I just upgraded my speakers to a pair of Kaya S12 from Vivid Audio. Amazing speakers!
Paired with the Atom (with Chord Shawline X speaker cable), I sometimes feel that there’s a little lack of warmth.
Does the Nova give a warmer/smoother presentation with its extra power? Does anyone here have any experience in this regard?
Another possible setup would be the Atom HE with NAP 250DR or a Supernait 3 with a separate streamer.
So I have found I prefer a warmer smoother sound in my system and the bit of my kit that fully accomplished that was adding a second hand ndac to my naim streamer. So the only thing I recommend is getting second hand nd5 xs2, an ndac and a sn3.
Without the ndac any upgrade you make will give you a bigger better sound with much more bass that is better controlled and more realistic treble but will probably not sound warmer.
Generally changing sound like that is done by getting warmer sounding speakers which you obviously don’t want to change.
I can’t guarantee what the combo I recommend will sound like as I’ve never had the opportunity to hear it. I went from the atom to the nd5xs2/sn3 which did not sound warmer but was very cohesive and enjoyable. Then upgrading to a 282 combo with the same streamer then went to warmer speakers then finally added the ndac and it sounds amazing to me.
I have never tried an ndx2 as even second hand that was more expensive than having a separate streamer and dac and I didn’t need or want the screen.
When it comes to adding warmth and smoothness the ndac is the electronic component that made the most difference. But since I have warm leaning speakers I can’t say how much is just the dac and how much is the interaction of both. Different cables have been known to help tune sound also.
I agree with the suggestion to speak to a dealer and demo everything you can. There may be a non Naim streamer that gives you what you want or you may find you cannot get the sound you want with your current speakers. There are a huge number of options out there, just don’t limit yourself and only buy something if you’re perfectly happy with the end result. If there is still something missing you might end up in the upgrade merry go round forever.
Welcome. If you are pleased with your new speakers, in your room excellent. Now as @IanRobertM has highlighted, you need to involve a dealer, because careful selection is needed. If you don’t need the Atom HE, then other possibilities exist.
The Nova doesn’t, as some have described here on the forum, sit well with every speaker so home listen is essential (search forum worthwhile). Nova is great kit as an all in one, but don’t view it as realistically upgradeable. Imhe adding NAP to Nova is potentially problematic; doing the same with Atom HE is worth a listen. Is box count important? Budget?
Great value on late kit so consider carefully. NDX2 + SN3 would be a great combo to audition.
Imho, warmth is mostly an issue of speaker choice, speaker positioning and the rest of the room - assuming that the rest is fairly neutral.
I use an Atom upstairs with Shahinian Compasses - it is jolly good and doesn’t lack for warmth. My girlfriend’s Nova (with Neat iota Alphas) has more detail, more space and more drive, but any difference in tonal character/ warmth is really down to the speakers, not the power amp section driving them.
Having said all that, your speakers will sound better in pretty much every way with a rather better source than your Atom.
As you say, the obvious options are a Nova, Atom HE plus 250, or NDX2 or ND5XS2 plus Supernait (which you can improve further with a Hicap for the SN, and or XPS for the NDX2). Any of them should be a significant upgrade, particularly the multi-box options, though whether the sound will be warmer (or just lacking any tendency toward harshness when pushed that you had before) is not so certain.
When I needed a second system, I expected to get a Nova - they are very good. However, second hand ND5XS2, olive 82, Hicap and 250 cost less together than a Nova and deliver more music (and an easier upgrade path if we ever want one). Serviced olive or other s/h purchases are a great VFM option.
Before considering which of those would suit you best, you might try moving the speakers and/ or listening position a little. You could also see if you have a lot of reflective surfaces that may be interfering. Lastly, you could try (on a Buy or Return basis only) some different speaker cables, because some good choices are a bit warmer than other also-good choices.
Of course, for real risk reduction, rules are, keep funds firmly locked and inaccessible, ignore upgraditis and avoid the forum…just listen to the music, of course!
First, thanks for all your input! Really appreciated!
This is my first passive system. I used to have powered speakers.
Wanted to try the Naim streaming UI so I added an Atom, with the plan to add passive speakers later on. The plan was never to get such a high end pair of speakers. But the sound and looks of the S12 made me realize that I wanted to get it right from the get go.
