Hi, I am looking into getting my first hi-fi music system and I am looking at the Naim Atom. Would the Atom be able to drive the Neat Momentum SX3i or does it not push enough power? Would the Atom be better suited with something like the Klipsch Heresy IV? Are there any other options in this range I should be looking for? I am mainly targeting the used market to try and get better value for money.
Another option you might not have considered is the atom headphone edition partnered with active speakers.
I already have a headphone setup (schiit stack) in my office so I donât think that is what I am looking for. I could also pickup an old Luxman L-430 from a coworker to chain with the Atom if I need more power but I donât want to rely on that option as it has sat unused for many years and I am not sure if it is still operational.
Welcome to the forum.
The Atom doesnât want too be chained to anything. Best ensure the unit meets your speakers needs as is. It is designed as an all in one unit and there have been mixed views here about adding any power amp to an all in one unit.
Audition both together and use Naim speaker cable as a starting point. It wonât be a bargain, or top vfm, unless it all works as you would like, so home audition is preferable. Dealers donât restrict their sales to new in most cases.
Small speakers from Spendor or something like ProAc tab 10s are worth considering. There also appears to be some good deals on Nova, which for not a lot more, would widen your options.
As so often happens, you havenât let us know where you are, which does influence answers to these type of questions (@Martinzero !).
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The atom he can be used with a power amp plus speakers, or with active speakers.
Ignore the fact it has a headphone socket.
If using active speakers, you do not need to consider whether the amp/speaker combination is suitable as they are designed to work together.
Look for speakers with an xlr input which can be connected to the atom he balanced xlr output.
Eg acoustic energy ae1 active.
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The Atom is an all in one and if you are already thinking of adding something to it then itâs not the unit for you. The key thing is to find speakers that work well with it, then youâll end up with a lovely system.
You need to decide what sort of speakers you want. The Neats and the Klipsch could hardly be more different. I certainly wouldnât try to match the Atom with those Isobarik Neats.
Try a Forum search, as the question of compatible speakers for the Atom has been asked numerous times previously. Youâll find a magnifying glass at the top, which brings up the search facility.
The Atom HE has been previously mentioned. I use one with active PMC speakers and would recommend at least investigating this approach. Before getting the HE I used the same speakers passive with a Nova. I find the active setup much better, and it costs a bit less too.
Thank you. I am located in Canada, western half if you need more specific.
Yes, I wasnât planning to chain it with anything but I saw a post on the forum that it is possible to use it that way.
That is true, I am actually planning to demo the systems/speakers I have mentioned today as I have a Focal/Naim dealer in my city.
I donât see any deals related for the Nova or Atom HE nationwide. This might change when I actually go to the Naim dealer as they donât have any options or pricing listed on their website.
Passive speakers seem to be more prevalent with a clearer upgrade path in the future so I think I would like to avoid active speakers. I also like the idea of having an all in one system for now.
Yes, the goal is to not have to add anything to the system. I did see posts on this forum mentioning it was a possibility to add something to increase power or change the sound signature which is why I decided to mention that point.
Interesting that you say you wouldnât match the Neats with the Atom. I found many posts on the forum suggesting that Neat and Naim work well together. I found examples of the SX3i working well with the Nova in particular. Since the Nova is a bit more powerful I wasnât sure if it would translate well to the Atom or not.
I am auditioning the speakers I mentioned today. The reason I selected them to look at even though they are quite different is that I found posts on this forum and other review sites suggesting both of them as a good match.
Why do you find the active setup better? I would expect the Nova setup to be better considering it is essentially an upgraded Atom.
Another point I feel I should mention is that the goal is to use this system in a living room, not a dedicated listening room. The living room has hardwood floors and an open connection to the kitchen+dinning room so it would be ideal if the speakers could fill the whole space with sound. Something the Klipsch seems to be well suited for due to having a large sound while still being easy to drive.
Neat make fine speakers and itâs a good partnership with Naim. The Momentum range was quite high in Neatâs pecking order, between the Motive and Ultimatum. Specs wonât tell you everything but they are a 6 ohm speaker, dipping to only 4 ohms, and are quite low sensitivity at 87dB. They are quite a handful for an amplifier and deserve more drive and control than the Atom provides.
People often make the error or getting speakers that are too good for an amplifier, or otherwise incompatible, and then wonder why they have the drive or dynamics of a wet lettuce. You need an amplifier that grips the speakers.
Thatâs where the PMC actives come in - two 100W amplifiers coupled directly to the drivers with no passive crossover in the way. The speed and control is really something.
I canât help with the Heresy IV as I know little about it. Forum member @MaxBertola has owned Heresy speakers with Naim and may be able to provide you with some thoughts.
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Yes, Iâve had Klipsch Heresy IIIs, but never with Naim. Iâve used them with Pass Labs INT-25 (too thick and not agile enough), with PrimaLuna EVO 100 (much better) and a few other tentative solutions.
They are specced at 99dB but are more likely 96. But their large woofer also can be driven with a 400W amp. A guy from Klipsch wrote to me that they actually need power to be heard at full potential.
Klipsch Heresy III are an extremely pleasant, engaging speaker with a much more balanced and integrated voice than many think, but their extreme sensitivity is more a paper datum. They need power. I wouldnât use them with an Atom and not with Naim in general, given the low damping factor of Naim amps and their possible preference for medium/high impedances, a bit like if they were tube amps.
PS
Klipsch Heresy are best enjoyed in a largish room, played loud and heard from a distance - at least 4 mt. In these conditions they let their famous âliveâ presentation loose, but are not suited to be played at lower levels for a near- or close to nearfield listening. I still love them and have a soft spot for them but are not speakers for everyone and everything. Best.
Which they do. I have an Atom in the small bedroom I use as an office which I run with little Near Iota speakers mounted on the wall. It works very well, but it is a small room and I doubt if itâs the ideal choice for the larger space you describe.
I do back HHâs suggestion of an Atom HE with active speakers. Donâ be put off by the âheadphoneâ bit of the description. It is a really good pre/streamer and forms a great combination with active speakers.
Finally a couple of other suggestions. On speakers, you might want to consider Focal. Iâm not a fan but many do enjoy the pairing and theyâre generally easy to drive. On the amp front you might like to consider the new CI 102. Cheaper and more powerful than the Atom, itâs been getting some ver good reviews.
Roger
After speaking with my local Naim dealer he agreed that the Momentum range would not be a good fit for the Atom. Showing him the dimensions and layout of my space he recommended and had me test out the JBL L100 classic. They sounded great with the Atom and would certainly seem to work well with my larger space. I didnât pull the trigger yet but that is what I am leaning towards.
The Naim dealer I spoke with today had similar feelings and cautioned against the Heresy IV. As mentioned above his main recomendation given my space was the JBL L100 classic. I did some more searching on the forum and found quite a few people enjoy the L100 classic with their Naim products. There was also feedback that they work surprisingly well at low volumes.
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Better than Clem Atlee, but not as good as Winston Churchill.
(Sorry, ⌠so Chaos Cat is in one of those moods today is she. - Ella)
I am fairly confident I want to stick to the passive speaker route. I am not put off by the âheadphoneâ bit of the description. It is the active speaker requirement (or getting another amp) I am not a fan of.
I appreciate the CI 102 recommendation. Next time I speak with the local Naim dealer (which also happens to be a Focal dealer) I will ask about it and test it out to see how it compares to the Atom.