Naim front end for active ATC’s

I’m thinking of getting the active SCM40a’s for the front room but would need to drive these from a single box solution. I have an Atom in that room just now driving Proac Tablettes and could initially drive the ATC’s with the Atom’s pre-outs and it might even be very good but I know these speakers will deserve a lot better.

The obvious choice would of course be a 272 but I’m a Roon addict and would have to fudge it with a UPNP bridge. The pre-outs of a Nova might be an upgrade on the Atom I suppose but it feels like redundancy with the wasted amps in the all-in-ones.

I could just wait and see if the 272 gets replaced this year and use my Atom in the meantime but what about the new streamers? Can these digitally control volume on a remote control (not just in the app) and output direct to the ATC’s? I don’t really need a full pre-amp here if there is at least one toslink input on the streamer (for the telly). If they can control volume, how is that implemented, fully dithered or via bit reduction?

Anyone tried this with the new streamers yet?

On the other hand when I first got the Atom there was that one time when the system glitched and it gave full volume all of a sudden and my little Proac nearly fell off their stands. Gave us all a fright. I wouldn’t want that to happen on active ATC’s!!

Any advice greatfully received.

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I am not a great Linn fan and have not heard the new Linn Selekt DSM. But the version with no power amp, just a digital streamer, dac and preamp at £4 k may suit your needs. The DAC can be upgraded at a later date to Katalyst.

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I changed my whole system last year after the Acoustica show in April.i was so impressed with ATC, so got the SCm 40A as you are thinking. Amazing speakers best ever for the money !
BUT on a serious box count reduction, from 252/SCDR/300DR/NDX/nDAC into Dynaudio contour 3.4s to my ATC and a pre streamer.Initially I thought of 272 with XPS but had a demo of the Auralic Vega 2 pre-DAC- preamp and was blown away, better than 272 and NDX IMO.
But the point I make is I’m sure you will love the ATC but get active ones and sit back and enjoy the music .

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I just ordered active 40’s yesterday and am facing the same situation. I already tried 272 with 19A’s but that didn’t convince me and no support for Roon there. Thought about Nova also but it would bother me that there’s a poweramp which isn’t used. I’ll probably wait for 372 and look into something else meanwhile. All tips are welcome.

Naim don’t really do what you want here at the moment until the new streaming board makes its way into a 272 replacement. If we factor a 10k budget for the SCM40A and a suitable network player / pre-amp, you’re into Dutch & Dutch 8C territory. These are due to be Roon ready very soon and would be well worth auditioning. If you don’t want to go this way, then Auralic as the would be where i would be looking.

The Auralic Vega G2 is really impressive , just a shame it doesn’t come with a Remote Control . Call me old fashioned but I don’t want to be changing volume etc by an app all the time . Otherwise its just about the ideal one box into Active solution .

A 372 for me too please .

I managed to get an Auralic remote from my dealer FOC, but it isn’t standard you are correct, You can of course use any remote with the Vega 2, you can easily programme it, it’s very simple, but I think it’s a bit mean of them not to include 1, when it costs so much.
On the plus, it leaves a 272 for dead , it makes a beautiful front end for my 40A,s .

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The atom has same streamer front end and is cheaper…, it’s small power amp won’t mind being left out :wink:

I tried my Atom with pre-outs into a non-Naim (but heavily Naim inspired) power amp while checking out Proac Tablette 10 Sigs at home recently. The Atom responds very well in this situation. I also tried the same pair on some big Tannoys and it was superb so I shall be tempted to use the Atom to front active ATC’s for the short term while we see what happens this year. 272 will either be replaced or retired I guess. Otherwise it will be the Auralic. I have an Auralic Aries just now into an nDAC on another system and I’ve been really pleased with it.

The problem I have with the Dutch and Dutch and the other flavour of the month active speakers with all the digital bits inside is the built in obsolescence. They’ll be worth 50p in six months as the short attention span of folks who need the latest and greatest streaming protocol will move on to the next sensation. I might try a pair when they are 50p then but in the meantime it’s a diet of solid dependable speaker brands like Proac and ATC for me. At least there’s some solid residual value and demand in stuff like this.

I flirted with the Dutch & Dutch , they are very impressive not just sonically but engineering wise too . Ultimately I stuck with (superb) Active ATC’s but I was very tempted with D&D and I think they will evolve nicely . We always hear that its the room thats the problem and they are trying to negate that , not just with DSP but Acoustic Engineering as well . Maybe that’s the next step of Loudspeaker design ??

Also I found the Auralic operation system rather clunky, and in my opinion that is saying something given the SU is own.

I have demoed a monster (non naim) system using a Nova as a front end because I wanted to keep it as a common source between all combinations, I was amazed at what the combo could do with the Nova source. I get source first but seriously the two of us listening couldn’t believe it. So I recon the unities can turn out a solid sound.

I am looking to connect my 282/HiCap DR to a pair of ATC SCM40A speakers. I have been told to run an interconnect cable from the HiCap socket 3 to the speakers XLR socket using a single 4 pin din to 2 x XLR (L + R) cable.

I have also been told that the cable screening needs to one of the following options:

Option 1

Normal

Normal wiring has the screen of the cable connected at both the DIN and the XLR plugs

Option 2

Pre-amp Reference Earth

This wiring has the screen of the cable connected at the DIN plug end only

Option 3

Speaker Reference Earth

This wiring has the screen of the cable connected at the XLR ends only.

I’m looking for advice on which screening scheme is appropriate so that I can order the correct DIN to 2 x XLR cable.

Thanks everyone.

You mean that it sounds really much better than 272 into ATC 40As?

Yes, even a 272 and a XPS tagged on.

I have ATC 50s Actives, what is the combination to try from Auralic in your opinion that will correspond? Vega 2 alone or streamer into the DAC? + Leo?

I love the 50A,s but a little large for me.My 40A,s are supplemented by a REL S5 SHO for the bottom octave, really go well together.
As for Auralic, my G2 goes straight into the 40,s,and I am very happy with the result. As and when and if, I fancy an upgrade, I believe the Leo is a great upgrade to add to the vega G2.However, the G2 is one of the finest pieces of streamer, DAc I have heard, well worth a try.

That’s interesting the use of the REL, I sometimes find a slight lack of bottom weight mainly soundtrack to TV.
I use 272/555 into 40A fed by a MELCO N1A/2

The REL is very easy to integrate with the 40,s , it just adds that very low bottom end, and opens up the sound more.
Well worth a try.

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thanks, I know that the 40a are more open if I bring them further away from the back wall, but then the bass is reduced. Ideal solution to try.