I really like the minimalist look of the Atom and therefor I really wanted the Nova to be the answer…it’d fit right in with the decor. Price wise it also felt like a decent match.
Is it possible to turn off the green LEDs of the non-uniti options?
I upgraded my 38yr old Nac62/Nap140/KEF Reference 104.2 last year to an Atom HE and NAP250DR.
After a long dealer audition and subsequent home trial of two brands of speaker for about 8 weeks I also added a pair of Titan 606.
My dealer suggested I upgrade my Naim speaker cable and sent a pair of Chord Epic XL cables for me to try.
I was surprised at how much extra top-end they brought out, maybe a bit too much.
I then bought a huge fluffy (cheap) rug to cover the vinyl flooring and that bought it all together very nicely.
I am extremely happy with my system now and I can fold up the rug and put it away in about 40 seconds.
I listen mainly to classical music and after spending some time with speaker positioning and listening chair positioning I find the soundstage and detail amazing.
Sometimes little things like the rug I added made a big difference.
I would describe the sound as being very natural.
I found the 3 hours I spent with my dealer listening to 4 different brands of speaker was invaluable.
Then they delivered and set up each pair of speakers for me to audition for about 4 weeks then they came back and swapped them and finally came back to install the Titans.
So Kudos to The Audiobarn so to speak
I have not come across your speakers before, but reading a couple of reviews, they sound very interesting and I’d certainly like to hear a pair at some point. The reviewers do seem to be agreed that they are very revealing and neutral sounding. Some speakers sound “warm” because of a slight emphasis of the upper bass. Moving to speakers that prioritise neutrality can give the impression of a lack of warmth, whereas what they’re doing is reproducing the source more accurately. So if they’re new, I’d wait a few weeks before doing anything to give them time to run in and your ears to adjust.
In the longer run, though, those speakers deserve more than an Atom. Good though it is (and I have one), it’s still Naim’s entry point (except Musos) and I suspect your Kayas are exposing its limitations. So plan to upgrade that part of your system. I suspect you could go a long way with your speakers and support the advice to talk to a knowledgeable dealer and listen to various options. But bear in mind that upgrading can be expensive so getting to your desired endpoint in as few steps as possible has its merits.
Seriously…go for the best sound first, at a price that suits. If colour doesn’t suit…if you don’t post about it here on the forum, just pop a piece of gaffa tape or any more subtle options to suit.
I’m sure Ian can help. He seems to be able to make anything up.
I notice he ignored my rules, at least the wise ones. Insert cheeky face…i’m reaching for my hat!
Dont forget you can add a 250DR to the Atom. Your intial post suggested you thought you needed an HE to do this but you can use a standard Atom as a preamp too.
Easy to demo in your system at home if a dealer would lend you a 250.
A 250 is a big upgrade on the Atom alone but only your demo will tell you if it is what you are lookimg for.
Thanks for the warm welcome and all your insights!
A lot of valid points.
It might be that the speakers are so revealing, that it will take some getting used to. I don’t feel that the warmth is lacking all the time, which would also point to this truth. They reproduce what’s there, without colouration. Like you said @PeakMan
I guess I have to go to a dealer and have a listen. I was starting to think that maybe they needed to be paired with a Sugden-ish or a tube amp.
Since the Nova have been out some years I wasn’t looking to buy new, that’s why I haven’t been to a dealer. Also, there’s no Naim dealer in my hometown. I don’t like to go and listen without the ambition to buy.
As you’ve concluded, the Atom isn’t really enough for your speakers, which is probably what’s leading to the presentation, as the amplifier will be straining. No cable change will address this, as what you need is more quality and more power. I have a Nova with PMC twenty5.21, which are of similar efficiency to your Vivids. It works really well with them in an 18m2 room. I’d say the Nova is well worth a try if you want to keep things simple. Otherwise adding a 250 could be an idea, though I find these all in ones are really best used as all in ones. It may well be that for a quality match you are looking at the New Classic 222/250 combination. The problem there is that it’s three times the price of a Nova. There is always the Nova PE of course.
I think you really hit the nail on the head! Of course the Nova will be better than the Atom, but will it be enough to ease my mind…
I have a feeling that I won’t be satisfied and the search for a more worthy partnership will continue.