Feedback from a new user: Focal Aria Evo X1 + Naim Uniti Atom

Hi-Fi Corner
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Hello everyone, I’m a newcomer to the Naim universe. I recently purchased a pair of Focal Aria Evo X1 speakers with a Naim Uniti Atom amp, and I am fully satisfied with the result.

I am not an audiophile; I simply enjoy having satisfying sound quality to appreciate music in good conditions, while also being able to turn it up and dance with my friends. This Focal-Naim duo perfectly fits the bill for me.

However, I have a few remarks regarding the Naim App.

Some of you might be shocked because my ideas are quite “mainstream” or perhaps contrary to certain audiophile ethics. Please don’t judge me! I’m sharing these suggestions because I find them relevant to my personal use, though I completely understand if they don’t align with yours. :wink:

  1. Tone Control: Is it possible to have Bass / Mid / Treble settings? I know some people are against this because it “distorts” the sound. In my case, it would help compensate for a hearing deficiency I have in the high frequencies. Furthermore, not everyone has the luxury of placing their speakers in a perfect room; I personally have a slight bass bloat in the lower mids that I’d love to be able to correct. I believe Naim offers this on certain models—why not all of them?

  2. Power Button: The ON/OFF button is currently hidden (you have to go into “Settings”). It would be great if it were directly accessible.

  3. User Profiles: It would be interesting to have audio profile management based on different users and their preferences (we don’t all listen to the same music in my family, and we don’t have the same ears!).

  4. Volume Steps: The volume buttons on the iPhone increase the sound by increments of 6, which is too imprecise. Is it possible to reduce this increment?

  5. Latency: There is sometimes an inexplicable latency when “sending” a track to the amp from Apple Music (in HD), which results in the beginning of some songs being cut off.

  6. Translation: In the French version of the app, please correct the translation of “favourite” to “favoris.”

I would also like to make some more general remarks regarding the Naim Uniti Atom hardware:

  • Startup Volume: If the amp is turned off at volume 50 (thanks kids !), it turns back on at 50/100. While logical, this is way too loud . It would be useful to have a setting to limit the volume at startup (either a “crescendo” effect or a user-defined max startup volume).

  • Banana Plugs: When I received the amp, there were no instructions for assembling the supplied banana plugs. I was disappointed to discover they required soldering, which isn’t the most user-friendly solution.

  • Brightness: Regarding the display brightness, I think there should be more “low” dimming levels for a softer light.

  • Display/UI: In Naim’s marketing documentation, we often see a “playful” wallpaper, but I’ve never found it on the device itself. It would be a great idea to have VU meters or colored/animated wallpapers/backgrounds.

  • Standby Clock: Would it be possible to display the time on the screen while in standby mode?

I love my Naim and my Focals, and I believe these small details could really improve the overall experience.

Best regards,
Eric

(translated form French by AI, my English isn’t good enough :smiley: )

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The power button doesn’t really need to be used often, just let it go into standby mode when it is not being used. It is still visible, and fires up immediately when you call up music.

I don’t think the volume is stepped significantly using the app on my Android phone. Might be an iPhone thing??? The top control is of course an option.

Bruce

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If you change the volume using the app rather than the phone buttons, there are no steps of 6.

You can set a maximum volume in the app to stop it playing too loud.

There are no tone controls. If you have bass boom, try moving the speakers around. As the speakers are new, it may be possible to try something different. The sound of speakers is very room dependent.

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Try moving the Focals into the room. They need space all around them. This makes a huge difference and will give you cleaner less distorted bass.

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You have provided thoughtful feedback. I am sure that the Naim staff on here appreciate your taking the time to provide it.

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To point 5

I have the same problem here. It’s due to the latest version of Mac OS Tahoe.

I hope the upcoming Mac OS will fix this problem.

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Thank you Dan for your message.

I have indeed already done everything possible within the constraints of my room’s layout and the available placement options. However, I’m convinced the result can still be improved, and that a (fully subjective — but after all, I’m the one listening :wink:) adjustment of treble/midrange/bass could easily solve the issue without making anyone look bad.

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Hello HungryHalibut,

You’re right about the volume increments. However, what I find incredibly convenient is being able to adjust it instantly using the phone’s physical buttons. It’s even possible to do it with the phone in your pocket, without having to take it out and (potentially) unlock it.

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