If that is the case you have answered your own question and stick with the Marantz or try something else.
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Naim doesn’t do MQA decoding. So you don’t get the MQA version of hi-res, what you get at best is CD quality. However, this depends on what Tidal sends, probably usually 16/44.1 CD quality, but it might sometimes also send the 13-bit degraded version that is the result when unfolding MQA on unlicensed devices. Search the forum for MQA and you will find a hundred threads
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There is no hi-res Tidal on Naim. And on devices that decode MQA, it’s still MQA-encumbered. Some like that and some don’t. There is far from agreement that MQA hi-res sounds better, whatever What Hi-fi says. And apart from that there are questions of a healthy ecosystem where you may listen to hi-res content without paying the owners of MQA.
On side by side testing I preferred Qobuz. My system, my room, my ears.
…and no problem with the user interface on my iPad or iPhone.
JMHO/YMMV
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Thanks, I will look up MQA. No point for me to get Tidal, if I can’t use their Hi-Res version with Atom in any case.
I have read the same review. What is very strange is that Whathifi preferred MQA files on Tidal vs Hires on Qobuz. But their source is Nd555 which can’t decode MQA.
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If the marantz and atom are not diferent in the music you normally listen, then do not upgrade.
Go other route with your money for now when upgrading your system, maybe new loudspeakers, better and more revealing loudspeakers can in the future show the changes better when upgrading gear.
And trust your ears first, in the end the system is for you only.
Maybe they use roon and have selected for roon to make the first unfold.
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It sounds like you’ve saved yourself some money. I haven’t listened to either of the components you have but I suspect you have some source or network issues that aren’t letting the Atom shine but that’s just a guess. And if the music you’re testing is your normal catalog then the results are the results and you saved yourself some $$.
It says: “Qobuz claims to have more hi-res tracks than rivals, Tidal’s hi-res streams also sound marginally better for timing and dynamics” however it fails to mention that Tidal’s so-called hi res is not bit perfect, while to hear it in all its ‘glory’ an MQA compatible DAC is required, and the Atom doesn’t have that (I don’t know about your Maranz, though I guess not given that you describe it as “ancient”.
Maybe. I should check. Good point.
Their reference is, but they didn’t say that they used it in this review. The whole thing makes no sense anyway.
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I have both as I can’t seem to make up my mind between the two. 
For SQ I think Qobuz had the edge on Tidal in about 6/7 out of 10 tracks. The difference varies between barely audible / small on most (identical) tracks to clearly audible on some tracks. If the difference is more clear, it’s always in favour of Qobuz in my experience.
The user experience on the other hand, is a clear win for Tidal imo. The UI is way better on all devices that I use (iPhone, iPad, Mac), Tidals ‘Daily Discovery’ to find new music works very well for me. The Connect feature works flawless from a laptop (Qobuz is still working on this). And last but not least for me, local (downloaded) playlists for on the go, auto-update with Tidal, not with Qobuz.
Make sure you are signed into Qobuz (or tidal or whatever) on the naim app using the naim app to stream to the atom when making the comparison, and not using the Qobuz or Tidal or Spotify app to play via Bluetooth or Apple play from your phone.
Everything else being equal you simply see no advantage with the Atom. No need to change, enjoy your music.
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I have a uniti2 and am blown away by Naim’s so-called compromise integrated amps, perhaps your Marantz offers similar sq to the Atom or perhaps either your internet is struggling with files or your speaker set up is bottle necking the sq… or a bit of both. Have u tried feeding the amps via an iPhone which supplies propriety files?
Well WhatHifi? do have some odd reviews. I seem to recall they paired the Atom with ATC SCM 50s when they reviewed it. And they weren’t trying to win the “ultimate mullet” competition,
Roger
Qobuz is better I think. And see if you can get a pair of Focal Chora 816s to try with the Atom.
I am sure the Marantz CR510 is a fine piece of kit but… if it’s difficult to hear a meaningful difference with a Naim Atom - costing 5/6 x more - seems very strange. I would search for the cause as suggested by others too as it seems highly unlikely these two sound the same.
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