are covered. The connectivity options include support for Google’s Chromecast as well as Apple AirPlay and Bluetooth apt-x HD. If you want to use the Atom alongside your TV then you can choose the optional HDMI ARC input so that you can route your TV’s sound through the Atom and control the volume level using your TV’s remote control. 

As you’d expect, there’s a built-in Internet radio function that enables you to stream radio programmes from almost anywhere in the world. If you use digital music streaming services then there’s support for Tidal’s CD-quality streaming and Spotify. Finally there are two USB ports – one at the front and one at the rear – that can accept USB memory sticks or USB hard drives and you use them like a NAS storage device for accessing your digital music files, up to a limit of 22,000 tracks per device. In addition to all these features, the Naim Uniti Atom can play almost any audio source from your smartphone, tablet, or computer. You can connect via AirPlay, Chromecast, or Bluetooth and stream any content you like. The only feature missing from the Atom is a CD player—but that probably just shows our age. My 14-year-old son laughs every time we play a CD, and now even we ourselves realize that the convenience of having your CDs ripped and available at the push of a button is much more practical than taking a silver disc off the shelf and loading it into a "primitive" spinning mechanism.

It’s clear from the description that the Naim Uniti Atom packs an impressive range of features into a very compact package. This sleek, almost square device could easily replace any large sound system—and on top of that, it looks stunning. For most people, the 2 x 40-watt power output is more than enough to fill a room with sound. Thanks to the large transformer inside the Atom, the sound remains stable even at very high volumes. It’s a device with robust performance and acoustic reliability. As with all high-end audio systems, there are no controls for bass, treble, or loudness—because they simply aren’t needed. It’s so well-designed that it can drive most quality speakers with an ideal sonic character.

See all the versions here

Performance and impressions

Let's talk about the sound of the Uniti Atom now, as this is the most important aspect. If you have never heard a truly well-designed sound system, you should prepare yourself for a unique experience. From the moment you press play, you will be amazed by the richness and range of the sound. The stereo imaging is incredibly accurate, with such analytical ability that is rarely found in other devices. We understand that when describing a sound as "accurate," one might think of a clinical or fatiguing character. However, the DAC of the Uniti Atom is so finely tuned and so flawlessly combined with the amplifier that it exudes an analog musicality! The Atom pulls you into the music, making you feel every detail and depth. The bass is tight and crisp, with no hint of muddiness, while the treble is clear without being tiring. We listened to a lot of jazz with acoustic bass, and the Atom renders the low notes in a way that is so detailed and powerful, with no hint of muddiness. You can truly hear every slap of the metal bass string on the fingerboard – it's a pleasure to listen to. You can discern the wooden tip of the drumstick hitting a cymbal, and in general, you can detect a level of sonic detail that is rarely found in other systems at this price. Naim’s amplification is truly in a class of its own.

Control and Operation

When it comes to controlling the Uniti Atom you can either use the gorgeous, glossy remote control or your smartphone or tablet. The chunky remote feels beautifully solid and is finished is a sumptuous black gloss. It also includes a backlight with a proximity sensor, which means that as soon as you go anywhere near the remote, it lights up for you. It’s a two-way device and so indicates the volume level if you’ve turned the noise up or down using the Atom’s large volume knob or from the app on your smartphone. Most users of the Atom will probably choose to operate the system using an iOS or Android device. Naim’s own app is a great piece of software engineering that enables you to control every aspect of the Atom from your armchair using your phone or tablet. You can browse your way through your music collection, select Internet radio stations or choose input options without getting up. If you’re using more than one Naim device in your home, you can stream music to all the devices or, indeed, stream different music to different rooms. You are in charge and the Uniti Atom is your audio slave.

See all the versions here

Verdict

It is a compact piece of high-fidelity for the digital age we live in, offering wonderful music performance at a price that is truly quite reasonable for those of us who truly love the music we listen to.

The convenience of the all-in-one system makes the Naim Uniti Atom a no brainer if you’re looking for a great hi-fi system that is scalable and can fit into a multi-room audio system. The Atom’s sound is sublime and its usability is superb. Almost every input option is covered and the only thing missing is a CD player, but you can easily hook one up via one of the two optical inputs or add a Uniti Core music server with a CD ripper. If you want to get your foot on the deluxe hi-fi ladder, the Naim Uniti Atom is the answer.

AthensProAudio Team ©